THIS ONES FOR...

(at right, THIS ONES FOR PHIL, by Untuttable, goes where after his 116 Beyer Fig last time?, read more below)















In memory of Ontario horseman GORDON COWIE, 44, who passed away last week in Fort Erie.

FROM TORONTO STAR:

E-mail death notice to friends and family

COWIE, Gordon Raymond - Unexpectedly in Etobicoke, Ontario on Thursday, February 26, 2009, in his 44th year. Loving fiancé and best friend of Ashley Palmer.
Cherished son of Elizabeth and Donald Page and brother of Tom (Kim) Cowie. Also survived by his extended family and friends in Nova Scotia. Predeceased by grandparents George and Bridget Turnbull. Gordon was a respected and successful owner/trainer at both Woodbine and Fort Erie Racetracks. He will be fondly remembered by his extended family and many friends with whom he worked and competed.
Benner Funeral Services, 1105 Benner Ave., Fort Erie entrusted with arrangements. The family will receive friends on Sunday evening from 5 - 9 p.m. Funeral Mass will be held at St. Michael's Roman Catholic Church on Monday afternoon at 1 p.m.
If so desired, donations to the S.P.C.A. would be appreciated by the family.

Published in Toronto Star on 02/28/2009

LAST CAT?
This colt out of graded SW HALO AMERICA may be the last Thoroughbred colt ever born to the legendary sire STORM CAT.
The photo of the 3 hour-old colt was provided by Hill 'n' Dale Farm.










FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH PREVIEW
Since it was shortened to a one-turn mile this year, the race has attracted a solid field but the horses who may have success won't necessarily be 1 1/4 mile winners on the first Saturday in May.

As written in my last post, the big three speedballs in the race have huge Beyer Figures - NOTONTHESAMEPAGE, THIS ONES FOR PHIL and TAQUARAB HAVE 116 114, AND 103 Beyers.
CAPT. CANDYMAN CAN is son of the mare STORMY WAY, who raced with success at Woodbine for Vizier Bloodstock and trainer Shelly Fitzgerald.


Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth S. (G2) February 28,

$250,000, 3yo, 1m, Gulfstream Park, 5:14 PM ET P Horse Sire Jockey Wt. Trainer
1. Bee Cee Cee Songandaprayer Cornelio H. Velasquez 120 Edward Plesa Jr.
2. Theregoesjojo Brahms Kent J. Desormeaux 116 Kenneth G. McPeek
3. Notonthesamepage Catienus Elvis Trujillo 120 Wesley A. Ward
4. Take the Points Even the Score Christopher P. DeCarlo 116 Todd A. Pletcher
5. Jack Spratt Candy Ride (Arg) Rene R. Douglas 120 Michael J. Maker
6. Rocketing Returns Gone West Jose Lezcano 116 Nicholas P. Zito
7. Beethoven Sky Mesa Calvin H. Borel 122 John T. Ward Jr.
8. Break Water Edison Lemon Drop Kid Eibar Coa 122 John C. Kimmel
9. Capt. Candyman Can Candy Ride (Arg) Julien R. Leparoux 122 Ian R. Wilkes
10. Taqarub Aldebaran Alan Garcia 120 Kiaran P. McLaughlin
11. Quality Road Elusive Quality John R. Velazquez 114 James A. Jerkens
12. This Ones for Phil Untuttable Edgar S. Prado 120 Richard E. Dutrow Jr.


The Miami Herald previews the race - the pick here is BEETHOVEN.

http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/story/925896.html

Gulfstream's Fountain of Youth Stakes features plenty of horsepower

BY JIM FREER Miami Herald Writer

The winner of Saturday's $250,000 Fountain of Youth Stakes will gain star status among Gulfstream Park's 3-year-olds and probably take a big step up on this year's list of Kentucky Derby contenders. Picking that winner could be one of the biggest handicapping challenges of Gulfstream's 2009 meet.

The Grade 2 Fountain of Youth, at one mile on the dirt, has 12 entrants -- with no prohibitive favorite. Three have won sprint stakes races at Gulfstream this year: Capt. Candyman Can, This Ones for Phil and Notonthesamepage. Beethoven and Break Water Edison won graded stakes races in Kentucky and New York, respectively, in 2008.

