In the QE II, we have a couple selections fresh off the Garden City Stakes. Miss World and Shared account was your exacta will heavily-fancied Gozzip Girl coming in an extremely disappointing fourth after leaving the gate listed at 2/5. I think this is Gozzip Girl’s TSN turning point and I like the favourable 4th post and I like Kent Desormeaux on top. I don’t think she’ll be priced as low as she was last time, but I think she gets the better of the field in this $500,0001 1/8 mile dash.

It should be mentioned that all the Woodbine Grade 1’s (and the Grade 2 Nearctic) are all Win and You’re In Breeders Cup Qualifiers. I think that explains the sheer amount of classy Europeans in the field.  For the Pattison Canadian International, I’m backing Champs Elysees, coming out of the 1 stall, for no reason other than that I think this is his big day. He hasn’t scored since the Hollywood Turf Cup back at the end of ‘08, but he’s been so close against so many top competitors that I think so many horses unfamiliar with the surface gives him the edge. He is a pro on this type of surface and his always a bridesmaid never a bride ends today, if you get my meaning. I expect Jukebox Jury to be odds-on or nearly odds-on at post-time and I also think he needs time to adjust to North American conditions. He has been at Cologne for a while this year and even though he’s coming in on two wins in a row, I think his streak ends here.

My second selection for the Pattison International is Just as Well- trained by Johnathan Sheppard for Augustin Stable, I like his style and how he comes in fresh off a Grade 1 victory over the same surface in the Northern Dancer Stakes. He also finished 2nd to the absolute quality Gio Ponti at Arlington back in August. He’s got references, he’s got Grade 1 form, he’s got the surface- I really like Just as Well.

I’ll be using these two in an each-way exacta and I’ll be top-ending each of them with Jukebox Jury for lower stakes just to cover my ass if I’m wrong.

The second Grade 1 at Woodbine today is the E.P Taylor Stakes where I’m all over Rainbow View like a cheap suit. She’s been competing in some of Britain’s most prestigious Group 1’s for fillies and mares. She comes into the race on a very progressive 3-4-2-1 with the victory coming on September 5th at Leopardstown in the Pegasus Matron Stakes. She’s put in very solid races against the likes of Goldikova, Ghanaati, and Sariska and those are some of the top female runners in the UK. The price will be short, but I like Rainbow View.

If you’re looking for a value option, Roses N Wine with Chantal Sutherland is a local favourite and the only one with some really solid experience on this track. She’s fresh off a win in the Algoma Stakes and could be the surprise if it isn’t in the cards for Rainbow View. Expect a fantastic price.

He’s gotten an early start in 2009, kicking off at Calder in July with a 2nd place finish in the Frank Gomez Memorial Stakes. It’s been all uphill from there though, absolutely pounding his next two races finishing 1st against fields of 8. These are fairly impressive fields too and his run in the Grade 2 Futurity Stakes at Belmont on September 19th was one of the best I’ve seen from a two year-old this season. I’m just hoping they don’t push him too hard this year. I think He could definitely be on your show tickets (at least) for next year’s big dance.

Watch D’Funnybone in the 2009 Futurity Stakes at Belmont

He was sired by D’Wildcat, who wasn’t really a stand-out in his 3rd year, but pulled off back to back Graded wins in the Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash Stakes and the Churchill Downs Handicap. He also finished 2nd to Hol in the 2nd Triple Bend Breeders Cup Invitational Handicap- a high-stakes Grade 2 event.

Paul Pompa Jr.’s D’Funnybone is definitely one of the hottest two-year olds of the 2009 season and I’m hoping we have runners of this quality hanging around through to next Spring.

The Associated Press quoted trainer Rick Dutrow declaring that he’d rather opt for the Champagne Stakes in lieu of the California poly, but it seemed as though the lure of that weekend in November could be worth the risk.

Personally, I think D’Wildcat has proved enough this year and should winter in Florida and maybe hit a stakes event in January to keep sharp, with eyes pointed at a KD Campaign.

The field that Tommy Danzigger disposed of in the Canadian Derby features many of the most impressive runners outside of Woodbine and even featured a few classy imports from the US. I think Tommy Danzigger boasts the quality and the pedigree in this one and I like him over both the surface and the distance. This is him racing on home soil and I expect him to be dominating down the stretch.

For a horse that sold for $12,353 as a yearling this is a great story for BC Racing. I’m also going to point to Tommy Danzigger’s quality fractions in the Canadian Derby as an indice that he should be the favourite, possibly the odds-on favourite heading into Sunday’s contest. He produced a 1:16.20 over six furlongs with a 1:42.4 mile- race-winning numbers.

