Page 27 - The Game November 2006
P. 27

Canada’s Thoroughbred Racing Newspaper The Game, November 2006 27
Best of The Bests (IRE) to Windfields
It has been announced that one of Europe’s leading freshman sires, Best Of The Bests (IRE), has relocated to stand the 2007 season at Windfields Farm in Ontario.
A top-class and extremely versatile performer, Best Of The Bests (IRE) was a group winner at two, three and five years of age.
Best Of The
Bests (IRE) is by
European
Champion Two-
Year-Old
Machiavellian.
One of the out-
standing sons of
Mr. Prospector,
Machiavellian is
sire of more than
60 stakes winners,
including the other
group or grade one winners Street Cry, Almutawakel, Right Approach, Vettori, Storming Home, Mediccean, Patavellian and Rebecca Sharp. Machiavellian’s son, Medicean is a classic sire in Europe with his fist crop in 2006, and Street Cry is already sire of a 2006 group winning two-year-old with his first juvenile crop.
Best Of The Bests (IRE) is out of the Darshaan mare, Sueboog (GB). Winner of the Fred Darling Stakes (G3) and twice group placed, Sueboog (GB) is three-parts-sister to Shaanmer, a group winning two-year-old, and multiple group one placed performer. Her granddam, stakes winner Nordica, is out of a half-sister to the English Oaks (G1) winner, Fair Salinia, and group sire Rambo Dancer.
With his first crop of two-year-olds, Best Of The Bests (IRE) is sire of twelve individual winners. They include, Middleham, who is also runner-up in the Tyros Stakes, and placed third in the Chesham Stakes at Royal Ascot, black-type placed Street Lightning, and five time winner Joybee.
He will stand for $5,000 CDN as the Property of a Syndicate, with Darley, Harlequin Ranches and Windfields Farm retaining major interests.
Stallion Best Of The Bests (IRE) relocates to Woodbine for 2007
Collier Hill wins epic edition of the Pattison Canadian International
Eight-year-old Collier Hill became the oldest winner of the Grade 1, $2 million Pattison Canadian International, Canada's richest horse race, with a truly heroic, gut-wrenching performance on Sunday, October 22 at Woodbine.
With jockey Dean McKeown urging the veteran on, Collier Hill, sent postward a 10-1 outsider, took over from local hopeful Last Answer turning into the long E.P. Taylor Turf Course stretch and proceeded to open several lengths on his nine rivals.
Suddenly, Go Deputy, the 7-2 second choice with jockey John Velazquez came calling, taking dead aim on the leader in the final eighth of a mile. The Todd Pletcher trainee appeared to even poke a head in front about 70 yards before the wire.
But England's Collier Hill, who has travelled the world throughout his career, (Canada was the seventh country he's raced in), gallantly fought back in the closing strides to prevail by a nose, equalling the closest finish in the history of the International since it became a turf classic in 1958. Mutafaweq also edged Williams News by the same margin in 2000.
Bill Sorokolit's homebred Sky Conqueror, ridden by Todd Kabel, came on for third, the best finish by the three Canadians in the race while Blue Monday, another British raider, wound up fourth.
The 2-1 favourite Kastoria, bidding to become only the sixth filly or mare to win the International, trailed the field for most of the trip before swinging out wide down the lane, but never threatened, eventually finishing eighth.
The time for the mile and one-half turf classic over a course which was listed as 'soft', was 2:37.34. "I did (think Go Deputy was going to go by
me),"said McKeown, who was celebrating his first ride in Canada. "But this horse is such a battler. He's been all over the world. We've been to Dubai, Germany, Sweden and he's won everywhere. As an eight-year-old, he's just an incredible horse, a very, very, talented horse that just doesn't get the recogni- tion he deserves."
Collier Hill, a son of Dr. Devious, became the sixth British-bred to win the International (Mutamam was the last do so in 2001). He also replaced six-year-old Mutamam as the oldest winner of the race and he became just the sixth gelding to win since 1958, the last being Canadian-bred Thornfield in 1999.
Last Answer and jockey Emile Ramsammy led the 10 horse field through most of the running leading by as much as five lengths, after six furlongs which was reached in 1:19.06.
Meanwhile, Collier Hill, who came into the race as the field's leading money winner, with over $1.9 million, was prominently placed in second through- out, before assuming command turning for home, with one quarter-mile remaining.
Said an elated Russell Hall, who co-owns Collier Hill, along with partners David Abell and Richard Crowe, "He's done very, very well, as he always does. He's an honest genuine horse. Wherever he goes, he's proud of himself and presents himself as a star."
Collier Hill, trained by Alan Swinbank, who was unable to make the trip to Woodbine, earned $1.2 million for his Pattison win, his second Group 1 success after a victory last year in the Irish St. Leger, pushing his career bankroll to over $3.1 million. It was his 14th win in 44 lifetime starts.
Michael Burns Photo - Courtesy of WEG
Photo Above - Hastings’ Leading Jockey Pedro Alvarado poses with Woodbine’s Leading Jockey Emma-Jayne Wilson (right) and Hastings’ former leading jockey and now a top jockey at Woodbine, Justin Stein (left). The two Woodbine based jockeys were at Hastings to compete in the BC Derby, which Pedro won aboard Halo Steven. Photo by Ralph Bower
Photo Left - The long and short of it! Pat Day and groom Edwin Weekes at the Chaplaincy BBQ in September
Photos clockwise from top left:
46-year-old jockey Dean McKeown is all smiles after winning the richest race of his career aboard Collier Hill (GB)
8-year-old gelding, Collier Hill, holds his head high as he is swarmed by the media and his handlers
Jockey Jose Valdivia Jr. is elated after his win aboard 3-year-old filly Arravale in the $1,000,000 G1 EP Taylor Stakes, held on International day at Woodbine on October 22, 2006.
Michael Burns Photo - Courtesy of WEG


































































































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