EURO-NATIONAL

BREEDERS' CUP CHALLENGE DAY AT WOODBINE

Saturday October 4, 2008

The rain came down hard and heavy this morning just as some of the European runners for the Canadian International and E.P. Taylor Stakes finished their morning jaunts.

(top right, TOQUE DE QUEDA, a favourite for the E.P. Taylor)

Lightning, big cracks of thunder and monsoon-like rain was the order of the morning..at least for an hour or so.

DOCTOR DINO (at right, this morning) is a feisty fellow who gave his rider and caretaker ERIC GANDON all he could handle this morning. The multiple Group 1 winner does not want much give to the turf course so the rain did not make Gandon too happy this morning.

LUCARNO is also full of beans. The tall leggy Dynaformer horse won the St. Leger last year (English) and is about as studdish a colt as there is...

MOURILYAN (at right) strutted around calmy and proudly and then bounced around the Polytrack this morning looking like a happy and sharp colt.
The 4yo's trainer Herman Brown, who has 60 in training in South Africa, was on hand to watch his colt train this morning.

The fillies TOQUE DE QUEDA (Curfew) and FOLK OPERA are slight gals. The former is taller with a white blaze but she is very narrow and Godolphin's Folk Opera is a little wee miss who was quite feisty this morning.

Looking super on the turf course this morning was STARTICUS, who is a local hope in the Nearctic Stakes, trained by Ralph Biamonte. The tally dark bay dragged his rider around the course and looked very strong.


NEARCTIC FIELD SHOULD BE 14

SUMMER STAKES...ANYONE? ANYONE?


Looks as if the 6 furlong NEARCTIC will have a full field of some top notch turf sprinters...it will be a super betting race.

The Summer Stakes, for 2yos at 1 mile on the grass is having a rough time attracting entries.

Reports this morning were that three horses are confirmed...SKIPADATE, UTTERLY COOL and GRAND ADVENTURE.



NEARCTIC STAKES 6 furlongs,. turf


Heros Reward D. Capuano
Just Rushing Sid Attard
Mohegan Sky L . Rice
Mulmur M. Frostad
Off Duty L. Whiting
Quietly Mine (C Clement
Santiago Aitlan A. Wohler
Starticus R. Biamonte
Starvinsky B. Jackson
Storm Treasure S. Asmussen
The Great Caruso M. Pierce
True to Tradition S. Lake


SUMMER STAKES

Grand Adventure
Skipadate
Utterly Cool


from woodbine media office...


EARLY LOOK AT THE PATTISON CANADIAN INTERNATIONAL (10)
Horse/Owner/Trainer/Jockey

Champs Elysees/Juddmonte Farms/Robert Frankel/Garrett Gomez
Doctor Dino/Javier Martinez Salmean/Richard Gibson/Frankie Dettori
Lauro/Gestuet Ittlingen/Andreas Wohler/Eduardo Pedroza
Lucarno/Augustin Stable/John Gosden/Jimmy Fortune
Marlang/Gus Schickedanz/Debbie England/Richard Dos Ramos
Marsh Side/Robert Evans/Neil Drysdale/Javier Castellano
Mourilyan/Ramzan Kadyrov/Herman Brown/John Egan
Quijano/Gestuet Fahrhof/Peter Schiergen/Andrasch Starke
Seaside Retreat/William Farish Jr./Mark Casse/Patrick Husbands
Spice Route/Harlequin Ranches/Roger Attfield/Jim McAleney



'REED' ALL ABOUT IT: MARSH SIDE READY TO TACKLE PCI RIVALS

Robert Evans' strapping Marsh Side - he's over 17 hands high - comes
into the Pattison Canadian International off a game and gutsy
performance in the Grade 1 Northern Dancer Stakes, on September 7 at
Woodbine. Now, the Kentucky-bred has his sights set on reining in his
first win since December of 2006.

A five-year-old son of Gone West, Marsh Side headed into the Northern
Dancer in anything but good form. In his four previous races, the bay
finished 12th, 6th, 8th and 4th, respectively. In total, he lost by a
combined 63 lengths in those races.

(he finished last in the 2007 Canadian International)

Understandably, Marsh Side was ignored to the tune of 47-1 on the
toteboard in the 1 1/2-mile Northern Dancer. But a strong turn of foot
put Marsh Side in the thick of the action, eventually finishing fourth,
a diminishing three-quarters of a length behind Pattison Canadian
International rival, Champs Elysees.

"My feeling would be that he should improve off that last race," said
trainer Neil Drysdale, of the effort that landed Marsh Side a 97 Beyer
Figure (Daily Racing Form speed rating). "His last race, I thought he
ran very well. He was strong down the lane. We only missed by three
parts of a length. For a minute, I thought we're okay, but he's a bit
of a galloper and he doesn't quicken that much. We'll see how we do."

Drysdale will have the services of Javier Castellano, who teamed with
Sky Conqueror to take the 2006 Northern Dancer Turf, at Woodbine. Last
year, Castellano partnered Heros Reward to victory in the Nearctic
Stakes.

Drysdale added that he was not shipping Cedar Mountain up for the
race.


LONGSHOT LAURO READY FOR PATTISON

Five-year-old German-bred Lauro will attempt to do the nearly
unthinkable when he goes postward Saturday in the Pattison Canadian
International...win the Grade 1, mile and one-half turf classic off an
18-month layoff.

Trained by Andreas Wohler, who has twice finished second in the
International, with Paolini in 2001 and with Simonas in 2004, Lauro,
bred and owned by Gestuet Ittlingen, last raced in April of 2007 in
Cologne, when under the care of trainer Peter Schiergen.

"I've had him for over a year," explained Wohler, who will saddle Lauro
for the first time on Saturday. "He was in America last year in the
spring at Keeneland, but he had some problems with his pelvis - nothing
serious, so we couldn't race him. We had to rest him. So we took him
home again. Now he's fine. He's had a long time off but he's a very
good horse."

Lauro, who will be ridden by Eduardo Pedroza, won his first three
career starts in 2006. Among his victims was Rail Link, who would go on
that fall to win the prestigious Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. Overall,
the son of Monsun has won three of seven career starts, with two
seconds.


EARLY LOOK AT THE E.P. TAYLOR (10)
Horse/Owner/Trainer/Jockey

Arden Belle/Salt and Pepper Stable/Robert Gerl/Jono Jones
Callwood Dancer/Harlequin Ranches/Roger Attfield/Eurico Rosa da Silva
Classy Landlady/Dura Racing & M.J. Doyle Racing Stable/Slade Callaghan
Folk Opera/Godolphin/Saeed bin Suroor/Frankie Dettori
Green Lyons/Castleton Lyons/Neil Drysdale/Indefinite
Hostess/William Clifton Jr./James Bond/Javier Castellano
J'Ray/ Lawrence Goichman/Todd Pletcher/Joe Bravo
Royal Pleasure/Augustin Stable/Jonathan Sheppard/Rosemary Homeister
Sealy Hill/Melnyk Racing Stables Inc./Mark Casse/Patrick Husbands
Toque de Queda/Marquesa de Moratalla/Mike Delzangles/Garrett Gomez



TUESDAY SCOREBOARD...

WOODBINE TRAINERS

Name Starts 1st 2nd 3rd Earnings

Mark E. Casse 335 47 50 51 $3,604,229
Sid C. Attard 216 40 32 34 $2,323,607
Scott H. Fairlie 168 35 32 18 $1,357,598
Roger L. Attfield 179 35 21 27 $2,880,225
Reade Baker 219 33 24 30 $1,819,495
Steven M. Asmussen 183 31 24 22 $1,834,709
Michael J. Doyle 206 25 18 23 $1,168,401
Nicholas Gonzalez 142 24 21 21 $1,817,974
Brian A. Lynch 79 24 11 11 $1,861,546
Audre Cappuccitti 176 23 13 19 $709,950
Terry Jordan 60 23 13 4 $886,757


WOODBINE JOCKEYS

Name Starts 1st 2nd 3rd Earnings

James McAleney 563 112 86 79 $5,985,131
Patrick Husbands 507 94 79 78 $5,589,662
Chantal Sutherland 551 81 65 75 $4,359,055
Emile Ramsammy 606 79 76 80 $4,031,401
Emma-Jayne Wilson 625 75 74 101 $4,523,391
Eurico Rosa Da Silva 546 72 69 62 $4,147,723
Tyler Pizarro 469 64 63 52 $2,990,908
Jono C. Jones 421 60 46 50 $4,335,333
Justin Stein 427 44 61 39 $2,182,264
David Clark 374 43 43 44 $2,799,787

800

PEAK A BOO!! This is a FACE that anyone can love.... DOCTOR DINO, well travelled, millionaire, very consistent - he's the star coming to Woodbine for Saturday's $2 million CANADIAN INTERNATIONAL.... Vanessa Ng photo




THOROUGHBLOG starts with post number 801 this morning - number 800 was yesterday's giant package of bits from a busy Saturday of racing...



(PHOTO - below right is FATAL BULLET and jockey Eurico Rosa Da Silva and groom Wendy Dadswell...the gelding ran a 108 Beyer Figure in the Kentucky Cup Sprint on Saturday and he's headed to the Breeders' Cup)



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SUPER SATURDAY AT WOODBINE COMING UP!


