IN HONOUR OF PAROSE

(The late PAROSE with Dr. Brian Van Arem who had been taking care of the old-timer in retirement for LongRun Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation)

For those out there who strictly stick to the “it’s a business” credo...

Millionaire PAROSE raced until he was 12, won graded stakes when he was 8 and 9,
was finally retired in October 2006 when he was losing for low claiming at Fort Erie – he died recently from colic.

A warrior, when he got sick, they couldn’t help him due to long term damage down to internal system….Read more below..

HAMILTON BOYS WON CORONATION

Kesagami gets best ride

The King would have loved it.

There was a wonderful memorial service for Ted Lebanowich yesterday on the Woodbine backstretch and so many classy horsepeople showed up for it.

One, Jim Lawson, was there on behalf of his father Mel Lawson and the family came right back on Sunday to accept the trophy for their homebred colt KESAGAMI (a famous spot for fishing in northern Ontario,south of James Bay) who won the $250,000 CORONATION FUTURITY.

The Lawsons and the King were close – they are all from Hamilton, Ontario.

It was a nice performance for a Carson City colt (yep, a Carson City won a 1 1/8 mile stakes races) who is a ½ brother to champion Ginger Gold. It was a clever ride by Patrick Husbands, who is a long-gone leader by stakes and money in Canada this year and the favourite for the Sovereign Award for top jockey.

It was some not-so-great plans of attack by others in the race and a not-so-great field.

The early splits of 25.62, 50.81 were so slow on the fast surface and the race was over as soon as it began.

But hey, Kesagami won the most prestigious race for 2yo’s foaled in this country in 1:53.40 for the Lawson family and trainer Sid Attard.

The colt’s maiden win, an 80 Beyer Figure, was the best number in the field.

His Beyer yesterday was 72.

MORE FROM YESTERDAY…

RACE 1 – A wild finish to a low maiden claiming event and the winner was the speed on the rail- KETTLEBY SUNRISE, a 19 to 1 shot who had had 20 chances to win before.

He had blinkers off but only three top 3 placings in his 20 starts and his Polytrack record was 7-0-0-0. Yuck.

Trainer by Dom Polsinelli.

RACE 2- Speed on the rail from the experienced 2yo WOOFYS POWER was enough to win by less than a length over first timer MANITOBA MISS (D’Wildcat). The winner is by Bold Executive out of owner/breeder Audre Cappuccitti’s mare Woofy.

RACE 3 – First time starter MIMI COOPER (R.Cooper),a ½ sister to Orval Cooper, won her debut for Geoff Roy and trainer Wray Lawrance for $25K claiming. The 2yo Florida-bred had fast prep times, broke a bit slowly but was just off the pace when she made her bid into the stretch. A fast closing BARBIE’S JEWEL ran well in her debut and she’s by Compadre.

RACE 4 - A popular notion with longtime maidens is that when they finally do win their maiden, they often come right back and win again – oh, this is what I was supposed to do!

D BOLD RULER, one of the richest maidens in Canada not long ago, has won two consecutive races now, with two different riders.

He won his maiden in his 14th attempt last month with Wilson and yesterday rallied up the rail to win an allowance race for Ontario sired NW-3.

He’s a Bold Executive – Joyce Azalene 3yo with over $185,000 in the bank now for York Tech and Riviera Racing and trainer Laurie Silvera.

RACE 5- It was not pretty but SNEAKY DEE won her maiden, leading all the way in the maiden allowance for Ontario sired gals. The grey Cat’s At Home 3yo was all over the place through the stretch run, appearing to even bounce off the railing at one point, but she managed to hold on to win. She is a Buckaroo Stable homebred.

RACE 7- VEGAS VENTURE won his first race in two years when Danny David took over and got the fellow up to win in his Polytrack return for $32K claiming. The Bob Tiller trainee was up to beat DAVE THE KNAVE, who was recently claimed from Tiller.

RACE 8 – You could have claimed COBOTOWN RON for $10,000 in April when the grey gelding began his season off a maiden score last October for $19,000.

Apparently, this Compadre-Wilderness Quest guy has overcome some big obstacles and the fact he races like he is now is incredible.

Yesterday,he won his 4^th race of the year – this time for allowance (opt. claiming $62,500). It was his 6^th win in his last 8 starts (he was disqualified from one event in October of this year but he was much the best that day). His losses this year came in sprints.

