SUMMIT

 

MICKEY WALLS, JOSIE CARROLL, BORY MARGOLUS AND LEXIE LOU AMONG CHRHF INDUCTEES

The Class of 2019 to be inducted August 7 at Mississauga Convention Centre

 

Mickey Walls – riding sensation

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A career in racing was inevitable for Mickey Walls, born in Vancouver, BC to horse racing parents, trainer Joe Walls (recently deceased) and mother Carol who is still actively involved the industry. Walls began riding professionally at Vancouver’s Exhibition Park In 1990 at age 16, before concluding his year at Toronto’s Greenwood and being awarded his first Sovereign Award as Canada’s outstanding Apprentice Jockey.

In 1991 Walls won a record 221 races at the Woodbine meeting and an astounding 286 races during the year. The 221 wins at the Woodbine meeting surpassed a record previously set by Sandy Hawley, making him both the winningest jockey and garnering more purse money at Woodbine Racetrack than any jockey to that point in time. His efforts that year resulted in Walls receiving Sovereign Awards for both Outstanding Apprentice Jockey and Outstanding Jockey Award, and the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Apprentice in the U.S. Following time off to recuperate from injuries in 1992 he returned in 1993 to once again be Woodbine’s leading rider. After competing in the U.S. at various tracks, he returned to his homeland in 1996, capturing the Prince of Wales Stakes aboard Stephanotis and the Breeders’ Stakes on Canada’s top turf runner and future CHRHF inductee, Chief Bearhart. In 1999 he won the Queen’s Plate aboard Woodcarver. In 2008, Walls was inducted into the B.C. Thoroughbred Hall of Fame and in June, 2013 he was recipient of the Avelino Gomez Memorial Award for significant contributions to the sport. Walls accumulated 1,453 wins in 8,868 races and earnings of $37.3 million over a 12-year career that concluded in 2013.

Bory Margolus – master of Elmbrook Farm

Based in Alberta, the late Bory Margolus was a successful business executive who would also become a leading force in Western Canada’s thoroughbred racing industry. From the time he purchased his first horse in 1952 until his retirement from the industry in 1986, Mr. Margolus and his Elmbrook Farm near Edmonton were dominant in Alberta as leading money-winning owner for nine consecutive years. Elmbrook’s racing success channelled into its breeding operation, leading all Alberta breeders from 1980-1983 inclusive.

His contribution was recognized nationally in the form of two Sovereign Awards – in 1975 as Canada’s Outstanding Owner and in 1977 as Outstanding Breeder. Margolus won every major stakes race in Alberta including the Alberta Derby, and also frequently raced his horses in British Columbia. He later partnered with CHRHF member Jim Wright in the ownership of Winnipeg’s Assiniboia Downs. Bory Margolus’ was known as a consummate gentleman who treated his horses and those he employed the same way, he spoiled them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Josie Carroll – 2 Queen’s Plates

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Since establishing her own stable in 1994 Josie Carroll has accumulated 796 wins, including 44 graded stakes in both Canada and the USA and earnings exceeding $44.8 million in 4,786 starts for owners the likes of CHRHF Honoured Members John G. Sikura and Eugene Melnyk, as well as Ivan Dalos, Padua Stable and Donver Stables.

Carroll is the first female trainer to win the Queen’s Plate, doing so in 2006 with Edenwold (2-year-old Champion in 2005) and again in 2011 with Champion filly Inglorious. She also had a second place finish in the 2014 Plate with Ami’s Holiday who went on to win the prestigious Breeders’ Stakes. In 2009 her trainee Careless Jewel brought her a trio of Graded Stakes wins in the U.S. with the Alabama (G1) at Saratoga, the Delaware Oaks (G2) and Cotillion Stakes (G2). Other significant horses in Carroll’s career include Ami’s Mesa, 2nd by a nose in the 2017 Breeders Cup Sprint(G1) and a G2 winner in Pennsylvania, Ami’s Gizmo, winner of the Prince of Wales Stakes, Ami’s Flatter, winner of the 2016 Commonwealth Stk (G2) at Keeneland. Most recently Carroll trainee Avie’s Flatter won the G3 Transylvania Stakes at Keeneland. Three Carroll trained horses are finalists at the upcoming Sovereign Awards – 2-year-old Avie’s Flatter, older female Gamble’s Ghost and female sprinter Moonlit Promise.

Lexi Lou – Horse of the Year

Bred by late Hall of Fame Builder Dr. Michael Colterjohn’s Paradox Farms, in Caledon, ON, Sligo Bay-sired Lexie Lou was purchased in the 2012 CTHS Yearling Sale by Owner/Trainer John Ross who directed her 2-yr-old campaign of 8 starts at Woodbine, including stakes wins in the Muskoka Stakes and South Ocean Stakes. Following her first start as a 3-year-old, U.S.-based Owner Gary Barber purchased the filly and moved her to trainer Mark Casse’s stable. Lexie Lou established herself as the best filly in Canada by winning the 2014 Woodbine Oaks, and Queen’s Plate becoming only the 6th filly to complete the Oaks/Plate double. Her first turf race and victory came later in the Wonder Where Stakes. She was named 2014 Sovereign Award Horse of the Year, Champion Grass Horse and Champion 3-yr-old Filly. Additional races of note include a graded stakes win in the G2 Autumn Miss Stakes at Santa Anita and a second-place finish to U.S. HOY California Chrome in the G1 Hollywood Derby at Del Mar. Following time off in 2015, she came back as a 5-yr-old in 2016 winning both the G2 Nassau and G2 Dance Smartly Stakes to earn the title of Sovereign Award Champion Turf Female.

