The next generation of the well-known Howard and Ross families celebrated an exciting win at Woodbine on October 4 when the two-year-old first-time starter EMPIRICIST won his career debut at 24-to-1.
Empiricist (Classic Empire – Fact Checking by The Factor) was co-bred by the late NANCY HOWARD, who recently passed away. Nancy, wife of Jake Howard, a director and chairman of the Ontario Jockey Club, and their children, including longtime trainer Ian and horsewoman Robin, have been in racing for decades.
“Nancy and Jake, Woodbine’s longest-serving chairperson, devoted their entire lives to Woodbine and Thoroughbred racing,” said HBPA president Sue Leslie. “Long after Jake’s passing [2006] Nancy was seen almost daily at the races well into her 90s. Their dedication and leadership will not be forgotten.”
Empiricist, a fourth generation fellow from the Howard family races for Gillian Howard, daughter of Jake and Nancy, Daniel Howard, son of Ian and Felicia Ross, daughter of the late Don Ross, who raced horses with the Howards including the dam and granddam of Empiricist.
Jake Howard bred Soiled Dove, a Bold Ruckus filly who won three of four races in a shortened career. Soiled Dove was taken over by Windfields Farm and bred to Ascot Knight and produced MORDACIOUS, who raced for the Howards’ Wayward Stable. She won the Ontario Lassie and Flaming Page Stakes.
Howard and Don Ross bred Mordacious and she produced QUESTUARY, an Archers Bay mare who won the Eternal Search Stakes in 2006.
Jake Howard passed away in 2006 and Questuary was bred several times for the partnership of Ross, Nancy Howard and Gillian Howard. Questuary produced one of the best horses ever raced by the partners, QUAESITOR, who won over $470,000 and won the Valedictory Stakes and was third in the Breeders’ Stakes.
Another offspring of Questuary was FACT CHECKING, a hard-knocking mare who won five races and earned over $270,000. Empiricist is her first foal to race.
In 2022, Ian Howard told Canadian Thoroughbred that they were hopeful for Fact Checking as a broodmare.
“That was a mare that we can go back to the ’70s with that family. We kept her, we bred her. We try not to get too large, just a manageable number. Hopefully she has a nice foal, and try to find a couple other horses.”
Empiricist is trained by Matt Douglas and he was ridden to victory by Keveh Nicholls. The chestnut survived a claim of foul at the start (see video below).
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The top Beyer Speed Figures of last week at Woodbine were:
Arabian Crown – 104
Victory Achieved – 100
Coburg – 90
Warming – 90
Marshal – 89
El Alacran – 86
Talent Show – 84
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ICON Racing Stables have a good one in the barn in the form of MARSHAL, a son of Triple Crown winner Justify, who was claimed by ICON and its trainer Anthony Adamo for $30,000 this spring. Marshal was originally a $600,000 yearling purchase by Pin Oak Farm. Pink Oak raced Marshal six times and he won his maiden for $50,000 claiming with a 78 Beyer.
Marshal has won two in a row at Woodbine for ICON, including a race on October 3, a $50,000 optional claiming sprint at 6 1/2 furlongs. He ran the distance in 1:16.27 for an 89 Beyer.
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Chiefswood Stable celebrated another big win by COBURG on the weekend, who posted a 90 Beyer Figure in a front-running score at 9 furlongs. He is trained by Sean Smullen. Unfortunately, Chiefswood lost one of its horses in the weekend as the two-year-old filly Liam’s Riddle was fatally injured in her debut.
Below: The steward’s inquiry video from race 8 on Sunday where a number of two-year-olds broke inward or outward. The Senior Steward’s Report noted, “Jockey claim of foul #7 Vintage Velocity (Fraser Aebly), (finished third) on #8 Empiricist (Keveh Nicholls), (finished first) leaving the gate. The Stewards also reviewed the #5 Permanent Access (Ryan Munger), (finished ninth) while leaving the gate. #7 was off slower than the rest as the #8 is moving inward. The #5 is also moving outward and pushes the #6 King in Town (Christoff Douglas), (finished seventh) into the #7. The Jockeys claim of foul was disallowed”
There was no change in the order of finish, which was surprising, although the footage was so bouncy it was hard to see much. Make a note to play a few of these youngsters next time!
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