There was a bit of a buzz around Woodbine racetrack this week when Canadian national soccer star CYLE LARIN came by to help his Dad attend to their racehorses. Larin had been on the backstretch earlier in the week but when he dropped in on Saturday morning, a crowd ensued.
Larin had scored the game-tying goal in the Canada – Boznia/Herzegovina soccer game in the first round of the FIFA World Cup at BMO Field in Toronto. Canada is a co-host of the World Cup and this was the first point ever earned by Canada’s team after six World Cup matches.
It was the 76th-minute introduction of Larin that brought the equaliser and, ultimately, Canada’s first-ever World Cup point. The striker had only been on the pitch two minutes when he turned sharply to fire in from Promise David’s assist. And he nearly won it in added time but was denied by goalie Tarik Muharemovic.
“It’s important for the team and for the country that we get a point,” said Larin after the game. “But I have always shown that I can score, and it was an amazing moment.”
Larin, 31, has been playing soccer since he was a boy growing up in Brampton and at the same time he would hang out at the barn at Woodbine with his father, Robert ‘Prentice’ Boreland. The two began dabbling in horse ownership about five years ago and they have won eight races from 40 starts.
Larin has said he enjoys the horses and the quiet of the track and he is very much hands-on with his runners. He has a handful in training including winner Good Sin, plus Northern King, Whispering Shadows and Cloud Singer.
For now, Larin is headed to Vancouver for the next two games in the World Cup – Qtara this Thursday at 6 p.m. and Switzerland on June 24.
Before he left Woodbine on Saturday, Larin took photos with plenty of other horse owners and trainers as they congratulated him for the big moment. All of Canada hopes there are more to come.
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