{"id":38378,"date":"2016-08-06T10:56:48","date_gmt":"2016-08-06T14:56:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blacktypebugler.com\/?p=38378"},"modified":"2016-08-06T10:56:48","modified_gmt":"2016-08-06T14:56:48","slug":"equinics-eckankar-seeks-amends-in-gordie-howe-tribute","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/?p=38378","title":{"rendered":"Equinics: Eckankar Seeks Amends in Gordie Howe Tribute"},"content":{"rendered":"
By the time\u00a0this reporter\u00a0was in fifth grade, Gordie Howe<\/span><\/strong> was already a huge star.\u00a0 When I opened the book of sports\u00a0heroes in my elementary school\u00a0 library, I learned that Mr. Hockey had already won four Stanley Cups, three NHL scoring titles and\u00a0appeared in eight All-Star games.\u00a0 I got to see him live and in person for the first time in March of 1957.\u00a0\u00a0His Detroit Red Wings were\u00a0in first place but that Saturday afternoon they fell to my Chicago Blackhawks by a score of 4-3.\u00a0 I’m honored to cover the race\u00a0commemorating Gordon “Gordie” Howe.\u00a0Mr. Hockey, this one’s for you.<\/div>\n
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The Mr. Hockey<\/strong><\/span> is fashioned for three year old fillies and will be run at a distance of one mile over the\u00a0firm Rio de Janeiro turf course.\u00a0 Nineteen fillies will answer the call to post.\u00a0 Let’s meet the classy\u00a0ladies in post position order.<\/div>\n
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Breaking from the hedge will be the Racing H Q <\/strong>rep, Approach The Stars<\/span><\/strong>.\u00a0 Randwick<\/em> bred his stakes winning, $250,000 earning Sea The Stars mare, Sea Da Street Cost, to up and coming sire Dawn Approach.\u00a0 The resultant foal is still a work in progress.\u00a0 Approach The Stars shows flashes of brilliance followed by disappointing efforts.\u00a0 She is graded placed and has flirted with 100 speed figures on a few occasions.\u00a0 But considering the depth and quality of this field, her medal chances are slim.<\/div>\n
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In the two hole we have The Sim Hispano<\/strong> star, Mesianica<\/span><\/strong>.\u00a0 Pato7’s<\/em> speedster likes to be on or very near the lead.\u00a0 The big Pivotal filly won the G-3 Ice Cream Gold in New Zealand three back posting a nifty 106 speed number.\u00a0 Most recently she set all the pace in the G-1 Cremation before giving way grudgingly in deep stretch.\u00a0\u00a0Her regular rider, J Castillo, galloped her two miles on the grass Tuesday morning and was all smiles when he dismounted.\u00a0 Appears to be sitting on a big effort.<\/div>\n
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Empire State Racing<\/strong> sends Dark General<\/strong><\/span> out for The Mr. Hockey.\u00a0 The Rock<\/em> always\u00a0has his horses ready for big races and this should be no exception.\u00a0 The Not for Love filly is a bit light on experience compared to some of her contemporaries, but she appears to have peaked at the right time.\u00a0 Last time out Dark General was a solid second in the G-2 Sandy Ring.\u00a0 The 102 speed figure was her best yet.\u00a0 Price shot to consider.<\/div>\n
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If I’ve seen it once, I’ve seen it a hundred times.\u00a0 Well bred but poorly performed mares producing standout race horses.\u00a0 Here’s another great example.\u00a0 Ignite (Kingmambo x Storm Cat x Forty Niner) won only two of fourteen career starts and earned less than $50,000.\u00a0 Her top speed figure was 89.\u00a0 But her\u00a0three year old filly by Toronado has won six of nine career starts including an upset victory against a stellar field in the G-1 Cremation (107 Speed Number) last time out.\u00a0 All-Stars Racing<\/strong> and trainer Pljracing<\/em> are\u00a0very excited about Torambo’s<\/span><\/strong> chances on Saturday.\u00a0 And rightly so.<\/div>\n