Oct. 4, ESPN, 4 graded stakes on grass..
feature is Canadian International but the other 3 races are previewed below...




Pattison Canadian International Notes for Sunday, September 28, 2008

EARLY LOOK AT THE PATTISON CANADIAN INTERNATIONAL

(11) Horse/Owner/Trainer/Jockey


Cedar Mountain/Augustin Stable/Neil Drysdale/Indefinite
Champs Elysees/Juddmonte Farms/Robert Frankel/Garrett Gomez
Doctor Dino/Javier Martinez Salmean/Richard Gibson/Frankie Dettori
Lauro/Gestuet Ittlingen/Andreas Wohler/Eduardo Pedroza
Lucarno/Augustin Stable/John Gosden/Jimmy Fortune
Marlang/Gus Schickedanz/Debbie England/Richard Dos Ramos
Marsh Side/Robert Evans/Neil Drysdale/ Indefinite
Mourilyan/Ramzan Kadyrov/Herman Brown/George Baker
Quijano/Gestuet Fahrhof/Peter Schiergen/Andrasch Starke
Seaside Retreat/William Farish Jr./Mark Casse/Patrick Husbands
Spice Route/Harlequin Ranches/Roger Attfield/Jim McAleney


PCI CONTENDER MARLANG SHOOTS FOR THREE CONSECUTIVE WINS

Gus Schickedanz's Marlang, a bay son of Langfuhr, looks to win one for
the home team when he loads into the gate for Saturday's Grade 1,
$2-million Pattison Canadian International.

Trained by Debbie England, Marlang is undoubtedly on a hot streak, one
that has seen the bay win three of his past four races. His latest
triumph came in the Grade 3 Saranac Stakes at Saratoga. Under Richard
Dos Ramos, Marlang took control from the start of the 1 3/16-mile event
and made every pole a winning one, crossing the wire a 1 3/4-length
victor.

Prior to the Saranac, the three-year-old took to Woodbine's E.P. Taylor
Turf Course for the 1 1/2-mile Breeders' Stakes, third jewel in the
Canadian Triple Crown, on August 3. And as he did in the Saranac,
Marlang seized command early and fended off all comers, crossing the
wire 2 3/4-lengths in front.

"I've always liked him," said England, who also saddled Marlang to
victory in the one mile Charlie Barley on June 21, his first grass test.
"I knew he'd always be better on the grass. I breezed him early on (in
his career) and he went in :35. I thought it was :37. Right then, I knew
he was a good horse. He was very nervous when he was young, but he's
really settled down and become very mature."


QUIJANO HOPING FOR THIRD TIME LUCKY

The Peter Schiergen-trained Quijano will try Woodbine's E.P. Taylor
Turf Course for the third time in his well-travelled career, hoping to
find the winner's circle when he goes postward as one of the favourites
in the $2 million, Pattison Canadian International on Saturday.

Last year, the German-bred finished a closing third in the Pattison,
only a length behind the winner, Cloudy's Knight.

This year, the six-year-old gelded son of Acatenango arrived early to
contest the Grade 1, Northern Dancer on September 7, and just missed by
a nose, losing to Pattison rival Champs Elysees.

"I think he raced a very good race," said Gisela Schiergen, wife and
assistant to the trainer. "He had a good travel and everything was
okay. I think it's a good set-up for him (for the Pattison). I think
he's as good this year as last year. He's consistent. But (likely
Pattison favourite) Doctor Dino is a tough horse. It all depends on the
race (trip)."

Quijano, bred and owned by Stiftung Gestuet Fahrhof, has earned almost
$2 million, while winning 13 of 23 career starts, including the Group 1
Gran Premio di Milano earlier this year in Italy. He'll be ridden as
usual by Andrasch Starke.


SPICE ROUTE DRILLS

Harlequin Ranches' Spice Route worked Sunday morning in preparation for
the most significant test of his career, Saturday's $2 million Pattison
Canadian International.

"He worked very well this morning on the main turf," said Hall of Fame
trainer Roger Attfield. "It was a really happy breeze. I think he went
in about a minute."

Woodbine clockers caught the King's Best gelding, who was guided by the
oval's leading rider Jim McAleney, in 1:00 3/5, breezing, for five
furlongs over the 'good' course.

Spice Route enters the International off a close fifth-place finish in
the Northern Dancer Turf Stakes on September 7.

Including Spice Route, the five top finishers in the 1 1/2-mile contest
are listed as probables for Grade 1 feature event, which is at the same
distance.


SCHOMBERG'S LAMAZE, GUEST DRAWMASTER DUTIES FOR PATTISON

Eric Lamaze, winner of a gold medal in the individual show-jumping
event at the recent Beijing Olympics will be the drawmaster for the
Pattison Canadian International, on Wednesday, October 1, at Woodbine's
east-end VIP tent.

He will assist in determining the post positions and speak briefly of
his participation in the sport at the noon media conference.

The 71st running of the Grade 1, $2 million event is set for Saturday.


E.P TAYLOR, NEARCTIC and SUMMER are also on the sked!

Three huge graded races, including the $1 million E.P. Taylor are also on the Saturday schedule and are also WIN AND YOU'RE IN RACES.

(That big, beautiful girl is TOQUE DE QUEDA (it means CURFEW in Spanish) 3rd in the Grade 1 Beverly D., one of the favourites for the E.P. Taylor.
Thanks to www.horse-races.net, Vanessa Ng for photo)


E.P. TAYLOR STAKES

Horse Trainer

Arden Belle R. Gerl
Callwood Dancer R. Attfield
Folk Opera S. Bin Suroor
Freen Lyons N. Drysdale
Hostess J. Bond
J'ray T. Pletcher
Sealy Hill M Casse
The Niagara Queen S. Asmussen
Toque de Queda M. Delzangles


(Photo - CALLWOOD DANCER has a red-hot trainer, Roger Attfield, jockey, Eurico Da Silva and she loves the Woodbine grass...)


NEARCTIC STAKES 6 furlongs,. turf


Heros Reward D. Capuano
Just Rushing Sid Attard
Mohegan Sky L . Rice
Mulmur M. Frostad
Off Duty L. Whiting
Quietly Mine (C Clement
Santiago Aitlan A. Wohler
Starticus R. Biamonte
Starvinsky B. Jackson
Storm Treasure S. Asmussen
The Great Caruso M. Pierce
True to Tradition S. Lake




SUMMER STAKES 1 mile, turf, 2yos

Bourbon Bay L. Stevens
Grand Adventure M . Frostad
Jess not Jesse L. Rice
Major Marvel D. Capuano
Relatively Ready D. Donk
Skipadate M . Casse
Utterly Cool S. Attard



BARBADOS CONNECTION
JOHNSON'S SAND COVE SETS TRACK RECORD IN ONT. DERBY

with some files from Woodbine Media office..




Barbadian Ralph Johnson's Sand Cove, ridden by Richard Dos Ramos, set a track record in winning Sunday's featured $162,800 Ontario Derby at Woodbine, his second consecutive stakes score.

His Beyer Figure was 96.

At the finish of the mile and one-eighth test over the Polytrack, Sand
Cove prevailed in a stretch battle with Secret Getaway to win by a neck
in 1:49.38, knocking 0.17 seconds off the former mark of 1:49.55 set by
Leonnatus Anteas last October.

Secret Getaway and jockey Emma-Jayne Wilson actually poked a head in
front at the sixteenth pole, but Sand Cove dug in and came back to
tally.

In his last start, on August 31, Sand Cove, trained by Hall of Famer
Roger Attfield, tried the turf for the first time and scored a
half-length win in the Vice Regent Stakes.

Attfield, who trains the leading 3yo in Canada, NOT BOURBON, said he and Dos Ramos had a race plan before the event.

"The race wasn't unfolding the way I wanted it to or the way Richard
had wanted it to early on, but it all worked out," said Attfield.
"When the horse (Sand Cove) got his head passed at the 70-yard pole, he
just said no, didn't he? He's just a very nice, genuine horse. He's a
very versatile horse and I'm very lucky to train him."

Attfield indicated Sand Cove may go next in the turf Bunty Lawless
Stakes, October 12. "We'll see how he comes out of this race, talk it
over and see where we go from here."

Sand Cove, a $54,222 yearling purchase from the consignment of James and Janeane and Arika Everatt's Shannodoe Farm, is by BOLD EXECUTIVE out of MYTHICAL STATUS by MYTHICAL RULER.

He picked up $99,000 for the win, his fifth in 15 career
outings, as he pushed his bankroll to $344,949, paid $13.20, $5.40 and
$2.70, teaming with Secret Getaway ($5.10, $2.60) for a $48 (7-1)
exactor. A 7-1-3 (Sligovitz, $2.10 to show) triactor was worth $96.30
while a $1 Superfecta [7-1-3-5 (Delaforce)] was worth $180.50.

Speaking of the BUNTY LAWLESS...that was an option for Woodbine Mile winner RAHY'S ATTORNEY but after a workout on the turf yesterday, the Crown Attorney gelding is all set to go to Keneeland and race Saturday in the Shadwell Mile.

The Ian Black trainee went 5 furlongs in 1:00 4/5 in his prep and is expected to ship out in mid week.


