The 2023 Woodbine Thoroughbred season comes to a close quietly on Sunday, December 17 with 10 races, the smallest card for a closing day at the Toronto track in many years. However, the theme remains the same as some of the smaller barns are picking up some nice prizes.
Saturday had many favourites winning, unusual for this time of year, but one 6-to-1 winner was Robert and Patricia Weber’s BEDAZZLE ME, who wrapped up her three-year-old campaign just like she began it – with a victory. The grey filly by the red-hot Ontario sire FRAC DADDY got up to win at 7 furlongs in the $40,000 optional claiming race and it was her second win in 10 starts this year, and second win overall from 18 outings. Trained by Anthony Pottinger, Bedazzle Me was ridden by Justin Stein and this gal made over $100,000 (CAN) this year alone.
Bedazzle Me is the second foal to race and first winner for the unraced mare Bedazzled who produced Saturday’s winner for the Webers and co-breeder Michael C. Byrne.
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RON SADLER was honoured by the HBPA Ontario with the AWARD OF EXCELLENCE during the Saturday card. Sadler, an owner and trainer, has been a longtime member of the Ontario racing community – over 40 years. A top horseman with a small stable, Sadler is well known for his dedication his horses and community.
“This is absolutely wonderful,” said Sadler. “There are so many people who are unrecognized.”
Sue Leslie noted, “There are so many people in the industry that don’t get rewarded because they are not big outfits or not flashy. We thought we need to get to the grassroots people that have given so much to all of us and the horse industry.
“Ron fits the bill. He’s been around forever, he knows a horse from the toes to the tip of the top. He’s kind and an excellent caretaker. He’s the first person to raise a hand if someone needs help and the first person to take someone off the street who knows nothing about horses and teach them.”
The video of the presentation can be viewed on the HBPA Ontario Facebook page here.
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Trainer JOSIE CARROLL has a big stable but in 2023, she won more races at Woodbine than she has in many years. Carroll won the late double on Saturday with Ivan Dalos’ VERI GIZMO (Ami’s Gizmo) and Mark Dodson’s HAPPY VALENTINE (Runhappy). The winning riders were Kazushi Kimira and apprentice Sophia Vives.
Carroll, who will have a string of runners at TURFWAY PARK this winter, is just 17 wins away from 1,000 victories.
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READY AND AEBLY: Apprentice rider FRASER AEBLY has made a strong impression since he came to Woodbine from western Canada for the last couple of months of the season. Aebly won another race Saturday, this one on the trusty filly FLOWERS’N BERRIES, who broke through for her first win of the year for owners Jefferson Gill and Ricardo and Wesley Sterling. The Ontario-bred by Souper Speedy is trained by Mike McDonald and she was bred by Kimberly Ann Hopkinson.
Aebly grew up in Grande Prairie, Alberta and always wanted to be a jockey. His father Derek had interests in racehorses and Fraser galloped for trainer Steven Henson at Hastings racecourse in BC before he began his riding career last fall. Aebly won his first race aboard 11-to-1 shot Quagmire, who was trained by Henson.
Aebly won three races last year and rode at Assiniboia and Hastings this year before moving to Woodbine in the fall with Gerry Olguin as his agent. Aebly has won 15 races this fall at Woodbine and has 67 wins in 2023. (Read more about Aebly here.)
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