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Hall of Fame jockey Bill Hartack, the regular rider of Northern Dancer |
Date: 7/19/07
The $700,000 Northern Dancer Breeders' Cup Turf (G2) is one of the newest additions to the rich Woodbine stakes calendar. Inaugurated just a year ago at the current purse and distance, it features top older turf horses going 1 1/2 miles, one complete lap of the E.P. Taylor Turf Course. A field of eight made the entry box on Thursday morning, and post positions were drawn in a special lunchtime ceremony. Free past performances will be available here last Thursday.
The special guest at the ceremony was Hall of Fame jockey Bill Hartack, who rode Northern Dancer in his last five starts, which included wins in the Blue Grass Stakes, Kentucky Derby, Preakness, and the Queen's Plate. Hartack's North American racing career spanned from 1953 to 1974, during which time he won 4,272 races, 19.8% of his mounts. He won the Kentucky Derby five times, the Preakness three times, and the Belmont once. He finished his career in Hong Kong and since retiring from riding he became a steward, currently serving in Louisiana.
Gulfstream Park Breeders' Cup Handicap winner Jambalaya is the 7-2 second choice and will break from the 2 hole for co-owner and trainer Catherine Day-Phillips. He was third in the King Edward last out. Day-Phillips said, "He was to the inside in his races (wins in the G1 Gulfstream Park Breeders' Cup and G3 Pan American Handicap), so we have the inside again. It's the shortest way around." Regular rider Javier Castellano will be aboard once again.
The Northern Dancer is one of four added-money events on Sunday's terrific card. In addition to the $125,000 Ontario Matron Stakes and $125,000 Bold Venture Stakes, the $300,000 Dance Smartly Stakes will feature Arravale, Canada's 2006 Horse of the Year, making her seasonal debut in the 1 1/8 mile turf contest for fillies and mares. Before the racing begins, DRF handicappers Dan Illman and Jennifer Morrison will host a handicapping seminar from 11AM to noon on the second floor, and then Bill Hartack will be available for an autograph session from noon to 1PM. The race will be available on simulcast across North America and in a special telecast on The Score network from 4:30 to 5:30 PM ET.
Post | Horse | Owner | Trainer | Jockey | M/L Odds |
1 | Marsh Side | Robert Evans | Michael Dickinson | Emma-Jayne Wilson | 10-1 |
2 | Jambalaya | Kingfield Racing Stable | Catherine Day Phillips | Javier Castellano | 7-2 |
3 | The Carbon Unit | James Long | Roger Attfield | Garry Cruise | 20-1 |
4 | Pellegrino | Gary Tanaka | Roger Attfield | Jono Jones | 8-1 |
5 | Last Answer | Gus Schickedanz | Mike Keogh | Emile Ramsammy | 20-1 |
6 | French Beret | Sam-Son Farm | Mark Frostad | Todd Kabel | 10-1 |
7 | Sky Conqueror | William Sorokolit | Darwin Banach | Edgar Prado | 9-5 |
8 | Obrigado | Gary Seidler & Peter Vegso | Neil Drysdale | Garrett Gomez | 4-1 |
The post positions for the 2007 Northern Dancer Breeders' Cup Turf |
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