There were four days of racing last week at Woodbine, Friday through the holiday Monday, and it was an intriguing set of racing days as 29 different trainers won the 35 races.
The only trainers to win more than one race last week were Martin Drexler, who won four, and Don MacRae, Kevin Attard and Ted Holder, all of whom won two races.
Renée Kierans, Michelle Love, Julia Carey, Gail Cox, Rachel Halden, Dave Cotey, Bob Tiller, Mike DePaulo, John Ross, Mike Mattine, Kelly Callaghan, Stuart Simon, Dale Desruisseaux, Steve Attard, Zeljko Krcmar, Mark Casse, Paul McEntee, Steven Chircop, Devon Gittens, Mike Doyle, Roger Attfield, Michael Glazier and Nathan Squires all were winners last week.
Jockeys Rafael Hernandez and Sahin Civaci each won four races last week.
Some of the more impressive runs from last week including ENGLISH ACTOR’S gate-to-wire tour on the inner turf to win a 1 1/16 mile allowance Friday for Chiefswood Stable and trainer Rachel Halden. The gelding posted an 86 Beyer Figure.
LIGHT THE LAMP, the sturdy sprinter from owner and trainer Don MacRae, who co-owns with Keowee Stable, had a dream journey in a turf sprint and posted a 94 Beyer Figure in a fast win. A wild pace battle between two horses from the Drexler barn set the race up for the son of Ontario sire Reload.
And the nifty Ontario-bred two-year-old MILITARY TIME, by Gun Runner – Red Cabernet by Signature Red, trained by Mark Casse for St. Elias and Gary Barber, had a smart career debut, winning with an 80 Beyer Figure and rallying from off the pace in a very professional manner. He is the first foal of the Ian Black-trained Red Cabernet, who won over $388,000 and three stakes races in a good career.
Red Cabernet was sold as a broodmare for $110,000 to Adena Springs and Military Time brought $350,000 at the 2024 Keeneland September yearling sale.
The trade war for the gelding SOUPER SUCCESS continued on Saturday, August 30. The nine-year-old gelding, a stakes winner for owner Mickey Demers and trainer Mike DePaulo in 2019, has changed barns four times since May.
Let’s go back a bit. In November 2022, the Souper Speedy gelding was claimed for $25,000 by Bruno Schickedanz and trainer Martin Drexler, but then claimed from them in January 2023 by Paterpop Stable and trainer Fernando Abreu for $20,000.
Drexler took over training of Souper Success in May 2024 and by August of that year, the gelding was dropped to $10,000 claiming and scooped up by DePaulo and his son Joseph. Two races later, Schickedanz and Drexler claimed the horse for $15,000, only to lose him the next race, back to the DePaulos, for $15,000.
Next was Drexler and A Bianco Holding Ltd. who claimed Souper Success for $25,000 in December 2024. The gelding won three times before that combination lost him for $10,000 this past May to the DePaulos. The next race, Drexler and Schickedanz claimed Souper Success for $15,000.
On August 30, the DePaulos once again claimed back the gelding after he won for $10,000.
That is six barn changes in less than a year.
SOUPER TUSCAN, a well-regarded Vino Rosso three-year-old owned by C2 Racing Stable and Ontario-based Entourage Stable, won a starter/optional race at Saratoga on August 28. From the Woodbine stakes winner Ciuri, by the late Souper Speedy, Souper Tuscan won his maiden at Woodbine in his previous race for $40,000 claiming. At Saratoga on the dirt, the gelding opened up a long lead and went fast on the pace, holding on to win by a neck for an 81 Beyer Speed Figure, racing 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:17.26. Saffie Joseph Jr. trains Souper Tuscan.
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