DECIMATED!

WOODBINE HAS CANCELLED ITS CARD OF RACING TODAY (SUNDAY)

A heavy snowstorm (at least 7 inches up here in Brampton) plus the change from freezing rain to rain during today has left the Polytrack in a mess and Woodbine officials have already cancelled today's 11 race card.

It is the 2nd cancellation in the last 10 days due to track conditions and weather.

There is only 5 racing days left on the Woodbine season and unfortunately, the season is going out with a whimper - blame it on Mother Nature for sure!

The ONTARIO LASSIE STAKES will be held now on Wednesday evening - with the same positions.

(Tyler Pizarro is reportedly sick and has been off his mounts for a week now - in answer to a question).

Looks as if the Beyer Figure calculators had a split variant for yesterday’s card as Samarcos ran fast in the 1st race – 1:43 4/5 with a 73 Beyer Figure and later, SIERRA CAT ran about the same time – 1:43 4/5 – and got a 79 Beyer.

Today’s title Decimated does not just mean today’s lost card at Woodbine.

The KINGARVIE STAKES yesterday was a mess as a bad-acting GRAZETTES LANDING got hung up in the gate and caused a total of 3 scratches from the race (already one horse was scratched). The one he was beside, the favourite Stuck in Traffic, had to be scratched as it appeared that the maiden Grazettes Landing had..well.. landed on him with his front legs.

So while trainer Nick Gonzalez was likely fuming that Stuck in Traffic had to be scratched – he won it anyway with DELAFORCE, who is owned and bred by former trainer Ken Parsley and Rick Pettiffer. Parsley was the one, remember, who was handed down that bizarre 10-year ban from the Ontario Racing Commission last year (I believe it has since been dropped).

Incredibly, the Porto Foricos gelding (a former Ontario sire who has struggled at stud) is by the same sire as Parsley’s other top horse of this decade – My Vintage Port.

He had a lovely rode by Jono Jones, who kept him covered up behind the pace and then darted him between horses. Jones said his youngster was bad behind the gate too.

Must be the weather.

The Mike Wright Stable may have a lot of fun with SAMARCOS next year. The grey Barbados-bred won yesterday with a nice rally under a hand ride to win for the 2nd time in 3 races after taking 24 starts to win his maiden. Now he knows what he’s doing. He ran a 73 Beyer yesterday.

Looking good yesterday was the filly TRUE JEAN, owned by Rocco d’Alimonte and Frank Annecchini. The Canadian-bred Yes It’s True – Jean Beebe filly won big in a maiden $50,000 claimer in her 7th career start. She is trained by Catherine Day Phillips.

The second leg of the Pick 4 went to longshot PAPPA DEUXA, who came from 11th and post 14 to win at 20 to 1 in the $10,000 claimer. Owned and bred by William Scott, the 4yo had just won his maiden at Fort Erie.

SIERRA CAT is a nice prospect for Audre Cappuccitti. The Aljabr gelding led from start to finish to win the allowance race (non-winners of 1 other than).

George Ledson’s homebred WOOKIN TO RUN is another who has blossomed since winning his maiden. The Alydeed 3yo had paired up 70+ Beyer Figures, was flat last time and then bounced back with a 73 Beyer yesterday, enough to win.

And leading Assiniboia Downs trainer MARTIN DREXLER won his first race at Woodbine when ETAIN, a private purchase from Catherine Day Phillips, won for Equinox Inc. And then was claimed by Love 2 Win Stable. Etain, by Tethra, and a Kentucky bred, was dropping from maiden allowance to $10,000 claiming.

CORRECTED STATS - BREEDING STOCK SALE AT WOODBINE – C.T.H.S AUCTION UP AND DOWN

From the CTHS...

Rexdale, ON – December 2, 2007 – The 2007 CTHS Winter Mixed Sale concluded Saturday night resulting in 115 head selling for a gross total of $568,300, down slightly (4.1%) from the 125 that sold for $592,300 in 2006, with gross totals for weanlings, yearlings, and horses of racing age showing increases across the board.

“While severe weather warnings may have hampered out-of-town buyer participation, we’re pleased with last night’s Sale results,” said Julie Coulter, General Manager for the Ontario CTHS. The snowstorm finally hit the Toronto area just after the Sale, which resulted in the cancellation of Woodbine’s live Thoroughbred racing on Sunday.

Two broodmares shared the limelight as the Sale topper, selling for $35,000 each. Aoife, a four-year-old mare by One Way Love and believed to be in foal to Wando, went to purchaser Jack Johnson. Out of the Vanlandingham mare Sandhill Charm, the mare was consigned by Schonberg Farm, Agent for Gustav Schickedanz. Red Skimmer, a Gulch-Frayne mare, believed to be in foal to Langfuhr, was purchased by Paul O’Brien.

The top weanling was a Bold Executive filly out of Northernset, who sold for $23,000 to Paul O’Brien. A Storm Boot filly topped the yearling session, selling for $15,000 to Richard G. Hogan, Agent. Out of the Discover mare Re Lyd, the filly was consigned by Hill ‘N’ Dale Sales Agency, Agent. Topping the final session was Feverish Dream, a Ward Deputy-Natural Gold filly consigned by Windways Farm, Agent. The dark bay was purchased by Hooman Akbary from London, England.

Complete sales results, including results from past CTHS Ontario sales, are available on-line at www.cthsont.com/sales.php. For further information, please contact the CTHS Ontario office at (416) 675-3602.