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Eucla Tara<\/strong><\/span> is the Midas entry.\u00a0 Veteran trainer Tulloch <\/em>has his Sebring filly in peak form for The Mr. Hockey.\u00a0 The daughter of his\u00a0top quality\u00a0race mare Tara (G-1 winner, $2.5 million) has won her last two starts, both listed stakes.\u00a0 Although Eucla Tara’s overall record is not quite on par with the best in here, John is quite confident that she can outrun her 15-1 odds.\u00a0 In with a chance if things go her way.<\/div>\n
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Blazing Saddles<\/strong> sends out The Sullied<\/strong><\/span>\u00a0in search of gold.\u00a0 Big Jet’s<\/em> deep closer has a very real shot at a juicy 13-1.\u00a0 Two back the well bred Shamardal x Galileo x Seeking The Gold \u00a0filly from stakes placed The Unsullied flew from last to get\u00a0second in the G-1 French 1000 Guineas.\u00a0\u00a0That 107 speed figure compares very favorably with her main\u00a0rivals.\u00a0 The Sullied stayed in Paris\u00a0following her big effort in the Guineas.\u00a0 She prepped for\u00a0Equinics with an easy victory in a conditioned allowance.\u00a0 My dark horse selection.<\/div>\n
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The “Eh” Team<\/strong> is a relatively new residency.\u00a0 They are hoping to make a big splash with their well regarded deep, deep closer, Pathrock LV<\/span><\/strong>.\u00a0 Honestly, while\u00a0viewing her races, I almost felt as if I were watching episodes\u00a0of The Twilight Zone.\u00a0\u00a0 Deep closers drop from the clouds.\u00a0 This filly drops from another dimension.\u00a0 Thirteenth to first between the final\u00a0call and the wire\u00a0to win the G-1 Irish 1000 Guineas!\u00a0\u00a0 Are\u00a0you kidding me?\u00a0 And five starts back she closed from nineteenth place after two calls to win a listed stake.\u00a0 Bizalls’<\/em> Pathfork filly will definitely be flying past many in the lane.\u00a0 Can she pass enough to medal?\u00a0 We’ll find out Saturday.<\/div>\n
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Punter34<\/em> has been training horses since the beginning of time.\u00a0 His Queensland<\/strong> based Right Decircle<\/strong><\/span> is the third betting choice at 10-1.\u00a0 Right Decircle is by Redoute’s Choice out of the impeccably bred mare Stormy Magpie (Storm Cat x Sadler’s Wells x Mr. Prospector).\u00a0 Nobody, and I mean NOBODY, can leave the gate as quickly as this filly.\u00a0 The surest proposition bet of the day is that Right Decircle will be the first\u00a0one turning for home.\u00a0 She has proven that she can carry her speed a long way.\u00a0 A wire to wire victory is certainly within the realm of possibility.<\/div>\n
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Encosta De Tiger<\/span><\/strong> will represent British and Nordic Racing Club<\/strong>.\u00a0 The multiple stakes placed daughter of Encosta De Lago\u00a0is the first foal from solid race mare Tiger Wolf (Tiger Ridge x Kingmambo).\u00a0 Not likely to medal in this killer field, but\u00a0anything can happen in a horse race.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Kimugle<\/em> is\u00a0a fine trainer and a\u00a0super nice guy.\u00a0\u00a0He will definitely\u00a0have this one ready for a top effort.<\/div>\n
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Rainy Day River<\/strong><\/span> will carry the Comedy Central<\/strong> banner into battle.\u00a0 The Comedians are disbanding following Equinics and their\u00a0rag tag squad makes the Jamaican Bobsled team look like the 1927 Yankees.\u00a0 Rainy Day River, true to Comedy Central tradition, raced so badly last time out that\u00a0a search party was needed to find her.\u00a0 A glimmer of hope surfaced when\u00a0the 2016 1000 Guineas champion fired a :46.22 half mile bullet over the Rio de Janeiro turf course Monday morning.\u00a0 A return to\u00a0her Guineas\u00a0form might just possibly propel the Oasis Dream filly to a podium finish.<\/div>\n
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Having covered dozens of\u00a0world class\u00a0races over the years, I’ve learned that we should never ignore the “now” horse.\u00a0 That one horse\u00a0who jumps up and says “look at me now!”\u00a0 The Mr. Hockey “now” horse is Checkmate1’s<\/em> Eastern Czar<\/strong><\/span>.\u00a0 Last time out the Tapizar filly\u00a0from Eastern Wind (Smart Strike x Damascus) ran a huge race against a sneaky good field of open allowance fillies.\u00a0 The DelPenn<\/strong> rep fell a half length shy of the speedy Western American but was getting to that one at the wire.\u00a0 Eastern Czar’s 107 speed rating shows that she is well suited to keep pace with the big girls.\u00a0 Beware!<\/div>\n
