Trainer Burness Captures Trio of Wins at Woodbine Sunday

When Ashlee Burness was just three years old, her father hoisted the toddler up on the back of his horse in the Woodbine winner's circle. While it made for a fantastic picture, one that still adorns the trainer's office at the Toronto track, the track stewards didn't let the rebellious John Burness off the hook without a fine. That was just the beginning of Burness's career in the horse racing industry.

This past Sunday, Burness reached a new milestone in her 12 years in the training business when three of her runners posted victories at Woodbine.

“Nobody expects a three-win day, it was a first time for me for sure,” said Burness. “We were expecting them all to run well, they were all training well but it's horse racing. You never know. If it's a horse race they can all lose.”

The three runners were Now Play Nice (Roman Ruler), Bear Paw (Bear's Kid) and Analyzer (Leonnatus Anteas). Purchased for $50,000 at this past winter's KEEJAN sale, Now Play Nice appeared to be a promising broodmare prospect for Burness's father, who owns the 300-acre Colebrook Farms in Unxbridge, Ontario. John Burness has been in the breeding and racing side of the business for over 50 years.

Previously trained by David Cotey, Now Play Nice went off as the longest shot on the board and rallied gamely through the stretch to score by a half-length. “We weren't ready to breed her quite yet and she pleasantly surprised us winning like that after that time off [her last race was Dec. 12 at Woodbine],” said Burness.

Burness's other two winners of the day, Bear Paw and Analyzer, are both Colebrook Farms' homebreds, though Bear Paw is jointly owned with John Burness's long-time partner, Danny Dion. Bear Paw was making her second start of the year off a five month lay-off and the consistent four-year-old filly has only been off the board once in her 12-race career competing over the Woodbine synthetic, including a win in last year's Classy n' Smart S. Burness mentioned Bear Paw will be pointing towards a stakes race for her next start.

Analyzer recorded his first triumph against winners by a length in the 10th race after breaking his maiden in a $40,000 maiden optional claiming race Oct. 20. The chestnut gelding had been preparing for a big effort with a series of steady breezes, the most noteworthy being an Apr. 27 five-eighths blow out in 1.00.80 (5/84).

Burness began training back in 2007 when her father threw her the reins, literally, after firing his head trainer, Frank Passaro. “My dad said: 'Here's 50 horses, figure it out-verbatim. That's how it happened.”

Burness won the La Prevoyante S. with Reconnect (Niigon) in her first year of training, which coincidentally occurred on her wedding day. “I missed part of the wedding because I had snuck away with my dad to watch the races. Everyone was like where's Ashlee? Where's John?”

Johnny Bear, however, was the horse that took the Burness family and Bear Stables' for a whirlwind of a ride over the last few years. Burness recalls the CANSEP sales topper looked the part of a star from day one, and repaid every bit of his $278,823 price tag after notching Woodbine's GI Northern Dancer S. in consecutive years (2017-2018). Unfortunately, the now eight-year-old gelding fractured his right front leg during a routine workout in Florida this past winter.

“That was one of the worst phone calls I've ever received,” recalls Burness. “We rushed him off to the Ocala Equine Clinic and they did the surgery right there. The injury wasn't life-threatening and he's honestly the horse of a lifetime. It doesn't matter how much money it costs to fix him. If he comes back to the races again, we'll see, but if not, my only care is that he lives out his life as a happy old man at the farm.”

Johnny Bear reportedly came out of his surgery in good condition and is set to have an X-ray in three weeks. The earner of $702,706 is currently rehabbing at Colebrook Farms.

“The horse owes us nothing, he's the horse of a career for me. I'm just happy the farm has the facilities to provide the care for him,” said Burness.

Meanwhile, Burness currently oversees 100 horses-in-training between Woodbine and Colebrook Farms. She credits the barn's success Sunday to her diligent employees, her assistant Patrick Dickson and her foreman of nearly 10 years, Pablo.