SOGGY

(The answer to yesterday's quiz - LUNAR LINDA traced back to South Ocean)



HOP - SCOTCH

75 Beyer in South Ocean


DOUBLE MALT, bred and co-owned by Mike Ambler, zoomed to a big winin the South Ocean Stakes last night continuing a late season roll for trainer Malcolm Pierce.

The Whiskey Wisdom-Matching Sox, Tale of the Cat filly was one of several contenders in the 1 1/16 mile race for 2yo fillies foaled in Ontario and one of several that had been ridden by Jim McAleney in her last race.

McAleney chose Stranger Things, the K K Sangara filly and that one proved to be well named.

STRANGER THINGS and DASH IT DREAMER hooked up in a maniacal speed duel - 22.93, 46.57 - opened up 5 lengths on the field but predictably packed it in by the last turn. It was then that longshot DANCING CHARM zoomed up to bid for the lead but that move was too soon.
The last gals to move were DOUBLE MALT (Eurico Da Silva) who strolled to a 5 length win while LUNAR LINDA rallied for 2nd by a neck over Sans Sousi.
The time was 1:44.77.

DOUBLE MALT began her career in June with high hopes. She was 3rd to Cawaja Beach in a maiden race and then 6th as the favourite in her next race, She was 3rd to Dash it Dreamer and Stranger Things in July and then went on the sidelines.
She came back at odds on and won by 7 lengths with a 73 Beyer and now seems to be realizing her potential.

She is the first foal for the placed mare MATCHING SOX, who is out of a daughter of Band of Bronze, a top Ontario mare who gave us Bronze Basque and Bronze Bayou.

WHISKEY WISDOM has had one other stakes winner in 2008 - Drunken Love, and he has been standing at Windfields Farm but is looking for a home currently as that farm has shut down its commercial operations.


OTHER WINNERS


It is a lovely time of year to bet longshots - even if a lot of the fields are made up of horses in poor form or Fort Erie runners who just don't match up or do not show a liking for Polytrack.

At the risk of red-boarding (!!), and we all do this once in a while, the FIRST RACE last night was an excellent example of utilizing some important angles at this time of year:

*over bet favourites *hidden but very recent relevant form *a barn that did not win a lot during the year *horses who have not won in 1 or 2 years that are still somewhat competitive

The favourite in a drab field of 11 FOR $10k CLAIMING FILLIES AND MARES NON-WINNERS OF 2, was MY ANNA but based on just one single Beyer Figure effort - her latest which was a 60 -a career best that came off a layoff.
At 7 to 5, she was one to use in exotics but impossuble to bet based on her previous Beyers which included a 47 for her maiden score.

The winner, CRYING THE BLUES was not my top pick - I loved ESSA'S HONOR (7 to 1) who looked shiny and healthy on post parade.
She ran a winning race but was nailed at the wire.

The winner was sent out by the clicking barn of Barb Minshall and a mare who had not won in 2 years but was dropping in class, had off and on form with 57, 54 and 53 Beyer Figures in sprints and a veteran rider, Rob Landry, who stuck by her. At 6 to 1, she was a nice price.



BUENISIMA won for the first time in 2008 in her 8th outing last night in a $10,000 claiming event. The Storm Boot mare was the 4th winner at Woodbine this year for trainer John MacKenzie. The mare was ridden y Gerry Olguin and she came from almost last place at the top of the stretch.
The mare was trained last year by the late Eric Garcea.


Trainer TERRY JORDAN continues his aggreesive approach. Last night he brought ALPINE LASS off a one-year layoff and dropped her from a Hastings Stakes race to $10,00 claiming. She had worked in 58 1/5 for the race. The filly stayed just off the rapid pace set by Gladys Irene and then rallied to win in 57.64.
She is a British Columbia-bred by Officer.


JIGGY JIGGY, a 5yo mare by Canyon Creek, won her maiden for trainer Jimmy Day and his Day by Day Farm. It was Day's 3rd winner of the meeting. The mare was dropping to $10,000 claiming and turning back from a route distance and a good effort. Justin Stein rode and she won by 9 3/4 lengths.

SIR RUPE'S threw a 28 to 1 bomb at the fans in race 6 as he won off the Aug.-Nov. layoff for Osprey Stable, Seezes and Matthew and trainer Sandra Dominguez. The Ciano Cat-Lights Are Out, Two Punch Ontario bred (bred by Sherry McLean and Moira Gunn) showed a couple of bullet workouts and was dropping from $12,500 to $10,000 claiming, 3yos. Justin Stein rode another winner.

The front runner CIRCLE BOUND led for all but the last jump of the 6 1/2 furlong race in 1:17.69.

And COLD HARBOR (Distorted Humor) finally won his maiden by 7 3/4 lengths in the finale, a maiden allowance. The Kentucky bred 3yo colt was making his 11th start for Fieldstone Farms, Pat Husbands rode. Cold Habor was a $100,000 yearling and he was making onoy his 2nd start at 1 1/16 miles on Polytrack.


TOP 2YO UTTERLY COOL FRACTURES ANKLE


The DAILY RACING FORM REPORTS...

One of the leading local 2yo's, UTTERLY COOL (Smoke Glacken) came out of a Polytrack workout last weekend with an injured ankle and has already had screws put in.

The Cup and Saucer winner was supposed to race in the Coronation Futurity on Sunday.

Utterly Cool is owned by Mel Lawson and traine dby Sid Attard.


THREE CHIMNEYS BUYS SHARE IN CALLWOOD DANCER

Goes for Sovereign Award on Saturday


Top turf mare Callwood Dancer, with a chance to win the Sovereign Award for champion grass mare with a good outing in Saturday's Cardinal Stakes at Churchill, will stay in training next year with trainer Roger Attfield.

Dick Bonnycastle sold half of his prized stakes winner to Three Chimneys and she will run in that farm's silks at Churchill. Callwood Dancer was recently 2nd in the Grade 1 E.P. Taylor Stakes.

EURICO DA SILVA will ride the filly on Saturday.