PATCHES O’HOULIHAN, track record setter in the Thorncliffe Stakes in his season debut last weekend at Woodbine, is among the elite sprinters in North America thanks to a whopping 108 Beyer Speed Figure. The bay five-year-old by Reload sped 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:02.28 when romping to victory in the $120,000 race for Frank DiGiulio and trainer Bob Tiller.
The 108 is higher than any Beyer posted by Patches’ famous stablemate, Horse of the Year and multiple champion Pink Lloyd, who got as high as 106.
According to Daily Racing Form, the 108 Beyer is also the third-fastest number earned by any other horse in a race up to one mile this year. The fabulous filly KOPION, bred by Canadians Ivan and Colleen Dalos in Kentucky, earned a 110 Beyer at Santa Anita in the Santa Monica Stakes (G2) and a 109 in the Distaff Stakes (G2) at Churchill Down last weekend.
SKELLY, an Oaklawn-based sprinting star, has a 110 Beyer from his win on May 2 in the Lake Hamilton Stakes. Skelly, by Practical Joke, has won 12 of 21 races.
Highest Win Beyer Figures 2025
courtesy Daily Racing Form
Kopion SA 01 Feb 7F 110
Skelly OP 02 May 6F 110
Kopion CD 03 May 7F 109
Patches O’Houlihan WO 04 May 5 1/2F 108
Booth OP 15 Mar 6F 107
Skelly OP 11 Apr 6F 107
Colloquial AQU 07 Feb 6 1/2F 106
Whatchatalkinabout AQU 16 Jan 6F 106
Booth OP 24 Feb 6F 105
Emirates Road AQU 22 Feb 1M 105
Kopion is from the Dalos family’s Sovereign Award-winning mare Galloping Ami, who has also produced champion Amis Gizmo, stakes winners Ami’s Flatter and Aragorn Ami, as well as a two-year-old of this year, Quality Ami, by Elusive Quality.
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There have been 11 horses claimed in the first four days of the Woodbine meeting, many by Fort Erie owners and trainers. The most expensive claim to this point was Hunt Master, who was scooped up for $50,000 by Lisa McCallum-Smith.
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NORM MCKNIGHT, back from another winter at Oaklawn Park in Arkansas, is just nine wins away from 1,000 victories as a Thoroughbred trainer. McKnight has horses in five races this coming weekend at Woodbine.
A winner of eight races in 2025 at Oaklawn, McKnight said on a recent Facebook post that he is retiring from training following the 2025 Woodbine season. He saddled his first Thoroughbreds after a successful Standardbred racing career about 30 years ago.
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The newest jockey in the Woodbine room is XAREL FORDE, who is from Barbados and is represented by Mike Luider. Forde did some riding in his homeland last year and looks to follow in the path of many top Canadian riders who come from Barbados. Forde has his first mounts on Saturday, including the ride on Ala Turka, a top contender in race 1.
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One of the leading Woodbine Oaks contenders, SHIFTY, is back in action on Sunday, May 11. The daughter of Medaglia d’Oro won the Catch a Glimpse Stakes last year and was third in the Grey Stakes (G3) against the boys and a troubled fourth in the Princess Elizabeth Stakes. Owned by D.J. Stable and trained by Mark Casse, Shifty has four bullet workouts from her last five preps. She is in a seven furlong allowance/optional claiming race against fellow three-year-olds and two older gals.
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