Jen's Thorough-blog

UPDATED 10:02 A.M.

COMMENT

FROM K.G :

The whole Big Brown circus was a little over the top. In fact it was A LOT over the top!!!

Big Brown was easily overshadowed by his human connections. The Wall Street - Gordon Gecko wannabe owners to the self described anti-hero trainer who can't take care of his own daughter to the again over confident Kent Desormeaux each took their turn stealing the limelight from a very good racehorse.

The piece de la resistance was the walk from the paddock to the main track. We have Michelle Nevin and two other goons (man and a woman – I think) telling everyone to be quiet while pushing and blocking photographers and tv crews from filming Big Brown. This was the ultimate in arrogance from the connections of Big Brown!

A shame he did not win but with no excuses coming from his camp, I guess you ARE bragging when you don’t back it up...

TODAY'S NEWS - GINGER BREW strong in OAKS, Brown is okay, PICK 7 Wednesday night will be up around $200,000

SMOOTH BREW 'Ginger' romps, Plate unlikely

On a sizzling, steamy and sticky afternoon, the beer flowed and GINGER BREW rolled in the 53rd WOODBINE OAKS, presented by Budweiser.

The favourite won! Her time of 1:51 4/5 was an 88 Beyer Figure according to DAILY RACING FORM.

After HARLEM ROCKER bombed last weekend in the Plate Trial and BIG BROWN finished last in the Belmont, it was nice to see the stars and the moon all aligned properly.

But Ginger Brew's win was not without a bit of some discussion by jockeys and stewards afterwards.

The inquiry sign went up and Ginger Brew's trainer BRIAN LYNCH looked around with concern.

"I didn't see anything," he said seconds after the race, awaiting the inquiry tapes on the big screen in the infield.

The objection was submitted by jockey Emile Ramsammy aboard the unlucky Victory Romance.

“That horse (Ginger Brew) literally pushed me out of the way,” said Ramsammy.
“(Ginger Brew) was trapped in behind horses and could not get out. I mean, the winner was the best horse but my filly got slammed pretty hard.”

Javiar Castellano, who is based in New York but has ridden Ginger Brew in her last four races, believed Victory Romance was doing a lot of the crowding.

“I went through a little tight hole but other horse was right on top of me,” said Castellano. “My filly never gave up, she just exploded.”

Victory Romance, who was excitable and sweaty before the race, did well to keep second place by 3 ¾ lengths for Donver Stable and trainer Josie Carroll.

Carroll’s other starter in the race, Authenicat, had a clear lead in early stretch and slipped back to third place.

Owner FRANK STRONACH, who has the stallion (Milwaukee Brew) and bred the filly, was on hand and talked about future plans for the sizy chestnut filly.

CORRECTION: I have edited this section - Stronach does not own the filly's dam CORAL NECKLACE anymore. She was sold for $60,000 last November.

"I think we'll keep her with the fillies," said Stronach. "I have two good colts (for the Plate)."

Last year, SEALY HILL became the first winner of the Triple Tiara for fillies.
The next leg is June 29 - the Bison City Stakes on Woodbine's Polytrack, followed by the grassy Wonder Where Stakes on July 26.

Of course, GINGER BREW won the
Calder Oaks on turf in her last start -
thus a Tiara sweep is a distinct possibility.

GINGER BREW was bought back for $65,000 from the Adena Springs 2yo sale last year.

Her dam, by Conquistador Cielo out of Private Banking, won 1 of 2 races.
Her other foals are the winner Booyah and an unraced 2yo named Bourbon Bay that cost all of $1,700 at the Keeneland September sale last year.

Other big horses: DANCING FOREVER won the Manhattan for the Phipps family. Old-timer BETTER TALK NOW was sawed off in mid-stretch (www.horse-races.net)

BULL MARKET: Things weren't
all bad for the IEAH folks and

Rick Dutrow...BENNY THE BULL won the True North like a champ (www.horse-races.net)

WOODBINE SUNDAY WRAP

CARRYOVER, PICK 7, HITS $147,000

Over $3 million was bet again yesterday at Woodbine, one day after the Belmont Stakes madness that may have made foilks a little light in the pockets yesterday.

