For the second time in less than two weeks, Woodbine was forced to cancel the bulk of a race card due to turbulent weather. Saturday’s December 3 card, which got underway 30 minutes after the scheduled 1:20 post time, made it through three races before the strong wind gusts brought a halt to the 11-race card.
The temperature also dropped nearly 10 degrees from the morning to the afternoon as a harsh cold snap hit southern Ontario. On November 20, the races at Woodbine were halted after two races due to wind.
One horseman who is red-hot, however, is BILL THARRENOS, who won his fifth straight race in race 2 when CHROME’S ANGEL rallied to win a 1 mile and 70 yard maiden 2-year-old race for $25,000 claiming. The California Chrome filly was another winner for Thomas Knizet’s Tara Horse Farm, Inc. which bred the filly with the California Chrome Syndicate.
The victory by Chrome’s Angel pushed Tharrenos’ purse earnings in 2022 over $1 million (US), the first time the personable trainer has reached that peak. Tharrenos has also won 36 races this year in Ontario and Florida, a career best. His five-race winning streak began with Golden Isle at Gulfstream on Nov. 27 and he has won his last four at Woodbine.
He begins Sunday’s card with favoured Manetka, owned by Tara Horse Farm, his lone starter for the afternoon.
Tara Horse Farm, located in Niagara-on-the-Lake, is relatively new in its fourth full season of racing horses. The Knizet family has won five races with partner Natural Eight Stable including its homebred 2-year-old JAMIESTA, a son of stallion Arpista (Quality Road). Tara Horse Farm has also won with Hayroll this year.
Also winning on Saturday’s abbreviated card was GOZILLA, who took the $25,000 claiming opener for A Bianco Holding Ltd. and trainer Martin Drexler.
This has been a breakout year for Drexler, who has 77 wins in 2022, well ahead of his previous best yearly total of 64 posted in 2019. Drexler began this year with a string of runners in Florida that did well and he has started over 400 horses throughout the year, also a career high.
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Since November 3, 81 horses have been claimed from races at Woodbine and most of those are headed to tracks in the U.S. to race.
BRUNO SCHICKEDANZ has claimed 18 of those with trainers Martin Drexler, Norm McKnight, Elliot Sullivan and Mike Dunslow.
Drexler has claimed 12 horses for various owners and those will be headed to Florida this winter.
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