SATURDAY MORNING BITS – Yes, it’s still snowing here in Ontario…really snowing! BICKERSONS is an exciting Ontario born gal who is on a winning streak and going for more riches today in Florida…Met Mile  winner BRIBON and Canadian-bred STERWINS land in Barbados for next weekend’s Gold Cup…

 

 

Shoveling Snow

 

 

feb27cover1.jpgHEY – if you have not got your subscription to the most prestigious horse racing magazine in Canada – get on it! New and improved CANADIAN THOROUGHBRED has award winning writers, timely features and columns from stars of the game like RAY PAULICK, who does a monthly column for our publication.

European news, stunning photography – all in your CANADIAN THOROUGHBRED.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 TAKE YOUR BICK

lots of good ones in action today including top Can.bred

BICKERSONS (Silver Deputy – Dancehall Floozy, Paramount Jet), bred in Ontario by Robert Harvey, is one of the favourites to keep her winning streak alive in today’s Grade II DAVONA DALE STAKES at Gulfstream Park in Florida.

The bright day with the white blaze is stretching out to one mile but it is a one-turn event so we’ll see how she does hot off a win in the Grade II Forward Gal Stakes.

Also today, Charle’s Fipke’s Kentucky bred LADY SHAKESPEARE, trained by Roger Attfield, will try once again to get into a race (she has been scratched from two recent stakes because of soggy grass). She is entered in the The Very One Stakes.

And red-hot Chiefswood Stable has AURORA LIGHTS, a graded stakes winner at Woodbine last year in the Sabin Stakes on dirt.

GRAPHIC FROM THOROUGHBRED DAILY NEWS –

Saturday, Gulfstream Park, post time: 4:43 p.m. EST

DAVONA DALE S.-GII, $150,000, 3yo, f, 1m

PP HORSE OWNER BREEDER TRAINER/JOCKEY ML

1 Amen Hallelujah IEAH Stables & Whizway Farms Thorobeam Farm (Fl) R Dutrow 3-1

(f, 3, Montbrook–Sara’s Success, by Concorde’s Tune) Leparoux

2 Female Drama Larry Byer & Anthony Cecil Hill Legend (Ky) Sciametta 12-1

(f, 3, Indian Charlie–Newhall Road, by Dixieland Band) Maragh

3 Joanie’s Catch Rose Family Stable Rose Family Stable (Fl) Rose 20-1

(f, 3, First Tour–Caught Speeding, by Saint Ballado) Lopez

4 Bickersons George & Lori Hall Robert Harvey (Ont) Breen 5-2

(f, 3, Silver Deputy–Dancehall Floozy, by Paramount Jet) Bravo

5 Comic Marvel Juddmonte Farms Juddmonte Farms (Ky) Mott 6-1

(f, 3, Distorted Humor–Media Nox {GB}, by Lycius) Velazquez

6 Christine Daae Michael Imperio & Kona Stables WinStar Farm (Ky) Biancone 6-1

(f, 3, Giant’s Causeway–Descapate, by Dehere) Nakatani

7 Mambo Fever Edward Evans Edward Evans (Va) A Dutrow 6-1

(f, 3, Stormin Fever–Mambo Bell, by Kingmambo) Rose

8 Sassy Image Jerry Romans J C Davis Farm (Ky) Romans 4-1

(f, 3, Broken Vow–Ideal Image, by Hennessy) Albarado

feb27bick1.jpg Bickersons, by Vanessa Ng

 

 

 

 

