IT'S BEGINNING TO LOOK A LOT LIKE...

On the things to do list...

fill in my Eclipse ballot!
more shopping!
update the BLOG
find out answers to questions!

Thanks to Allan Abbott who sent in the note about TOP BUNK, previously trained by John Charalambous. His 21 wins must put him up there in the last decade for wins but finishing something like that out...hmmmm. Tough one.
Today's news mostly makes us go hmmmmmmmmmmm.....

LET'S HOPE THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN...

from torontostar.com

Toronto makes pitch for bigger share of Woodbine slots

Seeks increase to 10% annually from $550M take, but province indicates city's likely out of luck

Paul Moloney

CITY HALL BUREAU

The City of Toronto is seeking a $55 million annual share of the take from the slot machines at Woodbine racetrack.

The city already gets $14.5 million a year from the 1,950 machines, based on 5 per cent of the gross from the first 450 machines, and 2 per cent from the balance. What it wants is 10 per cent across the board, the same rate paid to the racetrack's owner and to horse breeders.

There have been repeated requests for a better deal for the city, but a new report going to the Jan. 8 meeting of council's executive committee adds fresh impetus, said Councillor Shelley Carroll, the budget chair.

"The success of the slot program is such that it sort of ramps up the urgency," Carroll said yesterday. "This is something we've been raising in negotiations (with the province) all along, but it's good to have the formal report laying it all out.

"The report sort of lends some weight to the negotiations, which is what I think is needed."

All 17 Ontario municipalities that have racetrack slots get the same percentage of the proceeds, said Jim Cronin, communications director for the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp., which runs the slot machine program.

"There's no strings attached to that money. It's to be used at their discretion," Cronin said. Between March 2000 and last March, Toronto garnered almost $100 million from the program, he said.

The city also benefits from the employment the slots provide, he added. In Toronto's case, that amounts to 700 workers who have earned $211 million since the facility opened nearly eight years ago.

As for the proceeds, about $356 million has gone to the racetrack owners over that span, providing funds for improvements, and a similar amount routed to breeders, which helps them bring in more and better horses, Cronin added.

But the city's share is paltry compared with total revenues, which totalled $550 million in 2006. Of that, more than 75 per cent goes to the provincial government, said Councillor Cesar Palacio.

"This is an innovative and creative tool for raising the revenue that the city needs," said Palacio, who has been pushing for a better deal. "The existing formula is old and antiquated."

The province has no plans to revisit the arrangement, said Amy Tang, spokesperson for Public Infrastructure Renewal Minister David Caplan. Tang said the Dalton McGuinty government has been much more generous to Toronto than the previous Conservative administrations, by providing a share of provincial gasoline taxes and other revenues.

"We've invested heavily in Toronto in ways other than gaming revenue," Tang said.

"So right now, we're not looking at adjusting the funding formula. The 5 per cent that goes to host municipalities is consistent with the other racetrack locations."

Horse Racing Alberta gets Eclipse

Friday, December 21, 2007

Horse Racing Alberta, producers of the live telecast of the Alberta Derby for CTV affiliate CFCN in Calgary, Alberta, has won the 2007 Eclipse Award for local television, the National Thoroughbred Racing Association announced Friday.

Horse Racing Alberta was selected by a three-judge panel for its one-hour live telecast of the 2007 Alberta Derby at Stampede Park on June 16. The broadcast, produced by Jeff Robillard and Bruce Yost, featured historical elements of Stampede’s 117-year history.

The broadcast has already been named this year's Sovereign Award winner for Outstanding Film/Video/Broadcast for Thoroughbred racing in Canada.

From thoroughbrednews.co.uk

Brazilian Da Silva and Japanese Sakai set to add international flavour to Kranji 22 Dec 2007

Singapore Turf Club

One familiar face and a new one will be seen at Kranji in the new 2008 season.

Eurico Rosa da Silva (32) is no stranger to Singapore with the Brazilian jockey enjoying a successful stint earlier in the year when he rode four winners and was placed on 14 occasions from just 56 rides.

Da Silva was champion apprentice in Brazil in 1992, and had already ridden his first Group 1 winner by 1994. From 1991 to 2001, he rode in Macau, maintaining his level in the top five, with a haul of over 50 winners each year.

Now primarily based in Canada, he has ridden 54 winners at Woodbine, Toronto this season. Da Silva is looking forward to returning to Kranji for the first two months of the new season and will commence riding on January 4.

Da Silva goes to scale at 52kgs.

Lightweight Japanese rider Shinobu Sakai (34) has been granted a freelance licence by the Singapore Turf Club for two months.

Sakai is currently licensed by the Japan National Racing Association and has been riding in the Kawasaki region. He will commence riding at Kranji on January 1.

He has over 16 years of experience with over 1200 winners to his name.

Currently placed fourth on the Kawasaki Premiership, he goes to scale at 52kgs.

SURPRISE!

A half-sister to multiple champion JUDITH’S WILD RUSH named SURPRISEINTHEBOX won her maiden at Calder yesterday by 18 lengths. The filly could have been claimed for $12,500. The Outofthebox filly is an Ontario bred owned by Donna Wormser.

Canadians clean up the Mountain…

Bobby Pion won a race at Mountaineer last night with the Ontario bred COOL LIGHTNING (Cool Groom), who won a maiden $10,000 claiming event by a length. The June born gelding was bred by Julie Wainwright.

Ontario trainer Stacey Cooper won two at Mountaineer last night including one for $6,500 with SEAMUS BOND, an Ontario bred by Woodman-Periphery, bred by Gus Schickedanz. Cooper also won with the Florida bred Lighten the Load.

SHOTINTHEWIND, an Ontario bred by Domasca Dan, trained by Mike Newell, won the 7th race for $10,000.

And Kevin Buttigieg won the finale with KERRY FAIR, an Ohio bred who used to race at Woodbine.