Hastings' Weekly Winter Round-Up
Miss Union lands a $40,000 Stakes contest during opening week at Turf Paradise to keep the Hastings' flag flying high
Following a false-start due to concern over track conditions, Turf Paradise finally got underway this week and there was some immediate Stakes success for Hastings’ connections.
MISS UNION (Unionize), an Allowance winner in September for trainer Steve Henson and owners JG Williamson Racing, landed the $40,000 Jeff & Jack Overnight Stakes for fillies & mares under Alex Cruz.
Now trained by Curt Ferguson, whose colours the five-year-old also carried, MISS UNION ran six times at Hastings this season and was second to stablemate WE B THREE in the Emerald Downs Stakes in June before finishing fourth in the Monashee Handicap the following month.
STAR ENTRY (Hoorayforhollywood), meanwhile, who also won at Hastings for the Henson-Williamson Racing combination, finished third in a $10,000 Claiming contest with our own Kerron Khelawan in the saddle. “KK” has already had six rides at Turf Paradise season, finishing outside the top four just once and already has a couple of mounts booked for next week; the second of which is Hastings’ protagonist CARLA’S HONOR (Race Day) for Trainer Cindy Krasner and owners BFA Holdings.
Finally, EMPEROROFTHENORTH, a Hastings maiden winner in 2023 before moving south of the border, won a Starter Allowance contest on opening day at Turf Paradise. The four-year-old gelded son of Numaany was bred in BC by CTHS vice president, Ralph Jesiak.
We’ll keep an eye on the Hastings’s connections over the winter but please do drop us a line if you notice any runners or Hastings-based connections we may have overlooked.
Woodbine Saturday:
Longer Autumn Stakes Take 2, and Patches
The re-scheduled Autumn Stakes (G2) had its distance changed for this year from 1 1/16 miles to 1 1/8 miles
Courtesy Canadian Thoroughbred — Older distance horses are back in action at Woodbine on Saturday, November 16 in the re-scheduled HPIBET AUTUMN STAKES (G2). The race was one of two events cancelled last Saturday when racing was halted due to a few fatal breakdowns on the Tapeta surface. Racing was also canceled last Sunday while track maintenance and representatives of Tapeta worked on the surface.
The Autumn, inaugurated in 1902, has had its distance changed for this year from 1 1/16 miles to 1 1/8 miles. The current leader of the Older Male Main Track category, PARAMOUNT PRINCE, the 2023 King’s Plate winner, is looking to rebound from a dull run in the Durham Cup (G3). ‘Prince’ has two graded stakes wins this year. Paramount Prince is trained by Mark Casse and Patrick Husbands will ride.
The competition in the Autumn, however, is stern. Three-year-old DRESDEN ROW, who won the Durham Cup and has since won the Ontario Derby, is going for Champion three-year-old in Canada as he crams another start into his busy fall campaign.
A pair of Kevin Attard trainees for Repole Stable, NEVER SURPRISED and BAIL US OUT, are in the hunt as is multiple stakes winner FOREVER SOUPER from the Michael Trombetta barn.
Forever Souper just set a track record at Presque Isle for 1 1/16 miles in the Presque Isle Mile, 1:41.20, and he’s won nine of 18 races.
Casse also has the dark horse TOSEN WISH (Ire), who sizzled in his Woodbine debut on the grass and is a two-time winner on synthetic dirt overseas.
War Bomber was scratched from the Autumn last weekend and he is entered in the Kennedy Road Stakes (G2) on this weekend’s card. Lac Macaza was also scratched last weekend from the Autumn.
Canada’s Horse of the Year candidate PATCHES O’HOUIHAN, unbeaten in four stakes races this season, has just five rivals in the bet365 Kennedy Road at 6 furlongs. Frank DiGiulio’s remarkable four-year-old gelding, 11-for-13 in his career, just won the Neartic Stakes (G2) despite drifting out badly on the turf course. One of his two losses came in last year’s Kennedy Road. Sofia Vives rides for trainer Bob Tiller.
