Oh, Well that makes striking sense!

Gold Strike made the trip from Assiniboia to Woodbine back in 2005 after declaring that she needed a bigger pond to splash in after winning two races straight previously.  

It was a good decision for her team because, in her very next race in the Star Shoot stakes at Woodbine, she made a big effort and ended up second.  The very next two races she won both of them with one of them being the Woodbine Oaks ridden beautifully to victory with Jim McAleney in the saddle.

The team decided to take a shot at the Queen's plate against the boys and ended up third with a really strong effort.  That was the last race she ran for the year and evidently the beginning of her career-ending losing streak.  Gold Strike did manage to come back the following year and finished her career with two additional races with a second-place finish in the Grade 3 Hendrie and a fourth-place finish in the Hill N Dale stakes.  So with what looked like a very good record, her career ended with nine starts 4 firsts, 3 seconds, 1 third, and a fourth.

She went off to the pastures and no one ever heard of her again until sixteen years later when Rich Strike won the Kentucky Derby at crazy odds of 80-1, her son!

Rich strike is the son of Gold Strike, yes that Manitoba mare who splashed her way to Woodbine under the hands of the great trainer Reade Baker and team made every Manitoba horse person very proud by producing the 2022 Kentucky Derby winner in spectacular fashion.

Oh, well that makes striking sense!

Niagara Skyline a break through Success in 2022 at Woodbine racetrack.

In horseracing, success is celebrated with stories like this one.  Sold to Centennial farms for $4511 as a yearling, Hip 132 is now called Niagara Skyline and is trained by John Charalambous.

After six starts in 2021 and not getting to the wire first, Niagara Skyline finally broke his maiden on May 14, 2022 in a maiden optional claimer going 6 1/2  on the all-weather track.  Since then the four-year-old gelding has hit the wire another three times this year and racked up purse earnings of  $101,593 for 2022. 

It has been quite some time since his debut in Keeneland on April 23 2021 with hopeful dreams and freshness but he looks to be a developed racehorse now and is quite speedy.  His highest speed figure so far has been 109 on the turf going six furlongs.  That's a step forward and some potential is there for this four-year-old gelding by War Dancer.

derek.barntrack@gmail.com

Hong Kong Jockey Club Keeps the money instead

 Even if you ride a reckless race in Hong Kong you will still be able to have a chance to keep riding.  The Hong Kong Jockey club has found its way of keeping jockeys on track, especially during these unique times of Covid 19.

It's simple, you ride a bad race and they will fine you, hitting you deep into the pockets with the hopes of deterring jockeys from repeating the same bad rides over and over.  Suspensions are over as it seems but they are still some stiff penalties for repeated actions.  

It seemed like a good move at the time but rumor has it that it's their unique way of maintaining enough jockeys to ride on each card.  The pandemic has been rough on many and not having enough jockeys to ride on the card was very tough sources revealed.

Perhaps it's a chance to explore Hong Kong, one young jock expressed to me as he is hopeful to be a successful rider in the future.  Why not,  approach every opportunity as a learning experience, and if it doesn't work try somewhere else.  I figure it may be a good way to keep a jockey sharp and then become a good rider.

I know you have your own thoughts as well, what do you think?

derek.barntrack@gmail.com

Jose Campos warms up to Woodbine during the cold months

 The Mexican-born jock Jose Campos is no stranger to winning races but this time he has decided to move his tack and give Woodbine a shot.  In his twelve starts at Woodbine this year he hasn't won yet but he was able to produce one of the biggest thrills to horseplayers by running a very close second with his horse Flat Out Vixen at odds of 39-1.  By the way, Ami's link was the horse that won this race, ridden by Slade Jones at odds of 20-1 closing from way behind the pack.

On that day, Flat Out Vixen ran her best race ever by speed figure ratings, pushing up to an 87 after running a 68 in the previous race.

Jose Campos

Campos gets back up on Thursday, October 20th at Woodbine racetrack seeking to win his first race at Woodbine.  He rides three horses on that day with two of them trained by Patrick Dixon (Little fire, Speedy Bubbles) and one trained by Zeljko Krcmar (Ima Daredevil).

derek.barntrack@gmail.com

Jason Hoyte wins his third lifetime stakes with Hazelbrook

 With five starts for the season and four first-place efforts, Hazelbrook has now elevated Jason Hoyte into the stakes-winning jockey category by winning two grade 3 stakes at Woodbine.  This year alone Hazelbrook has made $248,595,  winning all of her races with Jason Hoyte in the saddle.  

