Equinoctial Ramblings

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I'm one who likes to mark the passage of time or a play on numbers and dates here at the Space blog and today is no different. The autumnal equinox is upon us and when summer officially turns into fall you can count on a post that signals that championship racing is not far off...so let's get ready to ramble!

- The new NTRA social media chief seems to be making an impact. The tweets coming out @NTRA and the revamping of the NTRA Notebook are well, noteworthy. Check it out for yourself here.

- Is Super Saturday here yet?

- The Breeders' Cup wagering menu was released today and a new 50-cent Pick 5 was introduced on the first five races on both days. The 50-cent minimun will also be in place for trifectas, P-3's, P-4's and the new Pick 5 play.  A Ladies' Classic-Classic double will also be offered. Rolling Pick-3's throughout the card will continue to be the bet I most likely will be zoned in on.

- My next track invasion looks to be International Day up at Woodbine, really looking forward to a great day of turf racing up in Rexdale.

- Speaking of Canada, conditioner Mike dePaulo will be attempting to strike in the Grade 2 $1M Pennsylvania Derby with Pender Harbour, winner of the final two legs of the Canadian Triple Crown. Luis Contreras, who has been killing it at WO, will get the nod again on the 3-year old champ. His ML odds are 12-1, and I wouldn't count him out too quickly.

- Congrats to my fellow Buffalonian, The Turk and Little Turk, on his 3-year blog anniversary. The dude can flat out handicap and if spend some time reading his mantras and philosophies on playin' the ponies, you will come out of it much more knowledgeable then when you went in.

- I love Good n' Plentys, it's my candy of choice, especially when writing.

- Heading to Happy Valley this weekend, with a possible detour to Beaver Stadium for the Eastern Michigan game and my annual thrill of the scalp on College Avenue. The Toga Party champ has given me the green light with the appropriate chaperone.

- Nice to see the Kentucky Cup races return this year and not lose their graded status after not being run last year. Turfway Park will host five Cup races on Saturday, three of which are graded.

- Missing the Pats game this weekend due to the family trip, but will be tuned in on Sunday's ride back...check out this photo from the pre-game last weekend...not too shabby for a photo hack...

- Two weeks to Keeneland and the first Saturday of racing will be featured on NBC!

- My Friday News post is up at the Sports, Ink blog which discusses the new Fan Council created by the NYS Racing and Wagering Board and where to provide input for fan and horseplayer issues.

Have a great weekend and best of luck at the windows.

Space Invasion: Prince of Wales Day at Fort Erie

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Winning Jockey Luis Contreras

FORT ERIE -- On a sunny Sunday afternoon across the Peace Bridge at the border oval in Fort Erie, the second leg of the Canadian Triple Crown was won by my Post Time News selection Pender Harbour ($10.30) for trainer Mike DePaulo. Jockey Luis Contreras has now taken the first two legs of the Canadian Triple Crown after winning the Queen's Plate on Inglorious. He'll be looking for the jockey triple in the Breeders' Stakes at Woodbine on August 7.

Trainer Mike DePaulo sees no reason why he won't take a shot at the third leg in August, "His sire's sire is Kris S so he should love grass. He is very ratable so he doesn't have to go to the lead." He was very happy when I talked to him about grabbing Contreras as his jock at the draw last Wednesday, but he was glowing about his money jockey after the big race. "It was a genuine victory," said DePaulo, "Luis gave him a great ride."

We made it over by Race 3 after little trouble at the bridge, although once over the bridge I realized I had handicapped the card on Saturday night on my iPad, which wasn't in my possession. A quick technology lesson with the Space Gal had my selections over to me by the fourth race and we were in business.

There was a terrific crowd on hand due to the beautiful day dished up by the Southern Ontario weather gods. A nice breeze blew threough all day to keep it real and not a total sweatbath. TBA'er Jennifer Morrison was handling the simulcast handicapping along with Fort Erie Media maven Elissa Blowe for both of the stakes races.

