TUESDAY – CANADIAN HORSE RACING HALL OF FAME – Modern day inductees for 2011 :
* TAMMY SAMUEL-BALAZ – the popular gal behind Sam Son Farm for nearly a decade passed away in early 2008, will be inducted alongside some of the powers of the thoroughbred world in the BUILDERS CATEGORY.
* DANCETHRUTHEDAWN – A Sam-Son homebred who won the 2001 Plate and was a graded stakes winner in New York
* MARK FROSTAD – Sam-Son’s longtime trainer with 3 plates for that farm and another one, 4 in total!
* TOUCH GOLD – Pipped Silver Charm on the wire
LEGENDS – MRS. LILY LIVINGSTON, bred 2 King’s Plate winners, and top jockey from the 1890’s Thomas Burns.
The ceremony is on August 18, 2011 at the Mississauga Convention Centre.
WOODBINE OAKS – QUEEN’S PLATE UPDATES
The 152nd Plate is 5 weeks from Sunday, it’s coming fast folks!
The fillies will have the first go around for big money on JUNE 5 in the WOODBINE OAKS (the Plate trial Stakes is the same day) and INGLORIOUS stamped her ticket as the favourite with her win in the La Lorgnette on Sunday (see below). However, the gal’s 79 Beyer Figure was on the low side and leaves the door open for other gals who are headed to that 1 1/8 mile race.
HERE IS THE LIST OF MAJOR CONTENDERS FOR THE WOODBINE OAKS
ABRIANNA
dk b/.f.3 by Lemon Drop Kid(Kingmambo) – Ain’t She Awesome(Awesome Again)
Stronach Stables Roger L. Attfield
BAGANARA
b.f.3 by Peaks and Valleys(Mt. Livermore) – Mon Ami Amy(Roy)
Kelly Callaghan Kelly Callaghan
DOMINATING FORCE
ch.f.3 by Trajectory(Gone West) – Rivermaid Dancing(Riverman)
Dura Racing & M.J.Doyle Racing Stable Ltd. Michael J. Doyle
GRAND STYLE
dk b/.f.3 by Giant’s Causeway(Storm Cat) – Dancethruthestorm(Thunder Gulch)
G. Watts Humphrey, Jr. Michael J. Doyle
INGLORIOUS
b.f.3 by Hennessy(Storm Cat) – Noble Strike(Smart Strike)
Donver Stable Josie Carroll
MARKETING MIX
dk b/.f.3 by Medaglia d’Oro(El Prado (IRE)) – Instant Thought(Kris S.)
Glen Hill Farm Thomas F. Proctor
NIIGON’S TOUCH
b.f.3 by Niigon(Unbridled) – Laser Touch(Touch Gold)
Chiefswood Stable Paul Attard
ROXY GAP
b.f.3 by Indian Charlie(In Excess (IRE)) – Harts Gap(Saint Ballado)
Melnyk Racing Stables, Inc. Mark E. Casse
SILVER AMI
ch.f.3 by Silver Train(Old Trieste) – Victorious Ami(Victory Gallop)
Ivan Dalos Josie Carroll
SINISTER QUILL
ch.f.3 by Old Forester(Forestry) – Sinhouse(Deposit Ticket)
Allan Schaffer Racing Ltd., R. Storrey, B. Troop, D. Vella & L. Weiss Daniel J. Vella
GLORY IS ‘IN’
An opening in the nick of time, a reachable field and some time off for freshening worked out well for INGLORIOUS as ashe got back on the winning track in Sunday’s La Lorgnette Stakes.
The Hennessy filly is now considered the favourite for the Woodbine Oaks but certainly the modest Beyer Figure of 79 leaves the door open for any number of gals who are looking at the race:
Trained by Josie Carroll, Inglorious, sent postward the 3-5 choice in the field of seven three-year-old fillies, was reserved in sixth for
most of the mile and one-sixteenth feature, as Portside and Rein in Avaricity took the field through an opening quarter in :24.37, then a
half in :49.35.
The field was tightly bunched heading into the far turn as Contreras was desperately seeking a seam to make his move, as the six furlongs was
reached in 1:13.62. Suddenly, Inglorious found a little room, splitting horses, as five of them turned for home on even terms.
From there, Inglorious was quick to take command, repulsed a mid-stretch outside challenge from Miss Inclined, then drew away handily, eventually
scoring by one and one-half lengths over Anne’s Beauty, with Miss Inclined third and Bibi’s Doll fourth, in 1:44.19.
“Obviously, I was a little concerned coming around the turn,” said Carroll. “Everybody was bunched. Was there going to be room? But I know
this filly, she’s a very confident filly. And when he (Contreras) saw the opening, I knew she’d go wherever he asked her to go.
“She’s come home and trained like a good horse. You’re always a little concerned. There’s tough company, but you’re hoping she’s going to
improve in her three-year-old year. And now she’s come back to be herself again.”
Last year, the Ontario-bred daughter of Hennessy-Noble Strike was a perfect two for two, winning her debut in the six-furlong Fanfreluche
Stakes, after a slow start from the gate, then romping in the Ontario Lassie at one and one-sixteenth miles.
This year, with thoughts of a possible run in the Kentucky Oaks, Inglorious finished an excellent second to Kathmanblu in the Rachel
Alexandra at Fair Grounds in New Orleans in February, but then disappointed as the favourite in the Grade 2 Fair Grounds Oaks on March
Given a break, she returned to the work tab a month later at Keeneland,
then had two five-furlong breezes at Woodbine in preparation for the La
Lorgnette, named for the Windfields Farm filly who captured the 1985
Oaks and Queen’s Plate.
