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UPDATE 5:40 P.M.....FROM WOODBINE MEDIA

Financingavailable retired

TORONTO, November 15 - Champion mare Financingavailable has been
retired to the breeding shed.

The 16-time winner, who has been a fan favorite at Woodbine for a
couple of years, was being pointed to the Bessarabian Stakes, November
25, until an ultrasound revealed a small ligament tear, said trainer
Lorne Richards, in a telephone interview Thursday morning.

Richards said the issue is minor, but not worth risking a more serious
injury to the Canadian-bred daughter of Kiridashi.

"I couldn't in good conscience take her over there (to race)," said the
disappointed conditioner, about starting her again. "I wouldn't do it
to
a cheap one, let alone the best one I've ever had."

For the ligament to heal to 100 per cent, Financingavailable would need
to be off for an extended period of time.

"She would be out six or eight months. To come back is asking a lot.
There's always a chance of it happening again," said Richards. "We had
a
good run. It had to end sooner or later."

Financingavailable won 10 added-money events and was stakes-placed in
eight other contests.

Richards said it appears Sangara will retain ownership of
Financingavailable and find her a mate in early 2008.

"She's a special horse. We're going to breed her," said Richards,
adding that plan is that the eventual 2009 foal be born in Canada.

"She's not a well-bred mare, but good breeding has to start somewhere.
The things that you can't see are the best things about her," added
Richards, referring to the six-year-old mare's tremendous courage.

Financingavailable retires with earnings of $1,257,832. She was 5-for-7
with this season with stakes scores in the Ballade and Ontario Fashion,
and repeat triumphs in the Victoriana and Classy 'N Smart. Over the
course of her career, she has also won the Algoma, Jammed Lovely,
Bessarabian and Sweet Briar Too Stakes.

The gray is the front-runner to be named Canada's champion older dirt
filly or mare for the second consecutive year.

-30-

The race is on to the end of the 167-day Woodbine meeting and ever closer to, gasp! Christmas and New Year's.
Today's news centres on Woodbine action (there's money to be made still folks, PICK 7 CARRYOVER and big purses!) and the plight of Fort Erie racetrack - you must check out the lovely video that Allyson Walker made (see below).

SPEEDING TO VICTORY

85 Beyer for STUCK IN TRAFFIC

You might have thought a speed bias was in effect at Woodbine last night as the first few sprints were won in front running fashion, including one by a longshot.

Later in the night, however, horses were coming from everywhere to win over the very fast Polytrack surface.

Sizzling fast STUCK IN TRAFFIC was long gone on the field in last night’s FROST KING STAKES for Ontario-sired 2yo’s at 7 furlongs. Trainer Nick Gonzalez did a beautiful job freshening this leggy son of Kiridashi – Deadlock, by Regal Classic) from August to Oct. 13, when the horse was caught late in the Bull Page by Not Bourbon.

Last night, Not Bourbon chased Stuck in Traffic, who opened up a long, long lead and went very fast fractions (44 2/5 for the half) but he stalled in the stretch.

Eugene Melnyk’s maiden GRAZETTES LANDING made a threatening bid off the turn but hung in his pursuit and, incredibly, the stretch running maiden LADY’S FIRST CAT rallied for third – why is that incredible? It was his 5^th career start and his 5^th 3^rd place finish!

Stuck in Traffic, owned by the MAD folks and Martha Gonzalez, has won 3 of 7 races and over $250,000. He was bred by Minshall Farms.

Other stuff last night

TIP TOE ANNIE (Kinshasa) looks like a nice prospect for Meadowlane Farms. A $35,000 2yo purchase, the Ontario bred out of Crowning Beauty added blinkers and won her maiden in her first 2 turn test last night in her 3^rd career start. She has been heavily favoured in all 3 races for trainer Mark Casse.

Also from that 1^st race (maiden allowance, 1 mile, 70 yards), poor CAPTIVE SPIRIT, making her 2^nd career start, was battling her rider so hard for most of the race that after she was asked for a bid on the last turn, she flattened out in the stretch. She’s one to watch.

