Horse Racing News

Thumbnail for Woodbine’s 2012 Thoroughbred Season Nears Close

Woodbine’s 2012 Thoroughbred Season Nears Close

The final race card of the 2012 Woodbine thoroughbred racing season was drawn Thursday morning, signaling the end of the eight-month, 156-date campaign. Sunday’s closing day, which has a first-race post time of 1:05 p.m., features 142 horses, including two also-eligible runners, spread over a 13-race card. The Valedictory Stakes, for older horses, at a […]
Thumbnail for Aunt Els Makes Rivals ‘Say Uncle’ in Ontario Lassie

Aunt Els Makes Rivals ‘Say Uncle’ in Ontario Lassie

Aunt Els led at every call with a powerful effort to take Sunday’s $150,000 Ontario Lassie Stakes, at Woodbine. The chestnut daughter of Consolidator, an R.M.C homebred trained by Norm McKnight, broke sharply in the 1 1/16-mile ‘Poly’ stake for Ontario-bred two-year-old fillies, and saved all the ground en route to a one-length score over […]
Thumbnail for PCs: Give Racing First Crack At Buying Existing Slots Operations

PCs: Give Racing First Crack At Buying Existing Slots Operations

On Thursday, December 6th, Ontario’s Progressive Conservative Party Caucus released its anticipated white paper entitled ‘Paths to Prosperity – A New Deal for the Public Sector.’ In the paper, the Ontario PC Caucus states that the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp.’s ‘empire building’ in the gaming sector should be stopped, and that the province should […]
Thumbnail for Liberal Leadership Candidate Releases Rural Platform

Liberal Leadership Candidate Releases Rural Platform

Liberal leadership candidate Dr. Eric Hoskins released his rural platform in his hometown of Simcoe in southwestern Ontario. The plan emphasizes the need for the Ontario Liberal Party to re-connect with and listen to rural Ontarians to regain their trust and provide rural communities with greater economic opportunity. “For Ontario to be successful, we need […]
Thumbnail for Pyrite Mountain Golden in Kingarvie

Pyrite Mountain Golden in Kingarvie

A determined Pyrite Mountain defeated Power Phil in a photo finish to capture Sunday’s $125,000 Kingarvie Stakes, at Woodbine. The bay son of Silent Name, trained by Mark Frostad for the Awesome Again Racing Limited Partnership, broke his maiden in style with a spirited stretch run, under jockey Patrick Husbands, to overtake pacesetter Power Phil. […]
Thumbnail for A Victorious Return for Fifty Proof in Sir Barton

A Victorious Return for Fifty Proof in Sir Barton

Fifty Proof, Canada’s champion older male of 2011, returned from a lengthy layoff to take Sunday’s $126,600 Sir Barton Stakes, at Woodbine. Fifty Proof, trained by Ian Black and ridden by Justin Stein, had not competed since a second-place effort in the Grade 2 Nijinksy Stakes on July 24, 2011. Black patiently conditioned the six-year-old […]
Thumbnail for A ‘Quality’ Performance Wins Display

A ‘Quality’ Performance Wins Display

Avie’s Quality sat off the early pace of Clearly Now, before launching an impressive move to capture Saturday’s $150,800 Display Stakes, at Woodbine. The dark bay son of Elusive Quality-Fly for Avie, trained by Josie Carroll for owner Ivan Dalos, entered the Display Stakes off an emphatic five-length maiden score on November 14. Hey You […]
Thumbnail for WEG Adds Gulfstream, Tampa to Fractional Betting Menu

WEG Adds Gulfstream, Tampa to Fractional Betting Menu

There is an added bonus for Canadian horseplayers when Gulfstream Park and Tampa Bay Downs kick off their winter meets this Saturday, December 1. Woodbine Entertainment Group (WEG) is now able to add fractional betting to the wagering menu for the popular wintertime Thoroughbred meetings. Fractional betting, which allows bettors to play the races in […]
Thumbnail for Bear Tough Tiger Earns Graded Stripes in Kennedy Road

Bear Tough Tiger Earns Graded Stripes in Kennedy Road

Bear Tough Tiger fought off stable mate Bear No Joke to earn his first stakes score in Sunday’s Grade 3, $157,000 Kennedy Road Stakes, at Woodbine. The chestnut son of Roar of the Tiger, trained by Reade Baker and ridden by Justin Stein for owner Bear Stables Ltd., sat off the early pace of Essence […]
Thumbnail for Magic Broomstick Sweeps to Victory in Bessarabian

Magic Broomstick Sweeps to Victory in Bessarabian

Magic Broomstick flew home late, under jockey Emma-Jayne Wilson, to take Saturday’s Grade 3, $153,400 Bessarabian Stakes, at Woodbine. The dark bay daughter of More Than Ready, trained by Malcolm Pierce for owner Sam-Son Farms, made the final start of her career a memorable one, completing her 2012 campaign with a third stakes score in […]
Thumbnail for In Memoriam: Audre Cappuccitti

In Memoriam: Audre Cappuccitti

Audre Cappuccitti, one of Woodbine’s most popular and successful trainers, who had been around horses her entire life, has passed away. Cappuccitti, who won 537 career races, including 35 stakes scores, celebrated a Sovereign Award in 2011 when Essence Hit Man was named Canada’s champion male sprinter. She had horses with Vito Armata and Glen […]
Thumbnail for Blue Heart All Heart in Jammed Lovely

Blue Heart All Heart in Jammed Lovely

Luis Contreras picked up his fifth win on the card, piloting Blue Heart to a narrow score in Saturday’s $150,000 Jammed Lovely Stakes, at Woodbine. Contreras won with five of his eight mounts on the afternoon, having his pictured snapped with Inclusa (Race 1), Run in Aruba (Race 3), Consolidator Joe (Race 4) and Mount […]
Thumbnail for Nipissing Swoops to South Ocean Score

Nipissing Swoops to South Ocean Score

Nipissing, an impressive two-year-old daughter of the recently deceased Niigon, kept her perfect record intact with a smart stalking trip to take Sunday’s $125,000 South Ocean Stakes. The Chiefswood Stable homebred, trained by Rachel Halden and ridden by Steve Bahen, settled in third-position in the 1 1/16-mile ‘Poly’ stake before swooping to the lead en […]
Thumbnail for Rider Up: Sheena Ryan Sticks With It

Rider Up: Sheena Ryan Sticks With It

When the ambulance doors shut and Sheena Ryan heard the siren blare, it was the first time the aspiring jockey had ever thought to herself, ‘Am I really cut out to do this?’ She never believed anything could derail her long-held dream of becoming a jockey. But when the horse she was on flipped and […]
Thumbnail for Jockey Frankie Dettori Fails Drug Test

Jockey Frankie Dettori Fails Drug Test

News broke Tuesday that jockey Frankie Dettori failed a random drug test at the Longchamp racecourse in Paris. After passing six drug tests in 2012, Dettori tested positive for a banned substance at the on September 16th. Dettori will face an inquiry with France Galop, the governing body of racing in France, on November 20th, […]