The last time Larry Reynolds won a race was back in 2013 onboard Southern Squall at Charles Town on July 06 in the 7th race.
On September 22, 2023 in the 5th race at Charles Town Larry Reynolds got back in the winner's circle with Moonlit Shadow in a $31,000 allowance race.
derek.barntrack@gmail.com
The last jockey to win a Canadian triple crown title was the veteran jockey Patrick Husbands who rode Wando into Canadian history and inked his name forever in the books. I can only guess that with that kind of title, one may sit in the jock's room with something more than an edge to his confidence.
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| Husbands seeking 2nd triple crown run. |
It's been 20 years since that performance by Wando and every year the thought goes through my mind if we will ever see a performance like that one ever again in Canada. During that time back in 2003 there was still a traditional dirt track at Woodbine and Slade Jones wasn't even born yet while Kazushi Kimura was still wearing Pull-ups.
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| Kazushi Kimura |
There is no longer the presence of a Todd Kabel, Jim McAleney, or a Jono Jones luring in the jockeys room but the young jocks at Woodbine and Fort Erie will be sitting patiently waiting their turn to play a role in trying to prevent the great Patrick Husbands from repeating a triple crown performance.
Everyone loves a winner but horse racing is unique and that is where the fine line is drawn.
In 2023, marked the first time that the King's Plate was renamed after over 70 years as Queen's Plate and Patrick Husbands took claim to that race in commanding form on Paramount Prince back in August. The main player in this equation seems to be the trainer Mark Casse who has also stamped his name four times in the history books at Fort Erie Racetrack in the Prince of Wales Stakes. All the greats in horse racing have one thing in common and that is the love for prestigious titles and championships.
No one enters a race in hopes of a 2nd place unless you plan to be short-term in the sport.
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| Rico Walcott |
It's looking like it will be a huge field on September 12th and this tells the public that everyone still thinks that they have a shot at winning this race. The whispers are that Canadian horse racing is declining but yet the wagering on the King's Plate this year was the most ever at $18,127,049.67. I suspect that the numbers in the Prince of Wales Stakes will soar as well and perhaps break records based on the field being so big, even on a Tuesday afternoon.
With all of that being said, Paramount Prince will have a huge target on his back in the Prince of Wales Stakes and some others will no longer have that pressure to deal with. If this race heats up we could be seeing one of the more competitive races on the dirt at Fort Erie racetrack in a long time and I certainly hope so for the name of the sport and the race fans.
I am looking forward to a great day of racing and some fries also.
derek.barntrack@gmail.com
For many race fans who aren't familiar with Woodbine Racetrack, when you see trainer Ryan Jones in the winner's circle you may think that he is new to the sport, but he is not. As a matter of fact, I challenge you to break the silence and have a conversation with him about training horses. You will be delighted to hear the amount of knowledge and the poise this trainer has about the sport and his views on training the horses in his time at Woodbine Racetrack.
Based on the Equibase records, Ryan Jones started training his first horses back in 2009 at Woodbine Racetrack but his love for horse racing and his drive for training horses started in his country of birth, Barbados. In that inaugural year of training horses in 2009, he sent out 32 starters and won twice from those starters with Serena's Rose and Peace Bay, since then it has been very similar to a roller coaster activity with the horses.
Evidently, 2009 was his best year to date if you are counting the dollars.
I spoke with Ryan Jones about his latest first-place finish with Secret Gizmo and what life has been like training horses at Woodbine over the years.
With just 10 career first-place finishes, 17 seconds, and 11 thirds Ryan Jones continue to be optimistic and keeps his jar half full in the racing game. He explained to me that he can't afford to get too far ahead of himself when it comes to the horses because in his time he has found that the game is really about patience and being able to withstand as much as you can. No sense crying or complaining he utters, just lick your wounds and move on. Ryan mentions that he had some bad luck in the past, like the time when one of his runners was injured with a nail in the hoof and had to be retired after a promising start to her career. These are the ill fortune occasions that could dampen a new trainer in the business, Ryan Jones says "Sometimes you have to kiss many frogs before getting the prince" a quote he uses from one of his mentors David Cotey.
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| David Cotey (L) Ryan Jones (R) |
Ryan admits that even though he is experienced as a trainer and has been around for many years, he still has to keep an open mind to the game and be willing to learn constantly. It's a sport that is constantly evolving and old trainers can still learn new tricks from the youngsters in the game. He compliments Handel Love who is his business partner for sticking with the game and he praises Stephen Edwards who he has countless respect and admiration.
