BULLISH

The big events in racing today - perhaps some news about FORT ERIE and tonight, the ECLIPSE AWARDS will be handed out.

(CURLIN is the pick to win Horse of the Year, photo by Vanessa Ng)

Don't forget to keep up to date with THOROUGHBLOG - in yesterday's news we learned that North Dakota may build a slaughterhouse and that Prime Minister STEPHEN HARPER wants to dole out money for Canadian slaughterhouse expansion.




HIGH NOON FOR FORT ERIE


There is a noon deadline (set by Nordic Gaming that owns the track) for the Ontario government to come through with a multimillion-dollar bailout plan for the track.

Nordic wants $35 million for the place - it bought it with a debt, for $10.00

The town of Fort Erie wants to borrow the money from the Ont. government to buy it.
Stay tuned.


ECLIPSE AWARDS

HORSE OF THE YEAR IS CURLIN VS. ZENYATTA

Finalists:


• Two-year-old male Midshipman Old Fashioned Vineyard Haven
• Two-year-old filly Dream Empress Maram Stardom Bound
• Three-year-old male Big Brown Colonel John Raven’s Pass
• Three-year-old filly Eight Belles Music Note Proud Spell
• Older male Commentator Curlin Einstein (Brz)
• Older female Cocoa Beach (Chi) Ginger Punch Zenyatta
• Male sprinter Benny the Bull Midnight Lute Street Boss
• Female sprinter Indian Blessing Intangaroo Ventura
• Turf male Conduit (Ire) Einstein (Brz) Grand Couturier (GB)
• Turf female Cocoa Beach (Chi) Forever Together Goldikova (Ire)
• Steeplechaser Be Certain Good Night Shirt Sovereign Duty
• Owner Godolphin Racing IEAH Stables Stronach Stables
• Breeder Adena Springs Stonerside Stable WinStar Farm
• Trainer Steve Asmussen Richard Dutrow Jr. Bobby Frankel
• Jockey Robby Albarado Rafael Bejarano Garrett Gomez
• Apprentice jockey Inez Karlsson Pascacio Lopez Abel Mariano

LOUISVILLE COURIER JOURNAL STARTS KENTUCKY DERBY COVERAGE

The continent's best reporting on the KENTUCKY DERBY comes in the Louisville Courier-Jorunal and the paper embarked on its 2009 coverage yesterday.
There are reams of stories and lists.
In fact, several contributors listed their TOP 10 DERBY PROSPECTS but shockingly, not one had big money purchase, PATENA, co-owned by Canadians, does not appear on any list.

Canadian-bred SQUARE EDDIE appears - he is 7th on the list set out by Jennie Rees (see below)...

http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20090125/SPORTS08/90125003/1037

Jennie Rees
Courier-Journal

1. Old Fashioned
2. Pioneerof the Nile
3. Midshipman
4. Vineyard Haven
5. Danger to Society
6. Break Water Edison
7. Square Eddie
8. Stardom Bound
9. Dunkirk
10. Giant Oak


23 SKI-DOO for BOBBY PION
CANADIANS ELSEWHERE


At MOUNTAINEER yesterday, Woodbine owner/trainer BOBBY PION won the FIRST RACE AND THE LAST RACE!

Pion took the first race with British Columbia bred MAGIC AL JACK (Alfaari).
Okay, the 4yo gelding didn't just win the $5,000 maiden claiming race - he crushed the field by 23 LENGTHS!
Ridden by Olaf Hernandez, MAGIC AL JACK took the lead early and went from three lengths in front to the 23 number at the finish under a hand ride.

Iin the finale, Pion's TEE KAY ODE was odds-on and didn't disappoint as she won by 3 1/2 lengths for $5,00 claiming. The 5yo mare is by Alydeed-Francesca Stallone by Brown Arc.

MALCOLM PIERCE continues his regular roll at Fair Grounds as GET RICH QUICK won again over that track's turf yesterday for Pin Oak Stud.

Race 8 at Mountaineer yesterday was won by Ontario bred GOLDEN ICE, a 6yo by Golden Missile-Golden On Ice by Lit de Justice won for $5,000 for Scarlet Stable.

at Philadelphia Park, EXECTUIVE PRODUCER (Bold Executive-Del Rio's Delight) won a starter allowance by 6 lengths in a fast time of 1:22.74 for seven furlongs. The Ontario bred is now owned by Smiling Moon Stable.

at TAMPA BAY DOWNS, first time starter R MAGIC BONNIE won for $8,000 claiming for Eugene Melnyk, who races the 3yo filly bred by friends Iris and Bill Bristow. The filly is by the Bristow stallion MAGIC WALK out of the DOMIC mare VAGUELY BONNIE.
The Bristows also stood DOMIC and stud and currently stand ARCH HALL.
The trainer of R Magic Bonnie was Joe Ambrosia.

IN THE WORKS

Jambalaya (Langfuhr), 5f, 1:01.20, 4/17

ACCORDING TO THOROUGHBRED TIMES NEWS TODAY:

(TRAINER CATHERINE) Day-Phillips hoped to start Jambalaya in the Gulfstream Park Turf
Handicap (G1) on February 1, but he is not quite ready for the 11⁄8-mile
race, which Jambalaya won in 2007.
“He’s getting there, but it’s still just a little too soon,” Day-Phillips said.
“He’s been breezing every week and he’s starting to turn back into a racehorse.
He’s just about rid of the pot belly and looking more like an athlete.”

SOME CANADIAN TRAINERS IN 2009

EQUIBASE does not have MALCOM PIERCE on its leading trainer's list for 2009 but the Canadian has 8 wins from 38 starters.

MARK CASSE is 7 for 37 and LAYNE GILIFORTE is 6 for 11.

At Tampa Bay Downs, SHANE LEARN is 5-2-3-0 for a 100% ITM rate.



UNITED THOROUGHBREDS HAS SHARES TO SELL

United Thoroughbreds (see advertisement at right and click to see website) has shares to sell in a filly by WHERE'S THE RING, the sire of top 2yo filly of 2008 CAWAJA BEACH.

The newly formed syndicate has a detailed website with photos and videos and information for prospective buyers.