EquiSpace: Canadian Triple Crown

Saturday, July 27, 2013

Prince of Wales Post Draw Recap

Prince of Wales Post Positions

This afternoon at the Race Office on the backstretch of Fort Erie Racetrack the post position draw for the 78th running of the $500,000 Prince of Wales Stakes was completed with Uncaptured, the 9-5 favorite drawing the rail. This year's race will take place on Tuesday evening at approximately 7:30 p.m. at the 116-year old race track when eight horses will go 1 3/16-miles on the 8th race of the card.

The event's drawmaster was Sam McComb (pictured above) who won the 1965 edition of the Prince of Wales aboard Good Old Mort (no video available). Mark Casse, similar to his entries in the Queen's Plate, entered four horses and will have half of the field for the second jewel of the Canadian Triple Crown restricted for 3-year-olds foaled in Canada.

Canada's richest race run on real dirt will feature three horses trained by Casse that are also owned by John C. Oxley. Dynamic Sky (3-1) and the filly, Spring in the Air (4-1) will join Uncaptured as the three Oxley horses in the race. Ironically they drew the first three posts. Casse was tempted to enter Uncaptured in the $1 million Grade 1 Haskell this weekend, but obviously a chance at a $300,000 payday against an easier field appealed more to Casse who will look to sweep the trifecta with his top 3 horses.

His fourth entry, Jagger M has also ran well on the dirt while at Gulfstream this winter and is the fourth choice on the morning line for owner Gabe Grossberg. Casse won last year's Prince of Wales with the filly, Dixie Strike after she finished third in the Plate. Spring in the Air finished third in this year's Plate and will try and duplicate Dixie Strike's path to the Fort's winner's circle. Casse has won the race twice, winning also with Gallant in 2009.

A horse to watch is River Seven, a finalist for 2-year-old colt in last year's Sovereign Awards, the year end awards for Canadian thoroughbreds. Trainer Nick Gonzalez has always seen the potential in River Seven who stumbled at the break in the Plate Trial and could never get it going in the Queen's Plate finishing 10th. He'll be a nice price on Tuesday, his morning line set at 12-1.

Gonzalez told me before the Plate that the son of Johannesburg that "River Seven is a way better horse than Midnight Aria," said Gonzalez, "I've been telling all my friends or whoever will listen that he's the faster horse." Midnight Aria, the winner of this year's Queen's Plate is getting a breather and will be sitting out the Prince of Wales. River Seven fired a bullet on July 21 on the Woodbine dirt training track going 5 furlongs in 1:00 in his first workout after the Plate.

Miguel Mena will come in to ride the talented Uncaptured for Casse and Joel Rosario will make the ride down the Thruway to make his first ever appearance at the border oval. Shaun Bridgmohan will also be making his Fort debut aboard Jagger M. Casse has hinted that a win by Uncaptured in the Prince of Wales could send him eastward to Saratoga for the Travers Stakes later next month.

Four horses in the field have never ran a race on a dirt surface, Rackman, River Seven, Niigon's Glory and Power Phil.

The two newcomers to the Triple Crown trail are the two outside horses, Niigon's Glory and Power Phil, both of whom skipped the Plate. Power Phil looks like he will be a pace factor as he looks like he may show some early speed. Trainer Robert Tiller, who like Casse has never won a Queen's Plate, has a Prince of Wales win under his belt, winning the 2001 race with Win City.

Niigon's Glory, a son of the 2004 Plate winner, Niigon, races for Chiefswood Stables and trainer Rachel Halden. He has finished second in three straight Ontario-bred allowance races recording three straight matching 69 Beyer figures.

For those wondering about my bridge times today. Over to Canada: 15 minutes; Back to USA: 55 minutes. One of the reasons I always hesitate heading over to the border oval, sometimes it can be a drag waiting on the bridge. Today, I took advantage by handicapping the Saratoga card and listening to the HRTV simulcast on satellite radio, so it wasn't as brutal as usual.