All Along – Arc winner came to Woodbine

French-bred filly All Along (FR), trained by Frenchman Patrick Louis Biancone and ridden for most of her career by Walter Swinburn, was the first winner of the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (G1) to race in Canada winning the 1983 Rothmans International (G1) as part of a 41 day international tour that also included wins in the Turf Classic (G1) at Aqueduct, NY and the Washington, D.C. International (G1) at Laurel, Maryland. Her 1984 campaign at age 5 included a fourth-place finish in the Rothmans International (G1) at Woodbine and a second-place finish behind upset winner Lashkari in the inaugural Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1) at Hollywood Park to conclude her race career. Named Horse of the Year on two continents, for owner famed art dealer Daniel Wildenstein and family, All Along (FR) was named Champion Older Horse in France and 1983 Horse of the Year in the U.S., the first female and foreign-based horse to win an Eclipse Award as Horse of the Year. At the time of her retirement following her 1984 campaign, All Along was the all-time leading distaffer in terms of career purse earnings with $3,015,764. Her broodmare career produced 11 starters and 4 winners from 13 foals; the first in 1986 by Mill Reef (GB), called Along All (GB) being the most successful, a G2 winner. All Along (FR) died at Three Chimneys Farm in Kentucky at age 26 in 2005. She was inducted to the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in Saratoga in 1990.

 

HIGH VALLEY HEADLINES QUEEN’S PLATE DAY CONCERT SERIES

Woodbine Entertainment announced Tuesday that Canadian country music duo High Valley (https://www.highvalleymusic.com/)will headline this year’s music line-up at the two-day Queen’s Plate Racing Festival with a live performance on the Hats & Horseshoes stage at Woodbine Racetrack on Saturday, June 29.

High Valley, which is Brad and Curtis Rempel from Alberta, who just released their highly anticipated new single, “Single Man,” last week, will perform live on the second day of the festival at 8:30 p.m., following the 160th running of the $1 million Queen’s Plate.

Country singer-songwriter Madeline Merlo will open for High Valley, beginning at 7 p.m. on the Hats & Horseshoes stage. The Maple Ridge, B.C. native is a CCMA Award and two-time BCCMA Award-winning artist, with five Top 15 singles under her belt.

Merlo is currently collaborating with some of the biggest names in country on new music, continuing to live up to Spotify’s prediction that she will be one of the biggest rising stars to watch. Her latest single, “Unraveling,” is a soulful ballad that follows the success of the pop-meets-country single, “Neon Love.”

 

KEENELAND 2-YEAR-OLD/HRA SALE COMPLETE

$1.3 million Tapit filly tops auction

A 2-year-old daughter of Tapit and Grade 1 winner My Conquestadory who is a full sister to 2019 Xpressbet Fountain of Youth (G2) runner-up Bourbon War sold to Chad Schumer, agent, for $1.3 million to top Keeneland’s April Two-Year-Olds in Training and Horses of Racing Age Sale.

The April Sale returned Tuesday after a five-year hiatus and featured for the first time an offering of horses of racing age.

During the single-session sale, Keeneland sold 67 horses for $6,083,500. The average was $90,799, and the median was $40,000.

“Trade was very good,” Keeneland Director of Sales Operations Geoffrey Russell said. “The racehorses were well received. Strong trade continued into the 2-year-old portion of the sale. The (sale-topping) Tapit filly was on everybody’s list, with a good update from Bourbon War and a great work she turned in yesterday during the Preview Show. Her sale showed the money is here for those kind of horses.

“We’re in a rebuilding process for this sale,” Russell continued. “Some people were willing to rebuild with us, and some people wanted to wait and see. We hope they saw and will participate next year.”

The sale-topping Tapit filly breezed an eighth of a mile in the co-fastest time of :10 over the main track.

“She is a tremendous physical, she had a superb breeze and her gallop out was really strong,” said Schumer, who bought the filly for Prince Sultan Bin Mishal Al Saud of Saudi Arabia. “She is by one of the leading sires of all time and she has a massive pedigree. (The price) is not an unexpected number. (For) a Tapit with that kind of pedigree, you have to expect to pay that kind of money. She was an obvious choice.

“Once you get above a certain number it is kind of numbing. I have never gone that high before, so it has not sunk in yet. Hopefully, she will be a Grade 1 horse.”

With the purchase, Schumer was the day’s leading buyer.

Hartley/De Renzo Thoroughbreds, agent, consigned the sale-topper, whose dam, a daughter of Artie Schiller, won Keeneland’s Darley Alcibiades (G1) in 2013.

At $500,000, the top-priced horse of racing age is this year’s Twinspires.com Fair Grounds Oaks (G2) third-place finisher, Sweet Diane. Ina Bond’s River Bend Farm acquired the 3-year-old daughter of Will Take Charge, who has been in the money in each of her five career starts.

ELiTE, agent, consigned Sweet Diane, who is from the family of Glinda the Good, dam of champion Good Magic, and Grade 1 winner Magical Maiden. She was a late supplement to the sale.

“This is a new direction for us,” River Bend Farm Manager Larry Weeden said. “We have been selling yearlings here for almost 30 years. We have a broodmare band of about 12 and try to focus on quality rather than quantity. Eddie Kenneally trains for us, so he is going to train (her). We have high hopes that this will turn into something fun.”

Sweet Diane has 22 points on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks (G1) to rank 16th on the list of leading point earners. The top 14 point earners will earn a spot in the starting gate for the $1.25 million Oaks at Churchill Downs on May 3.