Thursday, July 24 2008
Authenicat in the ‘Mood’ for stakes score
TORONTO, July 23 * Authenicat returned to the winner's circle in style, taking Wednesday evening's $125,000 Passing Mood Stakes at Woodbine.
The three-year-old daughter of D'wildcat won by 5 ½ lengths, her first win since taking last year's Victorian Queen Stakes by 5 ¾ lengths.
Originally slated for seven furlongs on the E.P. Taylor Turf Course, heavy rains in the Toronto area over the past few days saw the race contested at seven panels over Woodbine's Polytrack.
Monday, July 21 2008
Bear Now hits million-dollar mark with Ontario Matron score
TORONTO, July 20 * Bear Now, a dark bay daughter of Tiznow, led at every call in taking the $155,500 Ontario Matron Stakes, for fillies and mares, Sunday at Woodbine.
Sent off as the 4-5 choice, the four-year-old Kentucky-bred eclipsed the seven-figure mark in career earnings with the 1 ½-length score for owner Bear Stables.
Of the 29 nominations to the Schuylerville, three belonged to Breen, including undefeated Bold Union
TORONTO, July 20 * Fatal Bullet gave Bear Stables and trainer Reade Baker a sweep of Sunday's added-money features, as the son of Red Bullet gunned down six rivals to take the $150,000 Bold Venture Stakes, at Woodbine.
Under Eurico Rosa da Silva, Fatal Bullet passed Vigil Stakes champion Disfunction in early stretch to take the 6 ½ furlong Bold Venture in a time of 1:14.54, besting the previous mark of 1:14.82 set by Home for Harlan on May 19.
Thursday, July 17 2008
Piper in the Glen upsets Deputy Minister
TORONTO, July 16 - Piper in the Glen tagged 2-5 favorite Stuck in Traffic in the shadow of the wire to capture Wednesday's $125,000 Deputy Minister Stakes at Woodbine.
The son of Trajectory rallied stoutly from the rear of the four-horse field to capture his first career stakes event in a time of 1:24.30 for seven furlongs.
Piper in the Glen, who is owned by Jesse Self, finished a neck in front of Stuck in Traffic, who established fractions of :22.94 and :45.87. Delaforce finished third.
Colin Stakes latest challenge for talented Southern Exchange
TORONTO, July 16 - Southern Exchange attempts his second stakes score in a row in Saturday's $150,000 Colin Stakes at Woodbine.
The gray son of Exchange Rate was an impressive 4 3/4-length winner of the June 15 Victoria Stakes.
Unlike most two-year-olds that draw off to win by a strong margin, Southern Exchange has won both of his career starts from off the pace, both under jockey Jono Jones.
Wednesday, July 16 2008
‘Swirl’ gives Scotzanna a whirl
TORONTO, July 15 * Sugar Swirl, a chestnut daughter of Touch Gold, goes after her tenth lifetime score in Friday afternoon's $100,000 Scotzanna Stakes, at Woodbine.
Owned by Stronach Stables and trained by Brian Lynch, the five-year-old mare sports an impressive record of nine wins, three seconds and four thirds from 20 career starts. Her bankroll stands at $724,502.
Sugar Swirl comes into the six-furlong Scotzanna off a disappointing fifth-place finish in the Grade 1 Humana Distaff at Churchill Downs on May 3.
Monday, July 14 2008
Cawaja Beach shines bright in Shady Well
TORONTO, July 13 - Cawaja Beach rallied smartly to capture Sunday's $150,000 Shady Well Stakes at Woodbine.
The daughter of Where's the Ring seized command at the top of the stretch and stayed on well in the final eighth, defeating Sans Souci by 2 1/4 lengths.
Van Lear Rose finished third, but was moved up to second when stewards disqualified Sans Souci from second and placed her fourth for interfering with Koonunga Hill, who was placed third.
Saturday, July 12 2008
Secret Getaway lands Toronto Cup victory
TORONTO, July 12 - Illinois invader Secret Getaway captured his second straight Woodbine stakes event in Saturday's $150,000 Toronto Cup Stakes.
The chestnut colt rallied from off the pace and opened up impressively in the last furlong to defeat runner-up Barreling Home and third-place finisher Marlang.
Owned by Sand and Cee Stables and trained by Michael Stidham, Secret Getaway travelled 1 1/8 miles in 1:52.54.
The Niagara Queen posts ‘royal’ upset in Dance Smartly
TORONTO, July 12 - The Niagara Queen captured Saturday's Grade 2 $300,000 Dance Smartly Stakes at Woodbine.
The Steve Asmussen trainee rated kindly behind soft fractions and outgamed second-place finisher Sprung and third-place finisher Quiet Jungle in the stretch.
The five-year-old daughter of Langfuhr traveled 1 1/8 miles in 1:50.01, after establishing fractions of :50.15 and 1:14.08.
Friday, July 11 2008
Callwood Dancer goes for three straight in Dance Smartly
Callwood Dancer, a chestnut daughter of Danehill Dancer, squares off against six rivals in Saturday's Grade 2, $300,000 Dance Smartly Stakes, at Woodbine.
Owned by Harlequin Ranches and trained by Hall of Fame conditioner Roger Attfield, the four-year-old Irish-bred has been flawless in her two starts this year.
Woodbine Launches New Web Features
The excellent, well-researched analysis of Thoroughbred and Standardbred racing offered on TV by Woodbine Entertainment Group's stable of on-air talent is being extended to the company's website at
http://www.woodbineentertainment.com/woodbinecolumn.
Eight of Woodbine's on-air commentators, four Standardbred, four Thoroughbred, will write weekly columns and give opinions about local horse racing and anything else that might matter in the sport.
Friday, July 04 2008
Fraser goes for third Ontario Damsel aboard Nite in Rome
Nite in Rome will make a belated three-year-old debut in Sunday's $150,000 Ontario Damsel Stakes at Woodbine.
The turf event, which is restricted to Ontario-foaled fillies, has attracted a field of seven.
The E.P. Taylor Turf Course may be all that the Mark Casse-trained Nite in Rome needs to return to the races running. In two career starts on the lawn, the Ontario-bred has one win and one runner-up finish.