Here are the post positions, trainers, jockeys and odds for the eight horses entered in this year's race:

Prince of Wales Post Positions

PP Horse Trainer Jockey Odds

1 Uncaptured Casse Mena 9-5

2 Dynamic Sky Casse Rosario 3-1

3 Spring in the Air Casse Boulanger 4-1

4 Rackman Nosowenko McAleney 30-1

5 River Seven Gonzalez da Silva 12-1

6 Jagger M Casse Bridgmohan 6-1

7 Niigon's Glory Halden Bahen 15-1

8 Power Phil Tiller Contreras 12-1

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Prince of Wales field shaping up

The field for the 78th running of the Prince of Wales Stakes at Fort Erie Race Track is shaping up for next Tuesday night's second jewel of the Canadian Triple Crown and it looks like the race will attract nine starters. The probable starters is likely to include six returnees from the Queen's Plate on July 7 and three newcomers, one being the highly regarded Uncaptured for trainer Mark Casse, who will likely don the favorite's role with Plate winner Midnight Aria passing on the race as reported on by Toronto-based DRF writer Bill Tallon. Like the Preakness in the US, the second jewel is run at 1 3/16-miles.

In breaking with tradition at the 116-year-old border oval, the race will be run as the feature of a twilight card on a Tuesday evening. With Woodbine, Saratoga and Del Mar all dark on Tuesdays, optimism is high that the simulcast handle will increase from its usual home on Sunday afternoon. In addition, bridge traffic from the USA should be much lighter on a Tuesday evening. The race, the 8th on the card will go off somewhere around 7:30 p.m.

Here's a look at the probables for the race and some comments a week out from the race...

County Lineman

County Lineman ran 11th of 12 in the Plate and was never a factor. He only has one win in five career starts and his only effort on dirt, Fort Erie's surface, was a last place finish at Gulfstream last winter. The Silent Name (JPN) colt was a toss in the Plate and I can't see him doing much in here.

Dynamic Sky

Dynamic Sky was the show horse in the Plate beaten eight lengths by the eventual winner Midnight Aria after winning the Plate Trial. Casse will send three colts to the party in an attempt to win his second straight Prince of Wales. He won last year's edition with the filly, Dixie Strike who also finished third in the Plate and came back to win the second leg. Has had success on the dirt in the States winning the $100K Pasco at Tampa and finishing second to Falling Sky in the Sam F. Davis, the prep for the Tampa Bay Derby. It will be interesting if Casse can entice jockey Joel Rosario to take a trip down the Thruway from Saratoga to ride him again.

Jagger M

Jagger M finished fifth in the Plate beaten 11 lengths by the winner. He has some late closing speed, so he will need some pace to run into and he might get it if Power Phil goes in the race and is tracked by Uncaptured. He's a sneaky colt who could jump into the trifecta or superfecta.

Niigon's Glory has finished second in three straight Ontario-sired allowance races, one against probable Power Phil. Trained by Rachel Halden, the son of the Plate winner Niigon would likely have Steven Bahen aboard, as he is Halden's fiancee and rides most of her mounts. He seems to be over his head against this field.

Power Phil is another newcomer and looks to be the speed in the race. Has faced similar company losing to Pyrite Mountain by a nose in the $125K Kingarvie as a 2-year-old last December. The son of Philanthropist shouldn't have a problem with the distance and if no one challenges could get away with highway robbery, but after the pace scenario at the Plate, I doubt that will happen again.

Pyrite Mountain

Pyrite Mountain burned a lot of cash at the windows in the Plate after being a buzz horse before the race. He has not been the same horse since he upset Uncaptured in the $100K Wando Stakes on Derby weekend finishing a disappointing fourth as the favorite in the Plate Trial and an unenthusiastic seventh beaten 20 lengths in the Plate. Horse seems to be a bit of an enigma and you can't be sure which one will show up next Tuesday. Has never run on dirt, but Woodbine horses rarely have issues transitioning to the dirt.