MORE WOODBINE FROM YESTERDAY


Hard to believe but the rail seemed to be treacherous again yesterday - simply too many logical horses made big moves up the rail on and just off the last turn and then stopped. Horses like HELLO MAGGIE MAY, STRIKING ATTITUDE and THUMBIN A RIDE.


BAYWOODS' super duper winning streak came to an end when the Archers Bay mare lost for $37,500 yesterday in race 1. She started the streak for $20,000 in May.
GIGI'S CHARM led all the way to beat her and that winner, a Mike Silvera trainee, was coming off a 6th place finisher, ebaten 17 lengths and a 32 Beyer Figure for $50,000.

KESAGAMI, the Coronation Futurity winner from last year, won for $50,000 claiming yesterday for his first win since his big score last year as a 2yo. The Carson City gelding is owned by Jim Dandy Stable and was ridden by Eurico Rosa Da Silva.

Trainer STEPHEN EDWARDS won his first race since getting his trainer's license again this year just recently. His 2yo EDGE (The Cliff's Edge) whizzed around 2yos to win the 1 mile and 70 yard race quite easily in his 5th career start. He is an Ontario bred from the breeders Ferme du Bois Vert.

Race 4 was obliterated by 4 VET SCRATCHES..the turf allowance wound up with 4 entries and ICE BEAR a stakes winner this year held off a hard trying WOLLEMI PINE to win for the 3rd time in his 6th start this year.
Ice Bear, by Maria's Mon, continues the good year for George Strawbridge and trainer Mac Benson.

A 2yo filly allowance went to 1st time starter CASSIDY'S PRIDE, a Medaglia d'Oro filly bred by her owner Peter Mirabelli in Kentucky. Trained by Sandra Dominguez, the 2yo chestnut is out of a mare, Cassidy, who won $440,000 and 8 of 25 starts.
The filly was a handy winner under Martin Ramirez.

KNOCKER tried 1 1/16 miles for just the 2nd time in her career and won the 6th race for $60,000 claiming. The Evansville Slew mare had been 3rd in 5 of her 6 races this year. She is owned by Tucci Stable and trained by Sid Attard.

CRYPTONITE KID finally won in his 6th outing this year in a 1 mile turf allowance at even-money. The Class Action Stable colt is trained by Dan Vella and he had lost his last 2 races each by only a neck.

And the finale was a PAYNES BAY exactor as REGAN LODGE won for Eugene Melnyk and trainer Mark Casse in the 1 1/16 mile maiden allowance on grass. The filly held off a charging CAPTIVE SPIRIT, another Paynes Bay gal.




MONSOON HEADING TO TORONTO


Larry Carter's suddenly very good MONSOON RAIN is headed to Woodbine for the Durham Cup Stakes on Oct. 11.
The Old Trieste 6yo just won the ASSINIBOIA GOLD CUP with a 105 BEYER SPEED FIGURE for his 6th win in 12 races.
The gelding began his career 4 years ago for Darley Stud, raced twice at 2, did not race at 3 and then raced only a couple of times in 2006 and 2007.
This year in Manitoba the Marty Drexler trainee has emgered into the land's top older horses.

BEARS, OH MY!

(Thanks to Turfway Park for the Pat Lang photo)






DEADLY

Fatal Bullet sets track record at Turfway, onto BREEDERS' CUP
Bear Now romps too

Read more on the mainpage of the Toronto Star site... http://www.thestar.com/Sports/HorseRacing/article/507789


Look out Breeders' Cup...the Bear will be in the house again.

Danny Dion's BEAR STABLES and trainer READE BAKER and jockey EURICO ROSA DA SILVA went 2 to 2 at the Kentucky Cup at Turfway Park yesterday and are heading to the Breeders' Cup with FATAL BULLET and BEAR NOW.

The team from Canada are sitting on a key of dynamite named FATAL BULLET, a freakishly fast horse who went so fast on Turfway's Polytrack yesterday in the Kentucky Cup Sprint win that it was hard to believe he would hang on.
Hang on? The Red Bullet colt drew of through the stretch and ran the 6 furlongs in 1:08, beating the record by 2/5.
A blocky bay, he was 1 for 3 last year at 2, could have been claimed for $62,500 in his season debut and he just won 2 stakes at Woodbine and Presue Isle ever since Da Silva took over as his rider.
Bred by Adena Springs in Florida, the colt is out of the Regal Classic mare Sararegal who raced at Woodbine.
A 3yo gelding, Fatal Bullet has won 6 of 7 this year and he cost just $27,000 at the Stronach 2yo sale.

BEAR NOW, a Tiznow filly, was odds on to win the Distaff and tracked the track before surging clear into the stretch for a workmanlike score in her event.
She will go to the Distaff at Santa Anita and then be sold at auction.


MORE TURFWAY

Since the Kentucky Cup races are run over a synthetic surface, - not the same as what you would get with Pro-Ride at Santa Anita, the races have a solid bearing on the Breeders' Cup.

KENTUCKY CUP JUVENILE FILLIES - SUGAR MOM reached out and blew past the leaderson her way to a big win and her first stakes score. She is a Monarchos filly out of the CANADIAN CHAMPION ..PLENTY OF SUGAR, who was bred by Kinghaven Farms.

JUVENILE COLTS - Not as visually impressive as the fillies but WEST COAST BERNIE (Bernstein) was making just his 2nd career start since his debut win at Monmouth for trainer Kelly Breen. A $50,000 yearling purchase and he is out of a Gilded Time mare.


CURLIN IS THE RICHEST GUY
Now let's see him in the Breeders' Cup!

In a methodical and steady manner, CURLIN won the Jockey Club Gold Cup over a sloppy track at Belmont and passed Cigar as the richest horse in North American history.

The Smart Strike-Sherriff's Deputy colt ran a 111 Beyer Figure.

From www.horse-races.net...JESS JACKSON quotes..

"I have been a lifetime supporter of Thoroughbred racing, and many of you don't know all of the things I've done. I feel that Curlin is the epitome of what my lifetime has contributed to the racing community and I hope to do more.

As to going out to Santa Anita (for the Breeders' Cup Classic), we'll probably load him up, but first we'll have to get him adjusted. But it is up to him whether he likes the track and the surface.
So, those are concerns we still have. But we'll consider it now that we're past this hurdle. That's the next prospect for us and we'll give it every bit of attention. Let's put it this way: we haven't avoided (Big Brown).
I don't fault (IEAH Stable) for the way they've handled Big Brown. But if he is truly going to the big race, we'll have to see whether Curlin likes the track.
We're not trying to avoid him and there is always the Clark after that or the Japan Cup (Dirt). So, we have to take them one at a time. I don't want to risk a horse of Curlin's stature that we need in the gene pool. So, I am being very cautious and doing my due diligence first."




NEW YORK, NEW YORK

What bearing will the BELMONT races yesterday have on the Breeders' Cup?
Not much likely since the turf was very soft and the track was sloppy..

(Photo at right is GRAND COUTURIER just crushing older turf distance horses in the Joe Hirsch...www.horse-races.net photo)

In the Flower Bowl on grass for the fillies and mares went to pacesetter DYNAFORCE.
The biggie in the race, Mauralakana, was throwing her head early, a lot, under a strong guzzle down the backstretch through 52 4/5 over soft turf.

Then there was a sudden sprint inside the quarter pole by Mauralakana but the front runner DYNAFORCE had lots left afterr 6 fur. in 1:19 and change and darted away.

Is FATAL BULLET afraid of the New York sprinters? Well, the track was sloppy for the Vosburgh but what is clear is that the super good FABULOUS STRIKE is very fast from the break and so is BLACK SEVENTEEN, the upset winner at 23 to 1 who won the protracted pace battle down the stretch. That race was a barn burner - perhaps the 2 leaders will be vulnerable on Cup day.

Note: BLACK SEVENTEEN is by Is It True and he posted a 109 Beyer on the Hollywood synthetic surface last year.


AND IN CALIFORNIA


Arguably the most impressive performances of the day were that of ZENYATTA - she's 8 for 8 in her career and wins without barely being asked..and STARDOM BOUND, the 2yo grey filly by 1st crop sire TAPIT who came from last to win the Oak Leaf in a strong gallop.



RE-CAP OF THE GROUP 1'S YESTERDAY

courtesy Thoroughbred Daily News

Rainbow View (Dynaformer) Fillies Mile - ASC
Raven's Pass (Elusive Quality) QE II S. - ASC
Black Seventeen (Is It True) Vosburgh S. - BEL
Cocoa Beach (Chi) (Doneraile Court) Beldame S. - BEL
Curlin (Smart Strike) Jockey Club Gold Cup - BEL
Dynaforce (Dynaformer) Flower Bowl Inv. - BEL
Grand Couturier (GB) (Grand Lodge) J Hirsch Turf Classic - BEL
Cost of Freedom (Cee's Tizzy) Ancient Title S. - OSA
Red Giant (Giant's Causeway) C L Hirsch Mem. - OSA
Stardom Bound (Tapit) Oak Leaf S. - OSA
Wait A While (Maria's Mon) Yellow Ribbon S. - OSA
Well Armed (Tiznow) Goodwood S. - OSA
Zenyatta (Street Cry {Ire}) Lady's Secret S. - OSA


MORE BEARS IN ALBERTA
And siblings win three consecutive stakes!!!


It was a big racing day at Northlands as the Alberta season winds down...

