FINAL FINAL

LET'S DANCE

Robert Tiller trains 1500th winner

Pick 6 is won, pays $22K


DANCER'S BAJAN (yes, that pic is 2 years old...from Cindy Pierson Dulay) provided Hall of Fame trainer ROBERT TILLER (FAR LEFT IN PIC WITH DANCER'S BAJAN) with a memorable stakes win last night - not merely because it was the gelding's 8th career score that pushed him to over $786,000 in earnings but because it was TILLER's 1500th career win as a conditioner - dating back to 1975.

And Dancer's Bajan, owned by 3 Sons Racing Stable, epitomizes what Tiller has done best over the years - select a horse at auction and develop him/her into a top notch runner.

A white-legged, flashy chestnut by Trajectory out of the Alydeed mare Thoughtful Deed, Tiller bought Dancer's Bajan for $29,421 (US) three years ago from breeder Keith Hinds at the local yearling sale.
The gelding has marched through a litany of stakes wins going long and short against Ontario sired competition for three years.

The best news for the gelding last night was that he came into the $125,000 SIR BARTON STAKES as a fresh horse.

Sure, there are not a ton of opportunities for an Ontario sired guy who likes 7 furlongs the best, but the fact that he had a rest from Oct. 8 made him all that much tougher last night.

In his 2nd race with jockey PATRICK HUSBANDS, Dancer's Bajan tipped out 3 wide off the turn to win the 1 1/16 mile race by half-a-horse over a tough Archers Alyancer and Sand Cove, the big favourite was was a moving target on the pace over a track that was totally anti-speed.

From WOODBINE T.V.

"I had a beautiful trip," said Husbands. "I made sure Richard (Dos
Ramos, jockey of Sand Cove) didn't get out of my sight. He didn't stop
trying and he gave 110 per cent."

"I was going to send him home to the farm," explained Tiller. "We
decided to wait because he was acting okay. This is what we pointed him
to and we got it done. In his last couple of races, there was no pace to
run at. They were funny races. There was no speed. He didn't like that.
He proved before he could go long."

Dancer's Bajan elevated his earnings to $786,902 and, according to
Tiller, will be back for more in 2009.

"He'll be back in the spring," offered Tiller. "He can sprint or go
long. He's been a wonderful horse."



OTHER WINNERS LAST NIGHT

What is one of the most-awesome betting angles around? DRAWING IN FROM THE ALSO ELIGIBLE LIST.
If you threw the 2 guys who drew in from the AE list in last night's 9th and final race, you would have had half of the superfecta ticket, which paid the pool - a 20 cent ticket won and won 20% of $112,0000.

PAULLINUS (a Kentucky bred by A.P. Indy) won the race as one of the favourites and it was his 2nd win of the fall since coming from Manitoba for trainer Melissa Lyon. The 5yo horse is 4 for 28 in his career now and he came from 14th and last to win.

Numbers 15 and 16 - Krushchev and Strathclyde were 4th and 2nd respectively at 17 to 1 and 55 to 1 to fiull the super.


First time starter MORANI (Gilded Time), owned and bred in Kentucky by Rosemont Farm LLC, rallied from 7th and last after a slow start to win a 5 furlong maiden $40K claimer in race 1 for trainer Reade Baker.
The colt raced 5 furlongs in 58.66 even though his 5 furlong workout times have been 1:02 2/5 and slower in recent weeks.

ELKHART was so happy to be home (she had been claimed from Tucci Stables and trainer Sid Attard and bombed in a graded stake at Hastings another race) that she was back in the winner's circle last night in a $16K claimer. She was claimed by Ben Mondello and Adam Russo who previously owned the late Starticus. Elkhart (Not for Love) is 7 for 27 in her career.
She was predictably odds-on last night.

Race 5 - Sean and Dorothy Fitzhenry have won a bunch ofraces recently (Cinema Show, Bag of Hammers etc) and won last night with HANDSOME NED who won his maiden for $12,500 in his 12th career race. The ONtario homebred is by Gulch out of Trishyde Slew by Seattle Slew. Eurico Da Silva rode.

Race 6 - John Calhoun's PAYNES GOLD showed fans his true grit as he came back for a 3rd time to win the alowance race for Ontario sired guys by a nose over a suddenly speedy Great It Tiz (a route-horse who has never shown speed in his life but was clear on the pace in the 6 1/2 furlong dash).