Rackman

Finishing behind County Lineman in last was Rackman, a late entry to the Plate who didn't really seem to belong. The Nosowenkos are riding it out though and trying again in the Prince of Wales. You can't win 'em if you don't run 'em a trainer once told me. A good bet to finish last again, will be a big number on Tuesday.

River Seven

Nick Gonzalez will try to win his first Prince of Wales with River Seven after capturing his second Plate earlier in the month at Woodbine with Midnight Aria. The Fort Erie-based trainer is high on the Johannesburg colt and even told me several times he thinks he's the better horse of his two Plate entries. He's trained well on the dirt in the past and isn't worried about his first race on the real stuff. He wasn't exerted in the Plate, cashing it in on the far turn, as it just wasn't his day, so he may be ready to fire next Tuesday. Would be a sentimental win for Gonzalez who still has a shot for a trainer Triple Crown. Tucci Stables owners of this year's Plate winner are also the owners of River Seven.

Uncaptured
(Photo credit: Michael Burns)

The probable favorite will be Uncaptured who last raced in Louisville finishing second in the Matt Winn Stakes at Churchill behind Code West who is headed to the Jim Dandy this weekend. When I spoke with trainer Mark Casse before the Plate he was contemplating running Uncaptured in the Haskell, especially if either Dynamic Sky or Spring in the Air ran well in the Plate to keep them separated. He also indicated the purse difference and stallion potential with a win in the Haskell versus the restricted Prince of Wales. But here we sit, with Uncaptured looking to be present across the border come next week. He has fared exceptionally well at Churchill on the dirt winning a Grade 2 and finishing second in two Grade 3 races. He will be the class of the race and could be odds-on at post time.

The Post Draw is set for Noon on Saturday at Fort Erie l and we'll post the gate and morning line odds here at the Space Station as we approach the biggest and richest race run at the border oval this year. A race that a mere five months ago was almost an after-thought with the issues at the southern Ontario racetrack.

Monday, July 8, 2013

Queen's Plate 2013: The Day in Pictures

Photo Courtesy: Mike Burns Photography Ltd.

That's Midnight Aria on the right holding off the charging favorite, Up With the Birds to win the 154th Queen's Plate at a rain-soaked Woodbine Racetrack. It was a fun day up with our neighbors to the north as I covered the big race for The Buffalo News. My advance on winning trainer Nick Gonzalez had Midnight Aria ($35.20) on top for a nice 16-1 hit. I also wrote a piece for the #QP2013 website on trainer Mark Casse. The Woodbine Media office did a great job promoting the race on social media and the handle showed some of those affects with a record-setting $9.7M for a Plate day.

My post race recap for The Buffalo News highlighted the upcoming second jewel of the Canadian Triple Crown which will be run at beautiful Fort Erie Racetrack on Tuesday July 30 during a twilight racing card at the border oval. The home-based Gonzalez has never won the Prince of Wales and would be a feather in the cap of the two-time Plate winning trainer.

I was happy for the Tuccis, nephew Lou and his uncle Carlo who have been chasing the Plate dream for over 40 years. I caught them about a half hour before the Plate draw breakfast and they were the first owners that had shown up for the draw and seemed like kids in a candy store, so excited to be a part of the race. They certainly cashed in on Midnight Aria who they claimed at Gulfstream Park for $35,000 and have now won a $1 million race.

It'll be interesting to see who Mark Casse sends down to the Fort. In my conversations with him last week he mentioned if either of the two Oxley horses (Dynamic Sky and Spring in the Air) performed well in the Plate he would likely send them to Fort Erie. His other top colt, Uncaptured, second in the G3 Matt Winn at Churchill several weeks ago would then likely be sent to the Haskell. It should be interesting to see what he does with Dynamic Sky finishing third in the Plate.