BEARS ARTISTE, an Alberta bred by Alphabet Soup out of Lady Glacken by Smoke Glacken won the Alberta Paks for the BEAR STABLES.

The 3yo filly was 4 to 5 in the 9-horse field.

And how about this for an oddity...

the 9th race - the Sturgeon River Stakes went to COOL VENTURA (a 3yo) by Seattle Syn out of the Devil On Ice mare Devil's Favour..

the 10th race, The Red Diamond Express Stakes went to 4yo COOL SYNSATION
by Seattle Syn out of Devil's Favour and the 11th race.

the $50,000 Alberta Premier's Futurity went to COOL DIABLO, a 2yo by Young Devil out of...Devil's Favour.
All 3 are owned and were bred by Abe Brewster and trained by Cody Anderson.

(Thanks to Thoroughblog reader Bill S. for the heads up on the Alberta news)


SWEEEEEEEEET
Sugar Bay leads Canadian 3yo fillies

The transformation that SUGAR BAY has made since the spring when she was caught late in a 2 turn allowance race against modest rivals to a 3-time stakes winner has been fun to watch.

A true-blue George Strawbridge homebred by the owner's own sire Syncline out of the mare Otra Vez by Rahy who is from the owner's family of Autumn Slew and others won yesterday's La Lorgnette Stakes with laughable ease.

Fitting too is that her trainer Mac Benson trained La Lorgnette.

Despite racing a lot further than most in the field with her wide trip, SUGAR BAY stalked Victory Romance and then blew by off the turn to win under virtual hand riding.
Born to Be was 2nd and Nicki Knew was 3rd while Victory Romance who does not appear to be a route horse, faded to 4th.
The time was 1:43 2/5.

The win makes SUGAR BAY the clear leader for champion 3yo filly in Canada (GINGER BREW would win that award but she needs to race once more in Canada).

"I apologize for hitting her on the rear end that one time but she started to sight see on me in the stretch," said Chantal Sutherland who rode the filly.

The Carotene Stakes is 2 weeks back but trainer Benson was not sure Sugar Bay would do that.

THE AVOWAL STAKES, a new overnight stake on the calendar, is a 7 furlong event for older mares on turf.

The winners was Beclawat Stables' homebred SASKAWEA making her 3rd start of the year and returning to turf. The Stormy Atlantic - Saintly Angel, St. Jovite gal won the $105,628 race in 1:21 3/5.
It was her 5th win in 15 races and she's earned over $550,000.

There was reportedly some confusion to the entries in Avowal Stakes and 2 horses that wound up on a Also Eligible list and 2 horses from the body of the race were all removed to make it only a 12 horse field.


Note: Jockey SUTHERLAND reportedly is leaving riding at Woodbine soon to go to California to take part in a reality TV show on Animal Planet.




OTHER WINNERS
at Woodbine


NATIVE MANDATE was nicely prepared for his debut, race 1 for 2yos for $40k, by trainer Paul Attard. The Full Mandate Florida bred is owned by Bob Harvey and won from just off the pace under Jono Jones. His dam's 1st foal to race, Me Oh My, won 5 of 8 races as a 2yo.


RACE 4- Another nice first-timer 2yo to win was GRAEME WAFER, 4 to 1 in the morning line based on fast, fast workout times at Fort Erie and his trainer RALPH BIAMONTE who is 29% wining with debuting maiden claimers.
Still, there was a big favourite in the race - L.A. RULES, a good looking Peace Rulers fellow wo was 2nd , 3rd and and 4th in all of his races for maiden allowance.
L.A. Rules led most of the way but in the stretch, under plentiful, steady whipping he could not hold off GRAEME WAFER, who is by Graeme Hall out of Bar U Mokwa and is a Eugene Melnyk Ontario bred that cost $11,000.

race 5 - Older guys for $40K on the grass in a steady drizzle...Jockey Tyler Pizarro guided longshot NEAR NOISE to win the 9 furlong race for Fieldstone Farms and trainer Analisa Delmas, the 3rd win of the meeting for the stable.
Near Noise - bred for grass by Compadre out of a Farma Way mare - was 9th in an open allowance race at1 mile 2 starts ago and came home his last 2 furlongs in that much tougher race in 23 1/5.
The 4yo is now 3 for 18 in his career.


WOODBINE'S TV SHOW on the Sun channel showed some super clips of many races pertinent to the horses racing yesterday plus videos of past ONTARIO DERBIES (that race is Sunday), formerly know as the Col. R.S. McLaughlin.

In house, however, the camera angles got bad again, a regular problem during the last few years. The presence of the large standardbred barn has made it diffucilt for the Tv department to film races at 6 1/2 and 7 furlongs on the main track and oftentimes, the shot fans see are horses simply running away from the camera...it happened yesterday.
In the stretch run, the camera pulls back very, very far and has been cutting off the horse winning the race on a regular basis.
Hopefully these kinks will be worked out - at least the in-house graphics are nice and clean, unlike that mess of numbers put on by Santa Anita Oak Tree this week.


TRAINER JOHN WILSON DIES AFTER ACCIDENT

Fort Erie-based trainer JOHN WILSON, passed away last evening after he was kicked by a horse in the saddling enclusure at PRESQUE ISLE DOWNS.
According to a report sent out by Fort Erie, Wilson, 86, was saddling FORBIDDEN DREAMS in the Fitz Dixon Memorial Stakes, race 6, when he was kicked by the 2yo.
Wilson was rushed to hospital where he was pronounced dead although it is unclear as to the cause of death - there were reports he may have died of natural causes.
Wilson owned and trained Forbidden Dreams with Lorna Possler.



PROBABLE FIELDS FOR WOODBINE'S BIG RACES SATURDAY

Next Saturday, 4 graded stakes, Win and You're In events, all on turf...the big one, The Canadian Interntional, goes just minutes before 6 p.m.

Here are the probable fields for the races:

CANADIAN INTERNATIONAL

Horse/Owner/Trainer/Jockey

Cedar Mountain/Augustin Stable/Neil Drysdale/Indefinite
Champs Elysees/Juddmonte Farms/Robert Frankel/Garrett Gomez
Doctor Dino/Javier Martinez Salmean/Richard Gibson/Frankie Dettori
Lauro/Gestuet Ittlingen/Andreas Wohler/Eduardo Pedroza
Lucarno/Augustin Stable/John Gosden/Jimmy Fortune
Marlang/Gus Schickedanz/Debbie England/Richard Dos Ramos
Marsh Side/Robert Evans/Neil Drysdale/ Indefinite
Mourilyan/Ramzan Kadyrov/Herman Brown/George Baker
Quijano/Gestuet Fahrhof/Peter Schiergen/Andrasch Starke
Seaside Retreat/William Farish Jr./Mark Casse/Patrick Husbands
Spice Route/Harlequin Ranches/Roger Attfield/Jim McAleney

E.P. TAYLOR STAKES
Horse Trainer

Arden Belle R. Gerl
Callwood Dancer R. Attfield
Folk Opera S. Bin Surorr
Freen Lyons N. Drysdale
Hostess J. Bond
J'ray T. Pletcher
Sealy Hill M Casse
The Niagara Queen S. Asmussen
Toque de Queda M. Delzangles


NEARCTIC STAKES
6 furlongs,. turf


Heros Reward D. Capuano
Just Rushing Sid Attard
Mohegan Sky L . Rice
Mulmur M. Frostad
Off Duty L. Whiting
Quietly Mine (C Clement
Santiago Aitlan A. Wohler
Starticus R. Biamonte
Starvinsky B. Jackson
Storm Treasure S. Asmussen
The Great Caruso M. Pierce
True to Tradition S. Lake


SUMMER STAKES 1 mile, turf, 2yos
Bourbon Bay L. Stevens
Grand Adventure M . Frostad
Jess not Jesse L. Rice
Major Marvel D. Capuano
Relatively Ready D. Donk
Skipadate M . Casse
Utterly Cool S. Attard


Notes:

JUNGLE FIGHTER is on the Hot Canadian-bred list after his game 2nd place finisher (he was 3rd, placed 2nd) in the Grade 3 Robert F. Carey Memorial Stakes on turf yesterday...
.SUGAR BAY is also now on the Hot Canadian-bred list..only on THOROUGHBLOG!

EQUILEASE STABLES Campfire Girl, trained by
JOHN CHARALAMBOUS was a good 3rd in the Presque Isle Debutante Stakes last night. She is a Kentucky bred by Forest Camp.

New ads...Exciting young Ontario stallion LAURA'S LUCKY BOY and CHAPTERS-INDIGO..buy off the site and SAVE!!

STAR-STUDDED

WET AND WILD - CURLIN IN THE SLOP??


Lots of rain everywhere today - Woodbine's Polytrack will be fast but will we be off the grass?

(Photo top right is LA LORGNETTE who is honoured with a race in her name today at Woodbine...she won theOaks and the Queen's Plate!...from the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame website)

BELMONT was canclled yesterday because of rain....will the turf Grade 1's lose some horses that might come to Woodbine next weekend??

Belmont's big day is not the only fun.
TURFWAY PARK has Kentucky Cup day...Canada has cheering interests in BEAR NOW, FATAL BULLET, MAREN'S MEADOW and JULIET'S SPIRIT in various races.
OAK TREE at Santa Anita has tons of action with stars too - ZENYATTA anyone?


