Highest Winning Beyer Figures at Woodbine Wednesday Dec 11 to Dec 15
93 PUMPKIN RUMBLE
91 GLENVILLE GARDENS
89 PIVEN
85 BETWIXTING
84 WALKABOUT CREEK
83 CONSTANTINO
83 VANZZY
82 ANALYZER/ WHERE’S ANTHONY
Over $8 million was wagered on a massive 16-race card at Woodbine Dec. 15, the final day of the 133-season.
The weather held for the most part, other than a mini blizzard in mid-card. The track had to be harrowed with two races to go but all seemed to go well and the races were exciting with a dead-heat, inquiries and impressive performances which was topped by the rugged chestnut gelding PUMPKIN RUMBLE who romped to his second straight Valedictory Stakes (G3).
The popular 1 3/4 mile Valedictory was the easiest of wins for Pumpkin Rumble, owned by Americans Bill and Al Ulwelling, who have been major players in Ontario racing in the last couple of years. Kevin Attard trained the 8-year-old to the minute, coming off a two month layoff with no prep race.
With Eurico Rosa da Silva riding, Pumpkin Rumble was never far away from front running mare Aunt Katherine and on the last turn he glided to the lead and took off.
The eight-year-old English Channel gelding completed the 1-3/4-mile marathon in 2:57.67 for a 93 Beyer Speed Figure.
It was the last stakes ride for Da Silva, who has retired from riding.
“For you to be successful, you need to hang around people like Kevin,” said Da Silva. “I’ve been very lucky to ride for all these great trainers, great horsepeople, great owners, and when you are together with them, all you are doing is winning.”
“He’s a super, super easy horse to ride,” said Da Silva. “He has a little soft mouth. You give him a chance to relax and you can do anything you want with him. Like you see today, I had a little bit of trouble relaxing him in the beginning, but once I tucked in behind, he was so relaxed. At the three-eighths, I really did not want to take the lead there but, you know what, he said ‘Eurico, I’ll handle this’ and he took over. From there, it was over.”
Of course, Da Silva concluded with one final statement: “Good luck to everybody!”
Pumpkin Rumble, who last raced on October 12 in the Grade 1 Pattison Canadian International finishing fifth, was sent postward as the 4-5 favourite and paid $3.50 to win. Fearsome finished second with Theregoesjojo third.
“He’s coming out of the International and when the prep failed to fill, I thought ‘wow, it’s going to be a couple months [between races],’” said Attard who had a career year. “We gave a good mile work into him and the exercise riders, Nikki Alderson and Robert Stuart, who joined them at the half-mile pole, did a great job. I think that was a big benefit to get him ready and just keep that fitness in him. He’s an older horse and older horses usually look after themselves.”
The Ulwellings claimed Pumpkin Rumble for $30,000 from his second career start
Attard said the 11-time career winner, who got a late start to the 2019 season, will head south to race in Florida this winter.
Da Silva, who first won the Woodbine jockey title in 2010, led all jockeys for the fifth straight year winning 182 races at the 2019 meet. Da Silva recorded 19 stakes wins in his final Woodbine season and topped the standings for earnings with his mounts banking more than $9.8 million. He finished the season with an 18-win lead over Rafael Hernandez (164 wins) while Kazushi Kimura rounded out the top three with 146 victories.
Norm McKnight took the trainers title for the third consecutive year with his stable sending out 103 winners during the 2019 meet, which ran from April 20 to December 15. Hall of Famer Mark Casse, who won 92 races, was the leading money-earning trainer with his stable amassing more than $6.7 million in purses. Martin Drexler edged out Kevin Attard for third-place in the win column (63-61).
Chiefswood Stables was the leading money-winning owner of the meet with more than $2.3 million in purses and, with 28 wins, was runner-up to Bruno Schickedanz, who topped the standings with 54 victories.
PINK LLOYD won the most races, 6, from his 7 starts. The amazing 9-year-old gelding CONSTANTINO won for the 5th time on the last day of racing. He is currently owned by David Rowbotham and partners and trained by Martin Drexler.
Bred by Penny and Manfred Conrad in Ontario, Constantino has won 15 of 50 races and nearly $500,000.
Also winning 5 races in 2019 was the filly FOXXY BELLE, an Ontario sired gal by Leonnatus Anteas and SKY VISION, an Ontario sired filly by Court Vision.
*KAZUSHI KIMURA, while having a few suspensions in the last couple of months, not only impressed with his riding skills when he was an apprentice but the short time he rode as a journeyman was also strong.
On the last day of racing, the young rider had a miraculous recovery when he almost fell off ALKELINE out of the gate in race 14. From the one post, the filly stumbled and it looked grim for both her and Kimura – take a watch:
The 16th and final race of the day, well, night, offered up a nice result as it was the first win of the year for the 5-year-old SEVENTYSEVEN STONE, the first win of the year for trainer Paul Lepiane and actually, the first win for LePiane, also a blacksmith, since 1999 although he missed seven years between then and now. Simon Husbands rode Seventyseven Stone who is owned by MPB Stable.
Seventyseven Stone got a well deserved win in the 16th race at Woodbine on Dec. 15 – Michael Burns photo
Woodbine’s 2020 Thoroughbred meet is scheduled to begin on April 18.
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