Jason Hoyte celebrates

I had a small chat with the winning jockey himself Jason Hoyte about the ride and what it felt like to win the Ontario fashion stakes.  Jason said honestly it is a great feeling and an awesome experience.  He praises trainer Lorne Richards and commends him on his training ability not only with Hazelbook but also with other horses.  I asked Jason Hoyte if he felt any pressure leading up to the race since the horse was an overwhelming favorite for the race.  He said to me "honestly I felt no pressure because I know the horse and I am always cool no matter the occasion".

winning owners

Hazelbook drew the one hole and I asked Jason Hoyte if he had any concerns about being on the rail since the horse had always come from the outside to win.  Jason recognizes that most or all of the jockeys knew the same information about his horse coming into the race.  His main concern after the race got going was the horse in front of him stopping which could impede Hazelbrook's chances to win the race.  Once the race shaped up the way that it did he knew that his horse was not going to lose and he rode her to victory as planned.

Speaking with Jason I could hear how excited he still was about winning the race.  Jason also commented on enjoying the moment with his daughter in the winner's circle celebrating the victory.  

So what's next for Hazelbrook I asked Jason Hoyte and he quickly points to the trainer.  I guess we will have to wait to find out!

derek.barntrack@gmail.com

Slade Jones Win his first Stakes aboard A Touch Of Red

 With a bit more experience and him maturing by the minute, Slade Jones won his first Stakes aboard A Touch Of Red.  She broke sharply and then Jones went to work with her saving the best part for the last as he outdueled stable mate Ancient Spirit to the wire ridden by Rafael Hernandez.

Trainer Sid Attard complimented Jones after the race by praising the kid for his awareness and knowledge as a young jockey.  Woodbine's Jeff Bratt made a comment that the Sire usually produces good offspring,  speaking obviously of Signature Red who produced Kawacatoose as well.  

My keen ear was pricked and caught the acknowledgment of the Jones blood.  With Slade Jones dad being Jono Jones and grandfather being the great Chally Jones and the importance of having that good gene running in the family, even as a jockey.

derek.barntrack@gmail.com

Will British Royalty get his distance at keeneland?

British Royalty will be put to the test today October 14, 2022, at Keeneland in the Sycamore Stakes which will be contested over one and a half miles.  He is coming off a second-place finish at Woodbine in the grade 3 Singspiel Stakes which was won by ready for the lady and paid a lady like $30.60 to win.  With fifteen starts he is looking for his third career win which is predicted to not come easily, especially at 30-1 ML odds.  The last time he won he was at odds of 25-1 and was piloted by Patrick Husbands who guided him past the finish line in the Breeders stakes at Woodbine. 

British Royalty wins at odds of 25-1

This time he has a stern bunch of older horses who are all hoping to get the bag.  

5:16pm Est the race goes.

derek.barntrack@gmail.com

Rafael Hernandez was up to his bag of hat tricks again on Sunday October 9th.

 On Saturday, October 8th, 2022 Moira was DQ from the E.P Taylor stakes which she originally finished second and was put back to eighth.  It was the first time that the filly didn't hit the board in six career starts and it was the first time that she finished worse than second.  

Rougir avoids conflict to win the E.P Taylor Stakes

The finished result is more misleading than the actual race that was run and if you are connected to this filly you must be feeling pretty good knowing that you have a prized horse for the future.  Regardless of how you view the race and what caused the disqualification, it must have been a pretty low moment for the jockey to handle at that time, you would think!

Well, the very next day what the jockey did tells you how resilient he really is and the level that he currently is on.  Rafael Hernandez wins his first four mounts of the day including a natural hat trick with the Eternal Search Stakes counted aboard Golden Vision.

derek.barntrack@gmail.com

Golden Vision win the Eternal Search Stakes

Woodbine's Beverley Chubb is getting deserved attention in 2022.

 At first Glance Beverley Chubb seem like the average horse trainer but after speaking with her I quickly realized that there is nothing average about her, at all!

She flies the flag of the smaller trainer around the track and amongst her peers she is recognized as one of the hardest-working people on the track.   It can also be heard from most people who know her.  In 2022 Beverley Chubb is having a spectacular year with thirteen wins and $291,459 purse earnings to date and there are still a couple more months left to go before it ends.

Based on the rate that she is moving she could surpass her highest purse earnings of $311,393 way back in 2004.