Other contenders include the speed horse Jersey Town, who many of us expect to set the early pace. He’s been ripping it up down at Monmouth, scoring in an allowance race in early August. He’s a speedy horse and came second in his first go at the turf in the Restoration Stakes at monmouth. I think he’s being sent to Hastings way too late though, arriving on a Friday for a Sunday race. This is also going to be his first run out west and I just don’t like a horse that’s had to travel that distance and get on the track in less than 48 hours time.

One that’s caught my eye for the low end of my exotics is Winning Machine, who will likely carry the smallest amount of weight in the race and I could really fancy him if we have a competitive stretch drive. Gallyn Mitchell will be on top in lieu of Rickey Frazier and that switch puts me off backing him for the outright win.

Almost Time should also be in the running for this one and we’ll be anxiously awaiting to see the final line-up and post positions for Sunday’s race. We could see as many as four horses coming up from Emerald Downs so we’ll be sure to bring you an update later in the week.

Our early selection is a strong tip for Tommy Danzigger.

Ventura came second to Rahy’s Attorney in the Grade 1 Woodbine Mile last year. The million dollar race has attracted a number of prominent horses- many of whom are turf or all-weather specialists.

This is a Breeders Cup Win and You’re In race with the winner getting a birth in the Breeders Cup Mile at Santa Anita.

The main challenger for Ventura looks like the stylish Jungle Wave coming out of Katalpa Farm under Sid Attard. He knows how to get the job done and I’m a big fan of a number of Attard’s horses. He’s the type of trainer that you feel like you owe a beer whenever you see him- as his charges have certainly paid for a few of yours over the years. Jungle Wave is another Turf Terror that is relatively lightly-raced for A 4 year-old. He scored at the end of August in the Grade 2 Play the King Stakes over the turf at Woodbine. His previous run was the Bold Venture Stakes where he slotted in second in a field of 5 to Fatal Bullet.

On recent form, I like Jungle Wave, but I don’t know if he can measure up to the class of Ventura. This is a big race and there will be plenty of quality competition involved in the race. Realistically, the morning line favourite will likely to be last year’s winner Rahy’s Attorney. This five year-old comes into the race 2-1-1-6 for the year with that sixth place blip coming in the Grade 2 Sky Classic Stakes. I’m going to give him a bit of a pass on this one as the race was won by Marchfield, who Rahy’s Attorney defeated in the second leg of the Canadian Triple Crown, the Grade 2 Nijinsky Stakes. Interestingly enough, his two other runs this year came in the Grade 3 Connaught Cup, where he finished 2nd to Sterwins. He then followed that up by beating Sterwins in the Grade 2 King Edward Stakes a month later.

So, he either loses to a horse and then beats that horse, or he beats that horse and then loses to it. Considering him and Ventura finished 1-2 last year, we could draw a conclusion that Ventura is ready to take a victory here. Trainer Ian Black has likely had his eye on this prestigious Grade 1 all year and he will have Rahy’s Attorney raring to go.

Even though the draw hasn’t even happened yet, I am going to be backing Rahy’s Attorney and Ventura in an each-way exactor.

While many of us will be giving most of our attention to races like the Futurity Stakes and the Grade 1 Beldame in the earlier part of the meet, I’m extremely excited for the Graded action that involves two year-olds towards the middle of October.

I think it’s going to be a great opportunity to check out some of next year’s high-stakes talent and I have a very good feeling that we’ll be seeing some of next year’s Triple Crown contenders running at both Belmont Park and the Hollywood Park Autumn meet. In particular, the Champagne Stakes and the Frizette Stakes are both Grade 1 races involving two year-olds and I think these two could be some of the best previews of massive clashes we’ll see next year at Churchill, Belmont and Pimlico.

Here is the full line-up of graded action taking place during the 2009 Fall Championship Meet at Belmont Park.

Bowling Green Handicap Gr 2 9/11
Garden City Stakes Gr 1 9/12
Ruffian handicap Gr 1 9/12
Futurity Stakes Gr 2 9/12
Natalma Stakes Gr 2 9/19
Matron Stakes 9/19
Noble Damsel Handicap Gr 3 9/19
Gallant Bloom Handicap Gr 2 9/26
Jockey Club Gold Cup Gr 1 10/3
Beldame Gr 1 10/3
Flower Bowl Gr 1 10/3
Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Gr 1 10/3
Vosburgh Stakes Gr 1 10/3
Kelso Handicap Gr 2 10/4
Miss Grillo Stakes Gr 3 10/4 (2 year olds)
Pilgrim Stakes Gr 3 10/4 (2 year olds)
Champagne Stakes Gr 1 10/10 (2 year olds)
Frizette Stakes Gr 1 10/10 (2 year olds)
Jamaica Handicap Gr 1 10/10
Jerome Handicap Gr 2 10/11
Athenia Gr 3 10/17
Knickerbocker Gr 3 10/18