LAW OF THE LAND

RAHY'S ATTORNEY evenly in mid-pack placing in Japan
Beaten less than 3 lengths


Canadian-bred RAHY'S ATTORNEY acquitted himself fairly well in the Group 1 Mile Championship in Japan early this morning when the Woodbine Mile winner raced evenly in the prestiigous race to finish 9th, beaten just less than 3 lengths in 1:32.6.

His time was 1:33.2 which is about right according to his form in Canada.

Under Slade Callaghan, the gelding was in 5th or 6th most of the way and chasing a contested pace duel through decent splits but when the rivals with the quicker turn of foot kicked in, he finished evenly.

It was likely the final race for the gelding this year and owners and breeder Ellie Bjoe Farm plus trainer Ian Black will now sit back and see if voters will take this guy for Horse of the Year in Canada or go with the year's champion sprinter, FATAL BULLET.

Certainly it must have been a trip of a lifetime for Joe and Ellen MacLellan and the Black family.


**CHECK OUT THOROUGBLOG'S NEW POLL at the right and make your vote!!!



RACE RE-CAP FROM JAPAN RACING


Blumenblatt’s patience pays off in Grade 1 Mile Championship win


In the 25th running of the Grade 1 Mile Championship at Kyoto Racecourse on Sunday, 5-year-old mare Blumenblatt produced a big finish to beat the best milers in Japan and the North American challenger Rahy’s Attorney, winning the race by 3/4 length in a fast time of 1:32.6.

With a strong pace set in the early stages by leaders Meiner Rainier and Laurel Guerreiro, jockey Yutaka Yoshida settled fourth-favorite Blumenblatt on the fence midfield and let the mare find her feet. The favorite for the race, 5-year-old horse Super Hornet settled around third from last in the early stages, before starting his move around the outside of the field near the 1,000-meter mark.

As the field entered the straight, the horses fanned and while Super Hornet headed for the outside, Yoshida was patient on the inside with Blumenblatt and waited for an opening. As Super Hornet charged down the outside and appeared to hit the lead, Yoshida found an opening for Blumenblatt and she accelerated brilliantly to not only take the lead back from the favorite, but actually pull away at the finish.

It was the first Grade 1 victory for the mare, and the first Mile Championship win for both jockey Yoshida and trainer Sei Ishizaka. Favorite Super Hornet once again needed to settle for 2nd place – the third time he has finished runnerup in Grade 1 races.

The 5-year-old Fuji Kiseki son Fine Grain pulled out of the slump he had been in all fall to run well and grab 3rd, while 2nd favorite Company was finishing very well down the outside and eventually came in 4th – 1/2 length behind Fine Grain.

The Canadian entrant Rahy’s Attorney appeared a place chance on straightening, but did not have much room in the straight, and battled on fairly to finish 9th.

The winner Blumenblatt was bred by Northern Farm and is owned by the Carrot Farm. She is a 5-year-old mare by Admire Vega out of the Topsider mare My Wild Flower.



EARLY SPRING?
Not likely but SHADOWLESS wins big with 78 Beyer


In just the nick of time, SHADOWLESS, who had been picking and hinting all season, broke through with his first stakes win and what a good one it was.

The Stormy Atlantic 3yo won the Grade 3 Kennedy Road against a very good field and had a nice, clear trip under the red-hot riding Justin Stein.

The time was 1:09.08 but tranlsated into just a 78 Beyer Figure according to the Daily Racing Form this morning.

(Photo at right, SHADOWLESS, second from right, gets past ROUSE THE CAT to win the Kennedy Road Grade 3, from www.horse-races.net)

It was the first stakes win for owner/breeder Heather Takahashi and this is the first horse she has bred.
David Bell is the trainer.
At 16 to 1, Shadowless was one of those up-and-comers in the field, fresh off a huge 97 Beyer Figure effort (on grass) but meeting some crusty sprinters.

(Photo #2 at right, Shadowless and his proud Mommy Heather Takahashi and trainer David Bell, www.horse-races.net)
Favourite STORM TREASURE had a bit of a messy trip and rallied to be 3rd.

LEGAL MOVE is a top Ontario sired sprinter but found the open company too much as most predicted.

Also easy to predict was the outing of JUST RUSHING, after a long season, who has not been any good at the short distance of 6 furlongs in his latest years and did well to be 7th of 10.

Some quotes:

Justin Stein:
He almost ran over the two horses in front of him (on the turn), I had to wait a little longer before I pulled the trigger.

