SNOW WAY

THANKS FRIEND

Crystal says thanks to her buddy WHITE BALANCE after the 2yo ended his first season for 50-50 racing syndicate with some nice placings.
The Delaware Township baby is the first horse for 50-50 racing.


Don't forget - if you bet on these wonderful athletes, work at Woodbine with or without horses - say THANK YOU to our heroes and donate money or time to LONGRUN THOROUGHBRED RETIREMENT FOUNCATION.






BAD NEWS BEARS
(originally appeared on yesterday's post)

HORSE OF THE YEAR FATAL BULLET has popped a quarter crack and will be sent from California to Ocala for some r & r, according to trainer Reade Baker.
The 3yo gelding was getting ready for the Malibu Stakes at Santa Anita on Dec. 26.
Baker said the gelding would start back up in the spring.

KENTUCKY BEAR, who was also training on the Santa Anita synthetic surface, has been retired and will stand in ONTARIO for 2009 at an undetermined farm.

The 3yo by Mr. Greeley - Tate, Afleet, considered by Baker to be on the best horses he has ever trained, was 3rd in the Grade 1 Blue Grass Stakes in the spring and won $100,000 from five races




FORT ERIE - 'OPTIONS'
But don't expect anything to happen until later next month

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas is southern Ontario - well at least weather wise. The snow is heavy this morning.
But elsewhere, there is carnage in the local economy.
SUN MEDIA, including the Toronto Sun, will lay off 600 people. Heck, even the show CANADIAN IDOL has been cancelled for at least one year!

A meeting in Toronto yesterday included a Fort Erie racetrack discussion - and not a lot happened, here's an excerpt from the Niagara Falls Review.


Province dangles new options for track
Posted By RAY SPITERI , REVIEW STAFF WRITER


A "couple new options" aimed at keeping live racing at the Fort Erie Race Track and protecting close to 200 jobs there were put on the table in a meeting with stakeholders Tuesday.

But, says Niagara Falls MPP Kim Craitor, the hour-and-a-half session in Toronto did not end in a deal between senior-level track officials and representatives of the Ontario government.

"They were good options," said Craitor, declining to elaborate.

"We're trying to figure out ... a permanent solution and answer the question of how do we come up with a strategy to revitalize the whole industry.



ELSEWHERE

SWEET FINISH - at Beulah Park in Ohio yesterday, won for $4,000 claiming. She is a 5yo mare by Crown Attorney out of Sassy and Sweet by Great Gladiator bred by John Carey in Ontario.

SWEET AFTON (Bold Executive-Cuddly Chops by Caveat) won at Mountaineer Park on Monday for $5,000 claiming for Long Shot Racing. The 5yo mare was bred in Ontario by Gail Wood.

I'M INUIT (Pariasianprospector-Bold Vicky, Bold Executive) was placed 1st in a $5,000 claimer, non-winners of 2, at Mountaineer on Monday for owner/trainer Mike Newell. She was bred by Clarity Stables in Ontario.


Sovereign Awards night...Three-peat for MARK CASSE as trainer of the year in Canada (photo by Terence Dulay).

In other SOVEREIGN NEWS - it appears a push is being made by some industry members to move the voting and/or the awards night.
THOROUGHBLOG'S POLL at right sees most folks thinking we should move it all to the new year.








CONTINUING SERIES ON THOROUGHBLOG

THE YEAR THAT WAS 2008


APRIL 2008

*Woodbine opens 167-day meeting

*Queen's Plate winner T.J.'S LUCKY MOON passes

*Horse of the Year's in Canada - SEALY HILL and ARRAVALE square off in stake at Keeneland but neither fare well

*KENTUCKY BEAR 3rd in GRADE 1 BLUE GRASS STAKES for Canadian owner Bear Stables.
*STEVE ASMUSSEN brings first string of horses to Woodbine


MARCH 2008

*ELIZABETH SAMUEL passes away on March 16, widow of Ernie Samuel and mother of Tammy Samuel Balaz who passed away in January.

*BEN TERNES, top breeder who brought Vying Victor to British Columbia, passes away.

*Canadian bred MAREN'S MEADOW wins the Bourbonette Stakes

* CURLIN wins the Dubai World Cup

*ROBERT KING JR, retires from riding to take over Canadian Jockeys Guild.

*WAR PASS, PYRO and BIG BROWN are hot on Kentucky Derby trail

*Queen's Plate winterbook comes out - COOL GATOR favoured, NOT BOURBON 15 TO 1

*THOROUGHBLOG posts for 600th time

*STUTZ BEARCAT, at age 33, passes away at Sam-Son Farms, popular Ontario stakes winner

*stakes winner JUST IN CASE JIMMY dies in a paddock accident in Ontario

*MONASHEE names British Columbia's Horse of the Year for 2007

* HEATSEEKER wins Santa Anita Handicap, DAAHER fizzles in Florida and is later retired


FEBRUARY 2008


*Santa Anita continues to struggle with its cushion track

*Fans on DRF.COM and webites everywhere go beserk over the story of PLANTING TIME, who returned after a 6-year layoff at Los Alamitos at age 13 after having foals, and broke down in a $2K claiming race.

