What a day it was for trainer NORM MCKNIGHT, whose stable won 5 of the 14 races on the last day to win the trainer’s title with 99 wins. He ended a 10 year reign by Mark Casse. Here is a wild finish in race 7 with McKnight trainees REIMAGINED (in front) and LUNAR LIGHT (#1) finshing 1-2 – thank you to WILL WONG for this great image
This morning’s post title could be taken as ‘bow’ – wrap it up and put a bow on it – or ‘bow, take a bow horses, horsepeople, racetrack staff and fans.
WOODBINE ended the 133-day season on a very cold Sunday at about 7:45 p.m. as the 14th (!!) race came to the wire in a brilliant finish.
In some parts of the track for the last race, the screaming for the last race was deafening as Tucci Stables Yes Darlin tried to hold off Bear Stables’ Hurricane Bear. The latter managed to get up to win for trainer Mike DePaulo and jockey Raffie Hernandez.
$7.2 million wagered on the card was strong for the last day and huge fields of horses went off without a hitch all day (and evening) long.
One visitor to Woodbine, in with a ship-in horse from the US, was heard saying how well the horses looked on post parade for each and every race, commenting that they rated the appearance of the horses highly compared to US locales.
The 2 big stories of the final day of racing involved perennial leading trainer Mark Casse, whose stable is run by David Holmes and Kathryn Sullivan and the barn of Norm McKnight.
With a one- win lead over McKnight coming into the day, the Casse team was certainly in an unusual position at the Toronto track. It has dominated for 10 straight years, using the grounds as a a learning place for some of its young stars and having one well bred, talented horse after another.
McKnight and his stable of claiming horses raced from the spring to the final days, and many of his horses were consistently good all season, benefiting from frequent vacations.
He had more than half a dozen starters and won 5 races on the 14 race card, blowing past Casse for the trainer’s title.
Casse won the big race of the day as his team sent out the gorgeous Ontario bred colt LEAVEM IN MALIBU to the win the Grade 3 Valedictory Stakes, leading all the way through 1 3/4 miles over the leading route horse of the meeting, Melmich.
Leavem in Malibu has had a tough run of things in his career since he was on the Queen’s Plate trail last summer. He missed an entire year of racing from August to this August, then was beaten some 29 lengths in the Durham Cup by Melmich in Sept.
He recently won an allowance race in impressive fashion and was on his best game on Sunday, winning nicely at 7 to 2,. Patrick Husbands rode the Bill Graham-bred son of Malibu Moon.
The 4yo colt’s dam, Leaveminthedust, is a half sister to the dam of young Ontario stallion RELOAD (Hard Spun), a half brother to top sire Philanthropist.
LEAVEM IN MALIBU (88 Beyer Figure in Valedictory win in 2:58 2/5) is owned by Conrad Farms, which had a big year in 2017 and Gary Barber. Barber had more than two dozen horses involved in the Lilac Fire at San Luis Rey Downs but most of his horses were okay.
Thank you to WILL WONG (www.mrwillwong.com) for super images from Woodbine all season long – this is LEAVEM IN MALIBU flying in the Valedictory
More bits from Sunday:
One of Thoroughbred racing’s newest owners in Ontario, PIANO BAR STABLE, won for the 2nd time in 2017 with its 3yo filly RED CABARNET, a daughter of the hot, young sire SIGNATURE RED (now standing at Adena Springs).
Trained by Ian Black, Red Cabarnet was one of 2 purchases at the local yearling sale 2 years ago by Piano Bar Stable, led by Jim Menzies. On Sunday, she won for the 2nd time in her career in a $39,000 allowance/optional claiming race and her earnings have gone well past $75,000.
This filly was one of 4 winners on the day by Eurico da Silva who walloped the jockey list with 203 wins on the season.
D’S BEN won a maiden allowance in race 3 for owner York Tech Racing of Carmen DiPaola and became the first winner for his sire D’s Wando, who raced for the DiPaola family.
Santino DiPaola was sending out the 2nd winner of his young career in D’s Ben who was ridden by Jeff Alderson.
Quietly, the stable of JIM ENSOM (1569389 Ontario Ltd) had a banner season with 20 wins from 51 starts (including Fort Erie) including a brave win by MIDNIGHT BREW in race 11 on Sunday. This Milwaukee Brew mare won this $61,000 allowance race for her 5th win of 2017. She was claimed by Ensom, whose horses are trained by Martin Drexler, for $10,000.
INTO THE SUNSET – the Woodbine season of 2017 has ended..we wait for April 21 2018! LISA HOCKING PHOTO
NEW OWNERS join racing in 2017
In addition to the previously-mentioned PIANO BAR STABLE, plenty of new owners and partnerships popped up in 2017.
LA AMICI STABLE, organized by Robert Marzilli, had its first year of ownership in 2017 and won a couple of races.
