Off to the Races with Nick Costa
Hi everyone, October is upon us. Sadly, it is the final month of live racing at my favorite track, Fort Erie. However, on the positive side, until the track officially closes for the year on October 26th, you can still catch competitive racing. Don't forget closing weekend, October 23rd-24th, will feature race cards mixed with both thoroughbreds and quarter-horses. Yours truly is now gearing up for the Breeders Cup, which I will be attending, and down below I have compiled my current Top 5 for all fourteen divisions. I will tinker just a bit and will finalize in the next issue of E.N.N. That issue will be out October 28th, just one week before the Breeders Cup, which will be at Churchill Downs, Friday and Saturday, November 5th-6th. This Saturday high class grass racing will be at Woodbine, as that facility showcases the $2,000,000 Grade 1 Rothman's International at 1 1/2 Miles, one final chance for horses eyeing the Breeders Cup Turf. Two races on the undercard that could have Breeders Cup implications are the $500,000 Grade 1 Neartic Stakes at 6 furlongs and the $1,000,000 Grade 1 E.P. Taylor Stakes for fillies and mares going 1 1/4 Miles. Distaffers could be using the latter race to advance to the Breeders Cup Filly/Mare Turf.
FORT ERIE RACING:
October 2nd was opening day for quarter-horse racing at the track and our very first official quarter-horse winner was, STREAKING EYE OPENER.. The horse was ridden by Michelle Raekelboom and trained by Alan Todd. Also, on the opening day card, jockey Marty Mercieca brought home 4 winners, including three of them in a row, in races six through eight. Congrats Marty.
QUARTER-HORSE SCHEDULE:
Saturday, October 16th
Three stakes, each at $50,000-Added will showcase the top Quarter Horses in three age classes;
- Fort Erie Derby at 440 yards on October 16th;
- Fort Erie Futurity at 400 yards on October 23rd; and,
- Fort Erie Maturity at 400 yards on October 24th.
Saturday, October 23rd
Two $50,000-Added Mixed Stakes will pit the Quarter Horses against the Thoroughbreds, sprinting short and long including the Fort Erie Quarter Horses and Thoroughbred Challenge Stakes for three-year-olds and up at 440 yards.
Sunday, October 24th
On October 24th Fort Erie Race Track will host the Fort Erie Quarter Horses and Thoroughbred Distance Challenge for three-year-olds and up at 870 yards.
REMAINING THOROUGHBRED CUP RACES:
Longshots OTB Cup |
|
$30,000 * |
October 24 |
|
Fillies 2 Y.O. |
|
|
6 Furlongs |
|
|
|
The Fan's Cup |
|
$30,000 * |
October 24 |
|
Colts/Geldings 2 Y.O. |
|
|
6 Furlongs |
|
|
|
Cheldon Tour de Fort Cup |
|
$30,000 * |
October 26 |
|
Colts/Geldings 3 Y.O. & Up |
|
|
2 miles/70 yds |
STANDINGS:
JOCKEY/WINS
1-Krista Carignan/81
2-Real Simard/55
3-Chris Griffith/46
4-Brian Cheyne/35
5-Francine Villeneuve/34
TRAINER/WINS
1-Nick Gonzalez/42
2-John Simms/28
3-Marilyn McMullen/17
4-Layne Giliforte/15
5-Lyle Modern/14
BREEDERS CUP DIVISIONAL TOP 5:
MARATHON:
1-BRIGHT HORIZON
2-ELDAAFER
3-GIANT OAK
4-HOLD ME BACK
5-A U MINER
JUVENILE FILLIES TURF:
1-WINTER MEMORIES
2-WHITE MOONSTONE
3-NEW NORMAL
4-MORE THAN REAL
5-EXCITED
FILLY AND MARE SPRINT:
1-CHAMPAGNE D'ORO
2-EVENING JEWEL
3-RIGHTLY SO
4-DUBAI MAJESTY
5-SARA LOUISE
JUVENILE FILLIES:
1-SUMMER LAUGH
2-R HEAT LIGHTNING
3-RIGOLETTO
4-TELL A KELLY
5-ALIENATION
FILLY AND MARE TURF:
1-MIDDAY
2-PROVISO
3-ECLAIRE DE LUNE
4-RED DESIRE
5-STACELITA
LADIES CLASSIC:
1-BLIND LUCK
2-HAVRE DE GRACE
3-LIFE AT TEN
4-UNRIVALED BELLE
5-PERSISTENTLY
JUVENILE TURF:
1-ROGUE ROMANCE
2-SAAMIDD
3-SOLDAT
4-AIR SUPPORT
5-CASA MENTO
TURF SPRINT:
1-CHAMBERLAIN BRIDGE
2-ROSE CATHERINE
3-SCENIC BLAST
4-UNZIP ME
5-CALIFORNIA FLAG
MILE DIRT:
1-CROWN OF THORNS
2-HAYNESFIELD
3-MUSKET MAN
4-TIZWAY
5-HERE COMES BEN
JUVENILE:
1-UNCLE MO
2-JAYCITO
3-BOYS AT TOSCANOVA
4-STAY THIRSTY
5-JP'S GUSTO
MILE TURF:
1-GOLDIKOVA
2-RIP VAN WINKLE
3-PACO BOY
4-GIO PONTI
5-COURT VISION
SPRINT:
1-BIG DRAMA
2-GIROLAMO
3-SMILING TIGER
4-WARRIOR'S REWARD
5-ATTA BOY ROY
TURF:
1-WORKFORCE
2-FAME AND GLORY
3-PADDY O'PRADO
4-DEBUSSY
5-CHAMP PEGASUS
CLASSIC:
1-ZENYATTA
2-BLAME
3-QUALITY ROAD
4-LOOKIN AT LUCKY
5-FLY DOWN