Here are some pictures from Queen's Plate day at Woodbine:

Beautiful Woodbine Racetrack
Press Box view

Jockey Gerry Olquin

Caton Bredar interview Olquin
at the HorsePlayerNow tent
Jeremy Plonk looks on

Food Trucks Galore

Night School Tent was doing
brisk business teaching newbies the game

Woodbine facade

Hard Not to Like - Johnny V up

Irish Mission - Alex Solis up

Moment of Majesty - Joel Rosario was in the house

Solid Appeal - Jesse Campbell up

Trainer Mark Casse with
the Oxleys trailing

Boom Shakalaka

Solid Appeal captures the $200K G2 Dance Smartly

Campbell had a pretty big day

Solid Appeal - Win Photo

Bath Time - Solid Appeal

And then this happened....

Call to the Post for QP 154

Midnight Aria - Campbell up

Third place finisher Dynamic Sky
Rosario in the irons

Spring in the Air - Gary Boulanger
had the mount

Eurico Rosa da Silva on Up With the Birds

Rainy Woodbine grandstand

First time by in the Plate with
lone speed Midnight Aria on the engine

Tucci Stables
Gonzalez fists up in background

Lou Tucci parading the winner
past the grandstand

Campbell tossing flowers
from the Queen's Plate blanket in the air

That's a wrap from Woodbine and the Queen's Plate, hope you enjoyed the coverage.

Friday, July 5, 2013

Casse seeks elusive Plate win #QP2013

Trainer Mark Casse with
Owner John C. Oxley

TORONTO – It's the one race in Canada that has eluded him in 35 years of training thoroughbreds.

Five-time Sovereign Award winning trainer Mark Casse has achieved almost everything possible when it comes to thoroughbred racing in Canada. The one missing victory in a training career approaching 10,000 starts is a win in the Queen’s Plate, Canada’s most famous horse race.

The first leg of Canada's triple crown on Sunday afternoon at Woodbine Racetrack will be the 154th running of the $1 million race and Casse will send four starters to the gate seeking that elusive first Plate victory. He is winless in 13 attempts at capturing the Gallop for the Guineas with his best finish being a second place result in 2011 with 61-1 shot Hippolytus.

Last year he thought he had a solid shot at getting the monkey off his back with his filly Dixie Strike, who came back to win the Prince of Wales Stakes at Fort Erie after finishing third in the Plate. "I decided after last year when I thought I had good shot to win it, that I'm not making any more predictions. I'm starting to feel like Todd Pletcher does in the Kentucky Derby," said Casse.

His two top chances are owned by John C. Oxley, who four years ago started using Casse regularly with much success. The filly Spring in the Air has faced top competition, including three Grade 1 fields over the past year, looks to have a big shot at getting Casse into the Plate winner's circle. "Of all four of the horses, the horse training the best so far is Spring in the Air. If she could come up with the effort she gave in the [Grade 1] Alcibiades last year, she may be our best chance."

CONTINUE READING AT QUEENSPLATE.COM

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Barber, MGM chief, hopes Kaigun is Plate-ready

MGM CEO and Chair Gary Barber

Thoroughbred racing has its share of prominent owners and MGM CEO Gary Barber fits the bill as his Ontario-bred colt Kaigun will try to win the 154th edition of the Queen's Plate on Sunday afternoon at Woodbine Racetrack. Barber took over the sole title of chairman and CEO of the Lion last October when his longtime partner and co-chairman Roger Birnbaum shed the title to produce exclusively for MGM full-time. The two had been partners since the mid-1990's in Spyglass Entertainment producing such successes as The Sixth Sense and Seabiscuit.

MGM which emerged from bankruptcy several years ago has undergone a renaissance since Barber and Birnbaum took over the reigns. Barber is the money guy as he is a former chartered and certified public accountant. In the first quarter of 2013, MGM continues to show large increases in revenues (168 percent over the first quarter of 2012) attributed mainly from theatrical revenues spurred from the movies Skyfall and The Hobbit according to the most recent quarterly report filed with the SEC.

