Monster Milers Invade Toronto

Canada Mile
Grade I
One mile
Firm Turf
$1,000,000
All horses, 3 years old and up

 

  
PP   Horse             Owner        Jockey          Odds 
1  HOEGAARDEN(KY)  simsters6  V Townsend  7/1 
2  VICTORY BUDA(KY)  lacostra  P Ashmore  6/1 
3  BASKETBALL JONES(KY)  guyinchlt  B Renfroe  6/1 
4  SENOR ANZIO  elranchoti  T Sherr  5/1 
5  MESA DREAM  jerkstable  M Ritchie  18/1 
6  YASUTORA(CO)  daedalus  R Heenan  14/1 
7  SHOULDN’T MATTER(IRE)  seekgold  S Bauder  11/1 
8  SEVERE WARNING(IRE)  fairhaven5  N Linville  10/1 
9  TIPPY’S LOVE  relaytx  K Wakeman  8/1 
10  FIVE STAR CADET(GB)  desperado4  Mo Johnson  6/1 
11  URBAN SPEED ZONE(IRE)  commbank  T King  10/1 
12  GEORGE W. LOSER  monimonica  R Toral  99/1 
13  BENDIGO  cuprunners  K McCafferty  13/1 
14  TEN BUCKS  tsunami95  R Tatersall  99/1 

 

 

Which race would you most like to win?  The Bluegrass Derby?  Breeders Bowl Classic?  2000 Guineas?  Perhaps the Breeders Bowl Turf or the Garr Memorial?

 

 

For me it is The Canada Mile.

 

 

Say what?

 

 

The Canada Mile.

 

 

To make a short story long, I have a Canada Mile fetish.  It started when I was a relative newbie.  I had one good horse.  His name was July War.  And somehow he amassed enough stakes points to earn a starting spot in the 2001 Canada Mile.

 

 

I was so excited to be racing in what many said was the best field of turf milers ever assembled at the time. Collectively they earned over $30,000,000.00 and many Grade I victories.

At one point in the race, July War was surrounded by eventual winner Used Bandaid, Starke Storm, Enough Knock and Buda With The Slew.  My guy battled long and hard but in the long run couldn’t keep pace with those legendary milers all the way to the wire.  He was the longest price on the board but did manage to beat three horses.  The entire experience remains a very fond memory.

I returned to Ontario loaded for bear in 2004. So I thought.  But Twice Told Tale couldn’t quite reach. Finished a game second.  I really wanted that one

I tried again in 2006 with Manifest Destiny.  The big Storm Cat colt was as good as I could get him.  But, alas, The Canada Mile was apparently not meant to be listed among his Grade I victories.  Destiny’s third place finish did nothing but increase my frustration.

 

 

I didn’t think I had anything worthy of consideration in either 2007 or this year.  But looking at some of the entries, I wonder.  But hey, I’ll be back.  Perhaps sooner.  Maybe later.  But I will be back.

 

 

In the meantime, it is my distinct privilege to cover the 2008 renewal of The Canada Mile for the Black Type Bugler.  Here are the starters in post position order.

 

 

Breaking from gate one will be The Evil Empire’s deep closer, Hoegaarden(KY).  Lenny’s  homebred is best remembered as the upset victor in last December’s Grade I Penn Mile.  In that event, Hoegaarden came flying down the middle of the racetrack to nip pace setting Rock Ballad by a scant nose on the wire.  The rangy Gone West colt covered the grassy mile in a blazing 1:33 ^4/5, good for a 114 speed figure. He remains in solid form having run past half the field in each of his last two starts.  If not given too much to do, may run past them all on Saturday. 

 

 

Next in line comes Topicount Stables’ Victory Buda(KY).  Laura’s Victory Gallop four year old has excelled in long sprints.  The son of brilliant broodmare Freedom’s Sal became his dam’s first graded winner last time out when he took down a strong field in the 7.5 furlong Grade III Epsom Turf Special over a good track.  But even before that race, all four of Freedom Sal’s offspring were stakes winners.  Victory Buda has won a stake at a mile already so the distance won’t preclude his becoming mom’s first Grade I winner.

 

  

 

Basketball Jones, I got a Basketball Jones.   Got a Basketball Jones, oh baby, oo-oo-ooo.  I love the song and the horse both.  Great Plains based Fabman trains the Equinics gold medalist.  Basketball Jones(KY) has won three grade I races in his last four starts.  Most recently, Brad’s monster squished the life out of an outstanding group in Equinics’ Michael J. Fox.  The big Smarty Jones colt’s most impressive win is arguably his annihilation of eight other graded winners in the Grade I All Comers Stake in which he posted an eye popping 118 speed rating.  Bottom line, if the only foal of the Seattle Slew matron Upper Crust fires his best shot, the rest are running for place.

 

 

Veteran conditioner Seveii sends out race favorite Senor Anzio.  Seveii has his son of E Dubai in peak form as evidenced by consecutive graded wins at a mile on the grass.  Two back Senor Anzio demolished a full field in Newmarket’s Grade III High Lady Cup coming from way, way back to post a going away victory in 1:33 ^3/5.  Last time out the six year old war horse was equally impressive in dispatching a solid field in the Grade I Jack The Man Stakes in Paris.  Don’t care for the price considering the quality of his competition, but certainly capable of winning again and deserves respect.

