Yearling sales stakes recap
By Ron Gierkink
ETOBICOKE, Ontario  - Reigning Canadian champion 3-year-old Pender Harbour's picture is on the cover of this year's Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society's yearling sale catalog, so it was only fitting that he won the first of six stakes for graduates of the sale on Monday at Woodbine.

Pender Harbour ($2.50) took control on the backstretch in the $125,000 Elgin, and never looked back, scoring by 5 3/4 lengths over last year's Elgin winner, Medidocihospisurg. Opening Meet was third in the five-horse field.

Jockey Julien Couton is riding high at Golden Gate Fields. He is second in the jockey standings, trailing Russell Baze by one win, 14-13 going into Monday’s holiday card.

Couton, 31, has been climbing higher in the standings throughout the summer. He was eighth at Pleasanton, tied for fifth at Sacramento and then finished third at Santa Rosa.

Couton said his new agent Ron Freitas has brought him some new clients, and that he has picked up mounts with the absence of Aaron Gryder and Juan Hernandez at the meet.

DEL MAR, Calif. – Shining Copper’s summer has been geared toward Wednesday’s $100,000 Oak Tree Juvenile Turf at Del Mar.

The colt has started on turf in both his starts, showing significant improvement from a second in a maiden race over six furlongs at Betfair Hollywood Park on July 12 to a win against maidens over a mile on turf here on Aug. 15.

David Flores was aboard for both races, and has the mount on Wednesday.

“He showed a lot of talent first time,” Flores said. “The race here was a perfect race. I’m hoping that he can show more.”

DEL MAR - Bill Baffert Sr., the father of Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, died on Monday at his home in Nogales, Ariz. He was 88.

Nicknamed “The Chief,” Bill Baffert was the mentor for his son as a trainer, and was the inspiration for his son’s witty brand of humor.

“Very sad day,” Baffert said in a text.

During a recent visit late last month, Baffert said his father retained his sense of humor, even in declining health.

DEL MAR, Calif. - Trainer Julio Canani has won the Breeders’ Cup Mile twice, and he may take aim at the race again on Nov. 3 at Santa Anita with My Best Brother, who gave Canani a record fifth win in the Del Mar Derby on Sunday.

Canani’s previous Del Mar Derby winners were Blackdoun (2004), Val Royal (1999), Ladies Din (1998), and Silver Circus (1988). Val Royal won the BC Mile in 2001 at Belmont Park. Canani also won the BC Mile with Silic in 1999 at Gulfstream.

DEL MAR, Calif. – He’s as goofy as ever, with his fractured English, cheeky jokes, and oftentimes indecipherable accent, but Julio Canani can still flat-out train. He won the Del Mar Derby for the fifth time on Sunday as My Best Brother led from start to finish in the Grade 2, $300,000 turf event, erasing a bitter setback last time out in the La Jolla Handicap.

“The jockey fall asleep the other day,” Canani said, referring to jockey Martin Garcia.

[Complete coverage of racing at Del Mar: News, PPs, and video]

Ochoa became Quarter Horse racing’s all-time leading earner Sunday at Ruidoso Downs in New Mexico, when he cruised to a 1 1/4-length win in the Grade 1, $2,234,539 All American Derby. He has now earned $2,584,243 to surpass the $2.2 million record that had been held by Stolis Winner.

SHAKOPEE, Minn.– A record Festival Day crowd of 17,053 witnessed Minnesota’s championship day of racing at Canterbury Park.  The previous record of 11,214 was shattered on a gorgeous late summer afternoon.

The large crowd saw trainer Mac Robertson and jockey Tanner Riggs sweep the two Minnesota Classics.

In the $50,000 Minnesota Classic, Coconino Slim took command early in the 1 1/16-mile race and never looked back, turning back a late run by Samendra while drawing off to win by 2 1/4 lengths as the even-money favorite paying $4.20. The time of the race was 1:44.28.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Jockey Ramon Dominguez tied one record and broke another Sunday at Saratoga.

Dominguez rode six winners on Sunday’s card at Saratoga, equaling the one-day record - which he first equaled six weeks earlier - while setting a single Saratoga meet record with 66 victories. Dominguez, who will win his second Saratoga riding title, can add to the record on Monday, closing day, when he’s scheduled to ride all 11 races.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y .-  For the second year in a row, trainer Tony Dutrow won the Grade 1 Spinaway and for the second year in a row he did so at the direct expense of a filly trained by Wesley Ward after So Many Ways parlayed a perfect trip into a 2 1/2-length victory over the 22-1 Sweet Shirley Mae on Sunday in Saratoga’s most prestigious race for 2-year-old fillies. Teen Pauline, who set a track record in her debut, finished  third as the 3-5 favorite.