MOVIN ON UP

OOPS - THOROUGHBLOG HAS MOVED!!

http://www.horse-canada.com/?cat=53)

CHANGE YOUR BOOKMARKS!!!

http://www.horse-canada.com/?cat=53)

THOROUGHBLOG on the MOVE

(it’s not an April Fool’s joke!)

This is post number 957!

Just days past its 3 year anniversary, THOROUGHBLOG is now moving to the home of Canadian Thoroughbred magazine – at www.Horse-Canada.com, the site of Horse Publications Group and its stable of magazines.

Thoroughblog’s official new web address is http://www.horse-canada.com/?cat=53) so please change your bookmarks.

I would like to thank the hundreds of readers and friends who have helped advance Thoroughblog to this point and my own stable of advertisers who have supported me.

Thank you for the donations you have made to help keep Thoroughblog going.

This web address will remain for archival purposes.

Thoroughblog will continue in its same capacity, updated most mornings during the week and occasionally on the weekends.

For stories and notes, you can continue to email me. To comment on the new site or any news, Horse-Canada offers a comment section at the bottom of each day’s posts.

For advertising, contact Horse-Canada or call Horse Publications Group at 1-800-505-7428.

Please follow Thoroughblog to its new home --http://www.horse-canada.com/?cat=53 – to keep up to date on the news and issues and notes of the Canadian racing industry.

Jen

ON TRACK

Na na, na-na na! QUALITY ROAD is on a roll on his way to the Kentucky Derby. He zooms to the top of the DERBY TOP TEN on Thoroughblog.
Photo after the Florida Derby shot by AMBER CHALFIN, courtesy www.-horse-races.net.



WOODBINE - WEDNESDAY IS THE FIRST DAY FOR ENTRIES

The LA VOYAGEUSE STAKES heads Saturday's opening card at Woodbine and there are 16 nominations for the race.
Entries for the first of 167 racing cards at Woodbine in 2009 will be taken on Wednesday.
Racing will be held this weekend and then 3 days a week for a month, followed by four days a week for a month and then a 5-day schedule begins.

If her workout on Friday morning
was any indication, Empress Stables'
KOONUNGA HILL (photo at right from www.horse-races.net) looks ready to go should she be entered in the La Voyageuse.

Under EMMA-JAYNE WILSON, Koonunga Hill, winner of the Ice Water Stakes last year, worked a solid and steady 5 furlongs from the gate over a super-fast Polytrack surface on Friday in 1:03 while not being asked.

The Wonneberg filly will be travelling 5 furlongs in the La Voyageuse.

The next stakes race at Woodbine will be the April 11 Achievement Stakes which has just 10 nominations.


MORE WOODBINE STUFF

VERNE'S BABY, track record setter and stakes winner who has not raced since June 2007, is now trained by Vito Armata and had a workout Saturday morning.
Working on his own, the Whiskey Wisdom 7-year-old went in 1:00 flat breezing on a very fast Polytrack.

MAIN EXECUTIVE looked razor sharp on SATURDAY. He worked from the gate in 46. 60 and tow-roped a workmate.

JUST RUSHING, stakes winner for Tucci Stable, had a quick 3 furlong work yesterday at Woodbine in 35 flat on on the Polytrack. He is 8-years-old now.


(Photo at right) VLADiMIR CERIN, a top trainer from California, is setting up shop at Woodbine reports DAILY RACING FORM - see yesterday's post on Thoroughblog. He is one of several new trainers at Woodbine this season.


Trainer LES FROST won a race at Mountaineer Park yesterday with Ontario bred PORTERS COURT who honoured his even-money backing to win the $5,000 claiming event by 2 3/4 lengths.
Albert Sanges is the owner of Porters Court, a son of Graeme Hall.

PATENA, who was well beaten in his first start for trainer Rick Dutrow Jr in the Louisiana Derby in the slop, is regrouping and had a workout at Keeneland on Saturday in 51.80. The Seeking the Gold colt, co-owned by a group of Canadians, is scheduled to race in the BLUE GRASS STAKES.


QUALITY GROUP FOR KENTUCKY DERBY
and still more to come Saturday!

There are a litany of really good American 3-year-olds currently on the trail to the Kentucky Derby but at this point QUALITY ROAD stands out far in front.

He already has a 113 Beyer Figure and he predictably regressed a bit in the Florida Derby but his effort was strong nonetheless and this Elusive Quality colt could explode again in 5 weeks.