EXCERPT...LOUISVILLE-COURIER JOURNAL...

A field of Curlin spoilers Eight take on his run at a record

By Jennie Rees • jrees@courier-journal.com • September 27, 2008

ELMONT, N.Y. -- Horse of the Year Curlin -- with North America's all-time earnings record within his grasp -- is the heaviest favorite among the quintet of Grade I races today at Belmont Park. But no one is taking his victory for granted in the $750,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup, certainly not his competition.
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The 1¼-mile stakes attracted a nine-horse field on a day where trainers could have easier spots at Turfway, Hawthorne or Santa Anita.

Trainer John Kimmel considered the Kentucky Cup Classic and Hawthorne Gold Cup but opted to stay home with Timber Reserve, even though an off track could force him to scratch the 2007 Pennsylvania Derby winner, who has spent more time sidelined by injury or foot problems than running.

"We're kind of looking forward to taking on Curlin," Kimmel said. "He loves it here, and he's doing so well. We really felt like we'd roll the dice and hope things aren't so bad."

Mambo in Seattle, who lost the Travers by a nose, takes on older horses here instead of going in last week's easier Super Derby at Louisiana Downs.

"A horse like (Curlin), when they get beat, it's a circumstance," Louisville-based trainer Neil Howard said. "He's got to wake up on the wrong side of the bed or a little something happen. … We did this because we've seen the (Mambo in Seattle) run a fantastic race at 1¼ miles. He's bred for it, and it gave us an extra week."

Curlin might look vulnerable to some because he beat 40-1 Past the Point by only 1¼ lengths in Saratoga's Woodward. Trainer Steve Asmussen had been wary of running Curlin at Saratoga because of the track's tendency to favor speed. Curlin was carried very wide on the first turn and backside and had his hands full chasing down the front-running Past the Point.

"Nobody is looking past Saturday at all," Asmussen said. "If anything, the Woodward showed us the circumstances in which it can be very hard to win a race of that caliber."

Trainer Todd Pletcher sends out Churchill's Clark Handicap winner A. P. Arrow along with Ravel, who ranked among the favorites for last year's Kentucky Derby before a leg injury.

A. P. Arrow is owned by Michael Paulson, son of the late Allen Paulson. Allen Paulson campaigned Cigar, whose record of $9,999,815 in earnings is in peril.

The Gold Cup's $450,000 first-place check would put Curlin at $10,246,800.

"(Michael Paulson) did mention that it would be great if A. P. Arrow could step up and prevent it from happening," Pletcher said. "But that was not part of the decision-making process to run him."

With the rainy forecast (racing was canceled yesterday at Belmont), an off track seems inevitable. That's fine with Curlin's camp -- one of his best races was the Breeders' Cup Classic in the slop.


PREVIEW OF TODAY BY HANK WECSH
Curlin in East, Grade I stakes in West highlight exciting day

EXCERPT
UNION-TRIBUNE staff
WWW.SIGNONSANDIEGO.COM

September 27, 2008

On the right coast today, you've got reigning Horse of the Year Curlin poised to become the sport's career earnings leader, the first to post an eight-figure total, taking on eight rivals in the $750,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup, one of five Grade I stakes on the program at Belmont Park.

On the left coast, you've got Santa Anita poised to trump that with a card containing a record six Grade I stakes races.


If that isn't a big enough mess of big races, it'll do until the actual Breeders' Cup mess of 14 comes along Oct. 24-25 at Santa Anita.

The hottest horses in many of the BC divisions will be on display at either Belmont Park or Santa Anita this weekend. Names like Ginger Punch, Proudinski, and Mauralakana at Belmont. Zenyatta, Hystericalady, Street Boss, Well Armed, Tiago, Wait a While and Spring House at Santa Anita.

But racing fans from coast to coast will zero in on the Jockey Club Gold Cup for both its instantaneous and long-term ramifications revolving around Curlin.

Curlin has compiled earnings of $9,796,800 on 10 wins from 14 lifetime starts. The 4-year-old Smart Strike colt won his first three starts of 2008, among them the $6 million Dubai World Cup, to extend a streak to five straight that started with the 2007 Jockey Club Gold Cup.

A runner-up showing in his only grass start, the Man O War at Belmont in July, resulted in scrubbing plans to take on Europe's toughest in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. And, back on dirt, Curlin took the Woodward Stakes at Saratoga last month.

The winner's share of the $750,000 purse in the Jockey Club Gold Cup is $450,000, a figure that would enable Curlin to surpass Cigar ($9,999,815) as the richest North American-based racehorse ever.

Cigar was retired 12 years ago and the time he's held the record is second only to Kelso's ($1,977,896) 15 years before being supplanted by Affirmed ($2,393,818).

“It's so exciting to think he might break the record,” said Jess Jackson, majority owner of Curlin, on a national teleconference earlier this week. “It's not about the money, it's about his place in history. . . . I think Curlin has already proven he's one of the best, and I think one of the best in the last half-century, if not the century. That's just an owner's selfish view of the horse he loves, but that's the way I feel. It's an honor just to be included with horses like Cigar.”

Racing fans would like to see Curlin included with horses like Big Brown in the $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic on Oct. 25 at Santa Anita. But Jackson was noncommital about anything beyond the Jockey Club Gold Cup.

He didn't eliminate the BC Classic as a possibility but included it with the Clark Handicap at Churchill Downs and the Japan Cup. Jackson, who has expressed wariness about running Curlin on an artificial surface, confirmed that he has been to Santa Anita to inspect the new Pro-Ride surface.

But the San Francisco native is content to wait for Curlin's Jockey Club Gold Cup result and monitor the races at Santa Anita before making a decision regarding bringing his stable star to his home state.

The Pro-Ride surface will get a first-class test today and tomorrow when five of the eight $250,000-and-up Breeders' Cup prep races will be run over it. Four today and one tomorrow.

A Zenyatta-Hystericalady duel is expected over 1 1/16 miles of it in the $250,000, Grade I, Lady's Secret, the fifth race on the program with a scheduled 2:33 PDT post.

Street Boss, winner of the Bing Crosby Handicap at Del Mar, tangles with last year's BC Sprint runner-up Idiot Proof in the Grade I, $250,000 Ancient Title over six furlongs at 3:08 p.m.

Del Mar Debutante winner Stardom Bound goes against 11 other 2-year-old fillies in the 1 1/16-mile, $250,000, Grade I Oak Leaf Stakes at 4:14 p.m.

Pacific Classic runner-up Well Armed faces 11 rivals as the 7-2 opening-line favorite in the $500,000, Grade I Goodwood, a prep for the BC Classic, at 5:15.

On the turf course today:

Del Mar Handicap winner Spring House is the 2-1 opening-line favorite in a field of seven for the $250,000, Grade I, 1¼-mile Clement L. Hirsch Memorial at 2:02 p.m.

Wait a While is the 9-5 favorite of 10 scheduled to go postward in the $400,000, Grade I, 1¼-mile Yellow Ribbon at 4:45.




HE HAS THE 'KEY' - OGH

MIKE KEOGH sent out two winners for Gus Schickedanz in the late Pick 4 on a day when first or second morning line favourites won virtually every race.

HALF SISTER, the half sister to champion WANDO (and a half sister to Full Sister...never mind), broke through with a win in an allowance/optional claiming race after a steady diet of stakes races.
The More Than Ready dark bay was put on the lead by Emile Ramsammy, dueled through easy fractions of 23 and 46 in the 7 furlong grass race and then edged clear and held off the chargers.
She was 4 to 5.

Two races later, D. FLUTIE, named for football star DOUG FLUTIE, woke up and won his maiden after a series if disappointing outings on the grass.
The Langfuhr-Forest Flute colt, a beauty, had shown a ton of promise in the spring on Polytrack and even ran in the Plate (he was far back) but 3 grass outings since then were drab.
Back on Polytrack yesterday, he stalked a pace duel from about 6 lengths back and then rallied for a big score at 6 to 1.

While favourites did well and the track played fair there were some upsets and some really bad trips yesterday..

SOLITAIRE has now earned over $200,000 and is still a maiden! The Queen's Plate runner-up came back to Woodbine from New York for Jim Bond, was 1 to 5 in a maiden race and could not pass POOL PLAY in the stretch. The winner is a Windfields Farm bred by Silver Deputy that cost $475,000.

The 8th race was a non-descript $12,500 claimer for fillies and mares that should have been won by LOVE N LUST. The A Fleets Dancer gal made an Arazi-type move around the turn in the 1 1/8 mile race, was 5-6 wide off the turn and zoomed to the lead.
Alas, the race does not end until the finish line and somehow, she got caught on the wire by VICAR'S OLIVES (Vicar).

And what about the tough, consistent guy ANDALUSIAN. The light grey El Prado 6yo loves to run covered up but he lost all chance along the inside of a 76 furlong turf claiming race ($40,000) in the finale, had to angle out and then just missed winning behind classy old Dalavin (Native Regent).
Tough luck for Andalusian yesterday.

