Page 26 - The Game May 2006

26 The Game, May 2006 Your Thoroughbred Racing Community Newspaper
~ Road to The Queen’s Plate ~
Bridgecut a Little Behind
Well Whoopdeedoo for the Plate?
When asked about Jam Jar Racing Stable’s Queen’s Plate hopeful, Well Whoopdeedoo, trainer John Ross told me a scary but (in hindsight) funny story.
After what John described as an excellent winter in training at Classic Mile in Ocala, Well Whoopdeedoo came down with a bought of colic three days before he was scheduled to be shipped back home to Woodbine. They had tried every remedy in the barn to help the horse until finally the decision was made to ship him to a clinic. A shaky, old van was the only form of transportation that was readily available at such short notice and when they started off towards the clinic, John’s brother, Brian Ross, who was travelling in the van with
the horse says that it made such a racket that it not only scared him, but it also scared the horse, so much so that the horse started passing manure.
After a thorough exam at the clinic, the son of Albert the Great - Do Ye Well by Coastal, spent a couple of days on a farm before heading home in mid-April.
With only one start in his career, where he finished second in a 1 1/16 mile $68,000 MSW on November 26, 2005, John says the colt is doing well and that they are lucky they didn’t lose too much time. “He is still a maiden and he still has to prove that he belongs.” said John about his plans for the Plate, “I like him. He’s a nice little horse.”
According to trainer David Bell, Melnyk Stables’ Queen’s Plate hopeful, Bridgecut, is a little bit behind in training however the game plan is still to go the way of the Plate.
Bridgecut arrived at Woodbine from Eugene Melnyk’s Winding Oaks Farm in Ocala, Florida, on schedule on April 14 however David said he would have liked to have seen the homebred gelded son of Silver Deputy - Brittons Hill, by Gulch a little fitter than when he arrived.
Bridgecut had been in training on
the one mile track at the farm and although he looks good and is doing well there are no definite plans as to when his first race will be.
Bridgecut broke his maiden in his second start in a $66,000 MSW on September 11, 2005 and immediately jumped to Stakes company for his next three starts with his best finish being a third in the Display Stakes on November 26, 2005.
He was then sent to Florida for the win- ter where he received some time off before he began getting ready for his 3-year-old campaign.
Groom Emmanuel Reid-Oxley with Queen’s Plate hopeful, Bridgecut
Another of Eugene Melnyk’s home- breds might have Queen in her name however she is tentatively being pointed towards the classic race for the fillies, the Woodbine Oaks on June 11. Queen’s College by Carson city - Queen’s Park, by Relaunch finished sixth in her first start of the season after getting caught in a speed dual in the 6 furlong $64,000 Allowance race on April 15. “She was a little upset in the gate and then she rushed to the front and got caught in a speed dual.” explained David, “She is tentatively on the Oaks trial however there is no pressure. We are not going to kill her to try it.”
