Fast grass, 3-year-olds gearing up, and some big speed numbers from horses across Canada for last week in these news and notes.
Races
American owners grabbed both graded stakes races held at Woodbine on July 18 and Kazushi Kimura rides first graded winner.
The eight-year-old gelding boasts 23 wins from 28 starts lifetime with purse earnings over $1.8 million and is currently riding a seven-race win streak.
Trainer Martin Drexler won a pair of races, Just Run With It dropped a 45-to-1 bomb, and noses to win were the order of the day.
The Grade 3 Trillium Stakes also shares the Saturday spotlight at Woodbine; could be a battle between Amalfi Coast, Painting, and Souper Escape.
Dazzling Gold won the July 14 R.C. Anderson Stakes and is headed to the Manitoba Oaks while Real Grace won the Derby Trial July 13
In an unusual year, the Haskell comes before the Kentucky Derby and a small field includes heavily-favoured Authentic, son of Into Mischief.
Five trainers, 3 riders won their first races of the 2020 Woodbine season on Thursday while Hitters Park knocked one out of the stadium.
Silvino Morales and Amadeo Perez both had riding doubles while the stallion Second in Command had two winners as racing continues without fans.
More than half a dozen jockeys throughout the United States have tested positive for the COVID-19 virus leading to tracks locking down rooms.
It was a day in which even money or close to it favourites were established in all of the seven races - but only three of them actually won.
Jockey Antonio Whitehall has certainly made a statement in Winnipeg, winning at 29% of his races at Assiniboia, 36 wins from 126 mounts.
A fast Ontario-sired first-timer wins big and beginners to keep an eye out for in the coming days including Canadian sales toppers.
100 was a significant number for some while the dense heat and humidity finally began to fade. Those of note last week were jockey Luis Contreras and 3 Sons.
From his Kentucky Derby win and disqualification to the indictment of his trainer Jason Servis, it has been drama to the Max