Stronach Stable raids the Fort
FORT ERIE, Ontario - Stronach Stable invaded Fort Erie with seven runners last weekend and left with five wins, a second, and a third, plus two track records.
The stable has no stalls at the track, yet heads the owner standings, comfortably, with nine scores.
Six of last weekend's starters, in the hands of trainer Sean Smullen, shipped in from Adena Springs North in Aurora, Ontario, while trainer Justin Nixon brought one of his stars, High Blitz, from Woodbine.
On Saturday, Smullen was 3 for 3. He sent out 5-year-old Awesome Rush to clip a fifth of a second off the 1 1/16-mile record of 1:42.20 set by Chatty Cavalier in 1971.
The new racing surface continued to play fast on Monday. High Blitz's triumph over millionaire sprint specialist Krz Ruckus was accomplished in 1:08.20. The old mark, 1:08.80, belonged to Deputy Carson, who set it in 2001.
High Blitz, 5, was making his first start of the year. In his last start on Dec. 26 he won a stakes - his first - at Mountaineer Park.
Next on the agenda for High Blitz is the $125,000 Bold Venture at 6 1/2 furlongs at Woodbine July 9.
"He has continually improved," Nixon said. "He still has untapped potential. Along with Royal Regalia, he is the best in my barn."
Smullen, 36, had his greatest day as a trainer.
"No doubt about it," said the former assistant to Woodbine trainer Roger Attfield.
Smullen had a six-month stint with Colebrook Farms before he became the farm trainer at Adena Springs North last year. As of Thursday, 71 horses were on the grounds there.
Smullen prepares runners for the main Stronach trainers, Bobby Frankel and Justin Nixon.
"I saddle the ones that don't fit [their operations]," he said.
Sealock having a good run
Regina Sealock, who was the winningest woman jockey in Canada before Francine Villeneuve passed her in 2002, is once again stepping into the spotlight.
Sealock averaged 13 wins each of the last three years at Fort Erie. She goes into Saturday's card with seven wins already this year, good for a seventh-place tie in the standings.
"It's definitely the best start I've had in years," said Sealock, who operates without an agent. "I haven't done anything different - just lucky, I guess.
"I did the same this winter I always do - go down to Tampa Bay. I gallop there to keep fit and ride a little bit. I won two. I did a lot of fishing."
Sealock has five mounts on Saturday.
Poznansky to return Saturday
Neil Poznansky, Fort Erie's top rider last year, was off his mounts on Monday and Tuesday. He will be back in the saddle Saturday.
In a morning workout, Poznansky was thrown to the ground head-first when his horse went down.
"He's okay - nothing was broken," said Poznansky's agent, Ian Watson, on Tuesday. "No major damage, but he looks like a boxer who has just gone 10 rounds and lost. The swelling was so bad it closed one eye."