I had a chance to speak with Beverley Chubb about this season at Woodbine racetrack and also to learn a bit about her and the success she is experiencing this year.  As I walked into her barn she greets me with a smile with her eyes locked and her ears perked, obviously still being very aware of her surroundings and all the activity that is going on around her we got into conversation.  

Beverley Chubb

Beverley was born in Nassau Bahamas but then quickly moved to Bermuda at the tiny age of one year old, so technically she can be considered an island girl.  Moving to Canada at fifteen years old her life obviously took off and later on she landed a job in animations working with the popular children's show at the time "The Care Bears"!  That job didn't last too long since the company she was working for decided to move to Taiwan and Beverley didn't have plans of moving there.  

Being out of work isn't easy for most people in general, so after some deep thoughts and some offers to work at the racetrack, Beverley started galloping horses back in the late eighties at Woodbine racetrack.  Being around the horses was normal for her since she had always owned horses growing up so she took to the track and had been there since that time.  After several years of galloping horses and being an assistant trainer, Beverley decided to become a trainer and take the lead role in her own barn.  This came about after she was offered an opportunity to train a claimed horse and she did not say no to it.  I ask her what made her decide to become a trainer and she replied that it was a natural progression with the direction that she was heading toward after several years.

The move from assistant to the trainer wasn't too difficult for her back in those days and she was able to get by without much difficulty.  I ask her who was the one person that had inspired her to actually become a trainer and she quickly replied that it was Daniel Vella.  She was down in Louisiana at the fair Grounds with just one horse and a gentleman was looking for a trainer to look after some horses for him and Daniel Vella recommended her.  She will forever be grateful for that moment when he recommended her, she confessed.  Daniel Vella also was a mentor to her and he helped her along the way with water buckets and feed tubs and other training equipment if she was ever short of them.

I asked her what was the one moment on the track that will always be planted in her memory.  Irish Cherry!  Irish Cherry was one of the horses she trained and as a racehorse, she earned just $147,280.000,  originally sold for $1100 as a weanling, and then, later on, was bought for 2.7 million dollars as a mare.  She confessed that those are the stories that continue to keep guys like herself involved in the business even though at some times it can be very rough on them.  

I asked Beverley about the guys who ride for her on a regular basis like Juan Crawford and she had very pleasant and encouraging things to say.  Juan Crawford works really hard she said to me.  "He gets on the bad ones and he tries hard and does such a great job with them that it is only fair that I give him some of the better ones also".  Horse racing is the kind of sport that you can't say no to the good jockeys but she definitely chooses to always remember the guys who have been good to her over the years.  Beverley doesn't have the top prize at Woodbine on her bucket list and her involvement in horse racing is much more personal than the accolades which come with it. She praises guys like Lorenzo Thompson who has worked with her for fifteen years and all the guys who continue to put in the effort that they do at the track.

Beverley Chubb and Juan Crawford teamed up.

She states that she has been very fortunate this year to win the races she did and she appreciates the recognition from everyone who has noticed.  

Horse racing isn't a job for her or for many others who are involved.  It is a lifestyle and could be very misunderstood by others who are not involved with it.

derek.barntrack@gmail.com

 

Rafael Hernandez continue to impress at Woodbine racetrack with hat-trick.

With already 86 wins for the season Rafael Hernandez continues to impress by getting horses to the finish line first.  The only jockey to win more races than Rafael Hernandez this season is Kazushi Kimura with 97 wins for the season.  Last weekend between September 22 - September 25 Rafael scored 8 wins from four days with an impressive display on Saturday, September 24th winning four on the card and a natural hat-trick on the day.

One of the wins came aboard Ancient Spirit in the Victorian Queens Stakes for two-year-old old fillies.  The horse stayed on the pace over the EP Taylor turf track and at the half pulled away to eventually win by two and a half lengths.

Rafael Hernandez aboard Get Smokin in the Woodbine Mile

Rafael Manuel Hernandez is his name and he wasn't playing around at all.

derek.barntrack@gmail.com

It's 100 career wins for trainer Steven Gaskin

 Trainer Steven Gaskin finally got his wish when he sent out Diane's Wish on September 20th in the fourth race at Assiniboia Downs.  Being stuck on 99 career wins for a short while, Steven Gaskin reflected on all the grateful moments he has had so far which got him to this point in his career.  I quizzed Steven on the near misses he has had and asked him if he ever thought about the what-ifs.  Steven remained as humbled as ever and gave full credit to the riders who were able to get him to this point.  He also thanked everyone else who helped him along and is quite happy to be making a living to support his family with horse racing.