The Paynes Bay 3yo is 2 for 19 in his career.


Race 8 - CHAPLAIN has had a good year for Parklane Racing and trainer Norm McKnight. The Touch Gold Ontario bred won for the 4th time this year in the $30K claimer, coming from far back to win as the 3 to 1 favourite. Da Silva was the winning rider. The time was a fleet 1:22.37.




TWO-BAGGER FOR CENTENNIAL NIAGARA

Race 3 - Interesting....trainer ALEC FEHR, who had trained for Centennial Farms Niagara for most of the year until recently, claimed a horse off his former owners last night.
TACITO, a 3yo chestnut by Trajectory nred by John Campitelli, was dropping from allowance to $20,000 claiming and won handily and was claimed by Fehr and owner Terry Hamilton.
Tacito was trained for that first race since AUGUST by Don MacRae, who will head south with some of the other Centenntial runners this winter.
Tacito is 3 for 15 in his career. Tyler Pizarro rode.

Race 4-Centenntial won again with THUMBIN' A RIDE, who has won 2 straight now after a frustrating series of runs during the summer. A $40K claiming, she won for $25K last time and $20K last night and she is a Point Given 4yo who is 5 for 14 now.


MCALENEY INCHING AWAY?

Last day of entries for 2008 at WOODBINE!

The racing office puts a wrap on the year with the final day of entries today - perhaps as many as 13 events for SUNDAY, including the 1 3/4 mile VALEDICTORY STAKES.

The jockeys race at Woodbine started anew last night, the first card of the last week of racing, Despite some 160 plus cards of racing, Jim McAleney and Patrick Husbands were tied with 157 wins a piece.
This morning, McAleney, who had been ahead by more than 20 wins at one point this season, is back in front by a pair of scores.


TODAY'S MOUNTS

HUSBANDS
Race 1- Leave Your Mark 8-1
Race 2- Cool Hand Duke 3-1
Race 3 - True Jean 7-2
Race 4- AE Endure Difficultie 5-2
Race 5 Seafields 12-1
Race 6- Deeveetee 5-2
Race 7 Brokerage House 3-1
Race 8 Diplomatic Impact 5-2
Race 9 Graceful Gracie 6-1
Race 10 Gypsy Trial 8-1


MCALENEY
Race 1 - Lord of Greatness 2-1
Race 3- Alittlebitofrouge 8-1
Race 6 Ring Bling 12-1
Race 7 Colorful Judgement 4-1
Race 8 - Vintage Malt 8-1
Race 9 Madame Toumanova 4-1
Race 10 Misty Mel 12-1


EQUIBASE OFFERS FREE HANDICAPPING CONTEST!

Free! Starts Saturday...

http://www.equibase.com/handicappingContest/index.cfm?SAP=HTE


NEW BOOKS FROM ECLIPSE PRESS
will raise money for horse charities


ECLIPSE PRESS (www.eclipsepress.com) has released a wonderful children's book - the true story of Skipingo, the dam of Horse of the Year Skip Away.

Here is the description of this book from the website:

By Jane Lyons and Karen Bailey; Illustrated by Susie Gordon Pub Date: November 2008
Prominent Thoroughbred breeder Jane Lyon and her daughter Karen Bailey have captured the story of their beloved Skipingo in a new children’s book, Skipingo Home: A Thoroughbred’s Second Chance. Written for the young and young at heart, the book is beautifully illustrated by Susie Gordon. Skipingo Home is the true story of Skipingo, a full brother to Horse of the Year Skip Away, who could not replicate his older sibling’s triumphs on the racetrack. After Skipingo descended to the lowest levels of racing, his future looked bleak. But fate intervened, and Skipingo was reunited with his breeder and brought back home. Today, Skipingo is a successful hunter-jumper who has won championships of his own. “It’s an amazing story, and a story we wish was more common,” said Karen Bailey. “Skipingo is an incredible horse, and it was a thrill to find him again, bring him back home, and teach him how to jump. We hope this book will help get the message out that these horses deserve second chances at new careers after racing.” Proceeds from the book will benefit Old Friends Equine Sanctuary.


In APRIL 2009, Eclipse Press will also release SECOND CHANCE HORSES featuring compelling stories of about a dozen racehorses who found new lives off the track.
Featured in this book are Canadian racehorses SWAMP LINE (on the cover, top right) including a poignent interview with his only jockey Simon Husbands, and LINDROS and IMPROPRIETY.