Northern Bay, campaigned by the estate of Maryland owner-breeder Cary W. Jackson, took command on the final circuit of Sandlin Racecourse and drew clear to a ten-length victory in the $25,000 Carolina Cup Block House, featured race of the 65th annual Block House Races in Tryon, N.C., on Saturday, April 23.
Karen Eyles’ Canardly came on to finish second in a field of five. Randleston Farm’s Spy in the Sky took third, and Julia Thieriot’s Fantastic Foe finished fourth.
Bill Pape’s Lead Us Not set the early pace under jockey Brian Crowley, with Northern Bay and jockey Roddy Mackenzie shadowing the pace in company with Fantastic Foe. Crowley misjudged the finish line by one circuit while comfortably in front and steered Lead Us Not off the course, apparently believing the race was over.
Fantastic Foe inherited the lead, but Northern Bay took command when asked by Mackenzie and drew away to the finish line. Northern Bay ran the Carolina First Block House’s 2 1/2 miles in 5:01.60 on a course rated as good.
Trained by Todd Wyatt, Northern Bay won his only start of 2010, a Philadelphia Park optional allowance at 26.70-1 odds.
The husband-wife team of Richard and Lilith Boucher accounted for two victories on the Block House program. Lilith Boucher trains Marilyn S. Ketts’ Flying Friskie, who won the $10,000 Cannon Harmon Memorial, a maiden claiming hurdle, by two lengths with Richard Boucher in the saddle.
The trainer-jockey duo also accounted for a narrow victory by Mede Cahaba Stable’s Class Tie in the $10,000 Greek Creek Equestrian Park, a conditioned claiming hurdle. Clorevia Farm’s Better Be Ready finished second by a head.
In the afternoon’s kick-off race, Crowley collected a victory in the $15,000 Performance Center/Hendrickscars.com aboard the Elkstone Group’s Last Man Standing for Racing Hall of Fame trainer Jonathan Sheppard. Inti finished second in the maiden hurdle.
– article submitted