Heather Takahashi:

"It is absolute thrill, a dream come true, I would like to dedicate this win to my late grandfather who shared my love of horses."


MORE SATURDAY WRAP

Race 1 - A GIANT CLASS DROP from maiden allowance to maiden claiming for STYLISH CITIZEN put that 2yo colt by Proud Citizen in the winner's circle in his 5th career start. The Casanova Stud runner is trained by John Ross. The colt was $20K purchase this winter in Florida and he won for $50K yesterday under Garry Cruise.

Race 2 - BEDARRA is another winning machine for the Tucci Stable-trainer Sid Attard factory
The 3yo filly by Came Home, bred in Kentucky, was a $50,000 claim from her last start of 2007 in Novembere and she has won over $185,000 this year with 4 wins in 11 races.

Race 3- The Fusaichi Pegasis gelding BIGGER BREEZE became the first winner on the year for trainer Paul Nielsen when he won the maiden allowance. The 3yo raced 7 furlongs in 1:23.75.

Race 4 - BEAR'S LIGHTNING (Maria's Mon) won her maiden for the Bear Stables and trainer Reade Baker in her 3rd career start and first at 1 1/16 miles. The 2yo won the maiden allowance with blinkers off.

Race 5 - 24 2/5 AND 48 3/5 was the pace and it was honest. The morning line favourite and logical favourite SMOKEALONGTHETRACK, invading from Kentucky with big form and freshness on his side had a dream trip along the inside under Jono Jones for trainer Eric Reed.
It was not all that easy in the late stages however as the grey fellow was joined by a rail rallying DANDY WEE FELLA (suddenly rejuvenated with the re-addition of Lasix 2 starts back) and that rival pipped the fave on the wire.
A son of One Way Love bred by co-owner Mark Hughes, the 4yo gelding has bizarre form - he was on Lasix for trainer Steve Roberts in the summer, won with the drug but then was off Lasix in a race right after the win.
He ran poorly without Lasix and then went back on it after he had one start for new trainer Ron Woods.
He won.
That's 2 wins in succession for the gelding now.

Jockey Stein won 2 more races on the card as he took the 8th win the Darren Glennon trainee HARD ICE (1st Lasix) in a maiden claimer and the finale with another maiden BEAR'S PRADO on the drop for trainer Tino Attard.

The track has played fair most of the week - riders are not staying away from the rail anymore and that is as fair a place to be as the outside.


FRIDAY WRAP

Old timer RAW POWER, now 8, won a maiden track route race for $30K claiming with a wide rally in 1:45.39 for 1 1/16 miles for owner/breeder Minshall Farms.

On the other end of the spectrum, old timer COOL SELECTION has run the two worst races of his life since being claimed from his owner and breeder Bruno Bros. Brother and trainer Radlie Loney. The gelding, now racing for Maggi Moss and Steve Asmussen was last in a $40K claimer as the favourite in race 2.

Trainer BRUCE POLLOCK won his first race of the season with FLEET FOT FRAN who won the last race for $10,000 claiming. The filly is owned and was bred by Ed Lang and is by A Fleets Dancer.


WOODBINE JOCKEYS RACE

JIM MCALENEY and PAT HUSBANDS continues to trade wins and it is still McAlemey in front by 10 wins heading into today's 11 race card.

The multiple champion Canadian mare BESSARABIAN is honoured today with a 7 furlong stakes race featuring older filleis and mares. LUCAS STREET is the big favourite with SASKAWEA a strong contender.



OTHER STUFF
CANADIAN-BRED 2YO RUNS 90 BEYER


WELL POSITIONED, an Ontario bred 2yo by Awesome Again, won his maiden at Aqueduct yesterday at one mile by 14 1/4 lengths with blinkers on for his 2nd career start. The $340,000 2yo purchase, out of the mare Taxible, was 31 to 1 for owner Paul Pompa.
He earned a 90 Beyer Figure for the score. His 2nd dam is Hal a Cab and this is the family of champion 2yo filly Simply Lovely.

C KARMA, a contender for champion 2yo filly in Canada (but a Florida-bred), won the PONTALBA STAKES at the Fair Grounds yesterday for FOR OWNER, TRAINER AND BREEDER PAM EDEL. Previously trained by Greg de Gannes, the Exchange Rate gal had won the Natalma Stakes at Woodbeint his summer.
She raced 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:05 3/5 for her 3rd win in 7 races.