100 wins sealed with a kiss

From the Equibase statistics, Steven has been training since 2016 and has produced a record of 814 starts, 100 wins, 99 seconds, and 138 thirds.  

It's been a tough year so far he said with his record averaging slightly under what he has been used to but he has high hopes with the babies in his training.   Diane's Wish was claimed on her winning night and is in new hands with some new connections.  Steven praises the filly and complimented her with compliments like she will have a great career ahead of her and he knows that she will go on and do good things.

For now, the win was rewarding he says but it is time to head west as he packs up his tack and head to Century mile to join that meet which is already in full flight.

derek.barntrack@gmail.com

It's a win for Northern Passage and Trainer Carrie Russiani.

 On Thursday, September 22rd, 2022 Northern Passage finally broke her maiden in the very last race of the day.  The sun was setting and the rays from the sun shone deeply on the Woodbine grandstand which brought a romantic feel to the maiden breaking of this five-year-old mare.

The win itself means a lot more to Carrie Russiani than the purse itself.  The horse was gifted to her by her late uncle Robert Harvey who was very instrumental to her and her love for the horses.  When I spoke with Carrie earlier in the spring she expressed how much Northern Passage meant to her and the family so this win is very emotional to her.  

Both she and her partner David Grant who is co-owner of the horse are truly grateful for the win this season.  The horse picked up a 62 equibase speed figure from the win in the $32,000 maiden claiming in a six-furlong race.

Northern Passage playfully skips

I stopped by the backstretch to see how the horse was doing and she was in a very happy mood, putting on a dance and all for me.  

derek.barntrack@gmail.com

keeping up with the Jones

When I first met Slade Jones I couldn't believe how opened and relaxed he was to not only a stranger but also to media.  With his level of comfort at 16 years old and coming back to his land of birth with his developed Barbadian accent and charisma he seemed to be quite alert of his surroundings.  

He praised all the veterans who gave him encouragement and complimented them in public. He shook hands with no remorse during a time when we were told not to touch hands because of the pandemic.  

Slade Jones

He didn't win his first mount at Woodbine racetrack, those moments are special. 

Perhaps not winning his first mount gave him the fire to grind even harder or perhaps he has the DNA of a winner even at his tender age. Nevertheless, he has created a buzz among horse people and he has drawn lots of interest on track with handicappers also.

To date  he has a record of 230 starts, 33 wins, 29 seconds, 26 thirds and a purse earnings of $991,397 shown on the equibase statistics.

On Sunday September 18th in the 9th race at Woodbine racetrack, Slade Jones will have to go deep to be even more impressive as he takes on some seasoned veterans in the Singspiel stakes.  The race itself is 1 3/8 miles on the turf and his horse Enchant Me being the longest shot in the field will have some class test to prove.  He rides for trainer Santino C. DiPaola who is clicking at an 8% win percentage on the season.

derek.barntrack@gmail.com

Troy Hearn Jr gets ready for his first mount at Woodbine racetrack in 2022.

For some people being a jockey is everything and for Troy Hearn Jr it is everything and more.

He trains hard and he believes in his diet which he is proud to talk about if you ever get him into a good conversation about fitness.  Horse racing is a passion and a love for something that he was born into back in his native land of Trinidad and Tobago.

Troy Hearn Jr.

On  Friday, September 16 race 8 at Woodbine race track, Troy Hearn Jr will ride his first race for this year for trainer WV Armata.  Troy realizes that he rides a long shot and the odds will be against him for this race,  he also recognizes that this is the start he has earned with all the hard work he has so far put into returning to the track.

Behind the scenes caught up with Troy earlier in the summer.

So, Troy continues to work hard on the backstretch and he continues to stay focused on the goals he has set for himself and his future.

derek.barntrack@gmail.com

Another impressive win for Luckman at Woodbine racetrack.

 Luckman continues to impress with his return to the Woodbine race track this 2022 season.  He has now won 4 in a row after being shut out in his previous 9 career starts leading previous connections to have second thoughts.

So far this year Luckman has earned $130,099.00 and seems to be just getting better.    This season, jockey Patrick Husbands previously rode Luckman to victory the first three times this year but opted to ride First Empire trained by Mark Casse who finished 9th in the 10-horse contest over the EP Taylor turf track.

