"THE MOMENT"

MELYNK, HUSBANDS, CASSE win $75K stake

Kentucky-bred CONGOR BAY, a son of new sire Speightstown, won the $75,000 San Pedro Stakes at Santa Anita yesterday on the holiday card of racing.

The colt had to survive a claim of foul but the result stood eventually. He is the 4th stakes winner for Speightstown.

The 3yo appears to be be a decent sprinter in the making, enjoying the turn-back from a one-mile stake at Hollywood to 6 1/2 furlongs yesterday.

Unlike his half brothers Marchfield, a champion older horse in Canada, and the good runner Westmoreland, Congor Bay was not foaled in Canada.

He had won his first 2 races of his career at Woodbine but was unplaced in the Hollywood Prevue and then 3rd in the one-mile Eddie Logan.

Yesterday the colt rallied from just off the pace to win in 1:15.59 under Patrick Husbands.


CLIFTON PARK JOINS ASCOT STUD

Fleet 2yo stakes winner CLIFTON PARK, a champion in Maryland, has entered stud at ASCOT STUD (see banner ad at the top of this page).

The Maryland Million Nursery Stakes winner won 2 of 3 career races.

He is by Allen's Prospect.



PALLADIO IN SUNSHINE MILLIONS

The always interesting SUNSHINE MILLIONS day is coming up Saturday with races at Santa Anita and Gulfstream for Cal-breds and Fla-breds.

It would have been fun to see FATAL BULLET in one of these races but he is sidelined.
There are some locals that are represented however...

Canadian champion PALLADIO is in a field of 12 (plus also eligibles) for the restricted SUNSHINE MILLIONS CLASSIC, worth one million dollars on Saturday at Gulfstream.
Palladio,trained by Roger Attfield, was 7th, beaten 11 lengths, in his last race - the Fred Hooper at Calder.


Saturday, Gulfstream Park
SUNSHINE MILLIONS CLASSIC, $1,000,000, (R),
4yo/up, 1 1/8m
PP HORSE SIRE JOCKEY WT

1 Finallymadeit Concerto Nunez 122
2 Dream Maestro Concerto Leyva 120
3 Macho Again Macho Uno Desormeaux 120
4 Palladio Lycius Albarado 122
5 It's A Bird Birdonthewire Leparoux 122
6 Medzendeekron Unusual Heat Garcia 122
7 Dry Martini Slew Gin Fizz Prado 122
8 Atoned Repent DeCarlo 120
9 Hey Byrn Put It Back Velazquez 120
10 Nima's Pad Lord Carson Garcia 120
11 Famous Patriot Repent Castellano 120
12 Delightful Kiss Kissin Kris Borel 122
Also Eligible:
13 On Board Again Awesome Again Velazquez 122
14 Solemn Promise Broken Vow Gryder 122
15 Pistol Pete Afleet Northern Afleet Rios 120


SOVEREIGN NOMINEE SOUTHERN EXCHANGE IN DASH...


Saturday, Gulfstream Park
SUNSHINE MILLIONS DASH, $250,000, (R), 3yo, 6f
PP HORSE SIRE JOCKEY WT

1 Southern Exchange Exchange Rate Garcia 120
2 Backbackbackgone Put It Back Albarado 120
3 Billionaire Bob Snuck In Leparoux 122
4 Ju Jitsu Jax Tiger Ridge Marquez 120
5 Gotmymojoworkin Gimmeawink Garcia 120
6 Echo West Swiss Yodeler Velasquez 120
7 Kelly Leak Runaway Groom Desormeaux 120
8 Player's List Gimmeawink Cox 120
9 This Ones For Phil Untuttable Prado 120
10 All Saint Skimming Velazquez 120
11 You Luckie Mann Exchange Rate Bridgmohan 120



CANADIAN BRED TRIACTOR AT MOUNTAINEER
and Ontario-bred 9yo wins on the card

There are many local horses and horsepeople at Mountaineer Park this winter.
In yesterday's 2ND RACE, Ontario-breds swept the top 3 positions.
ABIRA (A Fleets Dancer), owned by Bru-Mel Stable and trained by Rob Johnson, won the $5,000 claiming race for fillies and mares (non-winners of 2) by 2 3/4 lengths.
Kevin Buttigieg's LAHAINA LADY was 2nd and Bill Tharrenos' SURE STAR was 3rd.

REAL BEAUTY has now slowed down. The 9-YEAR-OLD mare is still racing and won for Bart Baird yesterday at Mountaineer for $5,000 claiming as the odds-on favourite.


IN THE WORKS

JAMBALAYA, STERWINS, TWILIGHT METEOR, SOLITAIRE and SLIGOVITZ are among the Canadian-bred stars who have recorded workouts in Florida in the last 2 days...



MARCH 7- SANDY LANE GOLD CUP - Nominees


January 19, 2009
PRESS RELEASE

The following horses have been nominated at the 1st subscription stage for the XXVIII SANDY LANE BARBADOS GOLD CUP (GR.1. – INT. – BAR) scheduled to be held on Saturday March 7, 2009.

BARBADOS

APOSTLE
DAYLIGHT EXPRESS
PREACH TO ME (by Pulpit)
BIPIN
DUC D FER
PURE TEMPTATION
BOUNCEBAK
FAVORITE PLAYER
SPICEY TIGER
COMPTON FIELDS
ITZMO
WALK ON BY
COPY THAT
JOHN BRIAN
WHISKEY FOR ME
(15)


TRINIDAD & TOBAGO

EL PASO CITY
FUNKIELIKEATRAIN
JUST IN TIME


USA

RUSH RUSH
UNBRIDLED BEHAVIOR
ZAPPA



EXCERPT - LOS ANGELES TIMES
BILL DWYRE

Two more horses die at Santa Anita
January 20, 2009

Two more horses broke down and were euthanized over the weekend at Santa Anita, bringing the number of fatalities from racing or training to seven since the meet's traditional Dec. 26 opening.

The issue has remained heated with the ongoing controversy over the introduction the last two years of mandated synthetic tracks at Santa Anita, Del Mar and Hollywood Park.


Dr. Rick Arthur, equine medical director for the California Horse Racing Board, confirmed Monday that Twisted Lyric, who is trained by Ron Ellis, and Uta's Beauty, trained by Vladimir Cerin, were injured during training sessions Sunday morning and were euthanized.

Arthur said that Twisted Lyric was on the Veterinarians List, which means that the horse had been determined to be unfit to race and must prove physical soundness before being allowed back. Twisted Lyric had never won a race and had made only one start, 27 months ago.

Uta's Beauty was on a different list, the Steward's List, which shows those horses ineligible to start a race because of poor or inconsistent performances. Uta's Beauty was put on the Steward's List after finishing 12 1/2 lengths behind the next-to-last horse and another 15 lengths behind the third-to-last finisher.