The holidays are in full swing, but not necessarily for all Canadian horses and their teams.
Chiefswood Stables’ PLAYMEA TUNE gets another chance on the dirt in the Dec. 27 Mr. Prospector Stakes (G3) at Gulfstream Park. Trained by Josie Carroll, Playmea Tune won the Forego Stakes earlier this year at Turfway Park after he was fifth in last year’s Mr. Prospector. The son of Maclean’s Music was fourth or fifth in all of his races in 2025 until he won an optional allowance race in November at Woodbine. This will be his second try on the dirt and second meeting with champion White Abarrio, who is even-money in the morning line odds for Saturday’s race.
John Velazquez will ride Playmea Tune, who is on the short list for Champion Male Sprinter in Canada of 2025 along with his stablemate Simcoe and others.
GAS ME UP, the Ontario-bred winner of the King Edward Stakes (G2) last summer at Woodbine, competes in the Joe Hernandez Stakes (G2) at 6 1/2 furlongs on the downhill turf at Santa Anita on Monday, Dec. 29. Owned by Exline-Border Racing and partners, Gas Me Up has post position nine in a large field. He has returned to trainer Peter Eurton. Kevin Attard had Gas Me UP in Ontario for just one race in 2024 and four this year, which included a solid third-place finish in the Woodbine Mile (G1). The son of Hard Spun, bred by Sam-Son Farm, was recently seventh in the Breeders’ Cup Mile, just 4 1/4 lengths behind winner Notable Speech.
The 2024 Sovereign Award-winning Trainer KEVIN ATTARD, who has been keeping his stable in Canada for the last few winters, has set up shop at Palm Meadows now and has more than a dozen horses in training there. Pierre, Sobiech, Melani and others have already recorded workouts at Palm Meadows this week.
JOSIE CARROLL has also been busy working horses at Palm Meadows including champion HE’S NOT JOKING and GAIL COX has prepped horses at her winter base of Payson Park.
Back on the worktab this week was MY BOY PRINCE, the Champion two-year-old of 2023 who was second in two Grade 1s this year on turf and won the Elusive Quality Stakes at Aqueduct. Gary Barber’s Ontario-bred, soon to be five years old, is a top contender for Champion Turf Male of 2025. He worked three furlongs at Gulfstream on Dec. 19, 37 3/5 breezing.
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Graded stakes winner RONDURE has been retired by Borders Racing and has entered the program at LONGRUN THOROUGHBRED RETIREMENT SOCIETY. The six-year-old gelding won the 2022 Marine Stakes (G3) and earned over $300,000. He was most recently trained by Katarina Vassilieva. The Oxbow gelding joins dozens of other horses at the LongRun farm in Hillsburgh awaiting new owners.
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Jerry Brown’s THOROGRAPH sheets are free for the holidays beginning December 26 HERE. You just have to make an account to grab these valuable speed figures for any track.
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Voting for the SOVEREIGN AWARDS 51 will begin at the start of the second week of January when voters receive their data packages. The Jockey Club of Canada will present records of horses and trainers to help voters, but any horse or human can receive votes as long as they meet the criteria.
The 2025 HORSE OF THE YEAR category should be very close. as there were few standouts in the various divisions. King’s Plate winner MANSETTI also won the 6-furlong Woodstock Stakes and the Grade 3 Marine Stakes with second-place finishes in the Prince of Wales Stakes and Ontario Derby (G3).
His stablemate CAITLINHERGRTNESS won two graded stakes races, the Belle Mahone (G3) and Ontario Matron Stakes (G2) and the $250,000 My Charmer Stakes at Turfway Park on Dec . 21, She also was second in the Grade 2 Bessarabian, Grade 2 Dance Smartly on turf, and Trillium Stakes (G3).
Chiefswood’s SIMCOE won five of seven races in 2025, two graded stakes (Grade 3 Vigil and Bold Venture) and was second in the Grade 3 Jacques Cartier. The two-year-old filly CORSIA VELOCE won the Grade 1 Natalma Stakes and was unbeaten and western Canadian stars such as BIG HUG and AVANA will get votes.
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