OTHER WINNERS YESTERDAY included owner/trainer PAUL BUTTIGIEG, whose Cat N Sassy (Sir Cat) won his maiden at odds-on in race 1 for $15K claiming...T.V. Stables had a nice 2yo winner in MEGA RUSH, who is an Ontario bred by little know stallion Megas Vukefalos, who stands at Norse Ridge Farm...SHUT IT DOWN is a serious 2yo prospect for KK Sangara. Bought provately after his debut when 2nd from Mark Casse, the Porto Foricos fellow was 2nd in te Simcoe Stakes last time and then won his maiden by a 'pole' yesterday in 1:17.98.
Lorne Richards trains.


FORT ERIE UPDATE...
from Niagara Falls This Week

Future of race track is in doubt again
By Stephen Leithwood
Fort Erie
Sep 26, 2008


It could be the last season for the ponies in Fort Erie as the future of the local thoroughbred track is again in doubt.

Fort Erie Mayor Doug Martin has been working the phones to find out the future status of the Fort Erie Race Track.

"It's frustrating," Martin said. "I'll be perfectly honest with you, I have no idea. I've been on the phone with the province to try and get the status.

"It's completely dependant on the province coming to an agreement with the owner."

Last year the track's future was in doubt up until the 11th hour, when an agreement between the province and Nordic Gaming, the track's owners, was announced in late February. The deal came after Nordic ended up guaranteeing the race purses to cover the shortfall of what the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation was going to contribute through slots revenue, which has been dropping in recent years.

Nordic is hoping to build a $300-million destination tourism attraction on the site and is waiting to hear back from the province about its proposal.

Daryl Wells, director of communications at the Fort Erie Race Track, said the atmosphere at the track is uncertain.

"We have no idea. We submitted our proposal application and now we're going to have to just sit and wait on it," Wells said. "We're just waiting for approval from the province, before the owner decides to do something else."

Last year, Martin went to see Nordic and convinced them to keep the track open, despite knowing they would likely lose money in 2008.

The horse track and racing industry in town represent 1,200 jobs and a $380 million impact on the community, said Jim Thibert, general manager of the town's Economic Development and Tourism Corporation.

The track has yet to submit its application for race dates for 2009, but he noted that based on last year's experience there's a big difference between applying for dates and actually opening the track next year.

"Nothing says there's going to be racing," he said.

At Monday's council meeting, Coun. Rick Shular requested a staff report from the Fort Erie Economic Development and Tourism Corporation and for Thibert to appear before council to deliver it.

"I'd like to know for sure the status of the 2009 race dates," said Shular. "We need a publicized and televised meeting to give us what the state truly is so that we can get some answers and we're not sitting here in the dark."

Coun. Tim Whitfield agreed, saying, "I'm curious as to why the minister responsible for this is touring Europe and the Arab states seeking foreign investment when we have an investor right here."

Martin said he would like to see the track stay open because it means jobs in Fort Erie.

"It's been around for 111 years here in Fort Erie. The impact it has on jobs in Fort Erie is absolutely enormous," he said. "Without it, we would be losing a piece of our heritage."

The goal of the $300-million development is to increase tourism and make the racetrack more of an attraction and destination for people to visit.

"Helping the slots helps with the income and thus helps the horse racing as well," he said.

Martin said he blames the race track's struggles with revenue to national issues.

"The no-smoking law, 9-11 and the drop in the American dollar, all of these things have impacted tourists coming to Canada. Numbers for Tour Ontario is down, so we've all been hit by this," he said.

- with files from Alison Bell and Gord Bowes.


UPDATES FROM AJAX DOWNS
AND ONTARIO RACING COMMISSION


First Graded Stakes Race
Attracts Record Crowd at Ajax Downs


Toronto, ON – On Sunday, September 21 a record crowd for Ajax Downs was
treated to the fastest horse racing this side of Louisiana, and the first ever
recognized Graded Stakes Quarter Horse race to run in Eastern Canada. A
representative from the American Quarter Horse Association, Darrell Hare said,
“There are great things happening in Ontario in Quarter Horse racing. I see the
potential for growth that will rival our best track in the United States, Los Alamitos
in California.”
The day featured the G3 Alex Picov Memorial Championship -- with a purse of
over $129,000. A field of eight contenders smoked the 440 yards, and a close
finish saw Illbegoneinajazz prevail in 21.71 seconds flat. Strawflyin Fitness nosed
out Rockish for second.
Illbegoneinajazz is a four-year-old filly, owned by Christine Tavares and trained by
leading trainer Joe Tavares. The purse brings Tavares’ winnings in 2009 to over
$651,000. The winning pilot was jockey Tony Phillips who captured his first stake
race of the season.
The day began with a VIP Champagne Brunch hosting politicians from the
province of Ontario and surrounding regions, and dignitaries from across all
sectors of the horse industry. The brunch provided recognition for the Quarter
Horse Racing Industry Development Plan and the Slots at Racetracks Program.
Sports broadcaster Joe Tilley was the Master of Ceremonies.
The first 700 patrons to arrive received a gift bag from the Quarter Horse Racing
Industry Development Program, which included a free racing program and a
souvenir magazine highlighting the history of the track and the economic impact
of the Quarter Horse racing and breeding industry for Ontario.
The event marked the end of era and celebrated a bright new future for Quarter
Horse racing in Ontario. A new five-furlong racetrack is being prepared for the
opening of the 2009 racing season next May. The Quarter Horse Racing Industry
Development Plan can be viewed at www.ontarioracingcommission.ca.


September 26, 2008 News Release Rule Amendment Process

2009 Rules of Racing
ORC invites individuals to apply for participation on Working Groups

In the fall of each year, the ORC conducts a review the Rules of Racing to address any necessary changes for the coming racing season.
As part of that process, the ORC seeks submissions from the industry, either from the associations, licensees or from the public at large.
Working groups made up of industry representatives are formed each year to review the submissions before they are submitted to the Board of the ORC for consideration.
Working Groups to be formed
The Executive Director establishes breed specific Rule Amendment Working Groups to review the proposals and provide the Administration with input and advice.

Working Groups for TB racing would be CTHS member - 1, HBPA - 3, Racetrack operators - 2, Industry Member at large - 5.

Scheduled meeting dates: Thoroughbred Working Group October 28, 2008 Standardbred Working Group October 23, 2008

MOUTH WATERING

(MARSH SIDE, second from left, CHAMPS ELYSEES, fourth from right, SPICE ROUTE, SEASIDE RETREAT and QUIJANO, rail, make up most of the field for the CANADIAN INTERNATIONAL on Oct.4 This was the finish of the Northern Dancer BC won by Champs Elysees; www.horse-races.net photo)



CANADIAN INTERNATIONAL

Oct. 4..part of Breeders' Cup Challenge day at Woodbine

The turf course is nice and firm, just what the DOCTOR ordered.

DOCTOR DINO, a multiple Group 1 winner, is headed to Woodbine for the Oct. 4 International and will provide the star power for the 1 1/2 mile, $2 million race.

Doctor Dino, a non-Breeders' Cup eligible, is headed to Hong Kong after the Woodbine race.

MOURILYAN, also expected at Woodbine, has beaten QUIJANO overseas and will meet that rival again in the Interntional. He is expected to head to Australia fter the International for the Melbourne Cup.

OUCH! The Win and You're In races on Oct. 4 are 3 weeks out from the Breeders' Cup, seems to be enough time..but not to everyone..
this quote from Bobby Ribaudo, trainer of Grand Couturier, who is in tomorrow's Joe Hirsch was on THE BLOOD-HORSE site today...


“That being said, we thought about this race and we thought about the race in Canada (Pattison Canadian International at Woodbine). Now that race is $2 million, but it is a week away. Going there almost takes you out of the Breeders’ Cup, and we want to run in the Breeders’ Cup (Turf).”


CANADIAN INTERNATIONAL PROBABLES:


CHAMPS ELYSEES

DOCTOR DINO

MARLANG

MARSH SIDE

MOURILYAN

QUIJANO

SEASIDE RETREAT

SPICE ROUTE





MARCHING
Woodbine Thursday wrap

MARCHFIELD may be a Canadian classic winner on the grass but yesterday he won on Polytrack at 9 furlongs and seems destined for perhaps another stakes start on the Woodbine main track.
The well bred A.P. Indy - Pico Teneriffe 4yo colt was a vet scratch on Sept. 4 but was quickly back in shape for yesterday's featured outing, an allowance/optional claiminer for non-winners of 3 'other than'.
He started slowly in the route race but roared around horses on the turn, angled inside for the stretch run and was up to beat a very stubborn BOLD FINISH, who was the longest shot in the field at 18 to 1 but was always in contention.
The time of 1:50.48 was likely close to a 95 Beyer Figure (the Beyers were not available at the time of this writing).

Marchfield is owned and bred by Eugene Melnyk and trained by Mark Casse. He won the Breeders' Stakes last year at 12 furlongs on turf.

Jockey Pat Husbands, who was rolling around on the ground on Wednesday after a gate accident and appeared to be badly injured....rode 3 winners on yesterday's card.

Also bagging 3 winners was TYLER PIZARRO - he won a natural hat trick..races 6, 7 8.
The roll started with REAL DILEMMA (fresh, drop in class..the 2 MOST IMPORTANT aspects of picking winners right now)..for Bob Harvery in the $16,000 claiming 6th race.
In race 7, Pizarro managed to keep WHISPER LOUDLY, owned by James Ogilivie, in front all the way to win as the favourite for $20,000 fillies and mares.
And in race 8 on the grass, Pizarro was on 20 to 1 shot PLEASANT REVIEW (20 to 1? the filly was beaten a head in a grass race with a 78 Beyer in May at Pimlico) to win a turf allowance for Ed Seltzer and trainer Danny Vella.



