Saturday Previews
Hastings' favourite speedster Bold Arch headlines, but there's a talented supporting cast, including Bunny (below), on what is cracking card of Saturday-afternoon racing
Things didn’t end well for BAKBURNER after she was hooked into a front-end duel in last month’s River Rock Casino Stakes and she’ll be a different proposition today if she can settle. Even so, she still had FOOTHILLS BLVD and AMERICAN TSUNAMI behind her at the wire, although the latter’s challenge ended before it began when she received a hefty bump at the start and was tenderly handled by her rider for the remainder of the race. She should be a lot closer today. The improving BLUEBIRD CAFE kept finding more when holding off subsequent winner BC Chu Chu by a neck last time on her Hastings debut and, while this represents a tougher challenge, may still have more to come.
DUKE GIRLS had SHE’S KIND OF HOT, A LITTLE MERCY NOW and FOREVER SUMMER behind when a game, rallying second to BC Chu Chu last time and a repeat of that would put her in the thick of it again here. A Little Mercy Now caught the eye when making up significant ground from the rear on what was her racing debut. She should be a lot closer to the action today and is a threat. EDDIE’S GIRL should appreciate the class relief here after holding her own against some smart maidens this season and is the one they have to beat.
GUNFIGHTER should appreciate this return to the long course after a finishing a closing third to the smart Counteract last time. He missed the whole of last year but was among the best three-year-olds on the premises the season before and, now he’s had a couple of ‘sharpeners’, looks a major player here. NEIGHBOR had STAY FANTASTIC behind when going down narrowly to Buttonwood Tree last time and shouldn’t be too far away again, while BUZZINGA KARMA had ROOKIE YEAR behind when chasing home Curlin Rocks over 6½ furlongs last time and should appreciate the additional real estate.
TAMARA MINE caught fire late behind a fast pace when winning authoritatively at Golden Gate in April on her first outing for her new connections after being claimed. She’s an exciting recruit to the Hastings horse population and will be a handful if adapting to the East Van oval. BUNNY makes her first appearance since making light work of her rivals in a classy gate-to-wire win back in May and is an obvious danger, while SOLARITY is two-for-two against DAPHNE this season, although she did need the stewards’ help with one of those. There’s not much between them and their private war adds some spice to an already fascinating contest. Finally, MISS UNION returns to sprinting after failing to land a blow on her lofty opponents in the recent Monashee Stakes. A repeat of her second to speedy stablemate We B Three the time before that would put her firmly in the mix.
KNOPFLER goes for a third consecutive win after ending all talk of his recurring ‘seconditis’ with another victory last time. He needs to arrive late, but he put some daylight between himself, RACING RIVER and STANFORD BAY earlier this month and they’ll all be checking their rear-view mirrors again today in what is a wide-open affair. BECKETT’S BEST makes his first appearance for new connections since being claimed after his win last time, while THERE GOES MY HERO, who beat ‘Beckett’s’ when they met in May, is also on a hat-trick of wins here and, like Knopfler, does his best work late.
The magnificent BOLD ARCH is back to sprinting after taking them a long, long way in the Lieutenant Governors’ earlier this month. He will take a lot of stopping here if reproducing his win over Finding Ways in June, when he narrowly missed breaking the track record. The Racing Club’s FINDING WAYS continues to improve and is one of the stories of the season so far with a brace of wins and that second to Bold Arch. He should make his presence felt again here. SET TO SHINE has been cutting a dash in his morning work of late and should be ‘match fit’ following two solid, but unplaced, efforts this season.
SLOOP JOHN B and the Racing Club’s PRINCE CAIRO ran arguably their best races of the season when second and third behind the talented Aristocracy last time and both have serious chances here in what is a mind-bendingly difficult puzzle. MERRY BLUE faces a much tougher task today, but could not have been more impressive when drawing away to win comfortably on her first attempt at the long course and may represent some value at the betting windows. WISELY PLAYED is perfectly capable of landing the spoils if he can avoid traffic and remain close enough to launch his trademark late flourish, while BAK TO LIBERTY gets a shot at the long course he won over last summer and he can reverse the placings with TIME TICKER, who beat him over 6½ furlongs earlier this month, but who has yet to win at today’s distance.
Lisa & Mike’s Saturday Selections
Statistics
Formerly of These Parts…
Former Hastings handler Tara Neigel, who moved her shingle to Toronto at the beginning of the year, saddled her first winner at Woodbine on Friday.
ADDDENDUM, a BC-bred four-year-old daughter of Mucho Macho Man, who was twice a winner at Hastings and who also hit the board in June on her first run at Woodbine, took the lead early under Omar Moreno and never looked back, taking the 6½-furlong claiming contest by 2¾-lengths.
ADDENDUM continues to run in the same ownership as she did at Hastings, with Peter Tom, Freedom Farms and Darryl Jones all supporting Neigel on her new adventure ‘back east’.
Speaking to Horseracing BC after her win, Tara said: “So many people from back home have sent their best wishes and congratulations. It’s not easy to put into words, but I’m just delighted to break our Woodbine maiden!”
Wilson Becomes All-Time Highest Earning Jockey
TORONTO, July 11, 2024 – Emma-Jayne Wilson surpassed Hall of Fame jockey Julie Krone for all-time purse earnings by a female jockey on Thursday evening at Woodbine Racetrack.
Entering the day just $11,042 shy of Krone’s $90,126,584 (USD) record, Wilson took her place in racing’s history book with a thrilling victory aboard first-time starter Perfect Lady Bee for Hall of Fame connections of trainer Roger Attfield and owner Charles Fipke to surpass Krone’s mark.
“To capitalize and break this record with a win for these connections, you couldn’t have written a storybook any better,” said an emotional Wilson. “I’m trying really hard not to show too much emotion. I’m so used to putting my emotions in the backseat to ride races and be completely focused one race to the next, but this one means so much to me.”
Krone, who became the first woman inducted to the National Museum of Racing of Hall of Fame in 2000, has long been tracking Wilson’s success.
“Somehow I had seen her riding and I just like sent her a compliment or something, and then that perpetuated into calling her,” remembers Krone. “We ended up talking about really cool things… about our love for horses, of course, but then we started talking about some of the adversity she was up against at the time. I told her she was such a good rider, and that her horsemanship will always take her through any challenges.
“She’s a great female jockey, but the way I see it, she’s a great jockey, period.”
Wilson, who was shown a special video message from Krone following her record win, reflected on the influence Krone has been and how far racing has come for women.
“Julie has been a true supporter of mine right from the get-go. Even when she got wind of the potential of me breaking the record this year, she’s been messaging me relentlessly to show her support and it’s an absolute honour to share this record with her.
“This is to show how well the industry has come since she started to show what equality and sportsmanship is and what it means.”
Bloodhorse Daily Headlines — Friday, July 12
