HIGHEST WINNING BEYER FIGURES IN CANADA April 2 – 9
(not including Century Mile, Sunday Aug 9)
84 – MARJORIE’S DREAM – maiden race 5 1/2 furlongs
84 – HELL N WILD
83 – UNDER PAR (Hastings)
83 – DANI’S VICTORY (turf)
82 – FIVE STAR GENERAL (Hastings)
81 – SALTINI (turf)
80 – A BROKEN BREEZE
LORNE RICHARDS became the 101st different trainer to send out a winner at the 2020 Woodbine meeting when HELL N WILD upset Foxxy Belle in a $60,000 claiming/optional sprint August 9.
Woodbine now heads into a flurry of stakes action (there were no stakes races this past weekend) headlined by the $500,000 Woodbine Oaks and $125,000 Plate Trial on Saturday. The 65th Oaks will be led by CURLIN’S VOYAGE, LASTING UNION, MERVEILLEUX and INFINITE PATIENCE and the winner could go on to the Plate three weeks later.
The Plate Trial will likely have a small group of sophomores testing their stamina at 9 furlongs.
Owners are now welcome into the Woodbine winner’s circle just in time for the big races.
But back to the most recent week. For Lorne Richards, the win by True North Stables Hell n Wild (Bellamy Road – D’wild Lady by D’wildcat) was a fruitful one as the winner’s share of the dash was over $52,000. This mare was bred by Bonnie Rowntree and Jacqui Armatrong and it was her second start of the year. Hell n Wild is 4 for 16 in her career with earnings well over $230,000.
More Sunday
If you think you have noticed a lot more pushing and shoving and rough racing at Woodbine, it’s not just you. Reading the Steward’s Report after each racing day on the Woodbine or AGCO websites shows an increase in claims of foul and other incidents.
The last race on Sunday was a fairly rough race and the Tapit gelding TARNQUILITY BASE put on a good show to win that $15,000 maiden claiming race on the grass. Tranquility Base had a good stalking trip in the 6 1/2 furlong event until the turn for home when he traded hard bumps with Make It Rain while Animal Krackers was not keeping a straight course and causing issues of his own. Tranquility Base, once a $400,000 yearling but claimed for $10,000 by Bruno Schickedanz for $10,000 at Oaklawn in February, overcame a lot to win for trainer Norm McKnight.
Leading rider Rafael Hernandez had all kinds of trouble with Animal Krackers who was second but disqualified and placed eighth.
Earlier on Sunday it was quite an emotional win by BOATLOADOFNERVE in a race for maidens, $15,000 claiming on the turf. The filly acted up and badly injured her co-owner April LeBlanc who is recovering now. Also owned and trained by Mike McDonald, this Magician filly was ridden by Steve Bahen to this upset win in her second start on turf.
GOLDMART FARMS in Nobleton has begun to heat up and its first-time starting 2-year-old DRAGON’S BREW won a maiden allowance over 6 rivals and he was just 1 of 2 Ontario-sired guys in the field. The bay gelding by Milwaukee Brew, trained by Robert Tiller and ridden by Daisuke Fukumoto earned a staggering $76,000 for this maiden win, more than a regular stakes race at Woodbine.
The dam is Miss Dragonfly by Grand Slam.
More 2-year-olds were in race 6 on the Tapeta and it was TOO LEGIT who won for Hoolie Racing and Travis Durr plus trainer Barbara Minshall. This beginner is yet another good juvenile unleashed by Minshall in 2020. He was a CTHS Woodbine yearling last year, bought for $25,000 by Webb Carroll from breeder Highfield Investment Group from Alberta. David Moran rode the winner who is by Sky Mesa from the marathon turf running mare Ballnoe by Distorted Humor.
Saturday
Martini Sue from Mad River Farm, trained by Kevin Attard, battled 3 wide on the pace for most of the 1 1/16 mile maiden race for $10,000 claiming and edged clear to win under apprentice Nikki Alderson.
Race 2 on the inner turf was a low-level claiming race for fillies and mares, non winners of 3, and PLUIE D’AVRIL was always tugging rider Chris Husbands along and she worked her way past pacesetter Sailing By to win for owner Robert Hardie and trainer Julie Belhumeur. The Big Screen filly was bred by Spring Farm and she is 3 for 20 in her career.
Race 4- CEFALO won her maiden on the main turf to become the first winner for trainer Ralph Biamonte. This New York-bred filly was making her second start of the year and first on turf and her dam loved the grass. The Flashback filly is owned by C. DeMinio and Mary Biamonte.
3 Sons Racing’s homebred 2-year-old FOREST DRIFT ran to her workouts and won this $126,800 maiden race, the second huge purse won by trainer Robert Tiller in maiden races alone on the weekend. This gal by Mizzen Mast battled all the way to win over the experienced Carpe Horseshoe in 1:11.76.
The filly is listed as a grey but appears to be mostly bay.
The Ivan Dalos juvenile HATMAKER HOLIDAY won race 7 with Patrick Husbands riding, This gal added blinkers for trainer Josie Carroll.
Husbands would later ride MARJORIE’S DREAM to victory for Randy Thompson in race 10, a maiden $40,000 optional. Thompson owns the Old Forester filly with John McMullan and this was Thompson’s first win of the meeting. The daughter of Where’s the Irish by Where’s the Ring won by 8 lengths and put up a huge 84 Beyer Figure. She was bred by Walnut Ridge Farm and bought back as a yearling for $2,000.
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