The groups of owners/friends put together by young trainer Tony Gattellero this year had a fantastic season, highlighted by a win by the filly CLICKITY CLACK in the Princess Elizabeth Stakes.
PIPERS RACING STABLE, a group of owners from the golf course of the same name, raced its first horse this year (Pipers Heath) and 2nd year owners JACK OF HEARTS Racing, Neal Mednick and Jim Aston, won the $500,000 Prince of Wales and $225,000 Coronation Futurity in a remarkable season.
(Visit https://www.youtube.com/user/TalkinHorsesTV/videos for tons of new owner features, tips on joining the business and more!)
QUEEN’S PLATE ON SATURDAY (June 30) IN 2018
Concert on Friday night
Three-time GRAMMY® Award-winning and multiplatinum-selling country music superstar, Brad Paisley, will headline the 2018 Queen’s Plate Festival at Woodbine Racetrack. The three-day Festival will run from Friday, June 29 through Sunday, July 1.
Queen’s Plate Festival Passes will go on sale Friday, December 15 at www.woodbineracetrack.com – just in time to stuff stockings with the hottest ticket of the summer. Passes start at just $45, and will provide 3-day access to the grounds, which includes Friday night’s Brad Paisley concert, as well as an extensive offering of attractions on Saturday such as the beloved Hats & Horseshoes Party presented by Stella Artois and the main event, the jewel of Canadian horse racing – the running of the 159th Queen’s Plate.
Critically acclaimed country music star Brad Paisley will kick off the Queen’s Plate Festival on Friday, June 29. His electrifying talent has yielded three GRAMMY® Awards, two American Music® Awards, 14 Country Music Association® Awards (including Entertainer of the Year), 14 ACM Awards and 24 No. 1 world-renowned hits. LOVE AND WAR, Paisley’s newest album, debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart, marking his 9th consecutive studio album entry at the chart’s top position.
“The Queen’s Plate is one of the classic events on the Canadian sports calendar,” said Jim Lawson, CEO, Woodbine Entertainment. “With Brad Paisley, one of the great personalities and performers in music, kicking off our three-day Queen’s Plate festival, and our mix of food, fashion and horse racing, the weekend will be memorable for both long-time racing customers and potential new fans.”
Paisley fans can take their experience up a notch by purchasing a Paddock Party Festival Pass, providing exclusive access to the concert beer garden and pre-concert party with live-racing and entertainment held in Woodbine’s rustic and chic Old Standardbred Paddock.
The coveted $1 million running of the Queen’s Plate, previously held on Sunday, will take place on Saturday, June 30, drawing thousands of stylishly dressed spectators out to Woodbine Racetrack. This year’s event will once again have live music, spectacular fashion, gourmet food trucks and thrilling horse racing. A post-race concert will close out the day with artists to be announced in the new year.
The 2018 Queen’s Plate Festival will continue on Sunday, July 1 with free Canada Day celebrations and fun for the whole family.
Fans can visit @WoodbineTB for the latest updates on everything #QP18.
FESTIVAL PASSES & ACCESS
General Admission Festival Passes are forty-five dollars ($45) and provide access including general admission to the Brad Paisley concert, Queen’s Plate, Hats & Horseshoes Party presented by Stella Artois, and post-race concert. Passes will go on sale to the general public Friday, December 15 at 10AM.
Paddock Party Festival Passes are seventy-five dollars ($75) and provide all of the above, plus a concert pre-party with live-racing and entertainment, exclusive access to the beer garden for concert viewing, and admission to the Paddock Party for the Queen’s Plate.
Premium Festival Passes will be available for three-hundred and fifty dollars ($350) and provide the ultimate country music fan experience. Passes offer all the benefits of the Paddock Party Festival Pass, plus exclusive access to premium hospitality tents for both the Brad Paisley concert and the Queen’s Plate, including gourmet food and alcoholic beverages, valet parking, and grandstand seating on race day.
Grandstand Festival Passes range from forty-five to one hundred and twenty dollars ($45 – $120) and include general admission to the Brad Paisley concert, the pre-concert party, and a reserved grandstand seat for Queen’s Plate. Queen’s Plate grandstand seating is limited.
**STATISTICS PACK FOR WOODBINE 2017
Chiefswood Stable edged Stronach Stables by purse earnings at the meeting ($40,000 in front) ending a string of leaders in this category of Conquest Stable, Sam-Son, John Oxley, etc.