I asked Ryan about Secret Gizmo and what were the instructions for the jockey Amanda Vandermeersch for riding the horse to victory to break her maiden, he denied any instructions to the jock and he always let the jocks make decisions on their own. "Instructions to the jocks is something I don't do, I may point out some quirks about the horse but I never instruct a jockey to ride a race in a particular way since many things can change once the gates are opened". He confesses that after Secret Gizmo's last race before she broke her maiden, jockey Amanda Vandermeersch came to him and stated that she needed to ride Secret Gizmo again and this time she will break her maiden for him. Well, the rest is history because she did just that and it was in fine style. Ryan said that he was happy to see that type of confidence in the jockey because that confidence that she displayed gave him confidence and it lifted the entire team with energy. It also showed him that the jockey had confidence in the horse and there is no better feeling to a trainer than when a jockey shows confidence in a horse like she did.
Ryan Jones doesn't have the big stock as yet but he continues to work hard and hopefully, someone will see what he is doing as a trainer and understand that he is all in.
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I asked Ryan about his thoughts on his fellow Barbadian horseman and women who continue to improve and have been in the spotlight lately and his energy rose once more with pride. He expresses that Barbados isn't the biggest country but continues to produce top-class people in the horse world on the international stage. You may not always see and hear from them and he pointed out a few who he was proud to see doing well or have done well. Patrick Husbands, Jono Jones, Rico Walcott, Chris Husbands, and those are only a few names people knew about. Trainers like Sylvester Ollivierre, Ted Holder, Randy Thompson, Rodney Barrow, and many more. He goes on to point out the fact that the late Ricky Griffith was a jockey who turned trainer and Barbadian-born Stephen Edwards one of his mentors was an official for racing right here in Ontario and those are things that continue to make him feel proud of about his fellow country men. Barbadian horsemen usually don't have the big stock to work with he proclaims, but usually, they produce with the little that they have in the game. In the USA, they are jockeys like Rocco Bowen, Keimar Trotman, Jalon Samuel, and others who are learning the game or have continued to open up doors for others.
Secret Gizmo is an improving filly who has done better with each start and she is very young in the game the trainer claims. She has improved with every race but Ryan Jones isn't the type to get overly excited about her latest effort which produced a 69 E speed figure.
Jones recognizes the compliments from his peers at the track and he will make a decision in a week or so about what is next for Secret Gizmo.
derek.barntrack@gmail.com
The Mark Casse trainee Olympic Runner was so impressive on Saturday August 5th that it looked like his days aren't quite over yet. Back in January of this year, you could have had him for some chump change of $50,000 in a claiming race at Gulfstream Park in which he ran second.
With the racing game, it is the opportunity and a bit of luck in order to conquer and Mark Casse has mastered that game.
How did we get here with this promising runner owned by Gary Barber?
After all, a few years back Olympic Runner was fourth in the 2020 grade one Ricoh Woodbine mile. He did manage to win the Grade 2 King Edward stakes at Woodbine in 2021 but it looked like the talented runner was stuck between a rock and a hard place in races to be entered.
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| Olympic Runner - photo by Michael Burns |
Colonial Downs is a very tough track but Mark Casse is very good at what he does also and that is finding spots for his runners. Surprisingly, Olympic runner did not go off as a favorite for this $90,000 optional claiming race but once the race got going he showed every ounce of class that he developed over the years and won by three lengths. Antonio Gallardo was onboard for the trip and he himself is becoming quite busy being back in the States on a regular basis.
Perhaps Olympic Runner may fall into someone else's hands but for now, I think he will continue to surprise us when we least expect it.
derek.barntrack@gmail.com
Going into the grade 3 West Virginia Governor's stakes, Duke of Love hadn't won a race since the Prince of Wales stakes at Fort Erie race track which was on September 13 of 2022.
On Sunday August 6th, trainer Josie Carroll sent Duke of Love and jockey Luis Contreras on a trip to stop the losing streak and it paid off with an outstanding effort by the 2022 Prince of Wales stakes winner. It was a huge race for the Duke of Love and it paid off with his highest speed figure of his career, boasting a 97 E figure. Maybe, he likes the dirt or perhaps it was just his time, either way it was the way he did it that drew attention to the victory.