SISI (Iskandar Elakbar) completed a very chalk Daily Double when she won race 2 after an early pace battle. The Knob Hill homebred was winning for $20K claiming and it was her 2^nd win in her 10^th start.

Class,schmass!! Trainer EDWARD FREEMAN, who is on his way to California for the winter and perhaps longer, won the 3^rd race with his own gelding STAG HUNT (Tejabo). The long striding gelding came from far behind in the 1 1/8 mile maiden allowance to win. Not only did the gelding have the highest last race Beyer Figure (71) but he was zooming up from $12,500 maiden claiming to MSW (Ontario-sired).

EXPECT NO REGRET, a half-brother to champion Wholelottabourbon, doubled up in race 4 when he won at 15 to1 in the $11,500 claimer. The Littleexpectations 3yo was winning for the 3^rd time in 10 starts this year. His other two wins came in his last 3 starts at Fort Erie.

Our friends in the Dana Peatling/Victor Ramos camp finally got a win out of old-timer STORMY LOVER (5 to 1),the 8yo who had not won in a long time and was dropping from $15K to $10K. It was Stormy’s 7^th career win.

He came from far, far behind the hot pace and mowed down everyone while widest of the turn.

The well bred STANDING BRAVE (Broad Brush-Brave Deed by Alydeed) won for $10K claiming in race 6. The 5yo horse was making just his 2^nd start in 2 years – he had previously shown lots of promise (and 89 and 88 Beyers) in California in 2005 for trainer Bob Baffert. Now he’s in Bruno Schickedanz’s barn and he was taking na huge class drop last night to a non-winners of 2 from an open $20K optional claimer.

The finale was a formful race as JUDGMENT DAY won his maiden for $10K as the favourite with a strong rally. The 4yo Five Star Day gelding was making his 13^th start and he’s owned by Errol Swaby.

TODAY AT WOODBINE

PICK 7 CARRYOVER UP TO $15K

A 9-race card of mostly low claiming events today at Woodbine but the handicapping puzzles are plentiful and the PICK 7 is slowly growing again.

(Hey, last night’s PICK 4 paid $11,000!)

The featured event is an Ontario-sired race at 6 furlongs with a variety of fellows in the field – all non-winners of 2.

WOOKIN TO RUN scored a remarkable maiden win on turf 2 starts ago when he got left at the gate but rallied in time. He did well in his return to Polytrack last time and ran a 71 Beyer Figure.

BORN LOOSE was 4^th behind Wookin to Run and Money Trail in the last meeting and he’ll love the shorter distance.

TREE RINGS is the one to beat. He’s a 4yo by Compadre who has been 2^nd in 4 of his last 6 races but he runs like a bear on any surface and will be moving from turf to Polytrack; he gets his favourite rider, Chantal Sutherland, back.

MONEY TRAIL figures as a closer and the hard-to-figure BLUE DEPUTY is also in player since he is often in the picture (1 for 19 lifetime though).

Lightly raced BOLD FINALE gets 1^st Lasix for his 4^th career start and first race since July; the gelding won his debut and was 3^rd to eventual stakes winner Stonetown in his 2^nd career race.

KEENELAND NOTES

The LeBlanc family of Rosemont, Ontario bought GREAT BEAUTY yesterday from the Keeneland sale for $26,000.

The 12-year-old mare was bred in part by Maggie LeBlanc, sold as a yearling and the Great Gladiator mare went on to win $162K. She is a 1/2 sister to the stakes winners Hopeful Moment and Alaskan Sunburn plus the hard knocking Brave Legacy.

Great Beauty has produce 3 foals of racing age including Group 3 winner Yankee Monarch.

SAVE FORT ERIE

The hard working, horse-loving folks at Fort Erie are stating their case for one of Canada's prettiest racetracks..
Watch the video, check out the link to sign petitions..

http://www.forteriecanada.com/saveourtrack/