Woodbine
Saturday, April 15, 2006
Jacque Cartier Stakes - 4-yr-old & up $126,200
Winner: Judith’s Wild Rush
Owner: Tenenbaum Racing Stables Trainer: Reade Baker
Jockey: Jim McAleney
Breeder: Sez Who Thoroughbreds Pedigree: Wild Rush - Tie Talk,
by Black Tie Affair (IRE) in KY
Sunday, April 16, 2006 Whimsical Stakes Gr. 3 - 4-yr-old & up fillies & mares $128,200
Winner: Abounding Truth
Owner: Douglas Kent Racing
Trainer: Josie Carroll
Jockey: Patrick Husbands
Breeder: Dr. K.K. Jayaraman
& Dr. Vilasini Jayaraman
Pedigree: Proudest Romeo - Abounding Mystery, by Lyphard’s Ridge in FL
Saturday, April 22, 2006 Woodstock Stakes - 3-yr-olds $126,200
Winner: Atlas Shrugs
Owner: C. Roberts & J. Pepper Trainer: Reade Baker
Jockey: Corey Fraser
Breeder: Wynnwood Farms
& Kyle Grguric
Pedigree: Compadre - Ms. Forum, by Open Forum in ON
Stampede Park
Saturday, April 15, 2006 Sales Handicap -
4-yr-old & up fillies & mares $49,000
Winner: To Dream Again
Owner: J&G Murphy Holdings Ltd. Trainer: Robert Kingston
Jockey: Leanne Painter
Breeder: Vannel Stables
Pedigree: Regal Remark - Emmitt for Six, by Gate Dancer in AB
Hastings
Friday, April 14, 2006
George Royal Stakes - 3-yr-old & up $51,144
Winner: Quiet Cash
Owner: Cheema Bahadur
Trainer: Terry Jordan
Jockey: Chad Hoverson
Breeder: Michael Pegram
Pedigree: Real Quiet - Queen of Money, by Corporate Report in KY
Saturday, April 15, 2006 Brighouse Belle Stakes - 3-yr-old & up fillies & mares $51,879
Winner: Spirit to Spare
Owner: Double Down Stable Trainer: Tom Longstaff
Jockey: Felipe Valdez
Breeder: Dr. Diana Wilson Pedigree: Pole Position - Current Encounter, by Little Current in SK
Saturday, April 22, 2006
Supernatural Stakes - 3-yr-old fillies $51,583
Winner: Bond Queen
Owner: Marta Racing Ventures
Trainer: Terry Jordan
Jockey: Pedro Alvarado
Breeder: Casey Seaman
Pedigree: Stormy Atlantic -
Jamestown Lady, by Colony Light in FL
Saturday, April 15, 2006
Sales Handicap - 4-yr-old & up $49,000
Winner: Liquid Louie
Owner: Jim Vlahos
Trainer: Don Gilkyson
Jockey: Perry Winters
Breeder: Pierre Esquirol
Pedigree: Pole Position - Hadramis Hill, by Temperance Hill in AB
Stakes Recaps
Sorokolit Maidens have to Prove they Belong
Prized Conquest is the homebred son of Prized - Heavenly Ballerina, by Conquistador Cielo for owner William Sorokolit Sr. and according to trainer Darwin Banach the colt is still needing to show him something before they consider him for the Queen’s Plate.
“It is everybody's dream to run in the Queen’s Plate.” said the down to earth trainer, “But he’ll have to step up and move up and establish himself. He’ll have to keep going forward.”
In his five lifetime starts,
Prized Conquest is still a maiden
after finishing out of the money in his 2006 debut on April 9 in a $62,800 MSW going 6 1/2. “He finished evenly throughout.” commented Darwin, “He is indicating that he wants to go long.”
Another Queen’s Plate hopeful in the barn is fellow homebred maiden, Cryptographic, a gelding by Cryptoclearance - View, by Vice Regent. After spending the winter at Nelson Jones training centre in Ocala, Cryptographic made his 2006 debut in a 7 furlong, $30,700 MSW on April 29 at Woodbine
where he finished out of the money.
“I think he has the talent.” said Darwin a week before the race, “He’ll want to run longer than this first start. I would like to break his maiden and then go from there.” William Sorokolit Sr. also has a couple of Woodbine Oaks prospects in his barn this year including Kains Charm, a 1/2 sister to Union Place and The Real Me, a filly by Real Quiet. “The Real Me is bred well enough that she could be
anything.” commented Darwin.
Groom Asley Esson with William Sorokolit Sr.’s Queen’s Plate hopeful, Prized Conquest
Did You Know.....
The first running of the Queen’s Plate was on June 27, 1860 at Carleton Race Course which was 200 yards south of Dundas St. and west of what was then the concession line, but which is now Keele St. The prize money was 50 guineas and the race was open to all horses bred in
Upper Canada which have never won public money. The winner was a 5-year- old bay gelding, Don Juan, owned and trained by James White and ridden by jockey Charles Littlefield.
Information from: The Plate/A Royal History, by Louis Cauz