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| Duke of Love and Luis Contreras powers home to victory. |
Duke of love paid W 19.00 P 8.60 S 4.60
derek.barntrack@gmail.com
For fans of Woodbine Racetrack, Rico Walcott may be a newbie to the colony but his riding career goes way back to Northland Park which is no longer around as a racetrack. It's quite clear that he has been around in the trenches and he is quite an experienced rider and a jockey who knows how to ride the big races at crunch times.
Rico Walcott has had over 6500 mounts in North America and over 1500 first-place finishes to add to his portfolio. The last time Woodbine had a Rico as a champion it was Eu-Rico Dasilva who was exceptional in his time as a jockey before he retired. Not jumping ahead of myself and proclaiming that Rico Walcott is a Woodbine racetrack champion jockey but he surely plays the part, confidently.
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| Rico Walcott waits patiently - photo by Nitro1photo |
Walcott's career has him winning thirteen graded stake races with all of them being grade threes. Not bad for a guy who spent most of his career in western Canada with very few to no other graded stake races other than grade three races ever coming that way. He has won the Canadian Derby five times and the BC Derby four times. A closer look also shows that he won the Oklahoma Derby at Remington Park once with Broadway Empire in 2013 while teaming up with Trainer Robertino Diodoro.
In 2023 when Rico Walcott made a decision to ride at Woodbine for the season/meet it was a decision that was met with excitement by fans if you knew his history as a rider out west in Canada. The previous year in 2022 Walcott rode most of his races at Century Mile Downs in Alberta winning 53 races, 52 second place finishes, and 42 third place finishes that year from 250 mounts. At Woodbine in 2023, Walcott has managed to win 12 races from 83 mounts and has landed the Kingsplate's local favorite kaukokaipuu which is trained by Tedston Holder.
I spoke briefly with Rico and he was evenly excited and confident with his chances with Kaukokaipuu in this year's running of the King's Plate at Woodbine racetrack.
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| Rico Walcott |
One of Walcott's better-ridden races seen lately was Walcott riding Midnight in Malibu at odds of 32-1 and finishing first in the Allowance Optional claimer which was run at One mile and one Sixteenth over the All weather track at Woodbine. It was a race of pure advantageousness on Walcott's behalf and it worked out perfectly to his benefit with Midnight in Malibu taking off around the field at the half way point and putting distance between the rest of the field. As they arrived at the wire the field was closing in on Midnight in Malibu but it was all too late on that day for the other contenders.
derek.barntrack@gmail.com
She has now won seven from her last ten starts including one race at Gulfstream Park back on March 11th. Canadiansweetheart has caught some attention and shone brightly on July 15th at Woodbine Racetrack in a six-furlong allowance optional claimer with a purse of $111,000 on the line. What a runner she is turning into and after speaking with the trainer Renico Lafond he was more than happy to see the leap she has made to this level of racing.
Eswan "dynamite" Flores broke well with Canadiansweetheart and then took her back slightly behind the pace Ima Beast ridden by Patrick Husbands. Once in the stretch and sensing the finish line Eswan Flores popped Canadiansweetheart out from slightly off the rail and steered her home in winning form.
It was a tremendous ride Lafond said complementing the jockey Eswan who always seem to blow the tote board up with his wins.
Canadiansweetheart is an ontario bred own by Chris K. Manohar and bred by James Everatt, Janeane Everatt & Arika Everatt-Meeuse.
derek.barntrack@gmail.com
Today July 12, 2023, Rocco Bowen had one single mount for the day and he made it a winning one with Flash of Cherokee at Thistledown in a maiden special weight with a purse of $26, 400 on the line. Bowen positioned Flash Of Cherokee perfectly from the break and stayed just off the pace-setter Team Feisty. At the top of the stretch Flash Of Cherokee was still full of run and then Bowen got busy by wearing down the front runner and finishing first with an E-figure of 62.
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| Rocco Bowen Flashes a smile in the winner's circle |
This was Flash Of Cherokee's 7th career start and she finally broke her maiden, giving trainer Kim Puhl his 22nd win for the year and Rocco Bowen his 13th for the year. Bowen who had a string of bad luck in recent times with injuries was very grateful for the opportunity to ride again.
After coming back from his injury Bowen has ridden at three different tracks and has won at least one race at each of them. While nursing his injury of a broken pelvis, Rocco Bowen remained positive and always had riding as his goal.
