A NEW CENTURY (TRACK)
Century Mile opens Sunday in Alberta
Stakes winners TROOPER JOHN and BORN IN A BREEZE headline the feature race at new CENTURY MILE RACETRACK on Sunday, the first day of the one-mile track in Alberta.
Nine races at 5 and 5 1/2 furlongs will kick off the introduction of the first one-mile track ever west of Woodbine and you can’t help but be excited for horsepeople who have waited a long time for such a venue.
Horses have been on the track training for a month battling tough Canadian weather but reviews on the dirt surface have been good.
The featured race is the first on the card and it offers a $25,000 purse to older horses. A maiden special weight on the card has a purse of $19,000.
Read more coverage below:
Century Mile Track Specifications Sure to Surprise and Please
From thehorses.com/Curtis Stock
As a former jockey, longtime trainer Rick Hedge knows what Century Mile’s one mile circumference is going to mean when the new track makes its much anticipated opening on Sunday. “If jockeys aren’t patient, if they don’t wait until they get to the head of the lane to make their moves their horses will be walking backwards coming to the wire because they’ll be so tired,” said Hedge of the track which is located close to the International Airport.
While Alberta Downs in Lacombe is a mile track, Century Mile is the only Class A one-mile track in Canada outside of Toronto’s Woodbine. “I’ve ridden on a lot of mile tracks and it’s a different game. Now the quarter pole is just before the head of the lane. At Northlands the quarter pole was on the backstretch before the final turn. If the jockeys make their moves where the quarter pole used to be they’ll be toast.”
Because of the configuration of Century Mile with turns that are a little tighter than at most mile tracks the stretch is particularly long. “It’s one heck of a long lane,” said Hedge. “I’m sure there are going to be some goof-ups until the riders figure it out.”
Hedge said the one-mile track will make for better racing. “Hell yeah,” said Hedge, 70, who was one of Alberta’s top riders during the 20 years he spent in the saddle before becoming a trainer 30 years ago. “Every horse will have more of a chance on a mile track because they won’t get in as much trouble. On a mile track you get banged around a lot less than on a five-eighths mile track,” said Hedge, who rode at mile tracks like Turf Paradise in Phoenix, Woodbine, Hollywood Park, Delta Downs, Aqueduct and the Meadowlands.
“On a bull ring you are getting bounced around all the time. It seems like on every turn somebody is coming in, somebody is coming out and jockeys are constantly having to take a hold of their horses. Now you’ve got the long straightaways to find running room; you have more room to do things.”
“It changes everything,” agreed new racing manager Matt Jukich, who used to call the races at Northlands as well as being the assistant racing manager. “With that quarter of a mile straightaway it will allow horses to make big moves from way back. It’s going to be very interesting racing.”
The racing surface itself has drawn such rave reviews that trainer Rod Cone said “I haven’t heard one negative thing about the surface. That’s unusual because horsemen generally always find something to complain about. Personally, I think the track is fantastic. It’s level and it’s got a good slope to it; I’ve never had a track to train on during the spring that was this good.”
Track takeout
One of the biggest is the takeout. Win, place and show wagering will now have a 14.75 per cent takeout which makes it the lowest in North America. (It was 17 per cent at Northlands). Even better the take out on the Pick 5 and Hi 5 pools will be just 10 per cent and 15 per cent on Pick 3 and Pick 4 bets as opposed to 26.8 per cent at Northlands.
“It’s a huge difference,” said Jukich. “Horse players were asking for a lower takeout and we’ve given them what they want. Ask and we deliver.”
The infield tote board will also serve as a giant Jumbotron screen to allow fans to get a clearer view of the action given that, on the mile track, the horses are farther away.
“It’s a new beginning for racing in Edmonton,” said Jukich. “People are excited about the new building and a new future for horse racing. At this point I don’t know how you can be negative about anything.”
The 51-day thoroughbred meet runs from Sunday to August 26.
More coverage from the Edmonton Journal.
AFTER THREE DAYS OF THE WOODBINE SEASON…
24 different trainers have won 26 races
While it may be tough on the handicappers to try and pick winners at Woodbine at this year – what horses are fit and ready, which horses like the short distances? – the neat thing to see is that most of the races have been won by the less recognizable stables in Ontario racing.
Other than 2-time winners Kevin Buttigieg and Ross Armata Jr, the other 24 races run after 3 days of the meet have been won by different trainers.
Friday was no exception as Paula Loescher, Robert Rose and Darren Glennon were among the winning barns on the 8-race card.
What is evident is that the 5 furlong dashes go to the quickest (but we already knew that, didn’t we) and the winter-raced horses still have some edge in longer races.
RACE 1 FRIDAY – Steven Chircop and Holly Delaney’s CAPE ROMANCE, an Ontario bred 5-year-old horse won the opener at 7 furlongs for $15,000 claiming at 7 furlongs. This fellow had picked ip a couple of 3rds at Penn National in the winter and then was freshened up from February for his local debut. Luis Contreras rode the winner.
RACE 2- Coming off a career year as a trainer ZELKO KRCMAR sent out LI’L MISS TROUBLE to win this 5 furlong maiden dash for $7,000 claiming. The Horse Greeley 4yo filly was making her Woodbine debut and first start since last year in a race full of fillies making their 2019 bows Daisuke Fukumoto picked up his 3rd win of the meeting.
RACE 3- LOVE IN THE FOREST was the quickest in this 5 furlong race for $7,500 claiming and he won for the first time since he took his debut back in 2016 (the only other time he raced at 5 furlongs). Trained by Darren Glennon for Jeanne Ryan, the 5yo by Old Forester was adding blinkers and Chris Husbands rode.
RACE 4- ISHIYAYA sped to the lead in this $25,000 claiming dash for 3yo fillies and held off big favourite Broadway Bonnie by a nose for her 2nd career win. Owned by the relatively new Pipers Racing Stables and Stacey Van Camp, Ishiyaya is trained by Mike Mattine. She added blinkers for the first time and Kazushi Kimura was the winning rider.
RACE 5- Deja vu! GET SAUCY won her local debut in 2018 at big odds and did it again in this 6 furlong race for $7,500 fillies and mares. Ace Racing Stables Inc.’s Giant Gizmo gal led all the way after a winter at Charles Town and won at 14 to 1 with Michelle Rainford up.
RACE 6- More speed – BEL AYR BAY led all the way at 6 furlongs to win this $7,500 claiming dash for Jamrock Stable and trainer Robert Rose. The Sligo Bay filly was meeting just one winter raced gal, Flashinthepants but her speed prevailed under Rafael Hernandez.
RACE 7- From just off the pace at 5 furlongs, UNDER LOCK AND KEY was a 9 to 2 winner of race 7 for for $7,500 claiming. Domenic Colalillo owns and Paula Loescher trains this 5yo mare who was in good form last spring but went 0 for 12 during the 2018 season. Brandon Duchaine rode this gal to victory.
RACE 8 –SILENT JET trained in Florida in the winter for Mike DePaulo and this 4yo was very ready to win the day’s featured event, an allowance/optional claiming race at 7 furlongs. The Stronach Stables’; 4yo gelding by Silent Name (Jpn) was the 2nd winner of the day for jockey Herndandez and the winning Beyer Figure of 77 topped the day.
Here are the top Beyer Figures from the first 3 days of the meeting:
94 CIRCLE OF FRIENDS
89 SHAKOPEE TOWN
87 DON’T BE SO SALTY
81 NEVAEH’S DREAM
81 POWELL
