MORE BOURBON, PLEASE

BOURBON AND BREW...
TOP PHOTOGRAPHERS NAIL SHOT - www.horse-races.net at THE PLATE...



BOURBON IS SWEET - 92 Beyer Figure

and 8 PLATES for remarkable Roger Attfield


"It is not an easy race to win."


That is what Hall of Famer ROGER ATTFIELD said after Not Bourbon became the trainer's 8th QUEEN'S PLATE WINNER since he started training in Canada 36 years ago.
Well, it may not be an easy race to win and it was 13 years since his last Plate win but what a masterpiece Attfield created with NOT BOURBON.

From a 6 furlong track record setter to a Plate winner and the hombred Not Impossible colt could go on to bigger and better things too.

Not Bourbon is also a Charles Fipke (PHOTO - in the middle of Jono Jones and Roger) masterpiece. He's by the deceased sire Not Impossible (colic, three years ago) and out of millionaire Bourbon Belle, a breeding planned by Fipke.

This is a colt who, along with GINGER BREW, stood out over the field. They ran to their "numbers" (the only two in the race with 90 Beyer Figures).

In addition to some of the stories written about the race (I will link some below) here are some highlights (and some lowlights):

Well, the Canadian Auto Workers brought busloads of people who can only be viewed as thugs (see Bev Smith's link below) - some of the stuff that went on at Woodbine from 7 a.m. until mid afternoon was shocking.

The labor dispute between Ontario Lottery and Gaming security guards and the OLG has been going on for more than 3 weeks and yesterday it reached new heights.

Entrances to Woodbine were stacked up with picketers and 75, 80 and sometimes over 100 cars were in lines trying to get in.
Other folks parked at the Woodbine Centre and walked across the street.

But frustrated racing lovers paid the price not just with hour-long waits but some received bricks through windows.

Even Roger Attfield received a ticket! (see Dave Perkins below).

But one look at the stands and you knew not many people were kept away from the track - the crowd was big and loud.

(Speaking of big and loud, Woodbine went a tad overboard with the sound yesterday, between race commentary and annoucements were so loud, people's ears surely were close to bleeding).

TWO HORSES passed away on the card - surely that will motivate people who watched and wagered on the race and work in the business to check out EBAY today and through the week to bid on the saddletowels of the Plate horses.

MIZ YAH BEAUX, owned by Richard Englander,broke down in race 2 for $30,000 fillies and mares. Trainer Scott Fairlie has been having a good meeting but losing that mare has to hurt.

Later, BRODERICK, collapsed and died after leading most of the way in the 10th race. The high priced maiden by Hold That Tiger was owned by Jim and Alice Sapara and trained by Josie Carroll.

THE STAR..

http://www.thestar.com/Sports/HorseRacing/article/447508

THE GLOBE..

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080622.WBglobesports20080622133150/WBStory/WBglobesports




ASK ALEX
The Blood-Horse weekly feature TALKIN' HORSES (where you submit a question by email) has ALEX BROWN up nxt.
Brown worked at Woodbine currently for trainer Steve Asmussen and he is an anti-horse slaughter activist.
Send him a question at this link below:

http://www.bloodhorse.com/talkinhorses/AB062608.asp



LETTER TO THOROUGHBLOG


Maybe there's a trainer somewhere that could have done what Attfield did with Not Bourbon but I have my doubts. To see a pure sprinter turned into a high quality classics horse is so rare I can hardly think of another example. And he did it with old fashioned hard work,determination,experience- not drugs or bravado.His modesty after the race was an example for all to follow. It was a great Plate all around-terrific tv coverage once it started-and two top notch horses giving everything they had in a gritty last quarter.Congratulations to all involved but especially Roger Attfield.


COMMENT (that needed to be edited)


To Anon 6:30
... it's only "democracy" when things go your way (like when you can disrupt the lives of people who have nothing to do with your dispute), but it's "dictatorship" when, say, MIKE HARRIS was ***ELECTED BY THE MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE, TWICE*** and gave y'all a much deserved ass-whupping.

The Tories get my vote next time just because of you. Then you'll get to feel DEMOCRACY in action. And until then I hope OLGC leaves you guys out forever. You deserve this fair and just punishment. One final offer. Take it or leave it. If you leave it, there's thousands of unemployed people out there who'd love to take it.

I think the fact that some 20,000+ people stood up to you and went into the track and filled those stands and enjoyed a day of racing rather than turned around and go home like you hoped, shows that you have no support. Something you'll conveniently ignore.

This was all a propaganda play by Hargrove. Yes I read the literature you passed out, where, sure enough you whine about the "loss of manufacturing jobs". OK, last time I checked, security guard is not a manufacturing job. Hargrove got beat up bad by GM in Oshawa (looks good on you, Buzz) and he decided to take it out on Woodbine and innocent people who might only come out to the track once a year and this was their day. You ruined it for them and you have lost ANY support they might have had for you before they arrived yesterday.

Many thanks to everybody who stood up to these thugs and bravely came out to Woodbine on Sunday. Horsemen and racing fans showed some "SOLIDARITY FOREVER" against the CAW.


NOTE: Sometimes comments get lost or I have not had time to read them all, if your comment does not appear it does not necessarily mean I refused to run it.