Shipping in for the Kennedy Road is last year’s Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprinter (G1) winner NOBALS, trained by Larry Rivelli for Patricia’s Hope LLC. Nobals, by Noble Mission (GB), won the Woodstock stakes at Woodbine two years ago in 1:08.15 for the distance. (108.15 was the official corrected time according to Daily Racing Form and the post race track media release, although the initial posted time was 1:07.63)
Nobals, who is five-for-eight on synthetic dirt, is winless in three races this year since his Breeders’ Cup score. (Read previous news items about Nobals here and here.)
Woodbine’s Tapeta Track Gets Green Light
Representatives of Tapeta All-Weather were at Woodbine to monitor maintenance on the track following three fatalities last weekend
Racing and training on the All-Weather (Tapeta) Main Track will resume this week following a thorough review and extensive maintenance conducted over the last couple of days.
The final two races of the November 9 card were canceled and Sunday’s card was also cancelled following three fatal breakdowns, two in races, on the track.
In collaboration with consultants and suppliers of the Tapeta surface, Woodbine performed a series of maintenance procedures to improve the track’s condition and address any safety concerns. This included rototilling the entire surface to a depth of five inches, followed by a deep power harrow treatment, and finishing with the use of a Gallop Master to ensure an even and consistent surface.
Keeneland November Horses of Racing Age Sale
Keeneland realized substantial across-the-board increases for Thursday’s single-day November Horses of Racing Age Sale, with double-digit gains in average and median driven by strong trade and the sale of two juveniles, the winning filly Alyeska for $675,000 and the colt Captain Cook, for $410,000, both sold to Steven W. Young, agent, and consigned by Gainesway, agent for the Estate of John Hendrickson.
Today, Keeneland sold 105 horses through the ring for $8,613,000, an increase of 9.52% from last year’s total of $7,864,000 for 155 horses sold through the ring. The average of $82,029 rose 61.68% from $50,735 in 2023, while the median was up 66.67% from $30,000 to $50,000. The clearance rate was 88%.
“The sale today was vibrant from the very get-go,” Keeneland Vice President of Sales Tony Lacy said. “Every year has a little bit of a different dynamic, but there was very little weakness in that market. We had almost a 90% clearance rate, median jumped 66% and average is up 61%. That’s seriously strong. We were $800,000 over last year’s gross with a third less horses. It shows the demand for quality stock. I really appreciate the people that supported us because it goes to prove that when you get the right environment, this is the right place to do it. The sellers were extremely happy, and the buyers were delighted to get the horses they got.”
“Just to echo what Tony said, there was great excitement in the building and we ran out of horses. That’s the best kind of description of the sale,” Keeneland Senior Director of Sales Operations Cormac Breathnach said. “When something goes that well you wish there were two more barns full to lead through because everybody was here right to the end trying to scrap and get quality bloodstock. That’s rewarding for us as an entire sales team to see that environment come to life.
“The market was good all the way through,” Breathnach added. “There weren’t any holes in particular. A few horses didn’t get done, but I wouldn't be surprised if there’s some post-sale activity on those as well. A lot of international buyers were still here. They stayed all the way through the Breeding Stock Sale. Mike Trombetta was active for Larry Johnson. Steve Young was very active. And a lot of domestic powerhouse players as well. It was a really fun sale.”
Gainesway, agent for the Hendrickson horses, consigned Alyeska, Captain Cook and six other horses, most from the family of champion Bird Town, Belmont (G1) winner Birdstone and Grade 2 winner Bird Song who were bred and raced in the name of Hendrickson’s wife, Marylou Whitney.
Young, who also spent $200,000 for Girdwood, an unraced 2-year-old colt by McKinzie from the Hendrickson Estate, led buyers by spending $1,342,000 on five horses.
Sale topper Alyeska, by Vekoma, captured her career debut Sept. 20 at Churchill Downs. She is out of Bird Town’s daughter Gull Island, by Giant’s Causeway.
“She is from a family that without John’s passing, she would not have come on the market,” said Young, who signed the ticket for an undisclosed buyer. “(Her family) has been with the Whitneys for 40, 50 years maybe more. She ran once like a quality horse. I think she is a very special horse. I saw her run first time out in September. I did not know about her before then.”
