Twenty-two years in the making

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Twenty-two years in the making

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$20.20 , music to my gamblin ear’s, yesterday was the 117th running of the Breeder’s Stakes at Woodbine Racetrack. The 1 ½ mile turf race run over the world class E.P. Taylor Turf course has been the final leg of the Canadian Horseracing Triple Crown since 1959 when champion stud New Providence capture Canada’s first triple crown.

Well catching fire in the mid summer sun and having to douse yourself with cheap draft beer to ease the flame that will inevitably engulfed your trousers and seek out your wallet there are always at least two reasons for the casual fan to remain optimistic heading into the Breeder’s Stakes.

#1. The distance....The Distance of the race, 1 ½ miles is a tremendously tedious task for any horse breed in North America (Canada’s Triple Crown is only open to horses bred in Canada) and this opens the door to many horses that otherwise may not have been able to tackle "Canada’s Finest" equine athletes.

#2. The Surface, the E.P. Taylor Turf course. Not only does the Woodbine turf course posses the longest straight away finish of any track in North America (easily one of Canada top five sporting spectacle) but grass racing in general can be a challenge for trainer’s, jockey’s and handicappers alike. This year all three legs of Canada’s Triple Crown will be claimed by different horses, both Not Bourbon winner of the Queen’s Plate and dirt loving Harlem Rocker who claimed the second leg, the Prince of Wales stakes will forego the Breeder’s Stakes turf race for more favourable dirt races south of the boarder. So, buck up my beer scented buddie, your fifty-to-one shots got as good a chance as any.

Results:

Marlang resembled a NFL linebacker, hopped up on a lunch-box full of "vitamins", bouncy, aggressive and eager to go to battle.

Palmers was cool, calm, collected and yet to break a sweat.

The two horse could not have been going in more opposite a direction.

Marlang was shielded under a veil of perspiration, breathing heavily following a hard albeit routine stock down the back stretch prior to the start of the race.

Palmers had been wrapped tight by Jockey Patrick Husbands from the moment the horse stepped foot on the track, hardly allowed to make forward progress with out his Jockeys allowance.

Track-side Reporter Renee Kierans and Jim Bannon, Woodbines resident expert in the field of race handicapping had both voiced their concerns over the ramped-up appearance of the Deborah England trained, Gus Schickedanz bred colt Marlang.

"Jim I’d just like to see a horse a little more relaxed going into a race a today’s distance" said former rider Kierans

Bannon did not exactly rebuff his colleague, instead opting to look at the positive saying Marlang’s apperence , over anxious and hot under the collar would likely result in the colt being the races early leader.

Bannon-sight is 20/20

Marlang sprang from the gate and just simply never looked back. Sorry for the almost nonedescript account of the days major race, however that’s just they way the cookie crumbled. Marlang never looked in trouble and his plodding running style was simply less then exciting but Marlang ($20.20)and T&T born, Malton, Ontario raised Jockey Richard Dos Ramos got the job done.

Palmers the cool , calm and collected one stayed that way throughout the race resulting in a lack luster sixth place finish.

Twenty-Two years in the making

Twenty-two years ago Jockey Richard Dos Ramos captured his first Breeder’s Cup aboard Carotene a championship filly that walked away with the 1986 sovereign award for Canada’s top three-year old filly. At the time Dos Ramos, who began his career in 1981 had only been a pro for about a half decade and was admittedly "still learning the ropes" but twenty-two years removed from his first Breeder’s cup win the 27 year veteran Jockey will surly relish the win this time around. Dos Ramos career like any pro jockey is filled with peaks and valley the likes of which everyday folk like me and you are unlikely to fathom. Sure, I myself have been down the darkest valley’s of humanity but I’ve yet to experience a peak like winning a horse race, not to mention the momentary notoriety and of course, most of all the money. Richard Dos Ramos however has seen it all, including a twenty-two year Breeder’s cup drought that plodded by the wayside on Sunday afternoon.

Zee