Some say you have to be lucky in order to be successful and some say luck has no place in their house.  Either way, Luckman has opened a few eyes around the track after the very impressive 4 in a row and perhaps another before the season comes to an end.  

Surprise! It's A girl who wins the Queen's Plate!

 Actually, the buzz horse that was being talked about was the Kevin Attard filly Moira and her ability to blow the field away, so she did just that.

Top horses are meant to be beaten and there was no change to that theory if you liked my top pick for the Queen's Plate The Minkster who finished a distant 9th in the field.  Plate trial winner Sir For Sure finished third with a very good run at the end with Hall of Dreams ridden by jockey Patrick Husbands in second.

When I handicapped the race the day before the Queen's Plate with Jim Bannon who is known for his expert handicapping ability.  He wasn't too concerned about the upstart horse Rondure with shipped-in jockey Flavien Pratt and he had settled on the Plate Trial winner Sir for Sure as the top pick who went on to finish third.

Leading up to the race as I searched the Woodbine grounds for people with different opinions on who was going to win the race.  I couldn't help but notice the number of females who were very excited about Moira winning the race.  I tried to let my brain take me to where perhaps they may have heard about Moira and who was pointing them to this amazing horse as it now turns out.

Women at the track were asking my opinion on who they should cheer for and they wanted to hear more about the new buzz horse Moira who was going to beat the boys.  It was that simple for them, beat the boys!   I couldn't tell them much at the time but I was able to point them to my YouTube channel in order to hear what Rankin had to say about the filly.  

The track itself was awesome as usual with live music and DJs spinning music all day long.  It took me back to many years ago when I just wanted to be amongst the many people who attended these events.  I admired the horsemen and women who dressed for the occasion and those who took time out of their busy lives to just unwind with the event and all the media around them.  This is a big deal for the people who work tirelessly at Woodbine backstretch to make this day happen with the horses.  They don't always get to enjoy the event like others do because the horses need lots of attention and especially if there is more than one horse on the card to look after.

The crowd lets always let everyone know who their favorite jockeys are when the horses are coming down the stretch.  The sound of cheers is like no other when the pack turns for home.

Coincidentally, the very last race of the day was won by jockey Keveh Nicholls on Cliff's Head and trained by Amber Mayers. Girl power all day long, what a day!

Handicapping the Queen's plate Stakes with Jim Bannon

 On the day before the Queen's Plate Day at woodbine Racetrack, I found myself exhausted sitting in my car with my cell phone and notepad thinking of my next moves before calling it quits for the day.  It felt extremely hot on this so I poured another glass of cold water and sat back waiting for a sign to show itself.

Suddenly my phone rang with the vibration of the ringer buzzing me on the leg through the front pocket of my slacks.  I recognized the name on the phone and it was Jim Bannon calling.

Jim Bannon is a famous handicapper who is known for his in-depth knowledge and information about horses and their running styles within the thoroughbred world. 

https://bannonthoroughbred.com/about-jim

After exchanging a few pleasantries we got down to the real reason for the call and that was handicapping the Queen's Plate.

We both agreed that we liked the filly Moira and horses using the same path that Moira took to the Queen's Plate usually can do well.  We didn't agree on my pick The Minkster simply because Jim uses a formula he had created many years ago when handicapping the Queen's Plate Stakes and had ruled out the Minkster.  Jim thinks the Minkster is more suited for the grass but by the connections taking this path to the Queen's Plate last year, there is no turning back now for him.

I was curious about Jim's Thoughts about Rondure and the amount of attention that the horse is receiving at the moment.  We agreed that the horse has looked good leading up to the Queen's Plate but Jim was slightly skeptical of the connections' decision to skip past the Queen's Plate Trial Stakes.  I had never thought of that and I had just thought that they wanted a fresh horse on Queen's Plate Day.  I quizzed him also about Rondure's jockey Flavien Prat who will be flying in just to ride this race.  Jim didn't pay much attention to that.

So we went through different scenarios about the race and I asked Jim Bluntly who he liked.

Jim Thinks the best horse for this race will be Sir For Sure after winning the Queen's Plate Trial Stakes.

I had to agree with Jim this time about Sir For Sure being his top pick even though my top pick the Minkster holds a special spot within me.

It was nice speaking with Jim Bannon again and just hearing his voice just as he had done for several years on television.

