Page 19 - May 2008 The Game

Canada’s Thoroughbred Racing Newspaper Road to the Canadian Classics The Game, May 2008 19
The De Paulo out t is on the “road to the Queen’s Plate” with two very exceptional and gifted horses this year.
Since then he has come back in ’08 with a show nish in the Achievement Stakes, on April 12.
Additional Notes of Interest Reported by Stacie Roberts:
Gloriously (Indian Charlie - Glory’s Story) made her stakes debut in the Fury Stakes at Woodbine on April 27 and was second to Shilla by a head in her rst career defeat. Gloriously broke her maiden in a MSW event on March 1 at the Fair Grounds and followed that up with a win in a 7 furlong win in an allowance race at Keeneland on April 5.
Palmers with Assistant Trainer David Adams at Keeneland.
The D. Morgan Firestone owned, Seattle Hill (Slew City Slew - Jill’s Hill) won’t be making the Plate, according to trainer David Bell, “He is about to get ready to start training in Florida after a set back this winter.”
Trainer Robert Tiller says that the Frank DiGiulio Jr. owned, Cool Hand Duke (Trajectory - Dan’s Duchess), and the 3 Sons Racing Stable Ltd. owned, Diplomatic Impact (Perigee Moon - Stu- dio Affair), are “two maidens that can run a little but have a long way to go” when talking about the Queen’s Plate. “Cool Hand Duke, he can run but
I need to see how he develops. There are other programs for them both.” said Robert.
The Mike Doyle trained Fionn (pronounced n) (Mizzen Mast - Vacuna) is “absolutely going to the Plate”. “The horse was gelded after his last race. We are hoping that is why he ran so badly.” commented Mike who mentioned that the Eaton Thoroughbred owned gelding is getting a rest be- fore resuming training. “The Plate is where we are heading.”
Giquere raced only once as a two-year old and handily blew away the competition by ve lengths, last December. Continuing his training and racing in Florida, the young colt, showed that he was still a bit green when stretched out to a mile in a slow-paced event.
From the Mark Casse barn:
He came back to Woodbine this spring and his conditioner is content, “We were a little disappointed (in Florida), but, he has come back from his last race to work really well.”
It appears the big, strong chestnut is on the right path using the inaugural running of the Wando Stakes, as a prep, where he was pitted against stable-mate Deputi- former.
Meanwhile the gelding Deputiformer, is proven at longer distances winning the Cup & Saucer at 1 1/16 mile and nishing third, out by only a length and a quarter, in the 1 1/8 mile Coronation Futurity. As a two-year old, he earned $203,100, putting him
Giquere nished second to the Mark Casse trained, Ken- tucky-bred Bonanza in the 1 1/16 mile event.
Groom, Ricky Dookeran, has never worked with a Queen’s Plate contender, and is very proud to be with Giquere
Trainer Catherine Day Phillips mentioned that
the Usual Suspects Racing Stable owned, Bold Suspect (Bold Executive - Lady d’Jour) may stay in the Ontario sire ranks instead of the plate, “We’ll see how he runs today.” said Catherine on April 19. Bold Suspect nished seventh in the 6 1/2 furlong allowance, a race which was likely too short a distance.
Giquere’s groom,
Ricky Dookeran, is
happy to see that patience is paying off with him, “Last year we waited patiently, waiting and waiting and nally on the last day he showed us it was worth while. Now he has a once in a life time opportunity.”
On April 10 at Keeneland, Mark said he would be heading towards the Woodbine Oaks with Gloriously if she performed well in her next start.
among the higher earning freshmen at Woodbine.
Mark mentioned that all three of his nominated horses are being pointed towards the Plate however Grazettes Landing (Paynes Bay - Grazettes) (15-1 winterbook) is behind the eight ball because he has only had one work at 1/2 mile and is yet to run this year (as of April 10). Mark mentioned that East End Tap (20-1 winterbook) was disappointing in his rst start of the year and he is looking to run him at Woodbine to determine where he is at.
Trainer Todd Pletcher said the “game plan” with the 8-1 winterbook, Harlem Rocker (Macho Uno - Freedom Come) was the G3 Withers Stakes at Aqueduct (which he won easily on April 26) and if he stays on course he will go to the Plate Trial and “hopefully” the Plate.
The Mac Benson trained lly, Tiger Fling (Hold That Tiger - Meaningful Fling), owned by George Strawbridge’s Augustin Stables, has been training at Payson Park this winter. “She has yet to run on the Polytrack so we don’t know how she will like it.” says Assistant Barb when asked about heading to the Oaks, “She never started at two and has great turf ac- tion. She handled the turf really nice at Payson and was working ‘all right’ on the dirt. We’ll have to see how she handles the poly.”
Trainer Sandy McPherson mentioned that the Stephen Edwards owned Urn (Cat Thief - Ayanka) was still in Florida and a minor set back will keep him from going to the Plate. “He is a useful horses and should do well.” said Sandy, “He is well bred and has got some talent.”
Mark Casse has three horses in his barn, two of which are in the top ten winterbook picks.
Homebred, Knight’s Quest (Ascot Knight - Smart Alice) is “probably not far enough along to keep him nominated” mentioned Catherine.
Deputiformer, enjoying another mint, with his handler, Howie Pottins
Deputiformer has come around since being gelded last year as his handler, Howie Pottins, explains, “He was known as a bit of a “bad actor” last year and nobody wanted him, so that’s how I got him. Now (since being gelded), he’s everything you could want in a racehorse.”
Jamie Attard with Queen’s Plate hopeful Kesagami (Carson City - Gleaming Glory) (15-1 winterbook) owned by Jim Dandy Stable. “He is coming along very good.” said trainer Sid Attard, “We’ll run him in the Queenston. That’s the rst step, then hopefully towards the Plate. That is the plan.”
that he is proven at a mile and a sixteenth and a mile and an eighth should go a long way. Even though he wasn’t super- t against Big Brown, it was a good conditioning race, and he has come back to work real well down there (Florida) and now back here, at Woodbine.”
Eternal Charm (Silver Charm - Young Brodie) also owned by Jim Dandy Stable, “is taking a little longer to come around” and they are not sure if he is Queen’s Plate bound. “We’ll see.” said Sid.
Deputiformer nished a distance fth in the Wando Stakes, after staying with the rest and then attening out down the stretch.
Queen’s Plate
nominated, Marlang (Langfuhr - Marienburg), galloping out after a work on April 27, with Richard Dos Ramos in the irons. The Deborah England trained, Gus Schickedanz owned will be making his rst 3-year-old start on May 7.
Another notable from Mike De Paulo’s stable this year, is a bay colt by the name of Sun Hawk, who beat Deputiformer last year to break his maiden.
Also, training and racing down in Florida in ’08, the good looking bay, nished third behind Kentucky Derby favourite Big Brown in a race at Gulfstream Park.
Mark mentioned that Palmers (Grand Slam - Edey’s Village) (also 20-1 winterbook) was “ahead of the class” however that was before he nished out of the money in a 1 1/6 mile Allowance at Keeneland on April 12.
Mike De Paulo is pleased with his training, “The fact
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