His next two mounts are at Thistledown on July 13th where he will ride just two races for the day and then he is back to the north west. He has had quite a busy few weeks with his trips across the USA but this is what keeps him smiling.
derek.barntrack@gmail.com
The last time Buttered Toast won she came from deep at the back of the field to win an allowance optional claimer on September 30, 2022.
On July 08 at Woodbine racetrack Buttered Toast pulled off an amazing run ridden by Skye Chernetz. This race was contested on the inner track at one and one-sixteenth miles with Buttered Toast going off at 30-1 and hardly getting any notice from the public.
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| (L) David Cotey poses with (R) Ryan Jones |
The six-year-old mare is trained by David Cotey who over the years has had some amazing wins at Woodbine Racetrack. Some of his races won were the grade 1 Mazarine Breeders' Cup stakes with Lady Shari and the grade 2 Nijinsky stakes with Riding the River. Really, you can't mention David Cotey without mentioning Mine That Bird and what he eventually went on to do in the USA and winning the Kentucky Derby.
There was also Dance to my Tune and Stage Classic which won the Sky Classic back in 2001.
In Buttered Toast's last race on July 8, Skye Chernetz sat way at the back with Buttered Toast and it looked like there wasn't a chance of winning this race at first glance. You would probably have to peel your PPs way back to see that Buttered Toast had done this before and if you had backed her on this day you probably were sitting in a very good position.
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| Skye Chernetz poses with her number one fan. |
If anything you would have to give credit to the jockey for being so patient and trusting the horse. It wasn't the Sky Classic on this day and it doesn't seem to be any limit to what jockey Skye Chernetz can do, in races.
derek.barntrack@gmail.com
On Sunday, July 09, Slade Callaghan rode Tazman to victory in the first race of the day. Tazman broke alertly and sharply and quickly took the lead for the first quarter. Astapovo ridden by Ryan Munger challenged Tazman and the pair battled all the way to the finish line with Tazman eventually the winner.
Jockey Slade Callaghan doesn't ride too many mounts these days, but the win gave fans enough to remember the days when Callaghan rode Rahy's Attorney who won over one million dollars in purse earnings.
Tazman previously had two starts in maiden special weights at Woodbine and didn't hit the board in both races. His E speed figure was elevated to an 82 after this win last Sunday.
derek.barntrack@gmail.com
On July 3rd at Fort Erie racetrack, I'm No Sleepy Joe was piloted by apprentice jockey Alexis Sanchez in the 2nd race of the day. It was announced that the apprentice will ride I'm No Sleepy Joe without a whip and even though the race was one of the best of the day I'm No Sleepy Joe finished 4th in a finish that required the photo-finish to decide the outcome.
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| Photo by Fort Erie Racetrack |
It was announced in the very next race that the apprentice Alexis Sanchez will carry a whip while riding Thy Kingdom, trained and owned by veteran trainer Luthia Shirley who trains mostly at Fort Erie racetrack.
That was the change needed to give Alexis Sanchez his first career win and also Luthia Shirley's first win since 2019 when she sent out Miss Tea Blonde in a maiden claiming at Fort Erie racetrack.
The trainer did a great job of spotting this horse in the right race and even though Thy Kingdom went off at 22-1, he romped to victory in a well-ridden race by the jockey Alexis Sanchez.
Alexis now has one career win which should give him a whip start for the rest of the year.
derek.barntrack@gmail.com
By now you would know who Kazushi Kimura is if you are a racehorse fan in Canada.
Kazushi Kimura popped on the scene as an apprentice jockey back in 2018 at Woodbine Racetrack and has been showing a trail of progress ever since then. In 2022 he racked up his best career year statistically with winning purse earnings of $7,717,654. with the horses, he rode in North America.
At Woodbine Racetrack on July 1st, Kimura managed to win three races on the day, suddenly the colony took form as the statistics in the Woodbine standings showed.
July 1st, 2023
Kazushi Kimura - 3 firsts
Rafael Hernandez - 2 firsts
Patrick Husbands - 2 firsts
Sahin Civaci - 2 firsts
Top Jockey Earners at Woodbine in 2023
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| Kazushi Kimura awaits his mount on Moira |
With six starts and not doing worse than second, Twin City has managed to be a good little soldier going into the Marine Stakes at Woodbine Racetrack on Canada Day.
