Luis Contreras

Ami’s Mesa a gutsy second in Breeders’ Cup thriller

Ami’s Mesa, a strong contender for Canada’s Horse of the Year, made the lead at the top of the lane only to be caught in the final stride by longshot Bar of Gold in the Grade 1 $1-million Filly and Mare Sprint on Breeders’ Cup Saturday at Del Mar Racetrack in California. Owned and bred […]

Ami’s Mesa romps in Seaway Stakes

Ami’s Mesa and jockey Luis Contreras dominated the featured $125,000 Seaway (Gr. 3) Stakes winning by open lengths on Saturday afternoon at Woodbine Racetrack. Ami’s Mesa was one of three Josie Carroll trainees in the seven furlong sprint for fillies and mares three years old and up contested on the Woodbine main. Following back-to-back wins […]

Ami’s Mesa makes an Ontario Matron statement

Ami’s Mesa rallied impressively down the lane to win Saturday’s Grade 3 $146,150 Ontario Matron Stakes, at Woodbine. Trained by Josie Carroll for owner-breeder Ivan Dalos, the four-year-old daughter of Sky Mesa won back-to-back races for the second time in her career, in taking the 1 1/16-miles Tapeta stake for older fillies and mares. Rattataptap […]

Danish Dynaformer Sweeps to Plate Trial Win

Trainer Roger Attfield could be on the verge of winning a record-breaking ninth Queen’s Plate after Charles Fipke’s homebred Danish Dynaformer proved a deserving winner of the $150,000 Plate Trial Stakes, Sunday at Woodbine. On a rainy, misty afternoon at Toronto, Danish Dynaformer and jockey Luis Contreras swung three wide turning for home and pulled […]

Pender Harbour Defends Steady Growth Title

Pender Harbour cements himself as one of the best horses of his generation with an earnest 3/4-length win in Saturday’s $125,800 Steady Growth Stakes at Woodbine. Luis Contreras, who won three races on the card, rode the seven-year-old to his 12th lifetime win for trainer Mike DePaulo and owners Denny Andrews, Sandra Lazaruk, Bob and […]

Black Hornet Makes the Grade in Vigil

Black Hornet buzzed to the lead and never looked back en route to a swift score in Sunday’s $150,000 Grade 3 Vigil Stakes, at Woodbine. Trained by Pat Parente for owners Joey Gee Thoroughbreds and Aldo Ventresca, Black Hornet arrived at the seven furlong sprint from a fourth-place finish, while making his seasonal debut, in […]