Page 25 - The Game October 2006

Your Thoroughbred Racing Community Newspaper The Game, October 2006 25
CTHS Syndicate Group Well on Their Way
By Barbara Sheridan
Ten first-time buyers are now the proud owners of Bay Prince, a bay Thoroughbred colt purchased at the CTHS Selected Yearling Sale in Toronto by the newly formed CTHS New Owner Syndicate group. Spearheaded by CTHS Ontario Director, Tim Orlando, and sponsored by the CTHS (Ontario Division), the syndicate group was formed following an active ad campaign several weeks ago prior to the Yearling Sale.
“There are many people out there who would love to invest in a racehorse, but are unsure as to how to go about it, and most don’t feel comfortable going it alone,” says Mr. Orlando. “By participating in a syndicate, and matching these people up with an experienced mentor and trainer, it provides the new participants with the opportunity to get started on the right foot, as well as divide the costs ten ways.”
Once formed, each member contributed $10,000 to obtain a 10% share in the racing syndicate group. Mr. Orlando worked diligently with CTHS Ontario President and mentor Glenn Sikura and trainer Beverley Chubb in narrowing down the list of sale catalogue prospects from 226 to 14 yearlings. The successful choice was Hip #32, a son of Yonaguska out of the stakes-winning mare, Bombaysunshine from the Gail Wood consignment. The final purchase price was $20,000.
“Our first syndicate, to be known as the “All In
Stable,” is a great cross section of enthusiastic new owners from Ontario, Alberta and Ohio in the U.S.,” says Mr. Orlando. “They are absolutely thrilled with their first purchase, and truly appreciate the commitment and efforts made by Glenn Sikura as their mentor, as well as Beverley Chubb in helping to ensure our first group gets off to a promising start.”
While the All In Stable members are proceeding with their licensing requirements and paperwork, a second syndicate group is now in the works.
“We are delighted with the positive response to our first attempt at marketing racing syndicates,” says Mr. Orlando. “While our first syndicate is sold out, we are well on our way in forming group two.”
Trainer Beverely Chubb and CTHS Director Tim Orlando with the new “All in One” Syndicate yearling colt
$1 Million Woodbine Mile - Sept. 17, 2006
Co-owners, Barry Irwin of Team Valor and Gary Barber, a co-founder of production and finance company, Spyglass Entertainment, can’t contain their excitement after their 4-year-old gelding, Becrux, won the $1 million Woodbine Mile on September 17 at Woodbine.
Toronto Argonaut’s Ricky Williams, who was the guest drawmaster for the post position draw for the Woodbine Mile, poses with Woodbine’s leading jockey, Emma-Jayne Wilson, who was named to ride New Zealand invader, Captain Kurt in the Woodbine Mile.
Mark Casse Knows Horses
Woodbine based trainer Mark Casse knows a thing or two about horses and when it comes to buying good racing potential, there is no better testament than performance.
Every year before the Yearling Sales in Toronto, Woodbine hosts the Yearling Sales Stakes, which
is a series of six Stakes races each with a guaranteed purse of $125,000 with the condition that the participants must have previous- ly gone through the local yearling sale.
Trainer Mark
Casse, who also
makes a living
buying and selling
horses, had a lot to
be proud about after this year’s Stakes series on September 4 because he happened to be the original purchaser of four of the six stakes winners in the series.
2-year-old, Bold Executive colt, Legal Move, was purchased by Mark for owner Woodford Racing LLC and under Mark’s conditioning, was the winner of the Simcoe Stakes.
Brilliant 5-year-old mare, Financingavailable, was originally purchased by Mark for $5,000 and after winning close to $100,000, she was sold to owner K.K. Sangara for $150,000. The winner of this year’s Algoma Stakes, she has continued to provide an exceptional return on investment.
Halton Stakes winner, Sheer Enchantment was sold private-
ly for $10,000 before her first career start and 2-year-old filly, Only if Split, winner of the Muskoka Stakes, was sold to owner K.K. Sangara after her last start when she finished second in stakes company.
“We buy ‘em to sell them.” Said Mark about the success of
At the Yearling Sale in Toronto are (left to Right): Owner Richard Letterman; Assistant Trainer Ricky Griffith; Mike Lightner; and Trainer Mark Casse.
the young horses he buys, “We buy all different horses, pretty colts and fillies with pedigrees. Some for bigger clients, some for smaller clients.
“We buy horses that we think have some potential, you have to be a little forgiving sometimes when looking at young horses. This is something I have done all my life.”
Mark confesses that he has not been successful all on his own and gives his assistant Ricky Griffith ample praise, “I couldn’t have done it with- out Ricky,” says Mark, “He has a superb eye and comes up with a list of horses he thinks I should look at.”
Mark also has praise for the Ontario Yearling Sale itself, “This sale has been good to us. There is no better program in North America.”
Jockey Patrick Valenzuela raises his arm in celebration after winning the Woodbine Mile aboard the Neil Drysdale trained, Becrux. Patrick was a last minute replacement for jockey Corey Nakatani, who was unable to fulfill his commitment to ride Becrux due to a training injury he suffered the day before the race.
Did You Know....
That Gulfstream Park plans to open its new racino in October with Bally Technologies providing the 500 touch screen, Class III machines for the South Florida racetrack. Plans to add another 1000 machines is scheduled for early 2007. Bally Technologies will also be providing the accounting and casino management. 7.5% of the revenue from the first 500 machines will be allocated to the horse racing purses and once the additional 1000 machines are added, 6.7% of revenue less than $200 million and 12.6% of revenue greater than $200 million will go to the purses.
TTRC Ladies Night at Woodbine
On Wednesday, September 6 at Woodbine, the Toronto Thoroughbred Racing Club hosted a “Ladies Night” which featured a panel of guest speakers made up of women in various forms of employment within the thoroughbred industry. (Back left to right) are: Stacie Roberts, Managing Editor of The Game thoroughbred newspaper; Josie DePaulo, Assistant Trainer to her hus- band trainer Mike DePaulo; Julia Samulak, Trainer and Administrative Assistant with the HBPA of Ontario; (Front left to right) Alicia Brimo, Jockey Agent to her sis- ter Julia; Janis Maine, wife and administrative support to
her husband trainer Reade Baker; Vickie Pappas, Chair of LongRun Thoroughbred Retirement Society and thor- oughbred horse owner and breeder. Missing from photo was trainer Deborah England, who had to go saddle a horse!
The Toronto Thoroughbred Racing Club meets once a month at Woodbine and is a terrific way to meet other thoroughbred enthusiasts and take part in their many planned trips and outings. Upcoming meetings are on Wednesdays, October 11, November 8 and December 6 starting at 7:30pm on the third floor in Champions.