The day before Ontario-bred BLIND RIVER rolled to a smart maiden victory at Gulfstream Park in Florida, Canadian Thoroughbred caught up with Chiefswood Stables’ manager Robert Landry to talk about some of the exciting prospects for the 2026 season.
The focus of the conversation was the Canadian-bred three-year-olds owners Mark and Robert Krembil have that could be top contenders for the classics – the Woodbine Oaks and King’s Plate.
The farm’s Sovereign Award finalist for Champion two-year-old filly of 2025, PIPER’S GIFT (Yorkton), had her first breeze of the new year last weekend at Palm Meadows Training Centre in Boynton Beach. The winner of the Princess Elizabeth and Glorious Song Stakes last fall for trainer Dale Desruisseaux worked three furlongs in an easy 40.30 on Saturday morning.
“We hope to start her in a race [before she returns to Woodbine],” said Landry.
Piper’s Gift’s cousin, the three-year-old bay gelding BLIND RIVER (also by Yorkton), was impressive in his return to the races on Feb. 27. Making just his second career start for trainer KATERINA VASSILIEVA, Blind River, at 9-to-1, was on the lead out of the gate under John Velasquez, set modest pace splits of 24.347 and 48.07 and he galloped to a 1 3/4 length win in 1:34.73 for one mile on the turf. His Beyer Speed Figure was 69, according to Daily Racing Form.
Blind River’s dam Pipers Future, by Niigon, is a half-sister to the dam of Piper’s Gift, Piper’s Legacy (Silent Name (Jpn)).
On March 1 at Gulfstream, JUST IN TOUCH, a Justify filly out of the Niigon mare Niigon’s Touch, flew late in a 1 1/8 mile turf maiden race and was just 3/4 of a length short of winning. Trained by Rachel Halden, the three-year-old was racing for the second time, having been a closing third in her debut on Tapeta at 1 1/16 miles.
Just in Touch is a half-sister to Breeders’ Stakes winners Neepawa and Touch’n Ride. The time of the race she was in was 1:47.63.
Earlier on March 1, another Chiefswood homebred, MAGICAL FACTOR, finished fifth, beaten just 3 1/4 lengths in a 1 1/8 mile turf maiden allowance. The gelding by The Factor – Think Magic by Malibu Moon and jockey Pietro Moran got mixed up in a wild pace duel (22.80, 45.90 and 1:09.89) and understandably tired. Rachel Halden trains.
Landry noted that “we had a lot of three-year-olds that did not race last year,” including Cool Times, Powell River and Pharoah’s Affair as ones to watch.
An older first-time starter, Saugeen, made his debut on Mar. 1 at Gulfstream and while the large son of Mendelssohn had impressed in workouts, he broke slowly from the rail post, raced greenly and rallied only mildly.
Landry said SIMCOE, the farm’s multiple stakes-winning sprinter from 2025 and contender for Champion Sprinter, is expected to return to the races this year with trainer Katerina Vassilieva.
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