Theregoesjojo was impressive in winning an allowance race at Gulfstream, and Taqarub has won two 2008 races at Aqueduct. Those horses have been on racing publications' lists of top 20 contenders for the Kentucky Derby on May 2 -- but none is in the top five.

''Every year, Gulfstream is where the best group of 3-year-olds race, and this is the time when a horse usually jumps out,'' said Ken McPeek, who trains Theregoesjojo. The Fountain of Youth is the day's ninth race, with post time at 5:14. The eighth race is the $150,000 Canadian Turf Stakes (Grade 3) at one mile on turf for males 4 years old and up. Vanquisher, Hey Byrn and Delightful Kiss are prominent names in the 11-horse field.

Click on the link above to read the rest of the story..

SHAM STAKES preview
FROM SAN DIEGO TRIBUNE
Pamplemousse seeking a Kentucky reservation By Hank Wesch (Contact) Union-Tribune Staff Writer 2:00 a.m. February 28, 2009

The Pamplemousse, which translates from French as “grapefruit,” takes on 11 rivals in today's Sham Stakes at Santa Anita.

And if it's not a sour experience, the San Diego-connected colt will have completed two steps on what figures to be a three-step program aimed at getting him to the Kentucky Derby on May 2 with major contender status.

Picked out of a sale a year ago by Alex Solis II, son of the Hall of Fame-nominated jockey who rides him, and purchased for $150,000, the Kafwain colt is owned by a group led by the young Solis that includes Jeffrey and Bill Strauss of Del Mar.

The Pamplemousse is named for the Strausses' restaurant, across the street from the stable area of the Del Mar track and frequented by many racetrack people during the summer meeting. The Pamplemousse, the horse, didn't make the races until October at Santa Anita and didn't win until his third outing, in December at Hollywood Park.

The first two starts being at six and 6½ furlongs established that sprinting might not be The Pamplemousse's game. The maiden victory at Hollywood Park, at 1 1/16 miles, and a victory in the one-mile San Rafael Stakes at Santa Anita on Jan. 17, are being taken as indicators that distance racing could be. The Sham, a $200,000, Grade III event, is at 1 1/8 miles, the same distance as the April 5 Santa Anita Derby, which determines the West's best hope for Louisville.

The Pamplemousse could be the first Kentucky Derby starter for trainer Julio Canani, a 70-year-old Peruvian who can be personable and perplexing at the same time when discussing a horse with the media.

“I don't got the (Kentucky Derby) fever,” Canani told the Daily Racing Form after The Pamplemousse worked six furlongs in 1:12 2/5 on Feb. 18. But then came the excitement in his voice and his next words:

“Did you see that? Look at him. He was just galloping. Thank God I don't got the fever,” delivered a mixed message. Alex Solis Sr., who has no wins and three seconds in 15 Kentucky Derby starts, easily warmed to the subject when he hopped off The Pamplemousse after a 2-length victory in 1:35 1/5 in the San Rafael.

http://www3.signonsandiego.com/stories/2009/feb/28/1s28horsecol22460-pamplemousse-seeking-kentucky-re/?zIndex=59942


Sham S. (G3) February 28, $200,000, 3yo, 11⁄8m, Santa Anita Park, 4:38 PM PT

PP Horse Sire Jockey Wt. Trainer

1. Hi Flyin Indy A.P. Indy Alonso Quinonez 116 Eoin G. Harty
2. Smart Bid Smart Strike Rafael Bejarano 118 H. Graham Motion
3. Tiz True Tiznow Aaron T. Gryder 116 David E. Hofmans
4. Lifeline Pulpit Tyler Baze 116 Myung Kwon Cho
5. The Pamplemousse Kafwain SD Alex O. Solis 118 Julio C. Canani
6. Balfour Park Mutakddim Brice Blanc 116 Craig Anthony Lewis
7. Mr. Hot Stuff Tiznow Corey S. Nakatani 116 Eoin G. Harty
8. Bourbon Bay Sligo Bay (Ire) Joel Rosario 116 Neil D. Drysdale
9. Ventana Toccet Jesus M. Rios 116 Bob Baffert
10. Mark S the Cooler Johar Joseph Talamo 116 Doug F. O’Neill
11. Unbridled Roman Roman Dancer Mike E. Smith 116 Christopher S. Paasch


