MARYJEAN is a 5-year old mare sired by D’WILDCAT and foaled in Florida. Her dam is FAN FRIENDLY. She’s a sprinter and comes to us off a win in the 1st race at Hawthorne today, an $8,000 claiming race that went 5 1/2 furlongs.
MARYJEAN came to the races in November of 2011 as a $4500 purchase from the Ocala June sale of 2YOs. She won at first asking in a $30,000 Maiden Claiming race at Hollywood Park. She was dropped to $16,000 after getting dusted in a $40,000 Starter Allowance at Santa Anita. She won and was claimed for the first time. She was claimed again the very next race for $20,000, finishing 3rd, again at Santa Anita.
She consistently could hit the board but was having a hard time actually winning a race so her connections dropped her again to $16,000 at the Santa Rosa Fair where she finished 2nd but was claimed once again, moving into her 4th barn in nine months, all in California.
However from the date of that claim, August 2012, she has been in the barn of trainer Mike Dini and owned by the aptly named Mary Jean Bonfili. She was moved east to Chicago where she alternated between there and Florida. Her only win for the connections prior to today was in a $17500 claiming race at Hawthorne. She was mostly running in the claiming races in the mid $20,000 range as well as some turf allowances. Clay felt that given the opportunity to run at a more appropriate level she should be able to win some. We discussed her at length this morning and I told her that if liked the looks of her to go ahead and claim her.
We’ll know more when she gets back to the barn and cools down later today and tomorrow but, as you can tell if you saw the race or watched the replay, she pulled away from this group with ease. Clay says the one thing he noticed on her right off the bat were that her feet were like pie plates – nice and big. This generally lends you to believe that a horse like this could do well on the turf. So far she is 0-6 but those races have been in very stiff company or at inappropriate distances for her. Don’t be surprised if you see her on the Canterbury turf course this summer.
Her race record is now 6 wins in 26 starts with earnings of just over $72,000. Her complete race record, less today’s race, is below. If you’d like to see the replay of the race, click on this link and then choose April 11, race 1: http://www.hawthorneracecourse.com/live_racing/replays.php
Congratulations and good luck all!
Canterbury Racing Club 
I also hail from Ocala, FL and spent a good bit of time in Chicago. Looks like a good choice.
Hello!
Is there any chance to still pay and get in the club for this year?
Please let me know.
Thank you! Joe Vesey
Sorry, Joe, we closed out on Feb 28 but please continue to follow the Club. Hopefully you’ll be able to join the 2015 edition.
Ted – thanks for all of the info on Maryjean!!
Looked very sharp in her win! Can’t wait to see her win this summer at Canterbury! Looks like another good choice! Thanks Clay and Ted!
I AM SO EXCITED RIGHT NOW!
Looks like a nice claim. When will she be shipped up here? Could she race another time yet before she comes up here?
She’ll come up when Clay moves his stable the first week of May. Given the time frame between now and the end of Hawthorne plus the number of races she’s had we’ll probably give her an extra week or two off and try and start her next here opening weekend in front of her new family.
Is there any time frame on when the condition book will come out for opening at Canterbury? Who makes up the book? Stewards?
The first condition book usually comes out in the late fall/early winter once purses are determined and stakes races are scheduled. It is put together by the racing secretary. The book is put together with a variety of factors under consideration: number of MN bred races (and anticipated MN breds to run in them); the stakes schedule; trainer and owner input; the types of horses that were here; the types of horses they want to attract here; among other factors. You can find Condition Book 1 here: http://www.canterburypark.com/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=KKKelbyjC5o%3d&tabid=119
All great news. My 4 year old daughter is ready to cheer for Maryjean.
I know it is still early and we have to wait and see how Mary jean is after her last race. Have you heard how she is? But looking at the condition book for opening day would she be able to run in either the 7th or 8th race? If they fill of course and if she is fit.
She came out fine and Clay likes the look of her. Race 7 in the condition book opening day is an allowance race – probably well over her head and it’s also on the turf. While I think that she may be able to do some damage on the Canterbury turf, it won’t be against those types. The 8th is at a mile and 70 yards which would be, base upon her history, a bit further than her effective range. She has proven to be adept between 5 and 6.5 furlongs, which is where we’d like to keep her. That $7500 level is good but in a brief conversation with Clay, he’d like to try and move her up to $10,000 which would be race S3 (substitute race 3) the following weekend. The “S” races are written as back-ups to the main races in case the main races don’t fill (which happens fairly often).
hey ted rick pagel are we still looking for another horse to claim or does the usually stick to one? also while it might be a foolish ? but would the club ever buy a 2 yr old in training such as the osb sale next wk or is there not enough turn around time in a season to make that feasible thanks rick
Rick – the plan is to get two. Clay and are on the lookout but so far there hasn’t been much worth pursuing. There was a 5 year old gelding we looked at Kay week but upon closer inspection we decided there was too much downside. We may end up claiming the beginning if the Canterbury meet.
As for a sales horse, given the legal nature of the Club – one year, fixed term/fixed cost – a sales horse may never get to the races and provides too much risk for our limited nature.
ok thanks ted i didnt know you lived so close to me im in kasson would love to visit sometime if possible spent a good share of my life owning and working withregistered holstein dairy cattle still own a few and spend time in summer and working with cattle at shows hence part of my fasination with race horses is in learning about the prep that goes into getting a horse ready to race if that makes any sense thanks for ur time RICK PAGEL
Wow! Looks like Maryjean had a bullet work today, 5 furlongs in 1:01, on the dirt, 1/20. She must be training well.
Looks like a nice workout this morning down at Hawthorne for Maryjean!
Looks like a nice workout for Maryjean this morning at Hawthornte. 5 furlongs in 1:01.00 and she was the fastest(bullet) workout of 20 horses. Nice work!