Over 200 owners, breeders, trainers and other sectors of the industry turned out for The Horse Racing Committee open forum Tuesday, July 27, 2010 at the Boulevard Casino in Coquitlam, the largest turnout for a horsemen´s meeting in a very long time.
More...The New Jersey Mr. Christie doesn´t make good cookies. Many of his slash and burn fiscal policies are hard to swallow as well.
More...Richard Bonnycastle´s Harlequin Ranches and Partners´ Spice Route will be cutting back to 9 furlongs in Saturday´s $300,000 Nijinsky Stakes GIIC on Woodbine´s Turf Course.
More...50 beautiful young thoroughbreds 2-5 yr olds including brood mares will be heading to the meat market on Monday in Chase BC! Well bred and unraced.
More...Under strict conditions imposed by the CHRB at their Thursday, July 22, 2010 meeting Patrick Valenzuela was again given a conditional license to ride in California.
More...The thoroughbred industry continually complains that lack of stars who stick around for any period of time hurts the industry. Yet when a mare like Tuscan Evening, who was shooting for her 6th consecutive Graded Stakes win in 2010 in last Saturday´s Modesty Handicap at Arlington, comes along the industry blows the tremendous marketing opportunity.
More...Have you ever liked a racehorse just because?
More...Richard Bonnycastle´s Harlequin Ranches´ Sedona Miss breaks from the 5 hole with apprentice Ryan Pacheco in the saddle in the Strawberry Morn Handicap for fillies and mares going 1-1/16 miles at Hastings park on Saturday, July 17.
More...Noticed that Northlands has hired a couple of media veterans for their marketing department. Would have loved to be a fly on the wall for the interviews.
More...Richard Bonnycastle´s Harlequin Ranches´ Alberta-bred Free Fee Lady drew away to a four-length win in the $250,000 Bison City Stakes at Woodbine July 11, earning $157,500 for her second win in three starts.
More...Gio Ponti, who´s half brother Fisher Pond stands at Paddockhurst Stables, Nisku Alberta, overcame a pace so pedestrian even a harness caller wouldn´t have had trouble and a not so stellar ride to jump back into the win column in Saturday´s Man o´ War at Belmont.
Bloodhorse - Gio Ponti Up Late
More...While Big Red Mike and the Queen hogged the spotlight at Woodbine on Sunday, Richard Bonnycastle´s Harlequin Ranches´ and Partners´ Spice Route closed on the million mark with his victory in the Singspiel scant days after the race´s namesake succumbed to laminitis.
More...The first leg of Canada´s (Ontario´s) Triple Crown, The Queen´s Plate, goes this afternoon on the Woodbine polyfluff on July 4, American Independence Day.
More...The first nomination fee of $100 for the 65th running of the BC Derby is due July 1.
The purse has just been increased by $50,000 with the help of the British Columbia Lottery Corporation bringing the purse to $150,000.00. General Manager Raj Mutti is also looking to add at least one more sponsor to Derby Day in an attempt to bring it up to $200,000.00 before Derby Day on Sunday, September 26th, 2010.
More...Hastings Racecourse General Manager Raj Mutti and Stephen Bain, Regional Manager, Food & Beverages, are pleased to announce that the racetrack´s food primary license application has been approved and minors are again welcome to join their families in Silks Restaurant.
More...Hope Springs Eternal at Saratoga
More...Marketing Manager, Racing and Gaming More...
Once Chiarelli and the Bruins traded for Nathan Horton it was obvious they knew how the first 2 picks of the NHL 2010 draft would shake out. Boston would not part with sufficient assets to switch places with the Oilers and take Hall and the Oilers couldn´t satisfy Boston´s requirements to part with the 2nd pick so they could take both Hall and Seguin.
More...New trainer on the block, Jean Louis Gagnon, claimed Trouble n Me out of Wednesday June 23´s 8th race for Sharondale Racing Stable. There´s still plenty of enthusiasm for thoroughbred racing in the province of Alberta. Just can´t let the Powers That B kill it.
More...Phil´s never been much of a Kobe Bryant fan, but after the Lakers´ gruelling win in game 7 of the NBA Finals, you gotta give credit where credit´s due. Bryant may never match MJ´s 6 NBA championships, and he doesn´t have a Larry Bird, but what he´s done in today´s free agent era astounds.
More...Saturday June 19, 2010 marks the 83rd running of The Western Canada Stakes for 3 year olds going 6 furlongs on Northlands park dirt.
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With the last leg of the Triple Crown run, the Breeders´ Cup still months away and Edmonton Northlands completely destroying Phil´s interest in Northlands´ thoroughbred racing, Phil won´t be posting as often. Probably once a week for the next few months, either Friday, Sunday or Monday.
