FUN 4 THOSE IN THE SUN

In the news - Pat Husbands to stay in California for winter, seen above on MARCHFIELD, Canada's champion older horse who races in the SAN PASQUAL S. tomorrow at Santa Anita.
www.-horse-races.net photo




HUSBANDS TO RIDE IN CALIFORNIA

Patrick Husbands will stay on the California circuit to ride this winter following his mount on Marchfield in tomorrow's San Pasqual Handicap at Santa Anita.
Husbands has been riding at Fair Grounds in New Orleans for his main barn of Mark Casse.
Casse also has a string in California.

UPDATE 9:39 A.M.

FROM DAILY RACING FORM..

JOE HIRSCH PASSES AWAY
By DRF STAFF

Joe Hirsch, the longtime columnist for Daily Racing Form and dean of American turf writers, died early Friday morning at St. Luke's Hospital in New York City. He was 80.

SQUARE EDDIE to San Rafael

Canadian-bred SQUARE EDDIE, the early favourite for the Queen's Plate but who is headed to the Kentucky Derby trail, will start in the Jan, 17 San Rafael Stakes at Santa Anita.
He worked yesterday in 1:13 2/5 at Hollywood Park.
Here is his Wikipedia page:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Square_Eddie



CANADIANS ELSEWHERE
Notes

At Laurel Park yesterday, Ontario bred SMILING JORDAN, a 7yo Accelerator gelding, won a nine-furlong allowance race by four lengths for his 17th career win in 54 races, Bred by HOPE STOCK FARM, 'Jordan' is owned by Joe MacKinnon and trained by Flint Stites.



SATURDAY RACING

Lots of action for locals:

FRENCH BERET/WINDWARD ISLANDS in the Col. Bradley at Fair Grounds

MORADA KEY, trained by Mark Casse, in the F.W. Gaudin at Fair Grounds

GOOD AND LUCKY, trained by Josie Carroll for Jim and Alice Sapara in the Louisiana Handicap at Fair Grounds.

SHILLA in the AB LEGGIO Memorial Stakes at 5 1/2 fur. on turf for Brian Cullen and trainer Malcolm Pierce.

PATENA in the Lecomte stakes, John and Glen Sikura and Centennial Farms

DYNAMIC FORCE, trained by Mark Casse in the Lecomte.


SOCIETY'S CHAIRMAN (photo at left by www.horse-races.net)/BUFFALO MAN in the Ft. Lauderdale Stakes at Gulfstream

COOL GATOR and EAST END TAP, stakes winner and stakes placed respectively, both have American trainers for a race at Gulfstream tomorrow, an allowance race.

INCLUDE US, Roger Attfield, in a 12 furlong turf allowance at Gulfstream.
FIND THE WIRE, trained by Reade Baker for Jim and Susan Hill, also in the race.

AWESOME RHYTHM, trained by John Ross, in the finale, an allowance for 3yos.

MARCHFIELD is in the San Pasqual for Eugene Melnyk at Santa Anita.



ECLIPSE AWARD FINALISTS
(in alphabetical order)

Awards to be given out on Jan. 26

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 Maria



WOODBINE VS. OHHA HA HA
from Standardbred Canada

In a release, the Woodbine Entertainment Group announced that it is calling off negotiations with the Ontario Harness Horse Association.

The release appears below in its entirety.

WEG finds it regrettable that OHHA continues to act in bad faith by, among other things, attempting to engage third parties to interfere with WEG's private commercial matters.

WEG is in receipt of a letter sent by OHHA on January 5, 2009 (one day after the members voted to call off the boycott of WEG racing) to every Member of Provincial Parliament in which OHHA requests that MPPs instruct the Ontario Lottery & Gaming Corporation (OLG) to withhold WEG's share of slot machine revenue until such time as WEG contracts with OHHA.

This latest action by OHHA constitutes a serious interference with WEG's economic and contractual relations with OLG and may amount to inducing breach of contract. A cease and desist letter has been forwarded to OHHA today by our lawyers.

These are further actions by an organization with which WEG simply cannot, and will not, continue to do business. OHHA has demonstrated a pattern of bad faith and a desire to harm WEG's business and the sport of horse racing in general.

Accordingly, WEG has determined that it will have no further discussions with OHHA in connection with a new contract. Instead, WEG will focus its efforts on contracting with horse people that race at Woodbine and Mohawk racetracks and share WEG's vision for honest, exciting, quality horse racing.

Until such time as WEG is under contract with such a group, we reiterate our commitment to guarantee the revenue sharing arrangements and purse contributions stipulated in the Access Agreements. WEG will also continue to share slots revenue with horsepeople as it has committed to under contract with OLG.

Woodbine Entertainment Group



EXCERPT - TORONTO STAR
Woodbine cuts off talks with horsemen's association


Jan 09, 2009 04:30 AM
Dave Perkins
Sports Columnist

Despite some nasty side issues between Woodbine and a horsemen's association, it's business as usual for those betting trotters and pacers at the Rexdale racetrack.

Woodbine Entertainment Group, without a contract with its standardbred horsemen since Dec.31, has ended negotiations with the Ontario Harness Horse Association, yet said it will continue to offer the usual racing product and maintain current financial terms with those who race their horses.

"We have absolutely kept the entry box open, the horsemen have never stopped entering and racing and we have assured the horsemen of no changes in any of the financial arrangements. The last thing we want is to prevent anyone from earning a living," WEG head David Willmot said yesterday. "The only thing that has changed is that we do not want to have further negotiations with OHHA.

"We have no legal obligation to be under contract with OHHA. It is not a union. It is an association representing private contractors. We have been under contract (with OHHA) for many years, but that looks like it is coming to an end."

The horsemen's group is continuing to challenge Woodbine's rights, historically guaranteed by private-property exclusion laws, to bar horse people for violations, including serious drug violations, that it feels damage racing's integrity.

http://www.thestar.com/Sports/HorseRacing/article/564154