You can see more about Jim and what he has been up to by clicking the link below or by copy-pasting the link.

https://bannonthoroughbred.com/about-jim

Flavien Prat vs the colony at Woodbine

Being the target isn't something new to Flavien Prat as he ships into Woodbine racetrack to ride one of the favored horses for the Queen's plate.  

Flavien Prat will be riding the Katerina Vassileva trainee Rondure who was so impressive earlier this summer that he was named one of the horses to beat for the Queen's Plate Stakes.  Prat who has had over 6375 career mounts and 1372 victories in North America will be looking to collect his second Queen's Plate victory with trainer Katerina Vassileva and the late impressive colt Rondure.  

Speaking with some of the behind-the-scenes workers at Woodbine, they had this to say "Rondure is a good horse and the jockey is ok, shipping in here at woodbine he still has to deal with our jockeys and what this race means to them".

It won't be the first time Prat will be amongst the semi-hostile company, with his recent being named the winner of the 2019 Kentucky derby aboard Country House at odds of 65-1 after Maximum Security was disqualified from winning the race.  It's safe to say that Prat has a knack for being in the right places at the right time.

Prat has been aboard many good horses and has collected the trophies left right and center across North America but the colony still holds strong at woodbine with eyes on the prize and a chance to be chalked in history amongst the winners of the prestigious trophy of the Queen's Plate.  

Rondure should be fresh on Sunday after being away since July 2nd after winning the Grade 3 Marine Stakes with Rafael Manuel Hernandez in the saddle but there are still many talented horses in this race and some very good jockeys to beat.

On the Hunt for a Queen's Plate Stake victory

It’s his second time joining the hat dance where tradition exceeds most and every trainer at the woodbine racetrack knows, they would love to have a chance of winning the queens plate stake.

For trainers on the backstretch who haven’t chalked their name in history as a Queen's Plate winner as yet, this is a big moment for them and can be nerve-wracking.  

I had a keen eye on one horse in particular and its journey so far to get to the Queen's plate.  The horse has an interesting name and it sounds particularly like a name that could get your attention also. Hunt Master has six starts under his belt and has managed so far to hit the board all six times, doing it all at the woodbine track. He won't be the favorite based on his performance and earnings to this point but he is a horse that has my attention.

I had the opportunity to speak with the Hunt Master's trainer Angus Buntain and he was pumped and ready for the big day on August 21st.

I asked Angus a few questions about the horse and how he got his name the Hunt Master.

Angus: His owner Susan Rasmussen who is a hunt master in the Hunter Jumper horse world named the horse based on her involvement with the sport.

I also asked him if this was his first Queen's Plate in which he had a horse in the race and he confirmed that it was his second time in the race. His first time entering the race was back in 2019 with a horse called Krachenwagen who is the son of the famous horse named Head Chopper, Krachenwagen ended up finishing 10 out of 14 on that day.

The talented colt Rondure who is trained by Katerina Vassiliva and Moira who is a filly trained by Kevin Attard is shaping up to be the two favorites for the Queen's plate. Angus hopes that his horse will have a late kick and will be closing down on the field as the finish line comes up in that long mile and a quarter race on August 21st.

The beauty of horse racing and the animal behind it.

As an observer of the sport and the industry of horse racing, several things stand out to me.

The money very rarely changes hands and the players involved are usually passionate or condemned to looking after the horses for life.  It truly is a unique business and it is an intentional way of life for persons involved with the horses.

First, you have to love animals or have been around them for several years caring for them or just helping a relative who owns animals.  If you just ask the successful people in the business about their story and how they managed to gain their success, they may not be so quick to tell you the full details and perhaps leave you with the shiny parts of their story.  In order to get that nugget of a horse, you have to give it a few tries first when breeding and hope that you produce a winner of a horse by good bloodlines or sometimes just sheer luck.

Having good farms that will help care for your horse is essential because let's face it, not everyone in the industry owns or will own a farm.  So what makes a good farm and what are some of the successes surrounding these farms that look after your horses?  In horse racing, every handicapper goes back to the racing form to see how the horse that they decide to gamble on has run in the past.  I will only assume that horse owners do the same when it comes to their horses and where they are staying when they are not training for races at the track.  So the question still remains, what makes a good farm?

What are these farms doing that will keep your horses sound and healthy and keeps you coming back year after year?  The farms will become the nurturers to the horses when they are not training on track so what makes them special?  Do your research or have someone you trust to do the research for you until you are satisfied with your choice.

You can own a horse or you can house a horse, both will keep your finances on cardiac watch. 