 

 

Mesa Dream is a tough old bird who won her share of added money events back in the day.  I met with the Sky Mesa mare’s sultry and mysterious owner at her place of employment, a grocery store, of all places.  Who would ever suspect finding someone who looked like her working in a meat locker?  Man it was cold in there!  I asked her about the decision to try a Grade I with her six year old.  “Well, you know, Mr. Bonus, there are a few people up in arms about certain individuals supposedly disrespecting the game by entering claimers in Grade I races that don’t fill.  The Canada Mile didn’t fill.  There are a couple of horses in here that make my mare look like Rags To Riches.  So I tossed her in.  You got a problem with that?”

 

 

I assured her I didn’t and asked if we could continue our discussion in warmer climes.  “Follow me to the deli, ” she said with a wink.  “You look like you could use a ham on rye and some hot soup.” 

 

 

Much more comfortable.  Great lunch, too.  Now I can use some of my BTB per diem to make a few wagers!  The lady continued, “Anyway, I don’t know what the answer is.  Where do you draw the line?  I mean, c’mon!  Do they want us (owners/trainers) to sign an affidavit attesting to the fact that we are actually interested in winning and not just in earning BPs or making political statements?  I’ll race anywhere I please until Big Brother locks the entry box.  If someone doesn’t like it, tough beans!” 

 

 

 

On to a real contender.  Perhaps the bargain of the century.  14-1 on 3YO Yasutora(CO) cannot be passed up.  Now I know where my per diem cash is going.  Ace’s colt has been lights out against the very best in his division.  Look at his last three starts.  Three back he won the rich and extremely prestigious 2000 Guineas (G I).  Then the Colorado bred captured Ascot’s famous Grade I St. James Tavern.  Last time out the son of Eckelson and Ally’s fine broodmare, The Seventh One, earned Equinics Bronze by storming past twelve rivals in the (G I) Springhill Horse Rescue Stakes.  Of course there is always at least one question to be answered by each and starter in each and every race.  And Yasutora’s query is simply this, can he beat world class older rivals in September of his three year old year?  One of the many great things about horse racing is that almost all of our questions are answered without waiting forever.  I suspect we’ll get our answer in just under a minute and thirty four seconds after the gates open. 

 

 

Flagdown sends out his talented North Light(IRE) colt, Shouldn’t Matter(IRE), for The Canada Mile.  The four year old started out as a precocious youngster, winning five of his first seven starts including the Grade III Apparently Juvenile in only his fifth career race.  Although he has continued to be a solid stakes horse, including a nice listed win last time out, he has only three in the money finishes among his last eleven graded efforts.  Needs to step way up for any chance on Saturday. 

 

 

Lenny shortens up his world class router, Severe Warning(IRE), for this test.  The whippet quick Theatrical colt is a multiple Grade I winner at ten furlongs and you know his crafty conditioner will have both halves of his entry ready.  I watched Severe Warning blow out a half in :46 yesterday.  What a great looking individual!  Awfully impressive.  He likes the lead going longer.  Not sure if he will be able to open a clear lead in here.  But if he does, look out.  Has a history of getting very brave when he does and all eight of his wins were taken in coast-to-coast fashion.  Very dangerous. 

 

 

After thirty five races, twelve wins and a half million dollars in earnings, Tippy’s Love is racing better than ever for trainer Relaytx.  The five year old Successful Appeal stallion has won four of his last six starts including a pair of Grade III scores in long sprints.  Tippy’s Love is interesting for a couple of reasons.  First of all, he is so darn sharp that only a complete fool could overlook him entirely.  And secondly, his stalk and pounce style seems to be a good fit between all the speed and deep closing types.  Crazy chance. 

 

 

There is good, there is very good, and there is WOW!  Five Star Cadet(GB) is a WOW horse.  Desperado Rob’s flashy chestnut is one of those rare colts who can simply pop your eyeballs out of their sockets.  For instance, two back the son of Motivator(GB) and the graded placed Five Star Rabbit (Danzig) dazzled the racing world when he posted a come from behind tally in Smackdown’s turf mile in 1:33 ^2/5 .  The most remarkable part was that he was still eighth, some five and one half lengths from the leader, in mid stretch!  Five Star Cadet not only made up the deficit, he powered away to win by almost two lengths.  This guy is the real deal.  Major threat to say the least.

 

 

Ozsteve ships in from Virginia with his steadily improving Urban Speed Zone for this test.  After showing little in his first six races on dirt, the handsome Giant’s Causeway(IRE) colt turned tiger on the turf.  He has won half of his fourteen grass starts thus far and most recently posted a career high 112 speed figure while annexing a mile turf stake at Colonial Downs.  Steve sends them ready so give this one a good close look.

 

 

Poor George W Loser has obviously been entered strictly to make a political statement and get some free pub.  Not gonna happen on my watch.

 

 

Lucky number thirteen is Tulloch Stables’ Gone West chestnut, Bendigo.  The five year old opened 2008 with a pair of wins including his first stakes win in the 9.5 furlong Well Resume Special at Epsom.  He’s winless in five tries since then but has raced very well on occasion.  His best non-winning effort was a solid second behind legendary (as in 7.5 mil in the bank) Creepshow in the (G I) Prince of Whales two back.  Needs best to possibly share with these brutes. 

 

 

Last and probably least is Ten Bucks.  The old gray mare she ain’t what she used to be many long years ago.  But she’ll pick up ten “valuable” breeding points for tsunami and anger enough folks to provide Hannibal with entertaining reading for a few more days.

 

 

I think I’ll play “soccer mom” or “little league dad” this week and get my Canada Mile kicks vicariously through my friends and fellow Great Plains rezzies, Alicyn and Brad.

 

 

C’mon Ace!  C’mon Fab!  How about a Great Plains exacta?