Canadian bred MULLINS BEACH (Speightstown) goes for another stakes win in the Pan Zareta Stakes at Fair Grounds today. She is a homebred for Eugene Melnyk, trained by Josie Carroll.
Dave Landry photo
Thoroughblog had full day yesterday, enjoying some afternoon racing at the beautiful WEGZ STADIUM BAR in Vaughan while betting on a few (losing) horses.
A nice blanket of snow covers the ground today and the sun is shining, a pretty day.
Up today, a packed card of stakes at Fair Grounds, some of them are small fields but the day of racing is interesting. Plus lots of other juicy dashes from around the tracks.
Up first – Fair Grounds Lecomte preview:
CANADIAN OWNER HAMILTON HOPES IT’S HAMMER TIME
TERRY HAMILTON hopes his boy HAMMERS TERROR puts a scare into horses in today’s LECOMTE, a 1 mile and 70 yard, Grade 3 event that highlights the Fair Grounds card. HAMMERS TERROR is a speed 3yo colt by ARTIE SCHILER, bred in Kentucky. The colt is a nose away from being 3 for 3 in his career. His Beyer Figures of 72, 78, 79 are a bit light compared to a few of the others in the 13 horse field but he does have a big win on the Fair Grounds track.
The tough one in the race will be SHARED PROPERTY a gelding by Scat Daddy, but he is a deep, closing type coming off a layoff and those types are never worth betting.
THOROUGHBLOG is going to tout a price horse – how about MR. BOWLING to strike?
This is a Brereton Jones homebred by Istan who has had some wild workout times getting ready!
PREVIEW from NOLA.COM (not really crazy about Tom Amoss’ quotes – as a bettor)
“Winning this race is not what I consider important to where you’re headed. Obviously, running well is.” – Tom Amoss
The Fair Grounds turns into a testing ground today.
Three-year-olds will be running in the Lecomte, the first two-turn stakes prep for the Louisiana Derby, the track’s showcase prep for the Kentucky Derby.
The $175,000 Grade III race covering a mile and 70 yards will give trainers an early indication of whether their horses belong on the path toward the most important race in America.
“This is January,” said Tom Amoss, trainer of 4-1 morning-line favorite Shared Property. “The thought that it leads you any closer to the bigger races is ridiculous. Winning this race is not what I consider important to where you’re headed. Obviously, running well is.”
Shared Property, who won the Grade III Arlington-Washington Futurity in September on the synthetic surface at Arlington Park, drew the farthest outside post position in a field of 13.
http://www.nola.com/horseracing/index.ssf/2012/01/lecomte_provides_horses_an_ear.html
CANADIANS ELSEWHERE
STEALCASE won his maiden with a 79 Beyer Figure in professional manner on Thursday for trainer Mark Casse and jockey Luis Contreras. John Oxley owns the expensive son of Lawyer Ron.
MARK FROSTAD had 12 to 1 shot TREND sharp and ready to win an allowance race at Gulfstream Park for Stone Farm, which bred the son of SLIGO BAY (IRE), an Ontario sire.
HELL BENT, an Ontario bred by Gulch out of Heavenly Tears, by Halo, won his maiden at Charles Town on Thursday for $7,500 claiming. The 3yo bay gelding was bred by Josham Farms and he is owned by Ashley Carone.
COLEBROOK FARMS (John Brnjas) won a race at Charles Town on Friday with STYLE IN STILETTOS, a Mr. Jester – Buckys Red Ruckus, Bold Ruckus 4yo. The homebred won the 4 1/2 furlong race for $8,00 claiming as the even-money choice.
American-bred and owned CONTEMPORARY won his debut yesterday at Fair Grounds – he was bred by Hill ‘n’ Dale and NETP HOldings. He’s on this list because he is out of the Canadian mare Handpainted. The 4yo by Distorted Humpr ran a 76 Beyer Figure.
Canadian bred STALLONE won a $5,000 claiming race at Penn National on Friday at 16 to 1. He is a Smart Strike 5yo horse and he is owned by Sam Webb.
Today at Gulfstream Park, Ontario bred GONDORF is in a 1 1/2 mile allowance/optional claiming race for Bob Gary Racing (bred by Hill’n’ Dale Farms and Theatrical Syndicate) while also in the race and competing for a $25,000 claiming price is the 9-year-old millionaire SEASIDE RETREAT.
