The good news for Ontario horseracing in 2021 is that things got a bit more normal by midway through the year. Spectators were welcomed back on July 1 at Woodbine and slowly filled tracks around the province in the months to come.
And Woodbine will get to complete its 2021 season on December 5, a year after the 2020 season was suddenly halted by the province when the COVID-19 pandemic continued to rage on. Today, most of the country is vaccinated and it will be exciting to have racing beginning on time in 2022.
Four racing cards remain at Woodbine for this season and on the final weekend the stakes races are the Steady Growth, for Ontario-sired older horses, and the popular Valedictory Stakes (Grade 3), which unfortunately lost some luster when it was shortened for this year to 1 1/2 miles from 1 3/4 miles.
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Winning Beyer Figures Nov. 25-28 Woodbine
PINK LLOYD – 92
LAPOCHKA – 90
SPITE STORE – 86
JUAN PABLO – 84
YOLA – 82
Grey Stakes – God of Love – 80
Mazarine Stakes – Mrs. Barbara – 75
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The titles have been decided as Kazushi Kimura‘s 130 wins have him well in front among the riders. This will be his first Woodbine title.
Mark Casse‘s 106 wins is his highest total of wins at Woodbine in several years. It is the battle for second place in the trainer standings that has been a good race. Martin Drexler, who won four races last week, has 53 wins at Woodbine and Kevin Attard has 52. Drexler, who won his 500th career race as trainer last week (although he had a stable in 2018 that was under the care of Jim Ensom, as he was suspended) is close to a career year. He will have horses at Palm Meadows in Florida for the first time this winter.
Gary Barber leads owners by purses from 23 wins for $1.3 million and Bruno Schickedanz leads owners by wins at 33.
Recent winners at Woodbine include two nice 2-year-old prospects for former Ontario stallion Giant Gizmo trained by Julia Carey for Goldie Stables, Discovery Stables and Tom Crocklin.
LAC MACAZA has won two straight for Goldie and Discovery and this guy was bought back by breeders Frank Mermenstein and Elliot Kohn. The stretch-running bay colt is from the Sligo Bay mare Garavogue Colleen and Lac Macaza’s optional/option win at 1 1/16 miles on Nov. 26 earned him a 68 Beyer figure. On Saturday, Carey and Discover, Goldie as well as McCrocklin won with first-time starter GIANT TEDDY, by Giant Gizmo from the mare Explosive Leah by Silent Name (Jpn). Bred by Susan Rasmussen and H. Lothian, Giant Teddy led all the way through 6 1/2 furlongs and earned a 66 Beyer figure. He was a $15,000 yearling purchase last fall at the CTHS Ontario sale.
Owner/trainer AUSTIN HINDS own his first race of the season when the Reload gelding MAD DOG N JOE won a maiden $25,000 claiming race on Sunday.
CHETRAM (Chuckie) MOHABIR won his first race of the season when his own 2-year-old VICTORY JET led all the way to win a maiden 2-year-old race. Victory Jet is a son of Chart Topper.
Trainer TED HOLDER is in the midst of a career year. His 10th winner was the big galloper JEGOS FIRE who won a nine-furlong race for $10,000 claiming on the weekend, his second victory of the meeting.
The upset win by the American Pharoah filly YOUENS in a maiden allowance on Sunday was the 10th win for trainer ANGUS BUNTAIN, a career best number of wins. Youens is owned by Jaroslaw Kowalczyk. The filly, originally a $250,000 yearling purchase by Bill Werner, was claimed for $20,000 and then $40,000 from maiden races at Churchill Downs this spring. She finished fourth in the Woodbine Oaks in her first start for Buntain.
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