In Memory of Frank Forde

The Woodbine racing community lost a family member and friend on June 11 with the sudden passing of Frank Forde, who worked for trainer Kevin Attard and was part of the Starship Jubilee team, 2019’s Horse of the Year (See photo).

Frank was often seen in the paddock and walking ring with not only Starship Jubilee, but many other horses, and he was hard to miss with his sharp attire and multi-coloured hair.

As with many popular and much-loved backstretch workers, Frank had a fun nickname; he was known as ‘Sleepy’.

Korina McLean, who also works for Kevin Attard, honoured Frank on her Facebook page and condolences poured in:

Very sad day in the Attard stable this morning. You were one of the most incredible people I ever had the pleasure of knowing in the backstretch. I’m sure I can say that every single one of us will miss your smiling face every morning and dancing in the shedrow. You were always a happy person in the barn and could always brighten my days. You will never be forgotten Sleepy we will all miss you so so dearly. I hope every horse you loved was there to meet you after you crossed the bridge. No one will ever be better dressed than you at the races!!!! Rest in Paradise you beautiful soul.

Rest in Peace Frank ‘Sleepy’ Forde – the sharp dressed man – JOHN WATKINS PHOTO

 

Thursday Racing Returns

The third day of the 2020 Woodbine season was the first Thursday card of racing in many years at the Rexdale track. Thursday racing has not been a thing since the Thoroughbreds raced 5 days a week ‘back in the day’ (okay, well not that long ago).

It also featured the debut of the latest television show of live racing for Woodbine, one combining three races from Woodbine and three from Woodbine Mohawk Standardbred racing. Shown on TSN, the show begins at 6 p.m. and was given a rousing thumbs-up from the racing community. The program had drone angles and some sharp camera work showcasing the beauty of horse racing with some good information for newcomers to the sport.

It will continue for the next 12 Thursdays.

He’s the Poet, don’t you know it?

A stakes winner-laden feature race on the evening (post time on Thursdays is 3:45 p.m.) turned out to be a theft by Stronach Stables’ SILENT POET who slowed the pace down in the 7 1/2 furlong allowance over an inner turf course that was certainly on less-than-firm side. The Nick Gonzalez trainee, who won the Grade 2 Play the King Stakes last year in an abbreviated campaign, went 49 to the half mile mark under Gary Boulanger and fended off challenges from Avie’s Flatter and others to win by half a length. The 5-year-old Ontario-bred by Silent Name (Jpn) Cara Bella by Ghostzapper has 7 wins in 14 starts and Thursday’s win earned him over $67,000.

The Thursday card opened with a front-running win by favoured PLUIE D’AVRIL (April Rain) who had raced at Tampa Bay Downs four times this spring for owner Robert Hardie and trainer Julie Belhumeur. The 4-year-old Big Screen filly was coming off a 70-to-1 second-place finish at Tampa and romped here under Chris Husbands at 4-to-5 in a $7,500 claiming event.

Race 2  featured another speed winner as the Souper Speedy filly SUPER CHOCOLATE led all the way in this $15,000 claiming race for non-winners of 2. This was the first winner of the season for owner/trainer Dominic Polsinelli and jockey Carl DeFreitas. The owner had claimed the filly from her maiden, debut win for $7,500 in November.

MAKE NO MISTAKE won race 3, a $7,500 claiming race for fillies and mare, non-winners of 3, and she was even money and also won after a show of speed. The Raison d’Etat filly is the first winner of the season for trainer Zeljko Krcmar and the owners are Mary Self and Timothy Murray. Daisuke Fukumoto was picking up his third win of the meeting.

Mickey Demers’ DONT GET SMART grabbed the win in race 4, a maiden claiming event for $14,000, when front-runner Shanghai Kimmy suddenly got very tired in the last furlong after leading all the way. ‘Kimmy’ set scorching fractions for the track and the class level, :45.18 for the half mile, and almost held on but the winner reeled her in under David Moran. This was the second winner of the meeting for trainer Mike DePaulo, whose horses have been well prepared this spring. Dont Get Smart is by Girolamo from Get Smarts by Smart Strike and she was bred by Janeane and James Everatt and Arika Everatt-Meeuse.

On the grass for race 5, a non-winners of 3 for fillies and mares, claiming $15,000 and NOT ORBINARY scored a picture perfect victory for NewTop Stable and trainer Norm McKnight. The Orb gal was claimed for this price last fall and she placed three times on the dirt at Oaklawn during the winter. Eclipse Award winning apprentice of 2019  Kazushi Kimura rode the winner.

Trainer ROBERT TILLER is one win away from the impressive 2,000 victory milestone as FORESTER’S TURN, owned and bred by Dr. Rolph Davis, a longtime owner with Tiller, won race 6 for his 3rd career win in just 4 starts. This Old Forester – Effe Bee Eye by Philanthropist gelding stayed within two lengths of a hot pace in this allowance/optional claiming race at 6 furlongs and then surged to win in a multi horse photo by a neck. Another win for Kazushi Kimura. Note that Captain Handsome had a stumble out of the gate that could have affected his performance.

Kimura rides a Tiller trainee in the last race Saturday, Firmly Grounded, who has a chance to put Tiller up to 2,000 career wins.

More trainer news as RODNEY BARROW won his first race as a conditioner when PIERIAN, also ridden by Gary Boulanger, sped to her maiden win at 11 to 1 in the finale, a maiden $7,500 claiming race at 5 furlongs. The winner  had a deceptively good career debut last November after a slow start and she had quick workout times coming into her 4-year-old debut. The Neprhite filly is from Inca’s Flight by Fusaichi Pegasus and she is well related. Robert Stewart owns Pierian.

Barrow has worked for numerous barns at Woodbine, most recently for the late Laurie Silvera.

*Remember last year’s Queen’s Plate winner ONE BAD BOY? The son of Twirling Candy went on the shelf following his 3rd place finish in the Prince of Wales Stakes last July but is back and he has had 2 workouts at Santa Anita recently. Trained by Richard Baltas, the ridgling is owned by Sajay Racing, Brooke Hubband and Greg Hall. XBTV:

 

 

 

Tags: 2020 Woodbine Racetrack, One Bad Boy, Racing Night Live, Silent Poet,

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