Cheap horses are not supposed to keep with the sport of Kings.  You are almost supposed to be lucky to have them for a short while and then pass them on to the next lower-level person within the industry who is willing to take a chance with them.  There was a time when I thought that the most successful horses ate much more than the other horses in the barn but obviously I was quite wrong and they all eat a lot unless they are sick.

The horses aren't guaranteed to run really fast but they are definitely guaranteed to eat lots and lots every day once they are healthy and alive.  So in the horse racing world, we praise our equine stars and legends and that helps keep their bloodlines separated from the ones on the lower end which increases business for the owners of the stars.  Many others will dream of emulating this system with a lower-end horse but the common denominator remains the same and that is the feeding of the animal without a sound result to show from its past performance and you could find yourself with a very expensive pet.

Horse racing still is and will remain a beautiful sport driven by its equine stars.  The industry which has formed around these animals will have to improve because many other industries have improved, expanded, and seen some success.  So hats off to those who vigorously are trying to get others involved and who are constantly finding ways to bring the younger generation into the sport and the men and women who work daily to keep all these horses sound and healthy and get them to the track.

Kawacatoose Meets A Tough Field In An Allowance Optional Claimer

 At this point of the season, the connections to the gelding Kawacatoose are feeling quite happy with the results.  The horse was bred by Joey Gee Thoroughbreds and sold to Devon Boreland for $2,255 as a yearling back in 2019.

The veterans in the game say it takes time and money to get a good horse going but in this case, it was courage. 

Back on November 08, 2020,  Kawacatoose ran his first race and was defeated, finishing seventh in the field.  He went on to run another three races before breaking his maiden and cashing in and paying w$22.50 p$8.80 s$7.10 on September 5th, 2021.  When I last spoke to Robert Boreland who is the owner in partnership with his son Canadian soccer star Cyle Larin, he was all smiling.

The horse has done well he has made papa and son proud and has turned some heads at this level.  He is a speedy type who will have to face some very tough ones in this race today under the piloting of veteran jockey Steven Bahen who will be no stranger to this horse and his running style.  Kawacatoose is expected to be somewhere close to the lead based on his running performance history and with the latest speed figures he is still as tough as they get amongst his rivals.

He has made $110,315 for the year already winning three out of four starts and is mentioned in the top 5 performers at Woodbine so far for this year.  It's an honest horse, he has done well and is looking for more.

Race 7 on today's card goes at 7:52pm at Woodbine racetrack.

Troy JR Hearn Is On The Come Back Trail And Is Hungrier Than Ever.

As the evening was winding down at the backstretch I remember meeting Troy for the very first time.  He looked like a jockey but I didn't recognize him.   I said hi, how are you doing with my Bajan Canadian accent mixed up into one. Troy said hi and we exchanged greetings with our names attached. I recognized from early that Troy wasn't shy and he had the look of a man shaping his body to a high result of fitness expressed with Tattoos all over his body.   He reached for his black sweat bag-looking gear that hung from the clothesline which he used to drain the sweat from his body when jogging.  

I said to him I was looking for a story and he replied " well I got one for ya"!  The rest is history leading up to this point which you will soon find out. Sometimes I am cautious but I am mostly curious and it's my curiosity that very often leads me to interesting people, places, and things throughout my life.  

For the next several days I ran into Troy as he continued to work and he would often utter the phrase "work hard".  I can see the hunger spelled all over his face by the look in his eyes and not by the chiseled cut face as some of you may be thinking when you see him.

You will see more on him but for now, you can check out his efforts right here.

www.facebook.com/Troyfernandesallin

Have you ever wondered how the jocks feel after losing a race when being the favorite?

It isn't something most people think about after the race is finished, but it was something I thought about one day while watching the races.  For one, I can only imagine the amount of pressure to carry on your shoulders and then to actually win the race in the eyes of the public you are supposed to win. Wow, that is quite some weight on the shoulder!   All that being said, there is still another factor involved with the race and that is the horses. Horses are living creatures, they are a high priority and they do have illnesses and sometimes they don't always perform as we expect them to on race day.

The point here is that jockeys do have feelings and they probably can hear the things that are being said about them even in different languages or sometimes indirectly. The horses probably don't understand what you are saying, but instinctively they probably do feel good also when nice things are being said about them.  I spoke with Kirk Johnson recently and he uttered the very same thing about language toward jockeys and him being a jockey, it sometimes hurts when hearing some things being said.  

Horse racing is a sport and many things can go wrong before a race. 

