MIX IT UP

STILL GRASS RACING AT WOODBINE!

It was reported that there would be no more grass racing atWoodbine this year (BY THIS SITE AND SO MANY OTHERS!) but despite sub-zero temperatures, wind and some precipitation, there is turf scheduled this week (well, not tonight in the dark).

Wednesday night racing continues this evening but THE SCORE shows, the best product by Woodbine TV, are over for another year, so is that cool handicapping contest put on by The Score and Woodbine.

STILL TO COME AT WOODBINE is the PRINCESS ELIZABETH STAKES for 2yo fillies on Saturday (Canadian foaled), the Ontario Fashion is on Sunday and then 5 more weeks of racing!



SOVEREIGN AWARD PREVIEWS

An informal poll was conducted by THOROUGHBLOG to see who the leading contenders are for the divisional championships for the SOVERIGN AWARDS, honouring Canada's best horses...

These contenders are not listed in an PARTICULAR ORDER...AND...

There are still lots of big races left for some runners so this is not a complete list necessarily



2yo filly - HIGH MIST (races Saturday in the Princess Elizabeth), VAN LEAR ROSE, CAWAJA BEACH

2yo colt - UTTERLY COOL, MINE THAT BIRD, SOUTHERN EXCHANGE (Coronation Futirty still to come)

3yo filly - SUGAR BAY, GINGER BREW (needs to race once more in Canada to be eligible, scheduled for Nov. 8 Jammed Lovely Stakes

3yo colt - NOT BOURBON, FATAL BULLET

Older male - PALLADIO, TRUE METROPOLITAN, SPAGHETTI MOUSE

Older mare - BEAR NOW

Sprinter - FATAL BULLET

Turf male - RAHY'S ATTORNEY (races Nov. 23), SEASIDE RETREAT, ICE BEAR



Turf female - SEALY HILL, CALLWOOD DANCER, SUGAR BAY


'HORSE OF THE YEAR CONTENDERS:

FATAL BULLET, NOT BOURBON (photo top right), RAHY'S ATTORNEY (photo at left)









"XPECTTHEUNEXPECTED...."

FORT ERIE WRAP UP

some information provided by Fort Erie media office:


Fort Erie's season came to an end yesterday and fittingly (?), the winner of the last race was XPECTTHEUNEXPECTED (capping off a super day for jockey Rod Dacosta).
The filly's win in the $5,000 claimer suggests anything could happen as Fort Erie folks, horseowners and homeowners, wait to find out if there will be racing at the famous Candian track ever again.

(leading jockey CHAD BECKON, son of the late Dan Beckon, won his first riding title..the Fort Erie champ..photo found on NORMF site at Flickr.com)


It might be months before there is any news.

The last days feature, the TOUR DE FORT, a 2 miles and 70 yards, went to SMILING JORDAN, owned by Joe MacKinnon, trained by Henry Whalen and bred by Hope Stock Farm in Ontario.

The gelding beat Dancer's Legacy but there were 3 horses outdistanced in the race.

PRESS RELEASE FROM FORT ERIE...(Correction’s, Pimentel 80 wins, Gonzalez 30, Morden 29)
Jockey Chad Beckon recorded his first ever riding title. The 28-year-old Bolton , Ontario native rode 85 winners during the 80-day meet. Rui Pimentel in his first full season at the Fort finished second with 79 wins. David Garcia, riding at Fort Erie for the first time, rode 64 winners to finish in third spot.

Mike Newell scored his first ever training title at Fort Erie saddling 36 winners. Newell who saddled his first win as a trainer in 1994 has been a regular at the Fort ever since. Nick Gonzalez was second in the standings with 29 wins, Lyle Morden finished third with 28.

Leading apprentice honours went to 27-year-old Melanie Pinto. The Brampton , Ontario native rode 41 winners good for a sixth place finish in the rider standings. Pinto rode her first career winner at Fort Erie in September of last year.

Four apprentice jockeys rode their first winner at the Fort this year. Devon Johnson, Cory Spataro, Michael Mehak and Eric Edwards recorded career firsts.

Bright N Golden took Horse of the Year honours. The five-year-old son of Dance Brightly, winner of the Don Valliere Memorial, was also named Colt or Gelding sprinter of the year.