Captain Cook is by Practical Joke out of Grade 2-placed winner Pow Wow Wow, by Indian Charlie. Pow Wow Wow is a granddaughter of Bird Town.
“He is a nice horse,” Young said. “Had a less-than-perfect trip (finishing sixth in his Oct. 27 career debut). The horse put in two or three different runs in the race. He’s a really good horse, obviously. Beautiful action. And once again, a horse that would have never seen the market if John was still with us.”
“I think it’s a great tribute to John that these horses have been so well received,” Gainesway’s Brian Graves said. “We’re happy with the whole process, but it is a little bittersweet.
“We thought (Alyeska) could probably bring $500,000,” Graves continued, “and she probably brought a little premium as to what we were expecting, but a lot of the other horses also exceeded their values based on what we had appraised them for. Like I said, it’s a good tribute to John and nice to see. That part is heartwarming, but it is bittersweet in that he is gone and there won’t be any more.”
At the November Breeding Stock Sale, Gainesway sold 18 horses for the Hendrickson Estate for $2,254,500. The high seller was Pretty Birdie, a daughter of Bird Song in foal to Candy Ride (ARG) purchased by Stonestreet for $1.1 million.
“There’s a value in legacy pedigrees” Breathnach said. “They were sought after, not just because there’s no reserve on their dispersals but because you’re getting a piece of somebody else’s legacy. And who better than Marylou Whitney and John Hendrickson’s program. And that goes for Mr. Janney and Siena Farm and Ed Seltzer’s Solara Farm, whose dispersals we had the privilege of helping with this November. In this day and age, there isn’t as much of that sort of family development and people feel good about trying to carry those families on.”
In other sales today, Summerville Kyle paid $400,000 for Digital Ops, a winning 3-year-old son of Nyquist consigned by Indian Creek, agent. Out of stakes winner Flora Dora, by First Dude, the colt won his most recent race on Oct. 26 at the Belmont at the Big A meet.
Sycamore Hall Thoroughbreds/David Wade, agent, purchased the 3-year-old Tapit filly Fashion Victim for $295,000. Consigned by ELiTE, agent, she is from the family of Grade 1 winner New Year’s Day; Grade 2 winners Penny’s Reshoot, Justwhistledixie, Mohaymen and Chace City; and Grade 3 winners Enforceable and Kingly. Fashion Victim is out of the winning Distorted Humor mare Laskarina.
ELiTE, agent, also consigned Index Fund, a 4-year-old gelding by Good Magic purchased for $250,000 by Narvick/NAJD Stud. A half-brother to Grade 3 winner Last Judgment, he scored a maiden special victory on Nov. 8 at Aqueduct. Index Fund is out of the winning Forestry mare Fantasy Forest.
ELiTE was the sale’s leading consignor with sales of $2.45 million for 32 horses.
2024 OUTSTANDING OFF-TRACK WORKER AWARD
The Jockey Club of Canada is now accepting nominations for the Outstanding Off-track Worker Award.
Eligibility requirements:
Each nominator may only choose one nominee per year,
The nominee must hold a paid position at an off-track Thoroughbred racing, training, boarding, breeding, sales, or aftercare farm/facility in Canada, and a short resume must accompany the nomination, stating why the individual deserves to be considered for the award.
Completed nomination forms can be submitted via email to jockeyclubcanada@gmail.com
or via the the Jockey Club of Canada website, https://jockeyclubcanada.com/sovereign-awards/nominations-and-submissions/
or via the Woodbine Race Office during regular operating hours,
or mail to:
The Jockey Club of Canada
P. O. Box 66, Station B
Toronto, ON M9W 5K9
The deadline to submit nominations is December 15, 2024.
Please note that incomplete or late submissions will not be considered.
Complete each section of the attached nomination form entirely, including why the nominee should be considered for the award.
Please contact the Jockey Club of Canada office if you have any questions or require further information:
Megan Allan
General Manager
The Jockey Club of Canada
(416) 675-7756
jockeyclubcanada@gmail.com
www.jockeyclubcanada.com
British Columbia Sires
New Stride News
Bloodhorse Daily Headlines — Saturday, November 16
