Woodbine seems to be getting into a decent groove with its attractive racing product now that the 166th King’s Plate draws near. The weekend races at the Rexdale track have have solid fields and good racing and the bettors are eating it up.
This past weekend was a good example of the big fields and fun handicapping puzzles. Well, if you managed to cash a few of the big payoffs, you had fun!
The final race of the 20-race weekend was one such fascinating race; a maiden turf sprint with 12 entrants.
Heavily favoured was a Mark Casse sophomore, Velociraptor, who had been third in his last two turf sprints and was adding blinkers.
But it was a first-time starter from the high-fashion CHIEFSWOOD STABLE who came roaring up the inside to win the 6 1/2 furlong dash by a length – at 34-to-1.
PIPERS REIGN, just the second horse saddled by veteran trainer RON SADLER for Chiefswood, came from 10th and some 10 lengths behind under a super steer by jockey Keveh Nicholls to win his career debut in a thrilling finish. Second was 24-to-1 shot Lover Boy Mo for trainer Alison Crook, with 4-to-1 Red Weaver third.
Not a single bettor had the SUPERFECTA, which paid an all-in-the-fourth-spot to the tune of some $2,000.
Pipers Reign is by Chiefswood stallion Yorkton from the mare Piper’s Legacy by Silent Name (Jpn).
This was the seventh winner for Sadler from 19 starters this year.
He scored his 200th career win recently with longshot Highland Society.
Sadler, who is in the same barn as trainer Bev Chubb, who also had a good week, had one of his best career years in 2024 with 13 wins.
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Champion jockey EMMA-JAYNE WILSON, who came back this year off very serious injuries, has a small fracture in her collarbone after a horse she was training on Sunday morning fatally broke down. Her agent Tom Patton said more will be known about when Wilson can return in a few days.
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Jockey Omar Moreno won a pair of races on Sunday. He won on the two-year-old Bank on Big Winner for Bill Tharrenos and Shamateur for trainer Richie Morden.
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Trainer Devon Gittens has 21 wins at Woodbine and Assiniboia Downs this year and he won three at Woodbine last week. Gittens has nominated his recent claim Diva’s Ghost to the August 4 Manitoba Derby at Assiniboia Downs. Also headed to Winnipeg is Maldini, who was trained at Woodbine by Sarah Ritchie for Barry Arnason and partners.
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