Jockey Rafael Hernandez and trainer Wesley Ward had three wins together, while jockey Emma-Jayne Wilson was the local heroine, guiding Serious Talk to a sharp win in the $131,500 Woodstock Stakes, on Saturday’s 2015 Opening Day card at Woodbine.
Ten races were offered on the season opening program, conducted under cool, but sunny conditions.
Hernandez and Ward teamed up to score the season’s first race with filly Circle the World ($2.90), who bested five colts to launch the meet.
The duo also combined to win the afternoon’s sixth race with Smithereen ($4) and 10th race with Tiz Sardonic Joe ($6.30).
“It’s good to get a win right away,” said Hernandez, who had five mounts on the opening day card for ship-in trainer Ward. “I’m only here for the opening weekend, but it’s nice to get started on the right foot.”
It’s not the first time early-season specialist Ward has raided Woodbine on Opening Day. He sent five horses to the Woodbine winner’s circle from his Kentucky training base in 2011.
Woodbine newcomer Alan Garcia recorded two wins, riding Leading Wild ($13.10) and Splashy Gizmo ($13.20) to wins in the second and ninth race, respectively.
Nick Nosawenko trained two winners to victory, Simply Belonging ($9.30) in the seventh race and Splashy Gizmo.
The race of the day had Serious Talk and rival Jacks Escarpment duel in deep stretch for the victory in the Woodstock, but Wilson who sat her mount off the pace early in the six-furlong race, had a horse with more energy left late to get the title by three-quarters of a length, paying $22.90 to win.
Wilson, who guided Serious Talk to the his fourth career win for trainer Mike Maker and owner Michael Hui, finished sixth in the Woodbine jockey standings in 2014.
Other jockeys with wins on the card include Luis Contreras, the runner-up in the rider standings to Patrick Husbands last year, who was aboard Simply Belonging, while David Moran scored with Cloudwatcher ($8.30) in the third, Skye Chernetz won with Her Majesty’s Flag ($14.60) in the fourth and Super Colerosa ($6) gave Jesse Campbell a good start to the campaign in the fifth.
Other Woodbine conditioners who saddled winners in the curtain raiser were Willie Armata, David Cotey and Mike DePaulo.
Also unveiled on opening day was a new, state-of-the-art LED board. Woodbine has scheduled 133 racing dates this season, concluding November 29.
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