BLOCKBUSTER CARDS IN NEW YORK, KENTUCKY, CALIFORNIA

MORE SATURDAY STUFF

In yesterday's post we had the fields for the Turfway races with the Canadian content, although one was missed.
While JULIET'S SPIRIT is not Canadian in any way, she has made all of her starts at Woodbine and a good showing in the Kentucky Cup race she is in would give her a big chance to be named CANADA'S CHAMPION 2-YEAR-OLD FILLY.
Steve Asmussen, who trains the filly for Padua Stable, trained last year's champion 2yo colt in Canada, Kodiak Kowboy (who is in the Grade 1 Vosburgh tomorrow)

Tomorrow's KENTUCKY CUP card at Turfway is on a synthetic dirt so horses who do well can be considered for the Breeders' Cup...
as written yesterday, local stable BEAR STABLE and trainer READE BAKER are represented in 2 big races with BEAR NOW and FATAL BULLET.

Turfway Park - September 27th, 2008 - Race 6
Kentucky Cup Juvenile Fillies S. - Grade:
Estimated Local Post Time: 3:48 PM
Race Type: Stakes
Breed: Thoroughbred
Age Restriction: Two Year Old

Purse: $100,000
Distance: One Mile

Post Horse Name Age Sex Weight Jockey Name

1 Bold Union (KY) 2 Filly 118 Stewart Elliott
2 Sugar Mom (KY) 2 Filly 114 Manuel Aguilar
3 Complicity (KY) 2 Filly 114 Julien R. Leparoux
4 Believe in Me (KY) 2 Filly 114 Brian Hernandez
5 Megalicious (FL) 2 Filly 114 Miguel Mena
6 Juliet's Spirit (FL) 2 Filly 118 Shaun Bridgmohan
7 Saxxy Rose Lee (IL) 2 Filly 114 Terry J. Thompson
8 Westline (PA) 2 Filly 114 Otto Thorwarth
9 Dream Empress (KY) 2 Filly 114 Corey J. Lanerie



CURLIN SHOW AT BELMONT

Saturday, Belmont Park - a Breeders' Cup Challenge day with CURLIN set to pass Cigar's earnings mark in North America:

JOCKEY CLUB GOLD CUP S.-GI, $750,000, 3yo/up,
1 1/4m
PP HORSE SIRE JOCKEY

1 Ravel Fusaichi Pegasus Bejarano
2 Merchant Marine Tiznow Velasquez
3 Timber Reserve Forest Camp Desormeaux
4 Wanderin Boy Seeking the Gold Garcia
5 Curlin Smart Strike Albarado
6 Angliana Giant=s Causeway Maragh
7 A. P. Arrow A.P. Indy Dominguez
8 Stones River Monarchos Saez
9 Mambo in Seattle Kingmambo Prado
All carry 126 pounds except Mambo in Seattle and
Stones River, 122.



DUKE IS IN A JAM

Where will he run??

From the Racing Post today


DUKE OF MARMALADE was a significant market mover on Friday morning for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe as Coral halved his odds to 3-1 second favourite (from 6). Coral retain unbeaten French filly Zarkava as their 2-1 favourite for Europe's richest race, due to take place at Longchamp on October 5.

Plans for five-time Group 1 winner Duke Of Marmalade have yet to be announced. Trainer Aidan O'Brien is mulling over a run in the Arc if the ground is suitably good, or an all-weather race at Dundalk the previous day as a precursor to a run in the Breeders' Cup Classic in California on October 25.

BATTLE

NEW YORK RACING ASSOCIATION - promoting CURLIN on Saturday to NEW FANS..READ MORE BELOW...





CANADIAN INTERNATIONAL
BREEDERS' CUP CHALLENGE DAY AT WOODBINE - OCT. 4


GODOLPHIN CONFIRMS FOLK OPERA FOR 'TAYLOR'

The powerful Godolphin stable confirmed to THOROUGHBLOG today that FOLK OPERA will be its representative on the big day of racing on Oct. 4.
The 4yo filly will be in the E.P. Taylor Stakes.

FOLK OPERA (photo at right from www.godolphin.com)
is an Irish-bred who won the Group 2 Prix Jean Romanet at Deauville 2 starts ago with a 111 Racing Post rating.
She is a FRONT RUNNER.

Her last race was aginst the freakish ZARKAVA in the Prix Vermeille and she was 8th beaten 9 lengths. Zarkava is the favourite for the Arc on Oct. 5.

CANADIAN INTERNATIONAL PROBABLES:


CHAMPS ELYSEES

DOCTOR DINO

MARLANG

MARSH SIDE

MOURILYAN

QUIJANO

SEASIDE RETREAT

SPICE ROUTE



WE LOVE OUR TAYLOR TURF!

The Woodbine turf course will be used 4 times in 2 hours on Oct. 4...certainly it will pampered and primped a lot until that big day.

Read BILL TALLON'S report in tomorrow DAILY RACING FORM..
here's an excerpt:


The Grade 3, $300,000 Summer, a one-mile race for 2-year-olds, begins the parade at 4:04 p.m., with the Grade 2, $500,000 Nearctic, a six-furlong race for 3-year-olds and upward, next at 4:35 p.m.

The Grade 1, $1 million E.P. Taylor, a 1 1/4-mile race for fillies and mares, follows at 5:16 p.m., with the Grade 1, $2 million Canadian International, a 1 1/2-mile race for 3-year-olds and upward, set for 5:48 p.m.

The compressed schedule will accommodate the ESPN broadcast, which will run from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern and also will include live coverage of the Grade 1 Lane's End Breeders' Futurity and the Grade 1 Shadwell Turf Mile at Keeneland.

The good news for local viewers is that the ESPN broadcast will be simulcast by The Score and will be available in high definition.

Turf course adjustments planned

Steve Lym, Woodbine's racing secretary and a director of racing, said that the Summer and Nearctic will begin in lane 3 on the turf course.

Track maintenance crews will be able to take down a quarter-mile of the temporary railing between the Summer and Nearctic, and the remaining three-quarters will be removed prior to the E.P. Taylor.

The plan will guarantee pristine inside footing for the E.P. Taylor and Canadian International.

"The last time any horse was on the inside lane was on Sept. 7, Woodbine Mile Day," Lym said.



DROP IN - CASH IN

Woodbine Wednesday night


6th race at 9:17, 7th race at 10:24....

HUSBANDS HURT, UPDATE TO COME


The rail is okay!!
Class droppers and fresh horses are deadly at this time of year.

Don't know what happened but the first race last night was one by the dropping WONDEROUS GLORY (do you KNOW how many times I bet and picked this horse?) who hugged the rail after a pace duel into the stretch and edged clear to win the $20K claimer for non-winners of 2.
The rail had been like quicksand for the last couple of weeks.
The Mr. T - owned fellow was making his first start for trainer Laurie Silvera and it was his first top three placing in since Dec. 2006.

(Question - when a trainer is replaced by another...why is it that the NEW trainer ALWAYS gets to run the horse for a much lower class and then looks good when the horse wins?)


RACE 2- FIRETHEEXECUTIVE won his career debut at 26 to 1 after breaking a bit slowlyfrom a wide post in the 5 furlong 2yo claiming race.

The chestnut Bold Executive Ontario bred, trained by Steve Attard, zipped past for a one-length win for Attard and co-owner Sheldon Pettle. Ron House bred the son of stakes winning mare HAWK LAKE FIRE.
The colt cost $21,845 as a yearling.

RACE 3- MOLINARO STABLES and trainer VITO ARMATA are winning a lot lately after a quiet first few months of the season. MOLINARO FANTASY parlayed her highest last-race Beyer Figure into a win in the "feature" last night, an Ontario sired filly and mare non-winners of 2 event at 6 1/2 furlong.
The Tempolake 4yo just won her maiden in her 9th start but only 2nd of this year.

RACE 4- BATTLE ZONE, dropping in class from $25K to $20,000 and 2nd in his latest with a 73 Beyer Figure was a predictable winner and was 2 to 1 too. The Forest Camp - Power Gem gelding, bred in Ontario by Ron Clarkson, ran fast around the turn and was a bit crooked into the stretch but he drew off by a long margin to win for Woodford Racing and trainer Mark Casse.
The 3yo is 2 for 8 in his career.

RACE 5- It's close tot he time of year when everyone is dropping - time to win races. DANCER'S FAN, whose sire LEAR FAN recently passed away, had not won a race in 2 years and was making her 5th race since being claimed by Connie, Tom and Kathy Patton.
But there she was last night, blowing by from just off the pace to win at 40 to 1 in the $11,500 claiming event and making her connections very happy.
Kathy Patton's two sons proudly told THE SCORE show last night they "won a lot of money" thanks to the 4yo filly's win.
She had not raced for $11,500 in her life (23 previous races).

RACE 6 - BRITISH COLUMBIA-BRED invader KALUA ON THE ROCKS won her first race at Woodbine for James Redekop who bred the Horse Chestnut - Kalukia, Go for Gin filly. The 3yo was 1 for 8 out west and racing for $25K claiming but her form has deteriorated and she was rested in July.
She was only 4 to 1 despite the poor form.

