Ascot and Fantasy Previews
Two standout $75,000 Stakes contests for two-year-olds take centre stage as the year's best juvenile boys and girls chase divisional honours on the final Saturday of the season
Her first effort of the year notwithstanding, C C SUNRISE has been impressively consistent all season. She’s on a hat-trick of consecutive wins here and landed the odds last time with seemingly a little in hand. STAR FINALITY had SILVER ARROW and ISLAND LIVING behind when chasing home Tobesunny over 8½ furlongs last time and was a comfortable winner over today’s distance the time before. VISENYA also drops back to sprinting following a solid third when ‘going long’ in August. She’s got a useful late gear on occasion and definitely needs to be on the shortlist.
BELLAROO goes for her fifth win of the campaign and drops back to sprinting after a bold second to Artistic Jewler last time (with ZETAMARIE behind). Prior to that she landed back-to-back wins in similar company and looks the one they’ll have to beat here. Unusually, RICHARDS COMMAND was front-ranked throughout when finishing in the ruck behind Bellaroo last time and she should be a lot closer today. Although fourth last time, ANIMA wasn’t beaten far by Lasting Light and co and a repeat of that would give her every chance.
NINE OCLOCK CEASER represents the red-hot Rob Maybin barn and makes her first appearance for new connections since being claimed last time. She gave way only late when going down by a length to Carla’s Honor most recently, with subsequent winner Tobesunny behind. That looks solid form for the level and she should be thereabouts again. DRILL BABY DRILL has hit the board in all bar one of her 11 efforts this season. She had PENALTY TO RANGERS, TEXAS LEGACY and PERFECT PENNY behind in her most recent effort and is a big danger here.
ARIKARA has had the best part of two months off following an unplaced effort behind subsequent winner Bellaroo and today’s rivals LASTING LIGHT and AMANDA. Prior to that, however, she won back-to-back races and had HARLAN’S ANGEL comfortably behind in her most recent win. It’s worth noting that all Arikara’s rivals today return to the fray after just a week or so off and it will be fascinating to see who copes best with the short turnaround. AMANDA, for instance, came from way back to go down by just a neck to HARLAN’S ANGEL last week and both seem to thrive on their racing.
LIZZIE’S RAYNE has been one of the standout juveniles of the season and goes for a fourth consecutive Stakes win here. Most recently, she had EDDIE’S GIRL and VIVA LA DIVA behind her when taking the prestigious Sadie Diamond Stakes; although this is the first time any of these youngsters have faced the mile-and-sixteenth course. BROOKE MAGIC was given a terrific education by Brian Boodramsingh when a close third behind Viva La Diva and ACOUSTIC MELODY on her debut and ran as though she will have few problems with the distance. Any normal progression on her first start should put her firmly in the mix. Rob Maybin’s barn landed this race 12 months ago with the smart Neighneigh on what was just her second appearance. He saddles LONIE MO today for what will be her career debut. She’s been working noticeably well and could surprise a few on her introduction to racing.
WEALTHY TEXAN caused a minor upset when landing the Jack Diamond Stakes on what was his career debut and he dented some reputations along the way. He will undoubtedly be shown more respect by his rivals today, but there was plenty to like about his exhilarating first run and there should be more to come. AUGUST RAIN was well below par when unplaced behind “Texan” last time, but had previously won back-to-back Stakes races. Forgive him the clunker and he’s a big contender again here. DIOCLES runs as though a mile-and-sixteenth should be very much to his liking. His two second-place finishes to August Rain over 6½ furlongs show he can mix it with the best and he could be a different proposition over today’s distance. Diocles’ temporary stablemate WHISKEY HARBOR ships in from Seattle and runs out of the Pat Jarvis barn. He’s an Emerald Downs Stakes winner who was fourth in last month’s Gottstein Futurity at Emerald on his first go at today’s distance and certainly merits respect. Both NORTHERN FORCE and VECTOR kept on gamely behind Wealthy Texan last time, with the former looking as though he’d appreciate a little more real estate, while BECKETT’S BEST made short work of his rivals to land his maiden. This will be a different challenge but he’s another for whom the extra yardage should help and he holds some appeal at what are likely to be attractive odds .
VIVA LA VINO hasn’t missed the board in her five runs this season and, two starts ago, had BELCARRA PARK behind her. She went down narrowly to Pretty Aria last time in a better race than this and looks the main danger again. Stablemate FREESTYLE had fellow Heads’ inmate DREAMB and rival NO PEOPLE behind when they met three weeks ago, while ADDENDUM’s head-bob second to the useful Neighneigh (Belcarra Park in third) came on the back of a comfortable win against Ebony Eyes and I’M ALL SHOOK UP. A repeat of that would give her a major shout.
Important!
Stolz Thoroughbreds Heads East to Ontario
Cassandra and Dennis Stolz will offer their boutique stallion group at their new location near Coulson, Ontario.
By By: CT Staff
Cassandra and Dennis Stolz’s Stolz Thoroughbreds are moving their stallion station and breeding operation from Alberta to Ontario. The couple, who stand the stallions Medallist, City Wolf and Readyforprimetime, will provide boarding for mares, foaling and breeding. The new location is located near Coulson, Ontario, in Oro-Medonte Township.
The multiple graded stakes runner MEDALLIST had a successful race career with career highlights that included setting the stakes record for the Dwyer G2 stakes, setting the stakes record in the Kenny Noe Jr. Handicap, and equalling the track record with his win in the G3 Deputy Minister Handicap. Medallist also placed in the G1 $350,000 Carter Handicap. The son of classic winner Touch Gold, Medallist retired from racing with earnings of $421,375. Medallist is a half-brother to G2 winner Air Commander and G2 placed Formidable, out of the G1 placed Santaria, a daughter of champion sprinter Star de Naskra.
Medallist has proven himself as a successful sire with progeny that include the multiple graded stakes-placed runner, Ibboyee ($701,822) and the multiple stakes winner Winning the Medal ($461,516). The two-year-old Medallist runner, Itsy Bitsy Izzie, shows great potential having placed in all of her four starts to date this season. Medallist has total progeny earnings to date of over $12 Million including 23 stakes winners and average earnings per starter of over $75,000. Medallist foals continue to be consistent money earners with long careers.
CITY WOLF, a son of Giant’s Causeway from Broodmare of the Year Baby Zip, by Relaunch, was placed as a two- and three-year-old and then rose to the top of the older horse ranks in Ontario in 2011. He won the Grade 3 Durham Cup Stakes defeating James Street, Grade 1 winner Stately Victor and Queen’s Plate winner Eye of the Leopard. That year he also won his maiden at 7 furlongs.
As a five-year-old, City Wolf was second in both the Durham Cup and Grade 3 Seagram Cup. Racing for Stronach Stables which bred the horse, City Wolf earned over $300,000 from his 18 races. City Wolf’s half-brother Ghostzapper is the sire of 2022 stars Moira, Eclipse Award winner Goodnight Olive, and Fearless, among others.
READYFORPRIMETIME is the only son of the Southern Halo son More than Ready to stand in Canada. More Than Ready was one of the most influential sires of his time and sired a world-record 2,118 individual winners including 216 worldwide stakes winners and six champions, the fourth highest of all time. Readyforprimetime was a freshman sire this past spring.
The fees for the stallions are: Medallist at $3,500 and City Wolf and Readyforprimetime, both at $2,500.
For more information contact Cassandra Stoltz at 403-470-7413, Cassandra@stolzthoroughbreds.ca or Dennis at 403-615-6456, dennis@stolzthoroughbreds.ca.
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