Luis Contreras took four mounts on the day and New York Ranger Dan Girardi was on hand to judge hat contests and hand over the winning Prince of Wales trophy as the official draw master of the event.

It was great to see so many people at the track, the Tiki Bar was jammed and their wasn't a seat to be found in the (air conditioned) Race Book.

Local jock Krista Carignan took the $30K Fort Erie Slots Cup (in the 6th) on local favorite My Natalie over entry mate Gee Pari with Contreras aboard. Trainer Marty Drexler (who was a fabulous 7 for 9 going into the race) nabbed the trophy after My Natalie outlasted Gee Pari in the stretch.

Here are some photographs from the day's activities...

Jennifer Morrison and Elissa Blowe
working the simulcast

Contreras before his ride
on Magnificent Tiger in the 4th

Tapit's Brew started my
day off quite well

The Race Book was jamming

The Tiki Bar was hopping all day

Tiki location just before
the FE finish line

Jockeys head to their
mounts in the Fort Erie Slots Cup

Conditioner Marty Drexler
(no relation to the Glide)
gives Carignan and Contreras
instructions before the Slots
(finished 1-2)

DePaulo and Contreras before
the Prince of Wales

Pender Harbour in the post parade

Photo Finish in the Prince of Wales

The Goods

Fort(une) Seven

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Post Positions - Prince of Wales

I spent the early afternoon on Wednesday across the Peace Bridge for the Post Position Draw for the 76th running of the Prince of Wales Stakes. The $500,000 race will be held Sunday afternoon at the border oval at 1-3/16 miles on the dirt as seven horses will attempt to grab the second jewel of the Canadian Triple Crown.

As is well documented the Queen's Plate winner, the filly Inglorious has taken a pass in efforts to prepare for a date at the Spa and the Grade I Alabama Stakes in August.  However, her jockey Luis Contreras has jumped aboard Pender Harbour, the third place finisher in attempts to pull off a jockey triple.

I caught up with Pender Harbour's trainer Mike DePaulo and he granted me a few moments to discuss his horse's chances on Sunday, as well as the jockey change from Chantal Sutherland to Contreras. "Luis has worked the horse for me, even before the Victoria Park, where the horse ran dynamite. He had some trouble in that race. Chantal rode well, but didn't really know him and left him with too much to do," said DePaulo. "He came out of the race in great shape and he should have no trouble with the dirt and certainly no issue with the distance," DePaulo stated.

I asked him what the strategy on Sunday would be and he replied, "It'll be up to Luis, but I don't see him up there early, he's a stalking type horse, but he'll be closer to the group than in the Plate." He also mentioned that the border oval's long stretch drive should benefit Pender Harbour, "The stretch is longer than Toronto's (Woodbine), which should be to our advantage with a smaller field there should be less trouble.

I'm leaning towards the Philanthropist gelding who went off at odds of 15-1 in the Plate and finished strong. With the red-hot Contreras on board he should be a contender late.

Fellow TBA'er Jennifer Morrison sets the morning line at Fort Erie and establish Hippolytus as the 2-1 morning line favorite. Two Fort Erie jocks have mounts on two Wales horses. Krista Carignan, last year's leading rider at the Fort has the mount on Oh Canada and Emile Ramsammy will ride Oban.

New York Ranger defenseman Dan Girardi, a local from Welland, Ontario served as the Draw Master.

Here are some random shots of the day's festivities...

Track Announcer Mike Dimoff & NY Ranger Dan Girardi

Trainer Mike DePaulo answering questions
from Channel 4's Paul Peck and Channel 2's
Adam Benigni

The Prince of Wales Board (impressive)

It was a fun day and a bonus that I was able to spend some time with my pal Keith McCalmont who came down from Toronto to cover the event for the Woodbine Media Department. The race should be very competitive and a solid betting race with four horses less than or equal to 4-1 on the morning line.