We are into the final couple of months of the 2024 Thoroughbred season at Woodbine and as fall was introduced this past weekend, with it came heavy rain on Monday that is expected to continue for half the week. Training at Woodbine on the main track has been altered as much needed-work has begun on the tunnel and soon, the Taylor turf course will be under construction.
Longshots are winning more regularly and with much change in the jock ranks – no Kimura, apprentice Moran is hurt, Aebly and Vives and Gaskin are no longer apprentices (or won’t be soon) – the door has been opened for the very capable riders such as Jason Hoyte, Keveh Nicholls, Emma-Jayne Wilson and ‘longshot’ Leo to bag some wins.
The lone stakes race of the week was the modest Zadracarta Stakes, yet another 5 furlong dash, this one on the inner turf. Winning from just off the pace was OWEN’S TOUR GUIDE owned by Tequesta Racing and trainer by Willie Armata. The Tourist mare was ridden by Jose Campos, who won the Prince of Wales Stakes at Fort Erie earlier this month.
The Zadracarta, a five-furlong inner turf event for Ontario-bred fillies and mares, three-year-olds and up, went postward with seven hopefuls, including 7-1 Owen’s Tour Guide, who was supplemented to the race.
It was a multi-horse tussle for the lead with Indian Music, Olivia Rose, Cara Cara, and Dancing Duchess matching strides at the outset.
Indian Music, to the inside, emerged on top and held a slim advantage over Olivia Rose and Cara Cara through an opening quarter in :21.89.
Olivia Rose then forged to the front, shadowed intently by Cara Cara, while jockey Jose Campos, hugging the rail turning for home, swung Owen’s Tour Guide to the outside in upper stretch and set his sights on the lead pair.
With less than 75 yards to go, Owen’s Tour Guide kicked into gear and was able to get by her determined rivals to notch a one-length score. Olivia Rose took second, a half-length ahead of Cara Cara. Dancing Duchess was fourth.
The final time was :57.25 over good going. She earned an 81 Beyer Figure according to Daily Racing Form.
JASON ‘JET LI’ HOYTE won three races last week including one for trainer SAUL MCHUGH on the filly Unheard in a turf race immediately following the Zadracarta. McHugh won two races last week including his first of the season with Indiana Road, a filly whom he co-bred with longtime clients Robyn Brohman and Maureen Hewitt-Topp.
Hoyte also won an inner turf race on 9-to-1 shot DUBAWI BULL for the Run Your Race Stables and Terri Pion, trainer Sylvain Pion and he dropped a bomb on Thursday last weekend when riding MAMBOINTHEFOREST to a very unlikely win for Rod Sadler at 30-to-1.
KEVEH NICHOLLS had a good week, winning Friday, Saturday and Sunday on price horses that all warranted a long look. He had a particularly smart ride aboard WARP RIDE for Norm McKnight at an overlaid 8-to-1 on Sunday.
LAURA KRAUSASKAITE won with the first horse she ever bred, HEARD A GHOST, on Sunday, to the tune of nearly 27-to-1. The two-year-old chestnut by Queen’s Plate winner Shaman Ghost from the debut winning mare Heard That rallied late under Fraser Aebly to win his debut in exciting fashion for the owner, who burst onto the local scene in 2019, won a stakes race and a bunch of races in a couple of years but then had not won from limited runners in the last two seasons.
