Woodbine’s leading trainer NORM MCKNIGHT returned to the win column with his first two winners saddled in 2020 last week. McKnight, a finalist for Outstanding Trainer at the upcoming Sovereign Awards, has a string of horses at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, ARK once again this year.
CABERTOSS, owned by Racer’s Edge, Dindyal and Krishna Persaud became McKnight’s 800th career Thoroughbred winner when he won a starter allowance ($50,000) at Oaklawn on Jan. 31 by 3 1/2 lengths at odds of 9 to 2. The son of Drosselmeyer was making his first start on a traditional dirt surface and posted a career best 83 Beyer Speed Figure for 1 mile in 1:39. It was his first start for McKnight and eighth career start.
On the same afternoon, McKnight sent out the 7-year-old Ontario-bred mare MADISON WAY to win a $20,000 waiver claiming race by five lengths for owner Bruno Schickedanz. The daughter of Philanthropist was claimed for $10,000 in November by Schickedanz and McKnight. This was her sixth career win.
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The Fort Erie-based team of Sharon and John Simms had reason to celebrate at Tampa Bay Downs, their traditional winter base, when SMOKY BLUES won a $5,000 claiming race at 40 to 1 on Jan. 29. Right behind that grey 5-year-old was their gelding Sent From Heaven, who was 45 to 1. The Simms exacta paid over $800.
Smoky Blues is an Iowa-bred who won three races at Fort Erie in 2019 and Sent From Heaven was making his first start of 2020. The Simms team also picked up a third later on Jan. 29 with Lassiter.
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MIKE WRIGHT won his third race of the Tampa Bay Downs meeting and second of the year when SCARLET BOW, a 5-year-old mare by Oxbow owned by Gina Wright, won a $5,000 claiming race with a 82 Beyer Speed Figure for 1 mile and 40 yards in 1:42.20. It was the fourth career win for Scarlet Bow who won a grass race at Woodbine in 2019.
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EDGE OF FIRE, the impressive debut winner for Chiefswood Stable on Feb. 1 earned a 67 Beyer Speed Figure for his easy win. The colt was only in a lively gallop to win so he likely could have run faster than the 1;11 4/5 that he needed to win that six furlong maiden allowance at Gulfstream Park. It was also the only six furlong dirt race of the day. Jimmy Jerkens trains for the Krembil family.
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NOMINATIONS for the CANADIAN TRIPLE CROWN and WOODBINE OAKS close Feb. 3 although horses can be supplemented through the spring. One Queen’s Plate hopeful who had a solid 3-year-old return on the weekend was Toby Morton’s FAMISHED, a son of Uncle Mo, who finished fifth beaten just over one length in the Dania Beach Stakes on turf at Gulfstream Park. He earned a 79 Beyer Speed Figure.
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