MID SEASON AT WOODBINE
and next week, Sir Dudley Digges is back for the Breeders’!
The summer sizzle continues with temperatures over 35 degrees Celcius and a blazing sun.
The news of the week is grass-racing themed as TEPIN will indeed make her next start in the Woodbine Mile (G1) on Saturday Sept. 17. By then, the grass racing festival of sorts is on at Woodbine and if you have a grass horse in Ontario, you sure can’t complain about the opportunities to race on the turf.
Not once this season have the races been taken off the grass. There have been 122 turf races counter-clockwise and plenty of clock-wise dashes that make up the new Euro Turf Series.
The clockwise turf races, run at 5 and 5 1/2 furlongs, have been an interesting experiment for the always innovative Woodbine Entertainment team. The concept has grown on fans, players and horsepeople.
“The one thing it does allow is for horses to run on the grass who may not normally be able to,’ said Woodbine’s CEO Jim Lawson. “It has taken some getting use to but all in all, it has been positive. We want people to understand that we want to keep trying new things. They may not work but we continue to strive to get better.”
Two horses have won twice in clockwise races – Gus Schickedanz’s FIREBALL MERLIN and GAIL WOOD and RUTH BARBOUR’S KASUGA, both horses who have picked up nice purses in races such as starter allowances in which they are protected from being claimed and loving the shorter trips on turf.
The beginning of August, traditionally, is a tough time for filling races, not just at Woodbine, but racetracks everywhere. The summer heat means horses have gone on the sidelines until fall or horses are just coming back from vacations.
In Ontario, the horse population is an ongoing concern and it more noticeable at this time of year.
“We are seeing quite a few five and six-horse fields right now,” said Lawson. “It’s a problem everywhere. Saratoga is writing $14,000 claiming races on its cards – you don’t see that usually at that summer meeting.”
Wagering on racing at Woodbine, however, is up as each weekend continues to draw in the $3 million range in betting. The racing is excellent even if the cards are dotted with some smaller fields.
What better way to continue to hold its position as one of the most significant racetracks in the world than to have popular American owner Ken Ramsay win the Queen’s Plate with a Canadian-bred colt he bought at auction? And Tepin’s visit next month will be huge.
So far we have seen some super horses and excellent horsmanship this year.
PASSION FOR ACTION, owned by Woodbine director Ben Hutzel, a true racing fan, is one of the year’s top horses as in CAREN, the 3-year-old filly who won 2/3 of the Triple Tiara and is the first horse to race for Robert Marzilli. DIMENSION has won 2 stakes on the grass for invading Conor Murphy, LEXIE LOU has been a monster since she returned home and UP WITH THE BIRDS is back, look out!
The hard working older horses such as MELMICH, BREAKING LUCKY and CALGARY CAT are still going strong and just wait until the 2-year-olds get rolling.
The TV SHOW TALKIN HORSES, in its 3rd season, based out of Woodbine but not paid for by the track, covers all the Ontario TB news and features and continues to grow in popularity. It’s goal is to increase the awareness of racing and pique interest in the sport.
Getting new owners into the business is what is critical at this time. Yes, there are the growing stables of Robert Marzilli and Joe Guerrerri (Joey G) and some new owners coming along, but with the upcoming CTHS yearling sale on Sept. 1, it is even more important to bring new people into this great industry.
The yearling sale is the critical day for breeders in Ontario. Some 280 yearlings are in the catalogue and breeders need to make a bit of money to continue breeding horses.
ROBERT DABDOUB of RACING CANADA is helping the CTHS Ontario put together some major incentives into the 2016 Yearling Sale to create more interest and increased sales.
Announcements and ads are set tom come out shortly with regards to a series of prizes to be drawn at the end of the sale for anyone who has purchased a yearling. The prizes have been donated from numerous, very generous members of the industry from vets to transport companies and other horsepeople. The prizes, which will number at least 2 dozen, range from $2,000 to $30,000.
Woodbine racing has also guaranteed 4 additional races next year for 2-year old graduates of the sale, each worth $45,000.
Stay tuned for more news on the CTHS yearling sale incentives.
HAPPY DAYS – Brent, Mike, Emma and Bill celebrate with the lovely gal TIZ IMAGINARY after the Duchess Stakes on Sunday at Woodbine -thank you MR. WILL WONG for the photo