Owners: Felix Gonzalez (trainer), R. Salvatore and E. Garthwaite.

Here’s the chart…

http://www.drf.com/drfPDFChartRacesIndexAction.do?TRK=LA&CTY=USA&DATE=20080126&RN=99

*Woodbine community loses RICK CHRETIEN who passed away Feb. 7. A popular horseman who was a longtime employee on the starting gate, Chrietien is missed by all.

*ASCOT KNIGHT is euthanized due to old age. He was a top Canadian sire, brought to Ontario by Bob Anderson and Windfields Farm.

*Canadian bred HARLEM ROCKER wins his debut on Feb. 14 in exciting fashion for Stronach Stables and Adena Racing Venture I.

*SUGAR SWIRL, Canadian bred, won another graded stake at Gulfstream for Stronach Stables.

* A Canadian-bred filly by Medaglia D'Oro - Irish Cherry sells for $900,000 to Lael Stables at the Fasig Tipton 2yo sale in Florida.



JANUARY 2008

Jan. 5, 2008 - TAMMY SAMUEL BALAZ passes away at just 47. The president of Sam-Son Farms and daughter of the late Ernie Samuel, loved her horses and the famil business.


SUGAR SWIRL, bred in Ontario by Adena Springs, won the FIRST LADY HANDICAP (GRADE 3) for AENDA SPRINGS and trainer BRIAN LYNCH.

FRENCH BERET wins the Col. Bradley (Grade 3) for SAM-SON FARMS.

NYUK NYUK NYUK (Mutakkdim-May Time) runs a 100 Beyer Figure at Gulfstream Park for Tucci Stables and trainer Tino Attard. Later in the month, he runs 103.

American 7yo COMMENTATOR runs a 119 Beyer Figuer at GUlfstream in an allowance score.

MARYFIELD , bred in Ontario by Mike Carroll, is named champion FEMALE SPRINTER at the ECLIPSE AWARDS.

EMMA-JAYNE WILSON, champion jockey at Woodbine is granted a license to ride in Hong Kong, the first Canadian jockey to be asked to ride there.

BUFFALO MAN, a Canadian-bred, wins the Grade 3 Appleton Stakes.




FRESHMEN SIRES UPDATE

Once the 1st of the new year arrives, I will do final calculations for the FRESHMAN SIRE CONTEST on THOROUGHBLOG (you can view your stable on the right in a link).

CHAPEL ROYAL recently had a record 36th juvenile winner from his first crop.

Here are the leaders according to THOROUGHBRED TIMES.

Name YOB Sire Location Fee #2yos Strs Wnrs Rpt Wnrs SWs Gr SWs Top Earner Progeny Earnings

1 Tapit 2001 Pulpit Ky. $12,500 92 50 20 2 2 2 Stardom Bound $2,769,256

2 Lion Heart 2001 Tale of the Cat Ky. $20,000 200 83 32 6 4 2 Azul Leon $1,621,542

3 Medaglia d'Oro 1999 El Prado (IRE) Ky. $40,000 139 54 17 5 4 2 Retraceable $1,384,524

4 Candy Ride (ARG) 1999 Ride the Rails Ky. $12,500 112 41 18 9 3 2 Evita Argentina $1,218,141

5 Speightstown 1998 Gone West Ky. $40,000 96 40 14 5 2 1 Lord Shanakill $1,187,773

6 Chapel Royal 2001 Montbrook Fl. $10,000 152 81 36 2 0 0 Our Lady Chapel $1,093,268

7 Even the Score 1998 Unbridled's Song Ky. $7,500 74 32 13 6 2 1 Four Gifts $792,593

8 Birdstone 2001 Grindstone Ky. $10,000 62 27 11 4 3 2 Mine That Bird $780,949

9 Peace Rules 2000 Jules Fl. $12,500 96 45 23 8 1 0 Missunitednations $732,841

10 Congaree 1998 Arazi Ky. $15,000 89 43 17 1 3 1 Bear's Conductor $682,384

11 Friends Lake 2001 A.P. Indy Ky. $15,000 77 41 15 2 1 1 Screen Your Friend $594,649

12 Cuvee 2001 Carson City Ky. $10,000 108 51 18 6 1 0 Chocolate Pop $592,453

13 Stroll 2000 Pulpit Ity MF$8,759 33 13 9 5 3 1 Van Lear Rose $589,868

14 Tomahawk 2000 Seattle Slew On. $8,554 53 26 10 0 1 0 Win and Reign $584,390

15 Read the Footnotes 2001 Smoke Glacken N.Y. $8,500 47 21 11 2 1 0 Forty Thieves $542,576

16 Olmodavor 1999 A.P. Indy Fl. $5,000 64 31 11 3 2 0 High Mist $536,270

17 Soto 2000 Dehere Ky. $7,500 34 11 6 4 3 0 Glamorous Gal $530,926

18 Alke 2000 Grand Slam Fl. $4,000 56 32 17 4 0 0 Broadway Al $529,598

19 Smarty Jones 2001 Elusive Quality Ky. $100,000 80 27 8 1 1 0 Be Smart $522,966

20 The Cliff's Edge 2001 Gulch Ky. $10,000 67 34 11 1 0 0 Dave's Revenge $468,753