INSPIRATIONAL

(don't listen to the audio with the video, it doesn't match by the halfway mark!, found on YouTube.com)


LET THE CROWNING BEGIN
DUNKIRK ROMPS, 98 BEYER FIGURE

In just his 2nd career start, Dunkirk won an allowance race at Gulfstream even though he raced at least a quarter of a mile farther than any other 3yo colt in the field.

The $3.7 million yearling purchase, a grey by Unbridled's Song out of Secret Status earned a 98 Beyer Figure following his 78 Beyer from his debut win.

Ridden for the first time by Garrett Gomez - who flew in from California to ride him - Dunkirk was in the 6 path around the first turn of the 1 1/8 mile race and lost an incredible amount of ground.

The colt never saw the inside but edged up 3 and 4 wide the rest of the way before drawing off into the stretch to score by 4 3/4 lengths.

Trainer Todd Pletcher has said the next start for the Smith, Magnier, Tabor colt would be the March 28 Florida Derby, making it his third and final start before the Kentucky Derby.

On forums and in chats last night, there were people who were exclaiming that Dunkirk was the Derby winner.

Let the discussions begin.








CANADIAN-BRED WELL POSITIONED works

One of the much talked about 3yo's to start the Gulfstream meet was Canadian-bred WELL POSITIONED.

A smart winner of his maiden in New York with a 91 Beyer Figure.

The Awesome Again colt, however, was blasted in his 3yo debut at Gulfstream.

From DAILY RACING FORM...

"In retrospect, I probably should have taken another few weeks before starting him," Reynolds said. "Sometimes, Awesome Agains need a little longer to get to the bottom, and he still needs a little extra tweaking. But there's too much horse there to give up on. The way he broke his maiden wasn't a mirage. You'll see him here again before the end of the meet."

WELL POSITIONED is not, however, currently eligible for the QUEEN'S PLATE.





WHO HATH MY FOOD?

One of the first babies by Woodbine Mile (Gr1) winner SHAKESPEARE is this smart colt, born Feb. 4 at Norse Ridge Farm in King, Ontario.

The colt is owned by Frank Justice and is out of the Gone West mare Violent Beauty.










MORE TRACK PROBLEMS
TURFWAY CANCELS

EXCERPT FROM THOROUGHBRED TIMES...

by Frank Angst

Citing cold weather and wind, Turfway Park canceled its final six races on Thursday after a breakdown in the third race that sent jockey Erin Wilkinson to the hospital.

The Northern Kentucky track cited wind chill temperatures in its decision to cancel the remainder of the card. According to weather.com, the temperature for Thursday afternoon was 24 degrees but there was a steady wind of 24 miles per hour with 32 mile per hour gusts for a wind chill of 9 degrees.

The cancellation decision followed the third race breakdown of Kays Kitty Cat. The five-year-old mare fell while turning for home in the six-furlong maiden claiming race. The state veterinarian reports Kays Kitty Cat was euthanized on the track.

Turfway said Erin Wilkinson, who was riding Kays Kitty Cat, was taken to a hospital by ambulance. Wilkinson’s agent was not immediately available for an update on her condition.

Turfway saw eight breakdowns on its Polytrack surface during its 21-day holiday meeting, which ended on December 31. But from January 10 to February 10, there was not a breakdown during racing.

READ THE REST AT WWW.THOROUGHBREDTIMES.COM


COMING UP TOMORROW/SUNDAY


SPICE ROUTE, a Canadian stakes winner trained by Roger Attfield, is in the MacDiarmida Stakes at Gulfstream.


Woodbine owners Rocco D'Alimonte and Frank Annecchini will have their maiden colt ALTONA ROAD (a road near Uxbridge, Ont.) in a one mile turf race today at Gulfstream.
Altona Road is trained by Catherine Day Phillips

In a dirt maiden allowance, Ontario bred MUFASA CAT goes for Bru-Mel Stable and trainer Alison Crook. Jim McAleney will ride.

Sunday, Gulfstream Park
THE VERY ONE S.-GIII, $100,000, 4yo/up, f/m,
1 3/8mT
PP HORSE SIRE JOCKEY WT

1 Snow Cone Cryptoclearance Bravo 120
2 Dress Rehearsal (Ire) Galileo (Ire) Desormeaux 120
3 Lamentation (GB) Singpsiel (Ire) Douglas 116
4 Callwood Dancer (Ire) Danehill Dancer (Ire) Garcia 122
5 Lady Carlock Chester House J Bridgmohan 122
6 Sea Chanter War Chant Velazquez 122
7 Backseat Rhythm El Corredor Coa 122
8 Leap in the Sun Anees Trujillo 116
9 Criticism (GB) Machiavellian Prado 122
10 High Heel Sneakers (GB) Dansili (GB) Velasquez 120
11 Long Approach Broad Brush Leparoux 116
12 Lookalike Dynaformer Lezcano 116
13 Avie=s Tale Tale of the Cat Marquez 118
14 Laguna Plateada (Chi) Sir Cat Baird 120


ALEX BROWN FEATURED IN ARKANSAS PAPER

Anti-horse slaughter advocate, excerise rider and all-round funny guy ALEX BROWN has been the subject of hundreds of stories from Toronto to the south.
Yesterday he was featured in an Arkansas paper.
Brown is headed back to Woodbine for gallop horses for Steve Asmussen again in 2009.

http://www.nwanews.com/adg/Sports/252896/