He is the son of Klimt who was able to finish eighth in the grade 1 Breeder's cup juvenile at Santa Anita back in 2016. Klimt also won the grade 1 Delmar Futurity as a two-year-old and finished up his career as a racehorse the very next year.
Twin City seems to be a chip off the old block and so far has not disappointed trainer Stuart Simon. Last time out Twin City finished first in the King Corrie Stakes at Woodbine, nipping Wico by a nose and taking the purse in a tough field of seven rivals.
So far in 2023, Twin City has had one winner for trainer Simon at Woodbine and he has to be very optimistic going into the Marine Stakes with his chances.
derek.barntrack@gmail.com
On June 11th at Hastings racetrack I stood in the George Royal suite screaming my lungs off at the screen, cheering Kaukokaipuu on in the Queenston Stakes at Woodbine racetrack. Of course I drew attention but it was the perfect opportunity for me to introduce myself to a brand new audience and tell the story of the little barn and the horse everyone said would stop short of winning.
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| photo Woodbine/by Michael Burns |
On that day Kaukokaipuu went off at 6-1 and was ridden to victory by Rico Walcott who had brought a trail of winning habits with him from out west. So again, I introduced myself to some brand new strangers and told them the stories of the growing grey colt who is trained by Tedston Holder in the little barn at Woodbine racetrack. Then I reminded them of the jockey who rode the horse and then I began to see the faces lit up as I told them that the jockey was Rico Walcott.
There always seem to be a bit of joy whenever jockeys rode at smaller tracks and moved on to bigger tracks and gain some accomplishments.
During the year 2022 kaukokaipuu kept knocking on the doors but just couldn't get to the finish line first. Maybe it was a good thing that he didn't win and his peeking is happening at the right time for trainer Tedston Holder and the Culpepper Island Syndicate. Looking back at the past performances of the Queenston Stakes winner you can now see the steady progress of the colt and the direction he is heading. I get the feeling that he will still be written off in this grade 3 race with trainers like Chad Brown and Mark Casse entering one horse each.
The field is set and when July 1st comes around fans will find themselves making some tough decisions choosing a winner from this race even though the choices are very inviting.
derek.barntrack@gmail.com
One Bay Hemingway - L Contreras/S C Attard
Velocitor - P husbands/K Attard
Stayhonor Goodside - E Wilson/M E Casse
Kaukokaipuu - R Walcott/T Holder
Turf King - K Kimura/C C Brown
Twin City - G Boulanger/S C Simon
Midnight Rising - R gutierrez/J Blair
Simcoe - R M Hernandez/K Vassilieva
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| Renico Lafond |
Canadiansweetheart has somehow managed to go quietly into the winner's circle six times out of her last nine races. Even if the races weren't allowance or stake races this is still a wonderful achievement of spotting a horse in the right races.
Canadiansweetheart broke her maiden on October 6th, 2022 and on that day she was ridden by Juan Crawford and then trained by Keith Edwards. She won by four lengths on that day after putting away her rival at the quarter pole.
Since then Canadiansweetheart has landed in two different barns and is currently managed by one of the young trainers at Woodbine Racetrack Renico Lafond. I spoke with Renico Lafond back in the winter who was very eager to show the world that he can train horses to win and do it competently.
If Canadiansweetheart stays in the hands of Renico Lafond he may have his work cut out for him but would have a sweetheart of a filly to help him grow and continue to improve.
derek.barntrack@gmail.com
At first glance, the beauty of the mountains and the ocean which sit adjacent to Hastings racecourse just takes your breath away.
You naturally pause from whatever you were doing and what you were about to do and just stare. It is breathtaking if you are seeing this for the first time.
More people on the grounds than in the stands wasn't what I expected to see.
Somehow the numbers have shown that more people are watching the races at home or online because, in today's world, it just makes sense.
Between races, I watched as a flock of birds chased an eagle or perhaps it could have been an eagle teaching its fleet to fly. Crows are everywhere in this city just like robins are in the city where I reside. This was fascinating to me as I don't openly see eagles soaring by in the parts where I live or crows so plentiful.
This is Vancouver, the most western area of Canada.
Many races have small fields but fans are still active just like the other race tracks I have visited. I saw groups of young males separated by tables of beer positioned in ice-cold buckets and they were all very vocal as if they were celebrating an event. They couldn't have been just at the races like that, especially in today's world of online activity?
