SWEEEEEET

120 chocolate bars, gone in 45 minutes...no, yours truly did not get any (apparently someone actually wanted to know)

WILD DESERT is in the news again...why? He has not won a race since the 2005 Queen's Plate..he's up for sale at auction next week...well, read on...

DAILY RACING FORM REPORTS ON WILD DESERT

Dutrow penalized for falsehood

(Seems as if this infamous story has been swept under the carpet more often than not – but here we go, the final chapter it seems. While WILD DESERT is up for auction at Fasig-Tipton next week – and has not won a race since his Plate win in 2005 – his connections who orchestrated a huge coup at Woodbine, right under our noses! – are finally paying…)

Wednesday, October 31, 2007

By DAVID GRENING

DAILY RACING FORM

The New Jersey Racing Commission suspended trainer Richard Dutrow Jr. for 14 days and fined him $5,000 for giving false or misleading statements during the course of an investigation. The suspension began Sunday, one day after Dutrow won the $2 million Breeders' Cup Mile at Monmouth Park.

Jockey Rudy Rodriguez, who works as an assistant to Dutrow, was suspended seven days and fined $1,000.

The suspensions came as a result of an investigation into Wild Desert, who won the 2005 Queen's Plate at Woodbine. Though the horse was actually stabled and training at Aqueduct, he showed a workout at Monmouth Park on May 29, six weeks before his victory in the Queen's Plate. At the time, the New York Racing Association's racing secretary, Mike Lakow, did not want the horse on the grounds of a NYRA track because of a dispute he had with the colt's owner, Daniel Borislow.

While Dutrow is under suspension, his horses in New York will be saddled by Juan Rodriguez.

In September, the New York stewards penalized Rudy Rodriguez, Juan Rodriguez, and Michelle Nevin for obtaining a false workout for Wild Desert.

WOODBINE WEDNESDAY

Yikes, a 2 to 5 shot finished last of 4 last night at Woodbine as we begin the downward run to the end of the season…

RACE 1 – Ontario bred WALTZIN TO T MUSIC (what in the world is THAT name!) led from start to finish as the predictable lone speed to win for $20,000 claiming, older mares,non-winners of 3. Bruno Schickedanz owns, Abraham Katryan trains and Ramsammy rode.

RACE 2- Leading apprentice TYLER PIZARRO got a win in race 2 with RUBY’S TRUE GEM,cutting back from 7 furlongs to his best distance, 6 furlongs for trainer Don MacRae.

RACE 3- Ugly race, allowance for 2yo fillies. A bunch of scratches put the field at 4 with 2 to 5 shot NITE IN ROME making her Polytrack debut.

Might be the last time we see her on Polytrack.

The Will Farish Ontario-bred, who had to miss the Princess Elizabeth Stakes because she was ineligible, stopped badly and was far behind in last place. The winner was the upwardly mobile INTO MY DREAMS, a Vindication filly trained by JOSIE CARROLL, who was winning for the 2^nd time in her 5^th race.

A big effort from 2^nd place finisher INITFORRREAL (Real Quiet), a Dick Lister-bred who is trained by Arthur Silvera. The filly pushed the winner all the way through the stretch.

RACE 4- Owner/trainer EARL BARNETT won his 11^th race of the year with WISE DECISION in a maiden allowance event for older mares. The Whiskey Wisdom miss, co-bred and owned by Peter Sorokolit, was winning in her 10^th start. PIZARRO wins again.

Race 5 – FRESH AND ROYAL was fresh, making his 3^rd start off the layoff, and dropping big-time in class; he ran a 71 Beyer Figure on turf off the layoff and then trailed in his latest against tougher. The drop was welcomed, Polytrack was welcomed, and the nicely bred 4yo won his maiden at a juicy 7 to 1 for Colebrook Farms.

Race 6 – It was a fair surface last night as closers won and speed won. A hot duel in race 6, an allowance for Ontario sired guys, set things up for stretch runners. BROCKPORT (Tethra) took a million races to win his maiden and then had 7 chances at the non-winners of 2 allowance level before he won yesterday. He had been ridden umpteem times by Pizarro but had Chantal Sutherland on board last night for the win for Glenn Morgan and trainer Franz Crean.

Race 7 – The featured race of the night went to KNIGHTS END (Ascot Knight), who flopped as the favourite in her last race (against open allowance runners) but beat up the Ontario sired gals last time at 71/2 to 1. Another one who had been ridden a zillion time by Pizarro but had a rider change, this time to Eurico Da Silva.

Race 8 – The finale was the kind of race we’re probably going to see a lot of in the waning days of the meeting. The new low level at WOODBINE is now $8,000 claiming and the last race had a big field but then a ton of scratches. Fort Erie dudes loaded the field.

Incredibly, former stakes calibre sprinter CHOREOGRAPHY is still around – he had not won a race in forever (October 2005, $10K claiming). He had been claimed by owner/trainer Ted Knight for $40,000 from Jerry Meyer in OCTOBER 2004.

Well, he won last night at 32 to 1, but did not break straight from the gate under Stephanie Fedora and he was disqualified.

Benefiting was Scott Morrison’s BIRDIE BOBBY B, who recently won for $5K at Fort Erie.

FORT ERIE YEAR END NOTES

- Robbie King Jr. captured his second straight riding title. The Ottawa native rode 106 winners during the 84-day meet. Chad Beckon finished second in the standings with 73 wins while Daniel David recorded 60 wins to finish third.

- Mark Fournier took top trainer honours. The 36 year-old native of Welland, Ontario had a career season saddling 46 winners. Last years leading trainer, Nick Gonzalez finished second in the standings with 34 wins. Scott Fairlie took the third spot with 26 victories.

- Matt Moore scored three wins on the final day of the meet to capture the leading apprentice title. The 25 year-old from Prince Edward Island rode 20 winners at the meet. Catherine O’Brien and Tyler Pizzaro each rode 17 winners to tie for second.

- Three apprentice riders scored first career wins during the meet. Melanie Pinto recorded her first win aboard Campari on September 9. Melanie Giddings did so riding Blue Eyed Taylor to victory on September 17 and Richard Morrow scored his first win with My Pal Holly on September 23.

- Frezacon was named Fort Erie Horse of the Year. The four-year-old son of Lexicon won 5 races including a five-length win in the Fort Erie Slots Cup. Frezacon also equalled a track record running 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:15.4. The Myckie Neubauer trained runner earned $52,440 during 07.

- Frezacon also took Male Sprinter of the Year honours while Female Sprinter of the Year honours went to Cut The Mustard, winner of the Mike Anderson Memorial Cup.

- Turf Male Horse of the Year was Puss n Boots Cup winner Silver Strip. Female Turf honours went to Flashy Pink, winner of the Rainbow Connection Stakes.

- Best Claim of the Year, Charlie O, winner of the Don Valliere Memorial Cup.

- Bermuda Triangle was named ¼ Mile Champion

- Male Claimer was Fast Approaching. Female Claimer was Appalachee Bay.

- Distance Male honours went to Smiling Jordan while Female Distance honours went to Fleur de Laureate.

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