WOODBINE OWNERS BY EARNINGS
1 Chiefswood Stable 139 24 29 21 $1,691,137 17%
2 Stronach Stables 123 17 28 22 $1,650,496 14%
3 Bruno Schickedanz 277 69 49 32 $1,456,694 25%
4 Sam-Son Farm 78 12 14 15 $966,042 15%
5 Ivan Dalos 82 14 6 4 $812,263 17%
6 Live Oak Plantation 36 8 6 5 $768,135 22%
7 Gary Barber 63 13 10 7 $672,893 21%
8 Fitzhenry, Sean and Dorothy 22 10 5 1 $618,382 45%
9 Joey Gee Thoroughbreds 94 18 15 22 $615,126 19%
10 Chesney, Stephen and Hoffman, Cory S. 76 10 12 7 $573,883
WOODBINE OWNERS BY NUMBER OF WINS
Ryan Kerbel’s stable made a lot of noise in 2017 with 22 wins and the barn’s trainer, Denyse McClachrie, had a career season.
Bruno Schickedanz 277 69 49 32 $1,456,694 25%
Chiefswood Stable 139 24 29 21 $1,691,137 17%
Ryan Shane Kerbel 89 22 8 6 $359,237 25%
Joey Gee Thoroughbreds 94 18 15 22 $615,126 19%
Stronach Stables 123 17 28 22 $1,650,496 14%
Ivan Dalos 82 14 6 4 $812,263 17%
Gary Barber 63 13 10 7 $672,893 21%
1569389 Ontario, Inc. 41 13 8 4 $383,702 32%
Sam-Son Farm 78 12 14 15 $966,042 15%
Dura Racing , M. J. Doyle Ltd. 77 12 8 10 $443,034 16%
Norseman Racing Stable 68 12 11 5 $373,269 18%
Tucci Stables 97 12 13 12 $315,078 12%
TRAINERS BY WINS
Norman McKnight 305 — 99 58 35 $2,109,036 32%
Mark E. Casse 508 — 96 85 71 $5,397,013 19%
Kevin Attard 301 — 43 55 41 $1,909,438 14%
Sid C. Attard 233 — 42 38 27 $1,484,225 18%
Martin Drexler 208 — 42 38 29 $1,192,076 20%
Michael P. De Paulo 324 — 38 44 41 $1,610,848 12%
Robert P. Tiller 257 — 37 31 38 $2,012,833 14%
Roger L. Attfield 185 — 36 25 24 $2,105,712 19%
Denyse McClachrie 159 — 35 18 17 $737,395 22%
Nicholas Gonzalez 266 — 31 46 38 $1,423,748 12%
Josie Carroll 122 — 28 14 12 $1,483,182 23%
Catherine Day Phillips 94 — 24 19 8 $1,238,385 26%
Michael J. Doyle 191 — 21 23 26 $901,233 11%
TRAINERS BY WIN PERCENTAGE (min. 10 starts)
Pos. by Purses Starts 1st 2nd 3rd Purses Win %
94 Bruce R. Smither 11 — 4 0 3 $100,097 36%
2 Norman McKnight 305 — 99 58 35 $2,109,036 32%
40 Lorne Richards 39 — 12 5 5 $325,960 31
163 Mark Fournier 10 — 3 1 2 $32,602 30%
29 Chad C. Brown 11 — 3 1 4 $451,930 27%
52 Alexander P. Patykewich 37 — 10 2 2 $238,491 27%
10 Catherine Day Phillips 94 — 24 19 8 $1,238,385 26%
8 Josie Carroll 122 — 28 14 12 $1,483,182 23%
122 Allen Desruisseaux 18 — 4 0 2 $59,300 22%
16 Denyse McClachrie 159 — 35 18 17 $737,395 22%
25 Donald C. MacRae 65 — 14 15 9 $483,923 22%
34 Tony Michael Gattellaro 48 — 10 7 6 $393,730 21%
11 Martin Drexler 208 — 42 38 29 $1,192,076 20%
178 Gary Chudobiak 10 — 2 1 0 $22,609 20%
TRAINERS BY MONEY WON
1 Mark E. Casse 508 — 96 85 71 $5,397,013
2 Norman McKnight 305 — 99 58 35 $2,109,036
3 Roger L. Attfield 185 — 36 25 24 $2,105,712
4 Robert P. Tiller 257 — 37 31 38 $2,012,833
5 Kevin Attard 301 — 43 55 41 $1,909,438
6 Michael P. De Paulo 324 — 38 44 41 $1,610,848
7 Sid C. Attard 233 — 42 38 27 $1,484,225
8 Josie Carroll 122 — 28 14 12 $1,483,182
9 Nicholas Gonzalez 266 — 31 46 38 $1,423,748
10 Catherine Day Phillips 94 — 24 19 8 $1,238,385
HORSES BY WINS
Pink Lloyd 8 8 0 0 $512,636
Melmich 7 5 2 0 $313,755
Ikerrin Road (IRE) 10 5 1 0 $205,585
Eminent Force 8 5 1 1 $135,714
Midnight Brew 10 5 1 2 $109,497
Unseen Angels 11 5 2 2 $76,689
Thunder Point 11 5 0 1 $62,940