More...Amended Hastings park Stakes Schedule and Purses
Date Stake Name Type S Dis Amount
More...Revised Purse adjustments as of June 11,2010
The Horse Racing Committee, HBPA, CTHS and HEI have agreed to adjust purses as listed below to keep the purse pool within the allocation of funds. There will be several adjustments to the Stake Pool.
More...As Drosselmeyer crossed the finish line in the Belmont Phil was reminded of John Wooden spending days teaching his teams the proper method to put their socks on and tie their shoelaces. Mott had the right shoes on for training with Drosselmeyer´s tender feet and he was rewarded.
More...Even without a Triple Crown on the line, the 2010 Belmont has garnered more press coverage than the Kentucky Derby. Much of the extra press coverage stems from the fact that the race is conducted in one of the 2 largest markets in the US.
More...All´s not so quiet on the Balzac front
At today´s CCAA hearing in Calgary one of the creditors made an amended proposal to buy out a number of the secured creditors and be the only mortgagee. The conditions of the initial Offer were amended sufficiently to obtain approvals and the offer was accepted by the Court.
More...NYRA is offering a $1 Million Guaranteed All Graded Stakes Pick 4 and a $1 Million Guaranteed All Graded Stakes Pick 6 on Belmont Stakes Day, Saturday, June 5, along with a two-day Daily Double starting Friday, June 4, linking the Brooklyn Handicap with the Belmont Stakes.
More...NYRA is offering a $1 Million Guaranteed All Graded Stakes Pick 4 and a $1 Million Guaranteed All Graded Stakes Pick 6 on Belmont Stakes Day, Saturday, June 5, along with a two-day Daily Double starting Friday, June 4, linking the Brooklyn Handicap with the Belmont Stakes.
More...A week to the Belmont and thanks to Gov. Paterson loaning NYRA the monies to make up for the New York owned OTBs not paying NYRA for its signal the race is slowly inching up to the top of the chart.
More...Less than 2 weeks to the Belmont and the headline news in New York is not the race, but the possible shuttering of three New York thoroughbred tracks and the New York City OTBs.
More...Joe Torre must have brought Zenyatta to the locker room to have a chat with the boys of summer as the Dodgers have been on a tear winning 9 in a row, before falling to the Padres on Wednesday.
More...Special Announcement on Purse Pool Adjustments.
May 15, 2010
More...Neville E Davis´ Alberta bred Arkhill, winner of the last Alberta Derby held at Stampede Park in Calgary in 2008, made his successful season debut in Hastings Park 7th race Saturday May 15, 2010 going 6 ½ furlongs in 117.06 for a 1 1/4 length victory in an Allowance Optional claimer for a purse of $28,300.
More...Neville E Davis´ Alberta bred Arkhill, winner of the last Alberta Derby held at Stampede Park in Calgary in 2008, makes his season debut in Hastings Park 7th race Saturday May 15, 2010 going 6 ½ furlongs in an Allowance Optional claimer for a purse of $28,300
More...North American thoroughbred racing pines for the next Triple Crown winner. To keep proper perspective thoroughbred racing need look no further than the home of Arlington Park, where the National League team that plays on the north side, the Chicago Cubs, haven´t won a World Series in over a century.
1908 was the last year the Chicago Cubs won the World Series.
More...Betty White may have thrilled millions of seniors in nursing homes with her remarkable performance last Saturday, but hosting SNL when your 88 ½ is peanuts compared to what these legends will be doing on Friday, May 14, 2010 at Pimlico.
More...TO MY MOTHER
by Edgar Allan Poe
Because I feel that, in the Heavens above,
The angels, whispering to one another,
More...Except for Jaraslav Halak, the Washington Capitals would have won the Stanley Cup. Except for Calvin Borel, Icebox would have won the Kentucky Derby.
More...On Saturday morning Phil e-mailed John Pricci´s Derby picks to the Ennead. Phil is hoping that the Ennead listened to Pricci and flat bet Super Saver at 8 - 1. Phil wasn´t. Last fall Phil sent out Pricci´s Picks on Gitano Hernando and Hot Cha Cha. Remembered to flat bet those, but suffered gimmick overload and had nothing flat in Derby.
More...Biggest race day in the spring and CDI does its Alberta impression and cuts out dime superfectas and 50-cent trifectas.
"In what could only be greed as motivator, there will be no Dime Superfectas or 50-Cent Trifectas available on the Derby.
More...While Lookin at Lucky´s the epitome of a misnomer, Blind Luck´s what her owners have. How else can you explain no one stepping up with 40K when she cracked her maiden. She´s made over 30 times that to date and left thousands out there saying if only.
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