(Photo of the Florida Derby
romp by Quality Road shot
by Amber Chalfin)



On Saturday, THE PAMPLEMOUSSE and PIONEER OF THE NILE are in the Santa Anita Derby (on synthetic dirt however) and others waiting in the wings are FRIESAN FIRE, I WANT REVENGE etc.

DUNKIRK, the expensive yearling who was a solid 2nd in the Florida Derby, showed a nice dimension in his running style as he came from well back to make a bid on the turn before Quality Road took off.

Trainer TODD PLETCHER told ESPN he was not happy with the condition of the track, which did appear to be speed favouring to some extent:

"They obviously sped the racetrack up today. It's been speed-favoring all day... I told Bill Murphy [Gulfstream prez/GM] if I'd have known the track was going to be like this I would went to Aqueduct. It's frustrating that the surface has been so good, fair, safe the whole meet that they want to change it..."

FROM LOUISVILLE-COURIER JOURNAL

Offer made on Quality Road

By Jennie Rees • jrees@courier-journal.com • March 28, 2009

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Owner Edward P. Evans said he was offered $2.5 million by a bloodstock agent for Quality Road after the colt won a 6-1/2-furlong maiden race at Aqueduct Nov. 29.

"They said the buyer wanted to win the Derby," Evans recalled after his homebred colt captured today's $750,000 Florida Derby by 1 3/4 lengths over favored Dunkirk. "I thought about it and said, 'The owner would like to win the Derby, too.'"

Evans - who has never had a starter in a Triple Crown race but is the son of the late Thomas Evans, whose Pleasant Colony won the 1981 Derby - took an important step toward that goal as Quality Road set a Gulfstream Park record by powering the 1 1/8 miles in 1:47.72.

http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20090328/SPORTS08/90328016



GINGER BREW THIRD

Making just her 2nd start on traditional dirt, GINGER BREW finished third beeaten 8 1/2 lengths at Gulfstream yesterday in the Grade 2 Rampart Stakes.
The Milwaukee Brew 4yo Ontario bred, Canada's champion 3yo filly of 2008, has had some bad luck kicking off her American campaign with two thirds and a fifth place finish in her last 3 starts.
The winner of the Rampart was the undefeated monster filly ONE CAROLINE, at 17 hands high. The Unbridled's Song gal is 5 for 5 in her career.

Another Canadian champion MINE THAT BIRD, the 2yo colt/gelding champ last year, WAS 4TH BEATEN 3 LENGTHS and a neck in the Sunland Derby last night at Sunland Park.



LOVE-IN

The maiden score by HARD KISSES on Saturday at Santa Anita puts the Canadian-bred filly on the path to the Woodbine Oaks - although the filly is also a Queen's Plate eligible.
A Toccet filly out of Hutning Jade, Hard kisses won her 2nd career start on Saturday for trainer Bob Baffert.

She earned a 75 Beyer Speed Figure.

HARD KISSES, bred by the Everatt family of Shanondoe Farm in Ontario, has been a well traveled miss in her 3 years. She has been entered in and/or gone through SEVEN auctions.

She was initially entered in the Keeneland November Breeding sale as a weanling in 2006 but was withdrawm. She was sold the next January at Keeneland for $50,000 to RLH Thoroughbreds by Taylor Made Sales Agency.

In September at Keeneland, the filly sold for $100,000 to MSTS.

Hard Kisses was then entered in 2yo sales at Barretts in 2008 and Keeneland before she found her way to Florida and was sold for $210,000 to Hal Earnhardt at the April Ocala sale.
She had been withdrawn from a sale at Barretts in May to go through the Ocala sale.

HARD KISSES' 3rd dam is Midlemarch, the dam of top class Woodbine stakes winner PENNYHILL PARK.

SO GOOD

OOZING WITH QUALITY

QUALITY ROAD shrugged off DUNKIRK off the turn and powered to a track record setting Florida Derby win yesterday at Gulfstream.
Edward Evans' homebred by Elusive Quality - Kobla ran in 1:47 for 9 furlongs and earned a 103 Beyer Figure over the sizzling fast Gulfstream strip.
The colt seemingly is poised to bounce back to his 113 Beyer from his Fountain of Youth win when Kentucky Derby day arrives and that would make him tough to beat.

