Turf Weekend (Part 2)

Here is Part 2 of the Woodbine preview which includes a preview of three stakes races on the card.


5th Race - Woodbine - Sunday, September 18th, 2011
STAKES. 1 1/8 Mile About Turf. Purse $300,000. Canadian S. (Grade 2). FOR FILLIES AND MARES, THREE-YEAR-OLDS AND UPWARD. (02:59 PM) (14)
PP Horse A/S M/E Wgt Jockey Trainer
1 Perfect Shirl 4 F L 119 Husbands Patrick Attfield Roger L.
2 Fantasia (GB) 5 M L 119 Maragh Rajiv Sheppard Jonathan E.
3 Magic Broomstick 5 M L 113 Wilson Emma-Jayne Frostad Mark R.
4 Mekong Melody (IRE) 6 M 119 Velazquez John R. Attfield Roger L.
5 Forest Uproar 5 M L 113 Moreno Omar Frostad Mark R.
6 Bay To Bay 4 F L 121 Contreras Luis Lynch Brian A.
7 Woolly Bear 5 M L 113 Dos Ramos Richard Anthony England Deborah
8 Shared Account 5 M L 121 Prado Edgar S. Motion H. Graham
9 Never Retreat 6 M L 121 Leparoux Julien R. Block Chris M.
10 Hooh Why 5 M L 113 Stein Justin Hoffman Mark
11 Miss Keller (IRE) 5 M L 119 Gomez Garrett K. Attfield Roger L.
12 Apple Charlotte 4 F L 113 Russell Sheldon Motion H. Graham
13 Zagora (FR) 4 F L 124 Castellano Javier Brown Chad C.
14 Stars To Shine 4 F L 115 Buick William T. Frostad Mark R.

A wide open affair with many of fillies who have a big chance. Hooh Why is a filly who has been a bit under the radar her entire career, even though she is a G1 winner. Shared Account is the defending BC F/M Turf winner, Zagora won the Diana up at Saratoga, and Perfect Shirl's brother Shakespeare won the Woodbine Mile back in 2007. I'm going with Miss Keller in this race. Yes she is has not been the same horse this year, however she is the defending champion of this race. Fantasia for second and Hooh Why for third.


8th Race - Woodbine - Sunday, September 18th, 2011
STAKES. 1 1/2 Mile Turf. Purse $500,000. Northern Dancer Turf S. (Grade 1). FOR THREE-YEAR-OLDS AND UPWARD. (04:34 PM) (8)
PP Horse A/S M/E Wgt Jockey Trainer
1 Hotep 4 C L 119 Wilson Emma-Jayne Frostad Mark R.
2 Bourbon Bay 5 G L 123 Talamo Joseph Drysdale Neil D.
3 Hailstone 4 C L 119 Leparoux Julien R. Casse Mark E.
4 Wigmore Hall (IRE) 4 G L 123 Spencer Jamie P. Bell Michael L. W.
5 Simmard 6 H L 119 Husbands Patrick Attfield Roger L.
6 Seaside Retreat 8 G L 119 Contreras Luis Casse Mark E.
7 Laureate Conductor 5 H L 119 Stein Justin De Paulo Michael P.
8 Al Khali 5 R L 121 Garcia Alan Mott William I.

Wigmore Hall has been a world traveler and is coming off a 4th place finish in the Million. Seaside Retreat is making his first stakes start since 2008. Bourbon Bay is coming off a head loss after being scratched out of the Pacific Classic. So who wins? I would love to see Al Khali finally break through and get his G1 win. He's been a bit of a forgotten horse in his sire's first crop. Bourbon Bay for second and Wigmore Hall for third.

10th Race - Woodbine - Sunday, September 18th, 2011
STAKES. 1 Mile Turf. Purse $1,000,000. Ricoh Woodbine Mile S. (Grade 1). FOR THREE-YEAR-OLDS AND UPWARD. (05:42 PM) (12)
PP Horse A/S M/E Wgt Jockey Trainer
1 Hollinger 4 G L 117 Pizarro Tyler Attfield Roger L.
2 Forte Dei Marmi (GB) 5 G L 117 Velazquez John R. Attfield Roger L.
3 Woodbourne 7 G L 117 Wilson Emma-Jayne Tiller Robert P.
4 Courageous Cat 5 H L 124 Valenzuela Patrick A. Mott William I.
5 Right One (FR) 5 G L 119 Gomez Garrett K. Clement Christophe
6 Grand Adventure 5 H L 119 Husbands Patrick Frostad Mark R.
7 Riding The River 4 G L 117 Dos Ramos Richard Anthony Cotey David
8 Turallure 4 C L 121 Leparoux Julien R. Lopresti Charles
9 Side Glance (GB) 4 G 119 Fortune Jimmy Balding Andrew
10 Kara's Orientation 4 C L 121 Ramsammy Emile Chircop Steven
11 Dance And Dance (IRE) 5 G L 117 Spencer Jamie P. Vaughan Edward
12 Court Vision 6 H L 121 Albarado Robby Romans Dale L.

Historically speaking, this race has not been kind to Europeans. Also, outside posts do not have the greatest record as all. Add into the fact, that he has his third different trainer in his career, the odds are stacked against Court Vision. Earlier this year, Courageous Cat's jockey, Pat Valenzuela threw down the gauntlet towards Goldikova's connections. This is his first race since July. The best finisher coming out of the local prep race, the Play the King is Grand Adventure. He was 6th in the race and has been going backwards in his starts. Hollinger was the 2yo Champion a few years ago, but has had injury issues. So who is my pick? I am a stubborn girl and I gotta go with my heart on this. My pick for this year's Woodbine Mile is Court Vision. Sure he's not the same horse, but this is his final year running. I would love to see him go out with a bang. Courageous Cat for second and Kara's Orientation for third.

Most importantly, I hope that all the horses come back safe and sound! I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend, until next week!