Boudreau's first spill

FORT ERIE, Ontario - Daniel Boudreau, an apprentice who is in ninth place in the rider standings here with 41 wins, had his first spill in Monday's fourth race, when his mount, Emily Nicole, fell just after crossing the finish line.

"I fell on my shoulder, knee, and back," said Boudreau. "It's the first time I went down. It was a weird feeling. I had no time to get scared. It was in the blink of an eye. You roll and hope. She just touched my left foot."

Boudreau said he was okay after the spill and rode his other two mounts on the card.

In the fifth race, Boudreau finished eighth with Justin Charge. In the sixth race, he won with Final Covenant ($4.30).

Tuesday, Boudreau scored with his first two mounts - Slot Happy ($4.50) in the second and Curno J.C. ($38.50) in the fourth.

After finishing out of the money with his next two mounts, Boudreau took off his remaining three runners. Boudreau's agent, Bill Lane, said it was because of the aches and pains caused by the spill.

Boudreau, who loses his bug Nov. 29, took his first mount at Winnipeg's Assiniboia Downs in late October 2001.

Roman Romance stays home

Roman Romance has been training here and running at Woodbine, but on Saturday she will race here. In her last start, Oct. 5, she finished last of six at Woodbine.

"Maybe she is trying to tell me something," said trainer John Simms. "I'll find out Saturday. If she's over the top we'll shut her down. But it would be nice to restore her confidence. It should be an easier race."

Roman Romance has two wins from her 10 starts this year. In her only start here this season she won the Centre Stage Anne Stakes. At Woodbine, Roman Romance won an allowance and finished second, a head short, in the $128,000 Ballade.

Saturday's contest could be difficult, with Mysterious Affair, a winner of over $1 million, also entered. Mysterious Affair is a 6-year-old mare owned and trained by Mort Hardy. She finished third in the Oct. 5 race in which Roman Romance was the trailer.

Simms, 55, launched his training career four years ago after taking early retirement as a cop. He is in fifth place in the trainers standings, with 27 wins going into Saturday's card.

Last year, he finished seventh on the list here with 25 wins.

"I had two goals at the start of the season," said Simms. "I wanted to hit the top five in the standings, and I wanted to get enough wins for [owner] Bruno Schickedanz for him to win the leading owner title again."

Going into this week's action, Schickedanz, who is seeking his seventh consecutive owner's title, is on top with 17 wins, one ahead of John Franks.

Eastern War Lord in action

Eastern War Lord, an 8-year-old gelding, won Tuesday in his first visit here. The win, in a $20,000 claimer, raised his earnings to $284,778.

Eastern War Lord was the first horse that owner-trainer Ken Parsley bought, back in 1996.

Last Sunday, Parsley shot into prominence at Woodbine when his modest purchase My Vintage Port won the $250,000 Princess Elizabeth. My Vintage Port is now a candidate for Canadian champion 2-year-old filly.

Eastern War Lord will race again next year.

"He loves the action," said Parsley of Eastern War Lord. "He doesn't like it on the farm. He loves to train and race. But, he does have bad feet."