Saturday, Gulfstream Park, post time: 5:14 p.m. EST

THE VERY ONE S.-GIII, $100,000, 4yo/up, f/m,

1 3/8mT

PP HORSE SIRE JOCKEY TRAINER ML

1 Proud Lisa Proud Citizen Castellano Orseno 15-1

2 Belle Allure (Ire) Numerous Maragh Clement 6-1

3 Morena (Per) Privately Held Trujillo Matz 12-1

4 Long Approach Broad Brush Leparoux Sheppard 5-1

5 Cable Dynaformer Garcia Clement 6-1

6 Celtic Princess (Brz) Public Purse Velasquez Caramori 12-1

7 In My Glory Honour and Glory Castanon Peery 20-1

8 Mystic Miracle Unbridled’s Song Coa Hennig 12-1

9 Closeout Repriced Prado Proctor 8-1

10 Zaskar (GB) Anabaa Castro Terranova 12-1

11 Changing Skies (Ire) Sadler’s Wells D’meaux Mott 15-1

12 Kiawah Cat Lemon Drop Kid Nakatani Mott 12-1

13 Nehantic Kat Tomorrows Cat Bravo Tagg 20-1

14 Lady Shakespeare Theatrical (Ire) Velazquez Attfield 7-2

MTO Jessica Is Back Put It Back Leparoux Ma Wolfson 4-1

AE Rcuandry A.P. Indy Rose Motion 15-1

Saturday, Gulfstream Park, post time: 4:12 p.m. EST

SABIN S.-GIII, $100,000, 4yo/up, f/m, 1m

PP HORSE SIRE JOCKEY TRAINER ML

1 Justwhistledixie Dixie Union Leparoux Mott 5-2

2 Matchless Orinda Sky Mesa Velazquez Ma Wolfson 4-1

3 Amazing Greatness Nakatani Lynch 6-1

4 Miss Match (Arg) Indygo Shiner Garcia Matz 12-1

5 Aurora Lights Pulpit Velasquez Coatrieux 6-1

6 Champagne Eyes Flatter Trujillo Ma Wolfson 12-1

7 Jessica Is Back Put It Back Castellano Ma Wolfson 3-1

8 Slides Choice Devil His Due Castro Hamm 8-1

BRIBON, STERWINS, BAD ACTION ARRIVE IN BARBADOS

feb26ster.jpg

 Dave Landry photo – STERWINS

**Horses arrive in search of gold

EXCERPT from Barbados Advocate

IT WAS at 6:20 a.m. yesterday that three beautifully conditioned horses arrived at the Grantley Adams International Airport to represent the United States and Canada in the XXIX running of the Sandy Lane Barbados Gold Cup.

On hand was a veterinarian who identified the horses as Bribon and Bad Action from the United States, and Sterwins from Canada.

The three certainly looked like they knew that they are on a special mission – and that is to capture the Gold Cup.

They perked up and looked ready business no sooner than they had left the box that the three were shipped in.

First out was Bribon, who was shipped in the middle section, and race fans will see the power of this fellow as soon as he does his first work on the Garrison track.

Bribon is a 7-year-old French bred chestnut gelding that is a very experienced, versatile type, who has won both in France and the United States, and on both dirt and turf.

read more and see photo of Bribon just off the plane..

http://www.barbadosadvocate.com/newsitem.asp?more=sports&NewsID=9199

**EXCERPT from Nation News

Big Cup support for Melnyk

A HUGE CONTINGENT of supporters will be arriving in Barbados next Thursday and Friday to support at least one of the overseas horses participating in next Saturday’s Sandy Lane Barbados Gold Cup.

This was revealed by owner Eugene Melnyk at a Press conference at Sandy Lane Hotel, St James, on Thursday.

The press conference was called by the sponsors to give details on the draw for the 12 post positions in Saturday’s big race.

Melnyk, who will be represented by Sterwins in next Saturday’s big race, said that this year’s Gold Cup was “very competitive” and added that he would love to win it again.

“It takes some luck and however it pans out I am looking to have a great day,” Melnyk said.

http://www.nationnews.com/news/sports/LEAD-gold-cup-supporters-copy-for-web

BRUCEONTHELOOSE in ARC CUP in Trinidad

from Canadian-bred mare Road to Justice,

Woodbine runner Brickyard Crossing also in race

excerpt – Trinidad Express

Bruce’s’ Cup to runneth over

The Guru

BRUCEONTHELOOSE, runner-up to sprinter Ahwhofah in Jamaica’s 2009 Horse of the Year None Such Awards ceremony on Thursday night, makes his first appearance of the 2010 season in today’s 1,800-metre ARC Cup, seventh event on the eight-race card at Santa Rosa Park, Arima.

The surprising result should not dampen the chances of owner Gervan Mouttet’s Jamaica-bred colt, who could recoup losses in Trinidad and Tobago’s Jetsam Awards ceremony on March 22.

’Bruce’ rattled up a six-race winning streak at Santa Rosa in six months, taking his bankroll to a record $1,059.500 with victories in the Midsummer Classic, Republic Bank Trinidad Derby and the First Citizens Gold Cup.

In today’s Grade Two feature, he renews rivalry with 2009 Stewards Cup winner Blackstone Street and Gold Cup runner-up Cactus Amour in the seven-horse showpiece.

And Blackstone Street (57 kilos), who finished seventh in the Gold Cup by 16 lengths giving ’Bruce’ three kilos, is now handing out five kilos to his conqueror.

http://www.trinidadexpress.com/index.pl/article_sports?id=161601223

 

CHAT ROOMS BUZZING WITH HUSBANDS SUIT

Simon Husbands’ suit against the Ontario Racing Commission and its stewards is a hot topic on chat forums right now – Pace Advantage is one that is really buzzing…it’s a contentious issue.. to answer the litany of questions Thoroughblog has received, Husbands’ records for riding at Woodbine in recent years are as follows:

 

2008  165 mts 13 wins

2007 131  10 wins

2006 165   7 wins

2005 238 20 wins

2004 345  31

http://www.paceadvantage.com/forum/showthread.php?t=56857