(above right photo from last year by SARAH K. ANDREW)

In fact, it's possible the colt could have won by more had he - rather his rider John Velazquez - been aware that Dunkirk had made a huge, quick, mobe from far back around the turn to join him. Valezquez was just sitting in his colt and looked to his inside while riding confidently whule Dunkirk almost blew past.


DUBAI RE-CAP

“This is an unbelievable experience - I’m so blessed and I love this game.” - Aaron Gryder

PLENTY OF AMMUNITION
Well Armed wins by 14!

It was a night of some wild results in Dubai and in the big daddy of the all, the $6 million DUBAI WORLD CUP, the American shipper WELL ARMED tow-roped his field to win the big race by about a dozen lengths in a super shocker.
A 6yo gelded son of Tiznow, Well Armed was no factor behind Curlin and Asiatic Boy last year but he just loped along on the lead and no one challenged him. It was thought there would be a lot of speed but there was not.
The winner is a homebred from Winstar Farm LLC and is trained by Eoin Harty.
It was easily the biggest win longtime veteran rider AARON GRYDER.



WELL ARMED, photo by Vanessa Ng



"It would be the chance of a lifetime" - Frankie Dettori about riding in Kentucky Derby

UAE DERBY
Ransom Crashes Party, both headed to Kentucky Derby


DESERT PARTY, trying to make a bid for the Kentucky Derby with a win in the UAE Derby, could not catch stablemate REGAL RANSOM through the long stretch and lost by just over half a length.
The pair were miles ahead of the 3rd place finisher which suggests that these two might be good enough to get a shot at the Derby.
Desert Party was a stunning 1 to 5 in the betting in North America but his stablemate led all the way and stole the show under Alan Garcia.
The winning pair were 13 to 1.
REGAL RANSOM is by Distorted Humor - Kelli's Ransom by Red Ransom.
Both Regal Ransom and Desert Party, who raced flat throughout (perhaps reacting a bit off the 2 big efforts to start his season) are headed to Churchill Downs.
With Gary Stevens on the TVG telecast, Desert Party's rider Frankie Dettori said:
"We were disappointed the horse got beat, he didn't produce the turn of foot he usuaally has, i think the Derby is primary target and I wouldn't mind going..
It would be the chance of a lifetime."


MORE DUBAI....
BIG DEAL

BIG CITY MAN, who romped through some sprint preps in Dubai this winter, had a minor letdown in his last race, exploded to win the Golden Shaheen on the card, holding off INDIAN BLESSING, the fast filly from United States but was caught a bit flat-footed at the start.
The winner, ridden by Jose Verenzuela is by Northern Afleet out of Mini Appeal, by Valid Appeal.

The winner was a stakes winner at Calder as a 2yo two years ago and was owned by Mr. T Stables previously.


GLAD, HAPPY

Trainer MUBARAK BIN SHAFYA won consecutive races on the card - the DUBAI DUTY FREE worth $5 million and the Sheema Classic, also worth $5 million.
Jockey Ahmed Ajtebi rode both winners.

GLADIATORUS, a Silic colt that cost just $8,000 as a FASIG TIPTON YEARLING, led all the way in the Duty Free to win the 1 1/8 mile race by a long margin while his jock stood straight up in the irons at the wire.
The winner was 2 for 2 off the long layoff - he missed all of 2008 at the races but is 9 for 12 in his career and he was a budding Italian star before he went on hiatus.

EASTERN ANTHEM, bred in Ireland and by Singspiel, chugged down the middle of the turf course to win a 3-way photo in the SHEEMA CLASSIC, beating Spanish Moon and Purple Moon. The 5yo horse seemed to be lugging in quite well through the stretcha nd crowding the pair of Moons but he won the bob and piled another winner's share of $5 million into the pockets of his trainer and rider.
This horse was also 2 for 2 off a layoff but he had raced in England last year for Saeed Bin Suroor and, like Gladiatorus, had been ridden by Frankie Dettori in the past.
He is 5 for 10 in his career now.


TWO STEP MILE

from Press Association

Two Step Salsa led home stablemate Gayego to give Saeed bin Suroor a 1-2 in the Godolphin Mile on World Cup day at Nad Al Sheba.

The 2-1 favourite was always up with the pace under Frankie Dettori and put distance between himself and his rivals soon after turning for home.

The result was in little doubt from that moment, with Ted Durcan's mount, Gayego, coming out of the chasing pack to fill the runner-up spot, two and a quarter lengths in arrears.