CANADIAN CHAMPION MINE THAT BIRD is back

Borderland Derby February 28, $100,000, 3yo, 11⁄16m, Sunland Park, 4:55 PM MT

PP Horse Sire Jockey Wt. Trainer
1. Hoya Cat Thief Ken S. Tohill 122 Chris A. Hartman
2. Tiz Believing Tiznow Joe A. Martinez 118 H. Ray Ashford Jr.
3. Mine That Bird Birdstone Casey T. Lambert 122 Bennie L. Woolley Jr. 4. Hornung Speightstown Alejandro Medellin 116 Steven M. Asmussen
5. Scorewithcater Even the Score Alonso Quinonez 120 Doug F. O’Neill
6. Lefty Who Quinton’s Gold Carlos D. Madeira 122 Joel H. Marr
7. Smokin’ Legend Smoke Glacken Jorge Espitia 118 O. Dwain Grissom
8. Dumar Maria’s Mon Luis Contreras 118 Steven M. Asmussen
9. Infernal Sir Cherokee Mark Anthony Villa 116 Bart G. Hone


CANADIAN BREDS ELSEWHERE

ACTIVE DUTY, a top contender for the 150th Queen's Plate was last beaten about 7 lengths in an allowance race at Santa Anita on Thursday. The dark bay gelding was off to a messy strat, lacked speed behind a slow pace of 49/07 for half a mile and then could not fire.
Trainer Mark Casse said the gelding is likely headed to Keeneland and will have one Woodbine start before the Plate if the 3yo continues on the trail.

Casse and WOODFORD RACING won a race yesterday at Santa Anita with Kentucky bred CLOSING SPEED, a filly by Cherokee Run. She won a $100,000 maiden claimer by 2 lengths as the favourite.


MUSTFUHR, a full brother to Grade 1 winner Jambalaya, won a $20,000 claiming race at Gulfstreamthe grass on Thursday for Frank Calabrese. The gelding was bred by Dr. Brian Van Arem, who owns the mare Muskrat Suzie.

DONVER STABLES (Donna and Verne Dubinsky) claimed 19 to 1 longshot DAZZLER for $20,000 from a race at Gulfstream yesterday. Their trainer is Josie Carroll.
The Dubinskys have TRUE RESURGENCE in the STYMIE Handicap today at Aqueduct.



SHE'S A WINNER!

BARBARA SOCHA and EQUIWINNER PATCHES have joined the Thoroughblog family. Socha, seen here with her TB named Hapsburg, has a successful 5yo business at www.signal-health.com featuring her Equiwinner Patches:

Equiwinner is a signaling device using Smart Cell Signal™, which restores the normal metabolism of the horse by communication with the body cell signaling system. In other words, the horse's body can sense the electrolytes in the patches and responds to them. There are no ingredients as such, since nothing passes into the body of the horse except the signals. There are no side effects.

Please click on Barbara's ad on the sidebar on the right to check out this super product.



HASTINGS PARK PREVIEW (The 'Bear' arrives!)

Excerpt from THE PROVINCE Hastings beating economic blues
Race track keeps thinking positive
By Kent Gilchrist, The Province

There's a new director of racing (Paul Ryneveld), new and improved B.C. Derby purse ($300,000 minimum), a return to midweek racing (two Wednesdays during the PNE) and more Friday nights.

Amid the economic downturn, Hastings Racecourse is attempting to keep things positive and the result seems to be working.
Applications for stall space numbers total 1,420, which is about 400 more than available stalls. Big Alberta outfit Bear Stables has already moved in and is using more than 20 stalls.

"I was on the backside this morning and walked through their barn," said Ryneveld, who was recruited from Fairplex in southern California. "Dale [trainer Greenwood] has some nice-looking racehorses."
Greenwood is training for Bear Stables owner Danny Dion, the kind of big owner Ryneveld figures Hastings needs to attract to get the thoroughbred industry back on its feet. Dion has a string at Gulfstream in Florida, likely headed to Woodbine in Toronto and more in Edmonton.
Read the rest at..

http://www.theprovince.com/Hastings+beating+economic+blues/1334311/story.html
hkgilchrist@yahoo.com