Hastings is a small track and because of its size as explained to me, the purses are naturally smaller. The jockeys are a lot easier to speak with especially if you have Mike Pounder making some arrangements for you with them. Mike Pounder is a jockey Agent with many years of knowledge and experience around tracks out west. He started out in the racehorse world by pursuing a career as a jockey but decided to become a professional exercise rider due to weight issues and the struggle to keep the weight down. Mike Pounder has a fascinating story to tell and he explained to me that everything has to be worked for and nothing is given to you based on his experience and trying to break into the game of horse racing.
At Hastings, I witnessed fans lined up against the rail on the stretch drive with their cell phones out to see if jockey Amadeo Perez would win all seven races on the day's card. It was a spectacular sight and I was just lucky enough to be there at that time.
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| Amadeo Perez pauses for a photo. |
Unfortunately for those fans, he came up a bit short and only managed to win six races from the seven-race card.
derek.barntrack@gmail.com
No one expected an American triple crown winner this year since Mage lost in the 2nd leg of the trio of races and decide to skip the Belmont. Most people anticipated the return of Forte to see how well he would do after scratching from the Kentucky Derby and he didn't disappoint even though running 2nd last Saturday. One of the stories which were brewing just before the race was the chance of Jena Antonucci becoming the first female trainer to win the Belmont stakes. Well, we all know now what happened and Jena Antonucci did become the first female trainer to be successful in accomplishing the title of winner. She did it with a lightly raced horse by the name of Arcangelo who now has three wins from five career starts and he has carved out a spot in history for Jena Antonucci.
One of the other bright moments for me was watching Cody's Wish win his sixth race in a row. It was special watching him come from way behind to win by about three and a half lengths in the Metropolitan Handicap at Belmont and ridden to victory by Junior Alvarado.
On Sunday Afternoon at Woodbine racetrack, we got to see kaukokaipuu the three-year-old son of Mr. Speaker win the Queenston stakes which put him in a very good spot now, especially with his king's plate nomination and a chance to be the first to win the King's plate in modern times. What Kaukokaipuu does next will be interesting to watch as we have seen this grey son of Mr. Speaker come into his more mature side. Speaking with the Trainer Tedston Holder earlier in the year he assured me that kaukokaipuu had developed some new adopted ways over last winter with one of them being cheeky and hopefully winning will be one of them also.
I also spoke with trainer Tedston Holder after the race to find out what his plans are for this new winner of the Queenston Stakes and how he was doing. kaukokaipuu is fine Tedston Holder uttered, he came back good and is in good shape. All the gears weren't cranked up as yet and a decision hasn't been made on his next race. I asked him about the company he beat and his legitimacy of contending for the king's plate in August. Holder replied Kaukokaipuu had solid excuses for running second in his previous starts dating back to 2022. There was a time also when the horse was hit in the eye and that bothered him in the race, causing a setback. All those horses are pretty good horses and Kaukokaipuu is just one also.
I asked Tedston Holder about his decision to dedicate the win to Ricky Griffith and without hesitation he said to me it was a no-brainer, especially with all the work Ricky had done with getting Barbadian horseman to this type of stage in Canada.
derek.barntrack@gmail.com
The great sport of horse racing provides the thrills and also disappointment that comes along with it. Fortunately for Nigel Burke his early success at Woodbine this year has provided him some relief going into the summer. When you have a small barn the room for error is calculated on a different level, much greater than a huge stable with a huge outfit and plenty of opportunity to make up the losses.
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| Trainer Nigel Burke / photo by Barn and track |
Trainer Nigel Burke comes from a family of horse people which balances on both mom and dad's side of the family. His involvement and experience as a horseman have helped him to be ready for the good times and also the letdowns which come with the sport. I spoke with Nigel earlier in the spring to hear his thoughts on this season at Woodbine and to hear a bit more about him as a horseman.
Last year at Woodbine was his best year with purse winnings as a trainer so I asked him about that when I last spoke with him. To hear more about the conversation you can click the link from Behind the Scenes.
Rockcrest who is the six-year-old son of Old Forester has been the trainer's best horse in the stable providing earnings of $397,042 to date. Rockcrest now has won two of three races this year with the losing race at Tampa Bay Downs in the Turf Dash Stakes.
His latest victory was in the Pink Lloyd Stakes at Woodbine Racetrack going six furlongs on the all-weather surface. Regular rider Keveh Nicholl's was in the saddle for this victory making it his first-ever stake win at Woodbine.