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The East-West Connection<\/strong> and trainer Atthewire’s<\/em> delegate is See Through Wire<\/strong><\/span>.\u00a0 The striking light gray Kitten’s Joy x Danehill Dancer x Montjeu filly was\u00a0lazily munching\u00a0hay when I visited her in the barn Wednesday afternoon.\u00a0 She perked up when I offered her a handful of starlight mints.\u00a0 Earlier in the week I had watched her work and was so taken with her beauty that I wanted to meet her up close.\u00a0\u00a0See Through Wire has done little wrong in her brief ten race career.\u00a0 Other than an ill\u00a0fated attempt at twelve furlongs, she has finished top three each race.\u00a0 She has won a pair of mile and\u00a0an eighth G-3 events.\u00a0 The Longest Walk at Gulfstream last winter and the Wynn Point at Belmont in May.\u00a0 Finished third last time out in a ten furlong G-1 at Santa Anita.\u00a0 Clearly prefers nine panels but if she can handle the mile, might surprise in here.<\/div>\n
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EURO<\/strong> sends out well bred\u00a0Tyre Esbjerg<\/strong><\/span> (Fastnet Rock x Nureyev x Miswaki) for this event.\u00a0 The Danish 1000 Guineas winner arrives in peak form.\u00a0 She posted her fastest speed figure to date (101) last time out while finishing second in The Swedish 1000 Guineas.\u00a0 Viking Daniel<\/em> toiled in the shadow of his world class big brother, the legendary Sabbath, for years before emerging as a force to be reckoned with in his own right.\u00a0 Looking to add an Equinics medal to the family trophy case.<\/div>\n
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The Minnesota Testbarn Residency<\/strong> will be represented by my choice as best bred filly.\u00a0 Canyongate <\/em>spared no expense\u00a0using Oasis Dream x Kingmambo x Roberto to breed Intolerable<\/span><\/strong>.\u00a0 Thus far she has not disappointed.\u00a0 She\u00a0sliced through her allowance conditions like a hot knife through butter.\u00a0 Three back\u00a0Intolerable slaughtered her nw4x foes.\u00a0 Then came her key race.\u00a0 A rousing victory over Equinics rival Dark General in the G-2 Sandy Ring.\u00a0 Last time out, in her Mr. Hockey prep, Intolerable bullied three erstwhile claimers into submission in a Lone Star allowance mile.\u00a0 I would think Intolerable should be ready for a top effort.\u00a0 Certainly fits here on paper.<\/div>\n
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Summerset<\/em> arrived here from another racing circuit a few years ago and he has made a huge impact in SIMDOM.\u00a0 His stats are unbelievably good and from what I have seen in chat, he is as nice and knowledgeable as he is talented.\u00a0 His Priah<\/span><\/strong> will carry the Elite Racing Club’s<\/strong> banner into battle.\u00a0 The rangy Pierro filly has found her comfort zone.\u00a0 A mile on the grass.\u00a0 That could be bad news for her Equinics foes.\u00a0 Priah raced with moderate success between 8.5 and 9.5 furlongs in her first five races.\u00a0 Two back Summerset shortened her up to a mile and she responded with a\u00a0swooping worst to first tally over nw3L company.\u00a0 Then came the eye popper that propelled her to Brazil.\u00a0\u00a0Another turf mile.\u00a0 This one versus nw4L company.\u00a0 Priah dawdled in back as usual for most of the race.\u00a0 But\u00a0when she turned on the jets and won going away with a speed number of 109, the road to Rio\u00a0became an obvious consideration.\u00a0\u00a0Major threat if she can replicate that effort.<\/div>\n