Dettori said: "It's a long straight here and I was running out of petrol, but he had enough to win the race. I was lucky no-one was really close to me so I was able to relax in front."

Godolphin racing manager Simon Crisford added: "They both came here with good form from America and we expected a 1-2. It was never going to be easy, but they did it well."

A delighted Suroor said: "I'm really happy with Frankie and I told him to ride him like that. We'll now take Two Step Salsa back to New York and try to find a race for him there."
TWO STEP SALSA is by Petionville out of Two to Waltz, by Seattle Slew.


VLADMIR CERIN AT WOODBINE

The DAILY RACING FORM has reported that well known California trainer VLADIMIR CERIN is setting up a stable at Woodbine.
The 55-year-old Croatianr lived in Canada when he was a teenager and later studied sports science in California.
He once worked with tennis star Tracy Austin and, since he grew up with animals, he turned to training racehorses in the late 1970s.
He has trained dozens of top class horses and last fall won his first Breeders' Cup race when Albertus Maximus won the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile last year at Santa Anita.


CANADIANS ELSEWHERE

Sunday, Gulfstream Park, post time: 5:14 p.m. EDT
RAMPART S.-GII, $150,000, 4yo/up, f/m, 1 1/8m
PP HORSE SIRE TRAINER ODDS

1 Ginger Brew Milwaukee Brew Lynch 3-1
2 So Glitzy Gilded Time H Jerkens 15-1
3 One Caroline Unbridled’s Song Arnold 5-2
4 Hamsa Fusaichi Pegasus Tagg 4-1
5 Sea Chanter War Chant Pletcher 5-1
6 Striking Tomisue Smart Strike Zito 4-1
7 African Violet Lemon Drop Kid Motion 10-1


Sunday, Sunland Park, post time: 7:45 p.m. EDT
SUNLAND DERBY, $800,000, 3yo, 1 1/8m
PP HORSE SIRE TRAINER ODDS

1 Valid Stripes Valid Expectations Ja mison 15-1
2 Santamonicacanyon Soto Vienna 12-1
3 Advice Chapel Royal Pletcher 6-1
4 Dumar Maria=s Mon Asmussen 12-1
5 Mayor Marv Distorted Humor Baffert 7-2
6 Scorewithcater Even the Score O'Neill 6-1
7 Mythical Power Congaree Baffert 10-1
8 Kelly Leak Runaway Groom Machowsky 4-1
9 Mine That Bird Birdstone Woolley Jr 8-1
10 Infernal Sir Cherokee Hone 20-1
11 Mark S the Cooler Johar O'Neill 12-1
12 Smokin' Legend Smoke Glacken Grissom 20-1

QUEEN'S PLATE ELIGIBLE, a filly, HARD KISSES, won her maiden at Santa Anita yesterday in her 2nd career start for Parri and Hal Earnhardt III.
The Toccet - Hunting Jade filly was a $50,000 and $100,000 yearling purchase. She was bred by James A & Janeane Everatt & J Arika Everatt-Meeuse in Ontario.
Bob Baffert trains.


FRIDAY - Ontario bred GHETTO SUPERSTAR won a $15,000 claimer for Maggi Moss and trainer Steve Asmussen and was claimed by trainer Keith Bourgeois.
The 5yo is by Touch Gold out of Punchbowl by Two Punch.

PIECE OF THE PIE, by Domasca Dan - Emerald Afternoon by Cabrini Green, won at 7 to 1 at Mountaineer for $5,000 claiming for the red-hot combo of Mike Newell and Mike Barkowski.
She is a 5yo mare bred by Gardiner Farms.

GREY MIRAGE won on Friday at Mountaineer for $5,000 claiming by a nose at 5 to 2. The You and I gelding is a 6yo owned by Doncaster Farm and trained by Paula Loescher.


ONTARIO'S HORSE IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM
H.I.P.

The Ontario Racing Commission March 25 approved $47.1 million Canadian for the 2009 Horse Improvement Program, which funds stakes, breed development, and equine research for Thoroughbred and Standardbred racing.

The Thoroughbred program will get $20.9 million, and the Standardbred program $26.2 million, according to an ORC release.

The Thoroughbred program will offer about $6.1 million for Ontario-bred bonuses, $3 million in breeders’ awards, $400,000 in stallion awards, and $5.8 million in purse supplements for Canadian- and Ontario-bred horses and Canadian graded stakes.