Nigel Burke Racing Stable so far this year at Woodbine.
derek.barntrack@gmail.com
Resilience seem to be the word being pelted around as I asked questions to those involved in horse racing about being able to overcome the toughness of the sport. Being spun left right and center by agents, trainers and sometimes it seems like anyone else who is willing to do the spinning.
Jockeys are forced to build some of the toughest skins around and the broadest smiles.
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| Javier Castellano |
Countless jockeys use different strategies to break into colonies around the world and many go unsuccessful based on so many different reasons.
Trainers find themselves somewhere in the middle most of the time with the difficult job of managing horses and giving jockeys the break they so badly require to become successful at what they do. Owners continue to love being involved and the addiction to just helping an industry that is crying out for help.
Somewhere between the mix of it all lies grooms hot walkers and others who feel like they are equally important to the equation of the sport.
The horses don't speak a language audible to humans but they do tell us things once you have become locked into them. I remember watching the beautiful story behind Cody's Wish and couldn't help myself as a tear ran down the side of my face and the legacy behind Cody's Wish was re-created with its fifth win in a row and three consecutive grade 1 victories.
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| Castellano's first career Kentucky Derby title |
So who really is hurting the most from a tarnished reputation?
It's hard to say because equally others are hurt by a tarnished reputation and it will lead to others being hurt financially which trickles down and could cost the barn.
derek.barntrack@gmail.com
In the mix of controversy scandal and disappointment there was a shining light that emerged after the Kentucky Derby was over.
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| photo by Sam Mallon/Getty Images |
Just days Before the 2023 Kentucky Derby, pandemonium broke out as word leaked out of horses dying at Churchill Downs. It seemed pretty obvious to many that more attention was being paid to trainer Saffie Joseph jr than any of the other trainers who had horses that died in the wild and confusing circumstances. Eventually, it all led to the suspension of the trainer by Churchill Downs and his horse Lord Miles being scratched from the derby. That story still needs to be told because the entire situation just felt a bit murky and highly awkward.
Horses who died
With the world watching America's biggest horse race the mood was different even as the favorite Forte was scratched just moments before the race and somehow went on unnoticed.
Mage was the one horse that some people felt could put down Forte but was written off by the public since professional handicappers felt he needed more experience to win a race like the Kentucky Derby. Mage eventually went off at odds of 15-1 and won by a commanding lead.
Well, he proved them wrong and made 391 people very happy who all had shares in the syndicate which owns the horse.
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| photo by ANNE M.EBERHARDT |
The rumor has it that persons were allowed to buy into the syndicate with as little as $50.
With two major races of the triple crown title still to go I can only hope that Mage will win those other two races as well to put smiles on the faces of those people who were very emotional as the winner's circle filled up.
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Last weekend the races at Woodbine Racetrack displayed exciting events of drama, spoiled predictions, and pure awesome talent.
In the Star Shoot Stakes which went six furlongs on the all-weather track, Saffie Joseph Jr. sent Blind Spot across the northern border with jockey Tyler Conner. Blind Spot did finish first crossing the line but was later reviewed and placed 2nd by the judges. Jill Jitterbug was the eventual winner with jockey Sahin Civaci.
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| New York Thunder and Ricardo Santana Jr. |
In the Woodstock Stakes which was competed at six furlongs on the all-weather surface, New York Thunder showed up in the blistering rain and displayed a very impressive victory guided by Ricardo Santana Jr. in the saddle. Santana showed every experience he had with this victory and muscled New York Thunder to the lead and finally to the finish line in 1:08:45.
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| Jill Jitterbug wins the Star Shoots - Photo by Michael Burns. |
The 2nd race of Saturday's card featured a $111,600 maiden special weight for three-year-olds. The morning line favorite kaukokaipuu was guided by Rico Walcott for the first time but ended up second again. Kaukokaipuu has now run second six times with eight career starts. The eventual winner of the race was True Temper who was ridden by the veteran and classy jockey Patrick Husbands.
On other notes, Kazushi Kimura won four races on the Sunday card and he seems to be picking up where he left off in 2022. He now has six first-place finishes at Woodbine for the year and is on top of the leaders' board.
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Delightful dreamer broke her maiden at Woodbine racetrack on may 12, 2022 with Kirk Johnson in the irons. Since that time which seemed so long ago she hadn't won another race until April 17, 2022 in the 2nd race at Parx at Philadelphia.