THE SCORE show had to bail...AFTER THE SIXTH RACE was run at 9:17, it was more than ONE HOUR until the 7th was run.......an ambulance broke down and had to be pushed off the track, a horse flipped, PATRICK HUSBANDS landed on his back... (read a fan's comment below)

RACE 7 - Jockey JIM MCALENEY rated MY SPECIAL ANGEL through a slow first two furlongs of 23 flat in the 6 furlong race for $32K claiming 3yo fillies and that was enough to give the filly power to lead all the way at 3 to 1.
A British Columbia bred by Finality, the Bob Cheema owned gal is trained by Terry Jordan, who was winning his 23rd race of the meeting.
The filly had been RE-CLAIMED by Cheema from her last race when last of 8 for $25,00 claiming.

And the MIKE WRIGHT barn has come to life. It won again with SAMARCOS in the finale, a 1 3/16 mile claimer for $11,500 for non-winners of 3.
The Barbados-bred was making that often suiccessful THIRD START OFF THE LAYOFF and DROPPING IN CLASS from $19,000.
He is a 5yo by Arranged (a son of With Approval).

(Question - The PICK 7 seems to have overstayed its welcome....the bet had a pool of $1,700 last night and has been carrying over by tiny, tiny increments for weeks and weeks. The carryover going into today's card? A whopping $8K).



KEENELAND WEBSITE OFFERS MORE FOR BETTORS
Meet starts Oct. 3


POLYCAPPING! It is a database being offered to racing fans for free on the Keeneland website to help in the handicapping of the Polytrack surface.

KEENELAND is a leader in offering up information for fans - beginners and experts alike.

They have links such as USING TRAKUS DATA TO YOUR ADVANTAGE...CLOCKERS COMMENTS etc.

There is no end to the useful stuff on the Keeneland website...
here is the link to the handicapping page..

http://ww2.keeneland.com/handicapping/default.aspx

EXCERPT from KENTUCKY.COM
Keeneland announces handicapping tool for Polytrack
'polycapping' will provide more info
By Alicia Wincze
awincze@herald-leader.com


While synthetic tracks remain a work in progress in Thoroughbred racing, Keeneland has developed an innovative new database to help its handicappers get a better grasp of its Polytrack surface.

A handicapping tool, dubbed PolyCapping, will be unveiled this week when the track launches its redesigned Web site in advance of the start of its fall meet, which begins on Oct. 3.

The new database, which is free to access, will allow horseplayers to search for a wide range of information on winners of Keeneland races since Oct. 2006, including positions at key junctures of the race, last start, workout information, track maintenance and temperature.

"The concept behind this was everyone had their theory on what was important," said Julie Balog, digital marketing manager for Keeneland. "Rather than bundle it all together and tell them, 'This is what we think you want,' we're going to let them choose what they think is important."

PolyCapping was developed in partnership with Jeremy Plonk, editor of HorsePlayer magazine, and also includes data from Keeneland's past turf races. Once the fall meet gets under way, the data will be updated at the end of each card.

Nick Nicholson, president of Keeneland, said part of the motivation behind the creation of PolyCapping was to address the apprehension some bettors felt about handicapping races over the sometimes unpredictable surface.



MORE ON WEBSITES
NYRA and CURLIN!!

Teresa over at BROOKLYN BACKSTRETCH.BLOGSPOT.COM celebrated her blog's 1 year anniversary recently.
Teresa has insightful comments and opinions on the racing game in New York and elsewhere.
She talked about NYRA'S website yesterday...


Getting people to the website allows NYRA to advertise its stadium seat giveaway that day; to promote a $5 Curlin t-shirt whose sales will benefit Backstretch Employee Service Team; and to announce its YouTube channel, currently featuring “Trips and Traps,” -
Eric Donovan and Andy Serling’s race re-cap and analysis show.

I’ve long been a fan of the NYRA website; it’s easy to navigate and it offers a variety of information, from the history of races, to well-written news articles, to current racing/meet statistics.

Increasing the traffic to the site seems to me to be essential to increasing the attendance, and thus the handle. It will be interesting to see what the new NYRA marketing VP, whoever he or she may be, will bring to the promotional table this winter.

So, CURLIN'S CORNER offers tons of cool stuff for racing fans..


SATURDAY..


Saturday, Turfway Park
KENTUCKY CUP DISTAFF S.-GIII, $100,000, 3yo/up,
f/m, 1 1/16m (AWT)
PP HORSE SIRE JOCKEY WT

1 Tazarine Cat Thief Mena 112
2 Fancy Fusaichi Fusaichi Pegasus Hernandez Jr 120
3 Marquee Delivery Marquetry Thorwarth 116
4 Bear Now Tiznow Da Silva 120
5 Unforgotten Northern Afleet Bridgmohan 120
6 Maren's Meadow Meadowlake Thompson 118
7 Devil House Chester House Leparoux 120

Saturday, Turfway Park
KENTUCKY CUP SPRINT S.-GIII, $100,000, 3yo, 6f
(AWT)
PP HORSE SIRE JOCKEY WT

1 Nautical Storm Storm Cat Mena 118
2 Eaton's Gift Johannesburg Bridgmohan 122
3 That's Grand Grand Slam Thorwarth 118
4 Hatta Fort (GB) Cape Cross (Ire) Leparoux 118
5 Fatal Bullet Red Bullet Da Silva 122
6 Salute the Sarge Forest Wildcat Lanerie 118
7 Gentleman James Yankee Gentleman Aguilar 118
8 Beyond Ready More Than Ready Thompson 118
9 Silver Sword Smart Strike Elliott 118
10 No Advantage Posse Hernandez Jr 118

Saturday, Hawthorne Race Course
ROBERT F. CAREY MEMORIAL H.-GIII, $150,000,
3yo/up, 1mT
PP HORSE SIRE JOCKEY WT

1 Dynaman Dynaformer Silva 115
2 Demeteor Dehere Sanchez 114
3 Dastardly Deeds Devil His Due Migliore 114
4 Galantas Tale of the Cat Rose 117
5 Wise River Belong to Me Torres 114
6a Media Play Alphabet Soup Baird 113
7a Jungle Fighter Wild Rush Baird 115
8 Vanquisher Gulch Emigh 114
9 Chief Thief Chief Seattle Ocampo 113
10 Tiganello (Ger) Acatenango (Ger) Karlsson 113
11 Tom Archdeacon Aljabr Campbell 113


OAK TREE MEETING OPENS

EXCERPT..L.A. TIMES

Bill Dwyre
September 25, 2008


Except for Corey Nakatani's broken collarbone, Wednesday was a very good race day at the Great Race Place.

Santa Anita opened to blue skies, smog-free mountains and palm trees barely moving in the 90-degree heat. It was the first day of the Oak Tree meeting, which will lead to a final Oct. 24-25 Brink's Truck weekend, the multimillion-dollar Breeders' Cup.

One horse used the day to qualify for the Breeders' Cup, and it was a horse few expected to do so. Bred in Murrieta and owned by his breeders, Keith and Diane Card, 22-1 longshot California Flag raced down the hill on Santa Anita's famed turf course and right past the rest of the field in the $100,000 Grade III Morvich Handicap. While jockey Joe Talamo eased him up, lucky bettors celebrated their $47.40 payoff.

After his horse won in a course-record time of 1:11.10 for 6 1/2 furlongs, Talamo said, "We had an absolutely perfect trip."

Keith Card said, "We thought we had a chance because there was no speed in the race."

Now, the Cards, Talamo and trainer Brian Koriner have an unexpected chance in the $1-million Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint. The race was one in a series of "Win and You're In" chances that lead to the Breeders' Cup.

"It is $20,000 to enter and $20,000 more to start," Card said. Koriner said they'd pay it and go.

Early in that race, Easy On The Eye, ridden by veteran Nakatani, clipped heels with Ten Meropa, ridden by Tyler Baze. The contact knocked Nakatani off and he suffered a broken collarbone in the fall, probably putting him out of the rest of the Oak Tree meeting.

http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-dwyre25-2008sep25,0,2237234.column




BILL MOVES TO HOUSE!!!


from WWW.THEHORSE.COM

by: Pat Raia
September 24 2008, Article # 12751


The U.S. House of Representatives Judiciary Committee has passed H.R. 6598, a measure known as the "Prevention of Equine Cruelty Act of 2008."

This bill prohibits transport, sale, delivery, or export of horses for slaughter for human consumption. It also criminalizes the purchase, sale, delivery, or export of horsemeat intended for human consumption. Supporters praise the bill for banning the export of horses to processing plants in Canada and Mexico.

"The bill passed by voice vote on Sept. 23," said Judiciary Committee Communications Director Jonathan Godfrey. "The next step is introduction on the House floor."

The bill was introduced in July by Judiciary Committee Chairman Rep. John C. Conyers, (D-Mich.).

Violators would face fines and/or one year imprisonment for a first offense or one involving five or fewer horses, and fines and/or three years imprisonment for repeat offenses or those involving more than five horses. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and U.S. Customs would be responsible for enforcing the measure.

Read H.R. 6598.


MARKETING SUMMIT DOCUMENT...


(http://www.ntra.com/creativeservices/content/NTRAOnlineTaskForce_080922.pdf),