The return of track-record-setting debut winner BOTTA SWING highlights the opening day card of the 2023 Woodbine Thoroughbred season, Saturday, April 22. The fast Ontario-bred filly, owned by Hoolie Racing and Bruce Lunsford and trained by Barbara Minshall, has post position 9 in the 5 furlong 6th race, a $111,000 allowance/optional claiming dash. Two-time Sovereign Award winner Kazushi Kimura rides the daughter of Not This Time – Lady of the Glen by Purim, who won her debut May 1, 2022, racing 4 1/2 furlongs in 50.94 over a very fast Tapeta surface.
This weekend’s two days of racing to kick off the 133-day meeting came up light in entries, not unusual for early spring, especially when the overall horse population is light.
Opening day attracted 68 entries but three of those were scratched to compete on Sunday, making for a 55-horse, eight-race card.
The 164th running of The King’s Plate on Sunday, August 20 is the crown jewel of the 2023 live racing season. Other marquee dates include the Woodbine Oaks, presented by Budweiser, on Sunday, July 23, the Grade 1 Ricoh Woodbine Mile on Saturday, September 16 and the Grade 1 Canadian International on Sunday, October 8.
A very large and competitive jockey colony includes Kimura, Rafael Hernandez, Patrick Husbands, Justin Stein, Emma-Jayne Wilson and Luis Contreras. Newcomers to the circuit include Rico Walcott, a champion rider in Alberta, and Ryan Munger, due to arrive in early May from South Africa.
New horsepeople at Woodbine include leading Florida conditioner Saffie Joseph, Jr. and Kentucky-based Jamie Begg.
Sunday’s feature races include a pair of allowance/optional claiming dashes at five furlongs. In race 5, NAPA SPIRIT (Ire), owned by Sovereign Award winning owner Bruno Schickedanz, will be heavily bet off two strong speed runs in Florida recently. The gelding is trained by Mike Dunslow and will be ridden by Emma-Jayne Wilson.
Race 6, worth $114,000, is at 5 1/2 furlongs and KAWACATOOSE, owned by Canadian soccer star Cyle Larin and his father Robert Boreland, meets a pair of tough rivals from the leading barn of 2022, Mark Casse.
Thoroughbreds train at Woodbine Racetrack in preparation for opening day of the 133-day race meet at Woodbine on Saturday April 22, 2023. (Woodbine/ Michael Burns Photo)
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