What handicappers should know is that every owner and trainer feels like they have a legitimate shot at winning and that's why they enter the horses into the races,  at least most of the time.

There was a time when a horse ran off with the jock and for whatever reason, the groom gave the jockey an earpiece with words I shouldn't repeat. Was the groom wrong about his behavior? It's another argument on another day for those who feel strongly about one side or the other.  

Jockeys, on the other hand, do get sick also and like horses, many things could affect them on race day. 

I was hanging around the paddock one afternoon and was so unfortunate to witness a fan trying really hard to heckle Patrick Husbands.  As many know, Patrick Husbands is an outstanding jockey and will one day go down in the Hall of fame for his outstanding career as a jockey.  I was stuck because, as a spectator, I wanted to say something but I let it continue just to see how far the behavior was going.

I really wanted to have some words with the belligerent fan to update him on a few things which I felt were necessary but my inner peace said to be calm.  This guy kept on going, saying things like Husbands you are washed up and you are no good and then I looked him in the face to see if he was insane.  I didn’t smell his breath because covid still lurks but it was quite clear that he had to be drunk, uttering words like that.

Jodeien Anderson

Now I know what you are wondering and you are probably thinking about how this will end? How could anyone put up with that behavior without losing their mind?

The jock who the fan was heckling was Jodeien Anderson and he was simply minding his business and taking instructions.  No, he wasn't Patrick Husbands so he probably never even knew that the words were directed at him.  Honestly, the behavior was very irritating to watch and listen to, but sometimes it’s people like the fan who can benefit from some paddock etiquette amongst many other things.

What was my question again?  Have you ever wondered how jockeys felt after losing a race they were supposed to win?

Well, I did ask the question to a jock and he quickly mentioned that usually, the winning is about 90% of the horse's ability.  So even though jockeys will get the blame and will gladly take that responsibility their part is very small in comparison to the animal but they do feel terrible.

Keveh Nicholls after winning his first race this season.

Never Forget Your Roots He Says, It's Important. Fresh After Being Named Thoroughbred Owner Of The Month Tedston Holder Is As Cool As They Come.

 

Apprentice Jockey Micah Husbands Wins His Very First Race At Woodbine Racetrack

 

Ex-Jockey Tyrone Harding Who Turned Jockey Agent Shares An Amazing Story!

Keveh Nicholls Win The First Of The Day And Is Feeling Pretty Good!

 

Tedston Holder and Slade Jones Team Up To An Impressive Win At Woodbine Racetrack

 

Kirk Johnson Is A Jockey Who Is Every Horseplayer Dream To Play But Ther...

The Stage Is Set For Mighty Heart In A Thrilling Return To Woodbine

The Best Bet Is Sharing A Conversation while At The Track.

It's Saturday afternoon at the Woodbine racetrack. Everyone is hopeful except for the guy who always loses in the last leg of the pick 4 he proclaimed.  

It's been a long day for me as I had been out and about since 6:30 am but I remained disciplined as I scoured the trackside area looking for any type of action. I say hello to an old-timer who plays the horses and makes friendly chats to people as they pass by and he says hi back. I introduces myself and proceeded to tell him about what I am doing with my YouTube channel and my Facebook group but he already knows and is fully up to date.

He recognizes me and quizzes me like most horsemen from my native land Barbados often do about my knowledge of the horses. The fans are passionate about racing from the island of Barbados and can often be caught in long conversations about horses and the horse's parents also. I did what I normally do and proclaimed to know very little about racing and I figure that should keep the argument one-sided.  

I found out that this man had been going to the races for over fifty years. He has great knowledge of the races and the industry of horse racing. He talks with confidence and he only uses the big Daily Racing Form and wouldn't rely on the smaller program to guide his picks ever when making a bet. 

 

As I dug more into the conversation I found out many things including that the stranger I just met is a former racehorse owner and also that we both attended the same school back in Barbados not at the same time. I dug deeper and I found out that he also knew my father very well, especially during the times when my father represented our native country Barbados playing football.

As the conversation went on and the quizzes kept rolling on the stranger was a bit annoyed that his old buddy Winston Wilkinson, was being left out of the conversation when talking about the great horse trainers from Barbados who had trained in North America. He had a good argument I figured for anyone willing to challenge his knowledge but this time there was no one to challenge him, just me. 

So the next time you come to the races please remember that they are many things to talk about at the racetrack, especially between races while waiting for a pick 4 winner.