Page 12 - March 2007 The Game

12 The Game, March 2007 Canada’s Thoroughbred Racing Newspaper
Canadian Thoroughbred Ratings
(Or: How Steve Lym Spent His Winter Vacation)
Now we know how Woodbine’s Racing Secretary, Steve Lym, amuses himself during the off-season. Lym has compiled the exhaustive Canadian Thoroughbred Ratings, creating standings in several categories by rating every horse in Canada that ran last year in at least one stakes race. Lym has done this in the format specified by the North American Ratings Committee (NARC) which for many years has been ranking all inter- national horses. This is just the third year that Canada has decided to rank horses in a compatible fashion with the rest of the planet.
“The reason that we did this is that the rest of the world was doing this,” says Lym. “Previously we would have a different format where our top horses were being rated very high compared to rest of the world and that was not a true reflection. So we adopted this way of doing it so just by looking at it we know exactly where our horses stand.”
Lym broke his evaluations down into five distances – Sprint (up to 71/2 furlongs), mile (less than 1 3/16), Intermediate (1-3/16-1-5/16), Long and Extended (any distance more than 1-5/16th). He also separated the runners according to age and sex.
“This one took me a little while,” laughs Lym, “I basically started working
on it in late December. Probably spent a week, let’s say it took me about forty hours.”
The top two horses, according to the numbers assigned by Lym, are Collier Hill and Go Deputy who finished one- two, inches apart at the wire in the Pattison International G1 on Woodbine’s E.P. Taylor turf course. Both horses received a score of 117. In the Intermediate distance category, Arravale was the highest at 113 for her stunning win in the E.P. Taylor Stakes G1. Arravale was the standout horse of 2006, receiving Sovereign Awards as Female Turf Horse and Canadian Horse of the Year.
“The numbers represent hypothetical weights,” explains Lym. “We accept the formula that, at a certain distance, one pound equals a length. In sprints, we assign three pounds per length and it goes from there. At a mile to a mile and an eighth, a length is two pounds; at a mile and a half it’s one length equals one pound.”
In the Sprint department, Lym awarded Judiths Wild Rush, Canada’s two-time defending sprint champion, a score of 109 based on his speedy win in the Vigil Stakes G2 on the main track at Woodbine. Best turf sprinter with a score of 112 is Fast Parade who won the Neactic Stakes G2 at 6 furlongs on the
Woodbine grass.
The 5 year old colt Cryptograph was
considered the best at an Intermediate distance. His win in the Dominion Day G3 Stakes at Woodbine earned him a mark of 109.
In the Long category, chalk one up for Shillelagh Slew whose number of 105 was earned in his impressive victory in the Canadian Derby G3 at Edmonton’s Northlands Park last summer. True Metropolitan, who won stakes races at several Canadian tracks in 2006, also earned a mark of 105 when he came third in the Valedictory Stakes on the Polytrack at Woodbine.
True Metropolitan and Shillelagh Slew also tied in the Mile category. Each horse scored 108; True for winning the Woodbine Slots Cup G3, and Slew for taking the Ontario Derby G3, also at Woodbine.
The 2 year old filly Dreaming of Anna earned a 107 for her win in the Summer Stakes G3 and the 2 year old colt Skip Code got a 108 as a result of his first place finish in the Grey Breeders’ Cup G3.
These numbers actually have a practical application and are used by people on the Graded Stakes Committee. For example, the lowest score to be considered for a Grade 3 Race would be 105, for a Grade 2 it would be 110, and
getting into a Grade 1 race would require a 112. Lym says the best horses in the world – say Invasor or Bernardini - are scored at 129-132.
“It’s also used to publicize the best horses in Canada.” Says Lym. “This now replaces the Free Handicap which was another theoretical ratings system.”
Lym evaluated 343 horses in 9 different categories and at one point found he could no longer focus his eyes, count to 100, or remember the names of his children. - PG
• Keeneland September Sale entries close May 1
• C.T.H.S Select nominations close March 1
• C.T.H.S Select and Open Sale final entries close May 31
Please call NOW to discuss your fall sales plans
Windfields Sales Agency
905-725-1193
Dear Mr. McMullen,
Thanks for sending me a copy of the note that also went to Sue Leslie and Peter Gross at The Game.
I appreciate you taking the time. Feedback is valuable when it comes from people like you who obviously care about this industry. I want to assure you that the ORC has the best interests of the horse racing industry at heart when we carry out the decisions and ruling (sic) that are part of our mandate. We operate within an environment of accountability and transparency, which is fundamentally based on every person being treated fairly, respectfully and in accordance with the Racing Commission Act, 2000.
In all we do, the ORC exercises its powers and performs its duties in the public interest and in accordance with the principles of honesty, integrity and social responsibility. It's future depends on
that.
Regards, Rod Seiling c :Sue Leslie
Peter Gross
Did You Know....
That a small fire in one of the grandstand bathrooms caused the cancellation of the final four races
during the Fair Grounds special “Fat Tuesday” card of racing on February 20. The fire was contained to the restroom and though no one was injured patrons were evacuated as a precaution.
P. O. BOX 67
905/725-1195
WEBSITE: www.windfields.com
CANADA L1 H 7K8
CANADA: Standing at Windfields Farm, Oshawa, Ontario
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KENTUCKY: Standing at Brookdale Farm, Versailles, Kentucky Silver Deputy
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Your inspection of the Windfields stallions is invited – please call to arrange a visit. All Windfields Ontario stallions are eligible to the Ontario Sire Stakes and T.I.P.
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Letter to the Editor
Rod Seiling, ORC; Sue Leslie,HBPA Peter Gross, The GAME
"The ORC defends its strict rulings as
necessary to maintain race-goers faith in the industry."
The industry has many participants including horses, jockeys, trainers, own- ers, stewards, suppliers, the vets, the HPBA, the ORC, and race-goers to name a few. All the above participate and when one group is hammered as in this situation, the process may be flawed. Take note- one trainer from standardbred racing and one trainer from thoroughbred racing- how convenient is that message !
Where is the HBPA representation? Were its members treated fairly?
Where and when were the stewards involved?
Who were the suppliers? Were they punished?
Oh yeah- and in the future, the ORC is committed to testing horses "out of competition". A little late for Ken Parsley.
Sounds like the old style "let's make an example and then see if there is a problem." It doesn't work that way.
From my view, I see a heavy-handed organization (the ORC) suppressing truth and transparency from the people it is there to protect and support.
Integrity belongs to all groups in the industry, not just the fans.
So much for "faith in the industry."
- Wayne McMullen. Former owner, current race-goer.
YEARLING SALES
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