The gelding TRACK’EM DOWN seems to be saying ‘eye see you’ to his trainer/photographer Steven Chircop.
BOOM! Ontario Sire Program altered and rewards get bigger!
The Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association (HBPA) and Woodbine Entertainment Group (WEG) have spent months reviewing the Ontario Sired (OS) racing program at Woodbine Racetrack. We have consulted extensively with Owners, Trainers, Breeders and other industry stakeholders representing numerous viewpoints on how to maximize the Ontario Sired program.
Today, HBPA and WEG are very pleased to jointly announce revisions in the Ontario Sired program at Woodbine for 2014.
Effective immediately, all eligible Ontario Sired runners in open and unrestricted overnight and stake races are eligible for a 40% purse bonus. Bonus payments in open races is common practice in many major racing jurisdictions but the 40% level across-the-board outpaces almost all other North American programs.
This 40% purse bonus ensures that the total value of the Ontario Sires program in 2014 is not different than previous years.
The 40% OS bonus stacks on top of the pre-existing 20% Ontario Bred bonus for eligible horses, resulting in a 60% total bonus available in open races. For example, an eligible OS/ON-bred runner in an open Maiden Special Weight now runs for a total purse of $89,460 ($55,900 base + $11,200 ON-bred + $22,360 OS).
To accommodate the new 40% bonus program we have agreed on changes to the OS Restricted Overnight conditions. The OS Maiden Claiming $25,000 condition is discontinued. The OSnw3 condition combines into the $40,000 CLnw3. And the OSMSW and OSnw2 purses have been moved to $45,000 and $47,500, respectively. These revisions maximize open racing opportunities and provide funding for the new 40% bonus.
GDANSK WINS BY A POLE
From GULFSTREAM’S FACEBOOK PAGE, the gang celebrates GDANSK’S win in a starter allowance. Nick Gonzalez is on the far right, co-owner Greg Lang has shorts on! GULFSTREAM PARK PHOTO
Mike Ambler’s Ontario-bred filly GDANSK won race 9, a starter allowance, at Gulfstream on Wednesday by 5 1/2 lengths, collecting the bulk of the $35,000 purse for her Toronto owner.
She raced the one mile on dirt in 1:41.34. Nick Gonzalez trains the filly.
The filly, bred by Gus Schickedanz, is by Langfuhr out of Slew o’Platinum by Stephen Got Even and she is a 3yo filly who was making her 9th start. She has won 3 races and over $78,000.
NEW STAKES WINNER FOR BOLD ‘N FLASHY
BOLD THUNDER won Gulfstream’s Silks Run Stakes at 5 furlongs on the grass defeating top runners such as Travelin Man. The 4yo colt became the lates stakes winner for ONtario sire Bold n’ Flashy.
A Kentucky bred, Bold Thunder is out of Stormy Kristine, a filly from the Bill Sorokolit breeding program. Stormy Kristine is out of Cruising Kris, the dam of recent Gulfstream winner KAIGUN.
Bold Thunder was bred by Ameer Group. He was unsold at a pair of 2yo in training sales and has won 5 of 11 races and $142,110.
Bold n’ Flashy stands at T C Westmeath Stud in Shelburne, ON
PATRICK HUSBANDS READY TO ROLL
Rides Major Marvel in Barbados Gold Cup Mar. 8
“Some people only see me as Patrick the champion jockey, but many don’t know of the sacrifices and challenges I have encountered,” -Patrick Husbands
Husbands, who was on a tear at Woodbine last fall after missing much of the year with a broken leg, talks about his early years at Woodbine in a BARBADOS TODAY story:
http://www.barbadostoday.bb/2014/02/26/ace-jockey-husbands-star-quality/
- cp24 HAS THIS IMAGE OF THE SNOW SQUALL THAT LANDED IN BARRIE and south to Toronto at 9:30 this morning – wild winter continues, it’s -20 or something.
CHOPPER 24 photo