The $500,000 Woodbine Oaks, Canada’s premier race for Canadian-bred
three-year-old fillies, will be contested June 5 at one and one-eighth
miles. Not only is Inglorious now the favourite for the filly classic
but she was also the Winterbook favourite for the Queen’s Plate on June
26.
IN QUEEN’S PLATE UPDATES – RED ACE drowned in the slop at Churchill and his status for the Plate is up in the air. He is trained by Steve Margolis. KAFIRISTAN, the impressive debut winner for Knob Hill Stables, was injured soon after his score and is out for the year.
SEAWATCH won his maiden in race 5 in impressive fashion but the Donver Stables’ homebred is not Plate eligble and thus would have to be supplemented for $25,000. The Woodman colt also cannot race in the Plate Trial since he is not Plate eligible.
MORE FROM SUNDAY AT WOODBINE
Rain, rain, more rain, it’s wild weather here in southern ONtario. Today, brisk, grey, dreary…you get the picture.
On Sunday, the card kicked off with a cool little 2yo race with lots of buzzings about this 2yo and that 2yo but a big fave in the form of Rockstar Richie, who was 2nd in his debut at Keeneland.
The Bring the Heat fellow, transferred recently from Wes Ward to Larry Rivelli, could not keep the lead, however, and he weakened to be 3rd.
The winner was BANNER BILL, a beginner by Rockport Harbor, bred in Illinois and trained by Ralph Biamonte.
Race 2 went to EVERYONE, who surpised many but was dropping from maiden allowance to maiden claiming for the second time for John Menary and Gail Cox. The Roman Ruler 4yo rallied wide to win the $40,000 claiming event.
WICKET EWOK rallied wide to win the 3rd race, an allowance for 3yos, and that was a bit surprising since he is usually a speed horse. The Sharp Humor colt is 2 for 5 in his career for Dan Ryan and trainer Mike Pino.
Windhaven’s AMIABLE GRACE won the 4th, an allowance/optional claimer but was vanned off from the score. The injury was not reported to be serious. The filly is 3 for 11 in her career and she is by Alphabet Soup.
PREAKNESS PROBABLES
Is Animal going to be King of the world?
(FIELD LISTED WITH TRAINER, DOSAGE INDEX AND JOCKEY)
couresty www.horse-races.net
Animal Kingdom Graham Motion 1.67 John Velazquez
Astrology Steve Asmussen 3.42 Mike Smith
Concealed Identity Eddie Gaudet 2.59 Sheldon Russell
Dance City Todd Pletcher 4.43 Ramon Dominguez
Dialed In Nick Zito 3.62 Julien Leparoux
Flashpoint Richard E. Dutrow, Jr 4.33 Cornelio Velasquez
King Congie Tom Albertrani 2.00 Robby Albarado
Midnight Interlude Bob Baffert 2.47 Victor Espinoza
Mr. Commons John Shirreffs 1.44 Mike Smith
Mucho Macho Man Katherine Ritvo 2.43 Rajiv Maragh
Nehro Steve Asmussen 4.33 Corey Nakatani
Norman Asbjornson Chris Grove 4.60 Julian Pimental
Ruler On Ice Kelly Breen 2.56 Jose Valdivia Jr.
Shackleford Dale Romans 3.62 Jesus Castanon
Sway Away Jeff Bonde 2.50 Garrett Gomez
The Factor Bob Baffert 2.73 Martin Garcia
CHECK OUT CINDY’S PREAKNESS HISTORICAL ANALYSIS HERE:
http://horseracing.about.com/od/triplecrown2000/a/aa-2011-preakness-analysis.htm
SWAY AWAY – missed Derby, player in Preakness?
Steve Queen photo
EMMA-JAYNE AT PIMLICO FOR JOCKEY CHALLENGE
Friday is Black-Eyed Susan day at Pimlico racecourse (the filly equivalent of the Preakness Stakes) and it also features the inaugural Female Jockey Challenge with a prize of $10,000 to the female jockey who performs the best over four races. The participating jockeys are Vicky Baze, Forest Boyce, Rosie Napravnik, Chantal Sutherland, Hayley Turner, and Emma-Jayne Wilson.
In other female jockey action, eight retired female riders will silk up for Lady Legends for the Cure II. Last year’s winner, Gwen Jocson, was injured and cannot participate, but she will be on hand to cheer on Abby Fuller, Andrea Seefeldt-Knight, Mar Russ-Tortora, Mary Wiley-Wagner, Patti Cooksey, Barbara Jo Rubin, Jennifer Rowland-Small, and Cheryl White.
TOP CHEF CANADA – HORSEMEAT EPISODE (last night)
There was an uproar throughout the industry and on social media as last night’s episode on french cuisine aired on Top Chef canada but curiously, the show aired anyway.
The HBPA (Ontario) has issued the following memo:
Please send your angry letters to sponsor:
President
Manager, Consumer Relations
Mabe Canada Inc.,
1 Factory Lane, Suite 310
Moncton, New Brunswick E1C 9M3
Email: monogram@mabe.ca
Website: www.monogram.com
and
Food Network Canada
Shaw Media
121 Bloor Street East, Suite 1500
Toronto, Ontario M4W 3M5
Cathy Kurzbock, Publicist, Food Network
Email: cathy.kurzbock@shawmedia.ca
General Email: feedback@foodtv.ca.
Website: www.foodnetwork.ca