Choreography was named Colt or Gelding Claimer of the year. Rosie Regent took the female honours and she was also named female Sprinter of the Year.

Sandspit, winner of the Puss n Boots Cup was named Male Turf Champ and the Female Champ was Nasty Fever, she also took the title of Female distance horse.

Smiling Jordan was the Male Distance Horse of the Year and capped off a great season with a victory in the Tour De Fort at 2 miles and 70 yards.

Quarter mile champion was Krz N’Flashy and Harvey ’s Victor was the Claim of the Year.


LEADING TRAINERS - FINAL FORT ERIE

Michael Newell 231 36 24 24 $325,569
Nicholas Gonzalez 141 30 31 18 $380,613
Lyle Morden 96 29 15 14 $236,231
John Simms 116 25 24 20 $261,874
Donald C. MacRae 82 20 18 10 $199,122
Paula Loescher 144 16 24 19 $209,642
Ashlee Brnjas 51 16 8 6 $121,495
Michaela Neubauer 82 16 7 11 $159,828
Robert J.W. Johnston 114 15 17 10 $173,610
Daniel Wills 79 15 8 12 $142,547
Daryl G. Ezra 137 14 13 29 $201,511
W. V. Armata 51 14 7 5 $112,963
Ralph J. Biamonte 66 12 13 9 $112,891


LEADING JOCKEYS FINAL FORT ERIE

Name Starts 1st 2nd 3rd Earnings

Chad Beckon 486 85 99 72 $1,059,262
Rui M. Pimentel 405 80 65 55 $813,232
David Garcia 334 64 58 39 $661,505
Cory Clark 376 55 55 53 $650,038
Christopher Griffith 292 46 36 44 $519,050
Melanie Pinto 305 41 33 38 $436,628
Daniel J. David 159 37 19 28 $374,125
Edward Robinson 385 34 45 42 $428,096
Dale Hemsley 283 28 33 36 $339,071
Eldridge K. Lindsay 294 24 29 38 $337,227
Kristopher Robinson 171 22 21 24 $261,247
Catherine O'Brien 134 20 22 22 $214,738
Roderick Dacosta 154 19 13 19 $278,875

LEADING HORSES - FINAL FORT ERIE

Name Starts 1st 2nd 3rd Earnings

Rosie Regent 7 5 2 0 $38,820
Bright N Golden 7 5 1 1 $54,538
Bad Boy Will 6 5 1 0 $46,508
Harveys Victor 10 5 0 0 $37,482
Choreography 8 4 4 0 $37,620
Way to Run 14 4 3 4 $38,640
Spirit to Run 16 4 2 2 $38,448
Athenais 9 4 2 1 $31,316
Krz n' Flashy 8 4 2 0 $41,080
Disbelief 10 4 1 4 $44,130
Smiling Jordan 8 4 1 2 $57,462
Pure Sizzle 9 4 1 2 $26,172
Year After Year 11 4 1 1 $29,350
Dady Lawyer 12 4 1 0 $29,568
Explosive Greek 10 4 1 0 $26,388
El Gran Marco 9 4 0 0 $23,016

One of our Thoroughbred Bloggers Alliance members - EQUISPACE - went to the track yesterday...

http://equispace.blogspot.com/2008/10/last-hurrah.html







WHO NEEDS IT? Frankie Dettori throws away his whip after the Classic...Terence Dulay photo










AT MEADOWLANDS FRIDAY NIGHT

, HALLOWEEN PARTY..


Just interesting to note some of the other goings-on at tracks around the continent to draw people to the track...
This is on the Meadowlands site:

* Come in Costume and admission is free
* Costume Contest for betting vouchers & Meadowlands iPODs
* Handicapping Contest with cash and iPODS to the top ten finishers
* Captain Morgan Rum Drink Specials - Halloween-themed drinks*
* Drawings for Race Presentations - includes photo with winning horse and jockey and name on the Jumbotron
* Music DJ by WDHA from 7 to 10 p.m.
* Meadowlands Goodie Bags
* Hors d'oeuvres & candy all night long

Race card features the $35,000 Grey Ghost Starter Handicap (PHOTO ABOVE BY SARAH K. ANDREW) and the $60,000 Witches Brew Stakes.



Don't forget to check out the THOROUGHBLOG POLL and all the other cool LINKS for all your racing interests and needs...