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Lasthope’s<\/em> The Red Victorian<\/strong><\/span> punched her ticket to Rio three back by virtue of\u00a0a smashing victory in the G-1 Japanese 1000 Guineas.\u00a0 The Pastures<\/strong> rep\u00a0has remained solid since then finishing third in the French 1000 Guineas and going over the million dollar mark in career earnings with an easy win in a listed prep.\u00a0The City Zip\u00a0three year old is\u00a0from the great broodmare Ash Highway (Danzig x Storm Cat).\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Mom was a terrific race mare but has really excelled in the breeding shed.\u00a0\u00a0From nine foals age three or older, she has produced two G-1 winning millionaires, two G-2 winners, a G-3 winner and a pair\u00a0of listed victors.<\/div>\n
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The G R Simsters<\/strong> seem to have a live horse\u00a0for each\u00a0event in every Equinics.\u00a0 No exception this year.\u00a0\u00a0Given<\/em> has a monster entered in The Mr. Hockey.\u00a0 Eckankar<\/strong><\/span> posted a blazing 109 speed rating\u00a0while taking down the G-1 French 1000 Guineas two back.\u00a0 That was her fourth win in four career grass tries.\u00a0\u00a0The\u00a0drop dead gorgeous daughter of Malibu Moon and G-1 winning millionaire Reincarnation (\u00a0Pivotal x Sadler’s Wells) regressed a bit last time out with a fourth place finish in the G-1 Cremation.\u00a0 The beaten favorite may have suffered her first turf loss, but she passed several horses along the way and was running on well at the end.\u00a0 Drilled 5 panels on the\u00a0main track\u00a0in an effortless :58.84 Tuesday morning and couldn’t blow out a candle afterward.\u00a0 Seems\u00a0ready to\u00a0regain her winning ways.<\/div>\n
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Burck<\/strong><\/span> carries the hopes of Megalopolis<\/strong>.\u00a0 The Wetfast<\/em> trained daughter of Kodiak Kowboy has been steadily improving since switched to the turf.\u00a0 She finished second last time out in a second level allowance and her speed figure of 99 was a career best.\u00a0 I see a bright future for the big bay, but this week will be more of a learning experience most likely.<\/div>\n
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Last but far from least is Quilly’s<\/em> red hot Citymill Wells<\/span><\/strong>.\u00a0 This is a SERIOUS racehorse, ladies and gentlemen.\u00a0 You have to love the bloodlines (City Zip x Sadler’s Wells x Mill Reef) as much as her race\u00a0record (8-6-1-0).\u00a0 Has a G-3 badge to her credit and had won five in a row before settling for\u00a0second place in the G-1 Cremation.\u00a0 The Universal Racing Club’s<\/strong> entrant also has what I have noted in the past to be a very positive factor going for her.\u00a0 Citymill Wells’ speed figures have increased in each of her last seven starts, culminating in a 104 last time out.\u00a0 If that\u00a0pattern continues, she will be right there at the wire.<\/div>\n
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I’ve been writing for the BTB off and on for the better part of fifteen years.\u00a0 I’ve been lucky enough to cover many of the all time greats including Horseshoe Bay, Allied Assault and Basketball Jones.\u00a0 But I don’t ever remember covering a race with so many true contenders before.\u00a0 It is almost anyone’s race.\u00a0 Enjoy the show!<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By the time\u00a0this reporter\u00a0was in fifth grade, Gordie Howe was already a huge star.\u00a0 When I opened the book of<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":308,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"colormag_page_container_layout":"default_layout","colormag_page_sidebar_layout":"default_layout","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-38378","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-previews"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38378","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/308"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=38378"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38378\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":38451,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38378\/revisions\/38451"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=38378"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=38378"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=38378"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}