FIRST TOURNAMENT OF THE YEAR THIS SATURDAY - $1,750 is up for grabs in Saturday's Online Player's Choice Tournament. The deadline to enter is tomorrow (Friday, Jan. 21) at 4 p.m. Play any 10 harness or thoroughbred races on Saturday. Your 10 $2 WPS wagers must be made before 10 p.m. Entry form. Rules. If you have any questions about the tournaments or are thinking about entering for the first time email Sheri at [email protected].

PLAYER REWARDS POINTS EXTENDED - You now have until February 28, 2022 to use up your old Player Rewards points. Points can be used for program and DRF purchases from the kiosks, food and beverage purchases or entry into monthly handicapping contests.

Instead, the 56-year-old owner of Ziprick Thoroughbreds in Russell, Manitoba bought another new stallion, Speculating (Medaglia d’Oro-Well Dressed by Notebook), and went shopping for more mares that would help make his new stallion a success.

Ziprick's current band of mares could be his best ever. If they're not already stakes winners or stakes producers, they're either related to someone who is or sired by a top broodmare sire. And most are either in foal to Speculating or being bred to that stallion this spring.

·       Sweet Tizzy Lizzy (Tiznow-Sweet November by Storm Cat)

·       Justoneofakind (More than Ready-Queen’s Court by Monarchos)

·       Danger Pay (Circulating-Anotherbuck by Aferd)

·       High Pioneer (Pioneering-Mystique de Marti by High Brite)

·       She’s Regal (Going Commando-She Is Impressive by Regal Classic)

·       Jungle Storm (Storm Boot-Primistal by Stalwart)

·       Spiteofsuccess (Midshipman-Inspeightofsuccess by Speightstown)

·       Frisky Janelle (Henny Hughes-Frisk Her by Officer)

·       Tadaa (Going Commando-Voila by More Than Ready)

·       Pillow Book (Maria’s Mon-Melhor Ainda by Pulpit)

·       Runaway Delite (Mineshaft-Tart by Dixieland Band)

·       Spun Eazy (Hard Spun-Sutra by Meadowlake)

·       Reasonable Cause (Going Commando-Danger Pay by Circulating)

Most of the foals from the above mares will show up in the annual Manitoba CTHS Yearling Sale. While many are under the impression that Ziprick doesn't sell his best yearlings in the sale, the facts don't bear that out.

"We've been getting such good prices for our yearlings we have to sell them," said Ziprick. "We only kept one last year that didn't sell. It showed promise last year and will go back to trainer Devon Gittens this year. We think he does a great job with the young horses."

Undefeated Melisandre (#2), bred by Cam Ziprick, Charles Fouillard and Barry Arnason, could be headed for a meeting with her older sister Hidden Grace in 2022. Jason Halstead photo.

Ziprick will also campaign multiple stakes-winning mare Hidden Grace with partners Barry Arnason and Charles Fouillard. And it's quite possible that Hidden Grace could run against her full sister, the undefeated 8-for-8 Melisandre. Wouldn’t that be a treat to watch!

And after they’re done putting on a show for the fans, Hidden Grace and Melisandre will match up nicely on pedigree with Speculating, as will Escape Clause's full sister Reasonable Cause. All three are likely to have a date with Speculating in the future.

Is there enough power in the above broodmare band to produce another millionairess like Escape Clause, who was bred by Ziprick in partnership with Arnason Farms?

The genetics are there.

Need a new hobby? More information on the above mares (or a few of your own), can be found at PedigreeQuery.com. Once you’ve typed in a mare’s name you can study her pedigree and use the progeny report to dig deeper into the families of sires, dams, sisters and brothers. Beware, once you get started, you’ll be in there for hours. Enjoy!

Trainer Karen Hendricks with Just the Rite Size in 1982. Hall of Fame trainer Frank Merrill sent the 3-year-old filly to Karen from Toronto in 1980. The speedy bay won her first two starts at Assiniboia Downs and was later sold to race in Saskatchewan, but she always had a special place in Karen’s heart, as this photo shows. Photo courtesy of ASD Historian Bob Gates.

The Skeptical Handicapper asks the kinds of questions every serious handicapper should think about -- and answers many of them -- all with the goal of helping you make a profit at the races.

This book answers these and many more key handicapping questions and shows you what is actually profitable. Well worth reading.

Go Go Lolo has her first winner! The 12-year-old mare by Awesome Again won six stakes from 2014 to 2016 at ASD for trainer Murray Duncan and the Estate of Garylle B. Stewart after being claimed for $25,000 at Oaklawn Park. She was then bred to Dwyer Stakes (G3) winner Speightster by new owner CJ Thoroughbreds, and produced the colt pictured above named Sperle.

Now a 3-year-old, Sperle won a Maiden Special Weight race at Sam Houston Race Park on January 15, and looked just like his mother doing it! Watch the replay on the CJ Thoroughbreds Facebook page here. Thanks to Pat Duncan for sending us this update from Endeavor Farm of Kentucky, where Sperle was born and raised. Congratulations!

Do you have an interesting photo you would like showcased in an upcoming newsletter? Email your photos to [email protected].

Plentiful returns with jockey Stanley Chadee Jr. after winning the 2021 Manitoba Mile at ASD. He makes his first start of 2022 this Saturday at Oaklawn Park. Click image for entries. Jason Halstead photo.

Manitoba Mile and Gold Cup winner Plentiful makes his first start of 2022 this Saturday in the 7th race at Oaklawn Park for trainer Murray Duncan and the Estate of Garylle B. Stewart. Plentiful has been listed at 20-1 on the morning line in the $50,000 Allowance/Optional claiming race, which features a purse of $101,000. There are numerous Canadian horsepeople and horses in action south of the border this winter, including former ASD trainer Martin Drexler. Update from Jennifer Morrison at the Canadian Thoroughbred here.

Trainer Mark Casse hates to play catch-up, especially with a newly turned 3-year-old. So, at a time when the other top four finishers in the TVG Breeders' Cup Juvenile presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (G1) have yet to start their 3-year-old campaign, Casse will get the jump on them with runner-up Pappacap. More from the Blood Horse here.