It was the first time for apprentice jockey Sofia Vives riding at Parx and she made it a winning one which looked completely professional down the stretch. Sofia broke Delightful Dreamer sharply but settled at the very back of the pack watching them all go by her. As the pace picked up Delightful Dreamer was guided by the good hands of Vives all the way into striking position. Turning for home Vives got to work on Delightful Dreamer and earned her money by staying close to the rail all the way and niggled her way past the favorite America's Pride and eventually winning by two lengths.
Sofia Vives now has a record of 17 career starts and 5 first place finishes, 3 seconds and 1 third.
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When Cairo Consort debuted at Woodbine racetrack, she was 15-1 in the hands of a smaller scale trainer Nathan Squires. She was ridden by Leo Salles and finished third on that day. She didn't break her maiden until her third start in a six and a half maiden special weight at Woodbine race track with Leo Salles in the irons.
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| photo by Keeneland/Coady photography |
On April 8 in the 6th race at Keenland racetrack Cairo Consort (3-1) gets to revisit a mile on the turf which she finished third to Meditate (1st) and Pleasant Passage (2nd).
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| photo by Michael Burns |
Meditate won't be present for the Appalachian Stakes but Pleasant Passage will be and goes off as the morning line favorite while Cairo Consort is second choice. Cairo Consort was unfortunate to lose her last race at Gulf Stream Park and will be looking to get back into the winner's circle. Irad Ortiz will keep the mount and will be hoping to put smiles on the Repole Stable and Town and Country Racing, LLC faces.
Woodbine race fans can't help but feel robbed after seeing the progression of Cairo Consort but will be cheering from a distance when the gates are open at 3:25pm for this contest.
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The now four-year-old colt Rondure started his 2023 campaign at Turfway Park with the red-hot jockey Rafael Hernandez in the saddle.
After winning and looking impressive in the Marine Stakes at Woodbine on July 2, 2022, Rondure hasn't had his picture taken since that time. On March 30th in the 5th race at Turfway park, the Katerina Vassilieva trainee debuted with a very impressive run which should set him up for brighter things. After settling mid-pack of the runners, Hernandez made a move around the front runners very close to the home stretch but just couldn't get by the eventual winner Chantry Flats who was sharp and ready for the challenge.
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| Rondure seen here with a 2nd place effort. |
This contest was a $78,000 Allowance claiming race with some very good runners battling for the prize. Rondure looks good for the future and gained an eye-popping 108 Equibase speed figure.
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It was the first race for the year for Surprise Boss who is a four year old son of War Dancer. Surprise Boss started well and was ridden to the lead by Trevor McCarthy without hesitation. His four previous starts, Surprise Boss came up short and finished in 9th place in the race before March 19th which probably led handicappers and the public to dismiss him from having a chance of winning the race.
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| Photo by MJC Twitter |
When the race broke and the horses came out of the gate, Surprise Boss was at odds of 35-1 and finished at just that receiving the top prize with McCarthy aboard. Trevor McCarthy rode a beautiful race and didn't give up on him keeping his head down for the almost entire trip until finishing the race.
Surprise Boss paid Win $73.20 Place $31.20 Show $8.50
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| Rockcrest on August 11, 2022 |
You won't see his name within the credits but prior to the grade one Sandy Lane Barbados Gold cup Tedston Holder spent six weeks in Florida prepping It's A Gamble for the prestigious Sandy Lane Barbados Gold cup which runs every first Saturday in March in Bridgetown Barbados.
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| Tedston Holder poses with the Gold cup |
Building off his best year as a trainer at Woodbine racetrack, Tedston Holder showed earlier value when prepping So Suave which was shipped to Barbados and then went on to win the grade one Coolmoore stakes. After speaking with the trainer of So Suave, Jean-Marc Cozier. He assured me that Tedston Holder is the man who will make things happen and clearly after prepping the winners of the last two prestigious races in Barbados there is some truth to that.
Four weeks into prepping It's A Gamble, Tedston Holder was quite confident that he would win.
He liked what he was seeing and with the combination of Rochelle Hale who is an equine therapist but acted as groom in Florida. It's A Gamble confidence grew with every moment leading into the Gold Cup.
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| Rochelle Hale poses with It's A Gamble |
Tedston Holder was so confident that he encouraged a small entourage to travel to Barbados for the race with him. Obviously, they were rewarded with a great experience and the excitement which surrounded the entire day of racing.
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