Yesterday’s 1:43.66 clocking was an 88 Beyer Figure, his best of his career.

The 3yo Fieldstone-Ron Delmas homebred is now being ridden by Jono Jones.

RACE 9 – First-timer from the Mark Casse barn (what else) KIAWEH’S MAGIC was one of 3 winners for Husbands on the day. The Grand Slam miss started a Late Double for Casse..

RACE 10- STEWARD HILL was full value and a predictable winner of the finale, an allowance race. The Ontario bred by Mr. Greeley ran a lifetime best 87 Beyer Figure to beat speedster Starticus in a stunning 1:21.54 (that’s how fast the Polytrack is right now) for 7 furlongs.

REMEMBERING PAROSE – from DAILY RACING FORM

It is a rare occurrence when an elderly horse wins a stakes race. Parose did it in 2003 when he won the Grade 3 Durham Cup at the age of 9 for John Atto and trainer Sandy McPherson.

And Parose was the epitome of a fan favourite, especially since his running style was to come from far behind in the field with a big stretch kick. He won $1.1 million the hard way while going up and down the class ladder since his debut on Aug. 16, 1997 at Northlands Park in Alberta.

Last month, Parose sadly succumbed to a serious colic attack while enjoying his first full year of retirement in the care of Dr. Brian Arum on behalf of Long Run Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation.

“He had adhesions in his intestine, it was a progressive disease,” said Van Arem. “He was not a surgical candidate so he had to be euphonized.”

Parose was no longer a stakes calibre horse when he was retired in October 2006 at the age of 12 by Bruno Schickedanz, who claimed the horse for $10,000 and raced him six times.

Parose had nine different owners and trainers through his 114 starts. He won 24 times, was second 26 times and third on 23 occassions in a remarkable career.

For the combination of Atto and McPherson, Parose won over $500,000 after being claimed in 2001 for $62,500.

MIXING IT UP – MARYFIELD FOR $1.25 MIL

MARYFIELD, winner of the inaugural Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint and a top Canadian-bred of 2007, was sold by her owners for $1.25 million yesterday at the Fasig Tipton Mixed Sale. Originally a $50,000 claim, Maryfield began her racing career in Canada. She became a Grade 1 winner this spring in New York.

The buyers were Southern Equine.

Winsong Farms bought back its nice 2yo filly prospect LACADENA for $1.4 million. The Fasiylev filly was originally a $290,000 yearling.

Canadian-bred THE NIAGARA QUEEN, who became the 50^th stakes winner for Langfuhr this year, was sold to Ben McElroy, agent for $280,000.

Josham Farms (Ted Burnett) bought a Grand Reward – Buttermilk weanling filly for $40,000.

Queen’s Plate winner Wild Desert was scratched from the sale.

EXCERPT – VANCOUVER SUN…

HASTINGS MEET WRAPS UP, PURSES UP NEXT YEAR

By Dennis Feser

…“The live season held its own with wagering numbers comparable to 2006. With the introduction of slot machines on site still just a dot here and a cross there away, the operator of Hastings, Great Canadian Gaming, announced across the board purse increases for 2008 that will return them to the 2006 levels.

As well, the 2008 stakes program will be virtually the same, with those purses at a $50,000 minimum -- without select breeders and owners topping them up as they did this year.

"Our live mutuel handle is marginally down, but it is more than made up by the increase in our wagering on simulcast races," said Raj Mutti, Hastings' director of operations.

"Overall, our handle is good, it's up about four per cent over last year and the big difference has been with common-pool wagering for tracks like Santa Anita and Churchill Downs."

A new eight-year agreement on the sharing of teletheatre revenue between thoroughbred and standardbred sectors bodes well for the industry. Further purse adjustments will be tied to proceeds from slots, which would involve some disruption during front side development until September but would not affect the racing schedule.”

OTHER STUFF

There was a lovely story in the DAILY RACING FORM on Sunday about 9yo VERY PROFESSIONAL, a 5-time winner in 2007 now,and a fellow who keeps on racing at the same levels, almost, with no worries from his owner Will Armata that he will be claimed.

Canadian-bred SUGAR SWIRL won the $100,000 Very Subtle stakes yesterday at Churchill Downs, another stakes winner for Frank Stronach on the weekend. The Touch Gold-Astrapi miss ran 6 furlongs in 1:09.90.

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