On track, Woodbine had a party for the opening of its BUDWEISER BEER TENT with a mechanical bull, the Bud Girls and other stuff.

The crowd was good but it was not easy to get into WOODBINE yesterday.

PICKETERS from the Casino - security guards - decided to take their plight out on horse folks yesterday, really blocking the horsepeople before the races and up until around 3 o'clock.

It's not a Woodbine strike or lockout this time, but the horse folks are still paying.

The PICK 7 was not won again, it has not been won this year.

Wednesday night, pick the winners of all the races but the 1st and you get a nice prize!

TWO OTHER STAKES RACES on yesterday's card:

SECRET GETAWAY (Skip Away) scored a head-scratching win in the VICTORIA PARK STAKES for 3yo's at 1 1/8 miles.
The invader, trained by Mike Stidham, had raced onc at Keeneland this year, was off from August before that, and had a maiden win at Canterbury to his credit. Still, the $20,000 yearling purchase mowed down front running CATCH AIR in the late stages to win at over 6 to 1.
He earned an 83 Beyer Figure.

PASSION was given a super ride by Castellano to win the Alywow Stakes for Mike Tabor, Derrick Smith and John Magnier, trained Todd Pletcher. The Came Home filly sizzled 6 1/2 furlongs on the grass in 1:14.39.

And Ontario bred 2yo first-time starter EL BRUJO became the first winner for the freshman sire CANDY RIDE, a Grade 1 winner, when he won the 3rd race for owner/breeder Windways Farm.

BIG BROWN OK,
SAYS CO-OWNER COLT EXPECTED TO CONTINUE RACING
(News Services)

A day after being eased up in the stretch and failing miserably in his bid to win the Triple Crown, Big Brown appeared to be fine physically, according to co-owner Michael Iavarone.

"We went over him good last night after the race, and again this morning, and there's nothing physically that's shown up," Iavarone told the New York Racing Association media office a day after the Belmont Stakes. "I'm as confused as anybody. ... We'll just chalk it up to a question mark at this point."

Iavarone said plans for the Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner are to keep his regular training schedule with a planned start in the Jim Dandy Stakes on July 27 before the Travers Stakes at Saratoga on Aug. 23.

13 DAYS TO QUEEN'S PLATE

STRONACH SAYS HARLEM ROCKER can bounce back

The Oaks dust is settling and now it's on to the Plate:

Frank Stronach was candid with the press yesterday when asked about HARLEM ROCKER and his Plate Trial flop:

“It was wrong to ship him (from New York) and run him right away. I should have insisted the horse come up two weeks earlier to train on the Polytrack. I really believe he is a good horse.”

Javier Castellano will be back to ride NIAGARA THUNDER in the Plate.
Favouritsm for the Plate will be a battle between top three contenders.

TOP CONTENDERS - 14

NOT BOURBON - won Plate Trial
SOLITAIRE - 2nd Plate Trial, maiden
HARLEM ROCKER - graded SW
SEBASTIAN'S SONG - 3rd Trial
PALMERS - 2nd allowance
NIAGARA THUNDER - stakes placed
SHADOWLESS - winner '08
TOOK THE TIME - allowance placed
JUNGLE BREW - maiden
MAMMA'S KNIGHT - OSS allowance winner
DEPUTIFORMER - SW at 2
GIGUERE - winner at 2
HARVEST HOME - maiden
D. FLUTIE - maiden

SOME OTHER NOTES...
TRUE METROPOLITAN posted a career high Beyer Figure of 103 in his Eclipse Handicap - Grade 3 - score...
DANCER'S BAJAN, white legs and all all, put up a 95 Beyer for his Steady Growth Stakes win on the same card.

BIG BROWN VIDEOS

partymanners at YOUTUBE. 9 MINUTES OF FOOTAGE from ABC