*Thoroughblog is looking for advertiser’s – 1 year for $600.00 for a button on the right, please join the Thoroughblog team and advertise today!   WHAT’S THE BUZZ? QUEENSTON STAKES is a longshot festival     BLACK HORNET rebounded from a drab run in the Woodstock Stakes to lead all the way and win the […]

HAVE YOUR COPY of CANADIAN THOROUGHBRED May 2013 yet? Most bookstores sell it or get a subscription now! Thank you to readers/commenters who corrected me on ARTIC TUNDRA’S big effort in his debut last weekend – he is indeed trained by Franz Crean! Check out Thoroughblog’s LISTS on the home page – such as this […]

  almost as popular as ORB’S Kentucky Derby win was the furious rally of PYRITE MOUNTAIN to win the Wando Stakes at Woodbine and surge up the list of Queen’s Plate contenders….   STREAKIN! Pyrite Mountain  strips Horse of the Year Uncaptured in the stretch Some may have been surprised but the few who picked […]

 The mud has settled, it’s Derby hangover day – but racing at Woodbine and we will see which colt John Oxley will race in the WANDO STAKES today – UNCAPTURED or DYNAMIC SKY. The Queenston is next Saturday, 7 furlongs suiting Dynamic Sky better than Uncaptured. Meanwhile, both have been working hard all year and […]

DERBY DAY UPDATE: The first Saturday in May. For those of us who live and breathe horse racing, it is the most special day. We remember life events by using the Derby as a monument. I remember watching the Derby on an old transistor mini-TV when I snuck away from a family member’s wedding (who […]

Horse racing and hockey – if you are one of these, it does not get better than this week – NHL playoffs and the Kentucky Oaks and Derby!   REMEMBER 30 YEARS AGO THIS WEEKEND…..       TOOT TOOT  HAAA BEEP BEEP – BAD GIRL! ACTING NAUGHTY won a simply bizarre renewal of the […]

NORM FILES caught ESSENCE HIT MAN and Jesse Campbell at the wire of the Jacques Cartier.     DEADLY ESSENCE HIT MAN loves the spring. So much that he won the JACQUES CARTIER STAKES at Woodbine for the THIRD YEAR in succession. On a bright, sunny and simply super day at Woodbine yesterday, the Hit […]

  It’s a new dawn, a new day – day 4 of Woodbine 2013! And it should be a BEAR of a Jacques Cartier Stakes today!  This image, entitled New Dawn, was taken by Renee Kierans.     CLASSICAL HUMOUR (8)  rallied up the rail and then battled Samantha Royale to the wire and won […]

MICHAEL VAN EVERY (photo of Mark Samuel (left) and Michael Van Every)     A friend of racing was lost to us two nights ago. Michael Van Every loved horse racing, was an owner and a breeder and a champion of the health of the industry.         His big horse was CHARLIE’S […]

How was your opening weekend at Woodbine?  So much to look forward to and lots of fun things to do as far as handicapping and learning about horse racing. Don’t forget to visit www.hbpa.on.ca to check out latest racing news, horsepeople news etc. And of course, IN THE WINNER’S CIRCLE, the new weekly podcast on […]

JOIN US… In the Winner’s Circle! Starting Friday, April 19th the HBPA of Ontario will begin to feature a podcast for HBPA members and horse racing fans on our website at www.hbpa.on.ca. The show called “In the Winner’s Circle” will be hosted by longtime Woodbine personalities, Renee Kierans and Jennifer Morrison.  Renee and Jen will […]

A RESPECTED TRADITION Yesterday in downtown Toronto, the fight continues..               STRRRRRETCH – OVERANALYZE is one of 5 Todd Pletcher trainees at Churchill Downs for the Kentucky Derby – ya, it looks for that barn to win it. Steve Queen photo           BET WOODBINE AND […]

Have to start a sunny Sunday morning off with the replay of the TC Smith from Randwick yesterday…BLACK CAVIAR deserves to get worldwide treatment – 25 wins, a legend. IT’S WAR! (Keeneland photo) Yep, the Kentucky Derby will be  a war and there are so many teams you can vote for! Yesterday, JAVA’S WAR won […]

Fun to watch WISE DAN today in the MAKER’S MARK MILE…get your pencils out for handicapping tomorrows great Keeneland card..HASTINGS PARK leads the way for Canadian racing openers tomorrow..win takeout lowered at Woodbine..   photo – RYDILLUC (Kenny Martin/Adam Coglianese Photography FINAL SHOT FOR KENTUCKY DERBY HOPEFULS Canadian bred colts from Oxley need big efforts […]

Congratulations to some great horses and people who will be inducted into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame in August! BRUCE WALKER, JOHN SIKURA (above)  SID ATTARD AND PHIL ENGLAND (leading in Thornfield)  join some equine stars, read more below. recent interviews with Glen Todd and Phil Hronec of Winding Oaks..read on!   ROXY […]