Barber has long been involved with horse racing and according to his Breeders' Cup bio he owns nearly 50 thoroughbreds through various ownership interests with about half of them in training. Trainer Mark Casse trains eight of those horses, five of which are stakes winners. Barber with his partners from Quintessential Racing will start Kaigun, the lightly raced son of Northern Afleet, the sire of multiple-Classic winner Afleet Alex.

I caught up with Casse on Monday and you can tell he enjoys training for Barber continually touting him as "one of the good guys" of the sport. Later in the day Casse and Barber would team up to produce a track record with their 4-year old sensation Delegation who covered the mile and a quarter Dominion Day Stakes in 2:01.51 winning by nine and one-quarter lengths. The previous track record belonged to Strait of Dover set in last year's Queen's Plate.

Justin Stein, the rider of last year's Plate winner will get the call aboard Kaigun who worked five furlongs on Saturday in 1:00.2. With Gary Boulanger having to make a commitment on Spring in the Air early, the door was open for Stein to get the mount on Kaigun and Casse thinks the horse and jockey "will fit nicely together."

Boulanger who rode horses for Casse during the winter as part of his comeback worked Kaigun and grew fond of the chestnut colt. Gary thought so much of him he drove from Ocala to Lexington, a 12-12 hour trip just to ride him in his maiden race at Keeneland. He worked Kaigun the other day. We've been 50-50 whether Kaigun was going to run and we needed a commitment on Spring in the Air so he went ahead and made the commitment before we even knew Kaigun was going to run," said Casse.

He's a developing horse who broke his maiden in his next race at Woodbine and then finished seventh in the Plate Trial over five lengths behind the winner Dynamic Sky. Casse admittedly knows they are taking a shot with Kaigun, but he raved over his talent level during our conversation.

For Gary Barber, a win on Sunday would be the perfect script for this year's Queen's Plate.

Sunday, July 15, 2012

Striking a Pose at the Fort

Dixie Strike wins the Prince of Wales

It was a beautiful day at the border oval as the filly Dixie Strike ($7.90), with Patrick Husbands aboard, won the 77th running of the Prince of Wales at Fort Erie Race Track covering the 1 3/16-miles in a modest 1:57.54. After some light morning rain, the day turned out to be just spectacular with the sun shining over Southern Ontario for the entire 11-race card and on John Oxley's filly who redeemed herself after a poor outing in the Woodbine Oaks and a third place finish in the Queen's Plate. I was a happy guy as I picked him on top in this Friday's TBN blog, so that works (and I cashed a few bets too!). She became the first filly to win Canada's second leg of its Triple Crown since Gandria in 1999.

She made a late move to duel for a moment with Roger Attfield's Colleen's Sailor who faded to third in deep stretch. Ultimate Destiny completed an $84.50 exacta by passing Attfield's horse on the rail. The Hall of Fame trainer was looking for his sixth Prince of Wales victory.

I spent the day roaming the grounds at the old race track which seemed to come alive with the biggest crowd I've ever seen there in the past five years. The reserved seating grandstands above the old slots parlor were open for the first time since I've been coming to the track. The place had a great vibe, it's a shame that it could be the last Prince of Wales to run at the border oval.

Some interesting tidbits from the post race press conference, were that trainer Mark Casse really likes the way this filly runs on dirt and he didn't rule out the possibility to bring her to Saratoga for the Grade 1 Alabama. He praised the filly's dam, Noble Strike, a Smart Strike mare, who also was last year's Plate champion Inglorious' mother. I hope he gives her a shot at Saratoga.

He also mentioned that his colt, Prospective, who ran in the Kentucky Derby, will run next in two weeks, either in the Jim Dandy at Saratoga or at Monmouth in the Haskell.

Here are a few photos from my fun-filled day at the Fort: