Canada

Woodbine's 5th annual Derby Day Party will take place Saturday, May 4 and tickets are now on sale, the track announced via release Monday. The event will feature a livestream from Churchill Downs, food, fashion, and live racing on site highlighted by the GIII Whimsical S. Included with a ticket purchase are complimentary food and dessert stations as well as a mint julep in a solid copper cup. Derby-style attire is highly encouraged and there will be a "best dressed' contest, photo booth, and various other activities on the day....

Woodbine's GII Bessarabian S. and the GII Royal North S. will be downgraded to Grade III status, The Jockey Club of Canada's Graded Stakes Committee said via a press release early Friday. After their annual review of the Graded and Listed Stakes slate, the organization added that all three of the top levels will remain at 42 races. The Committee reviewed the North American Race Committee (NARC) figures and the Race Quality Scores (RQS) for all Graded, Listed, and potentially Listed races in Canada. Based on this data, they also...

Counterforce (Smart Strike), currently Canada's leading second-crop sire and 2022 champion freshman sire, will relocate from Road's End Farm in British Columbia to Stride Away Thoroughbreds in the Okanagan region for the 2024 season. The stakes winner is a half-brother to GII winner Cezanne (Curlin) and out of a half-sister to the dam of Saturday's GI Belmont S. winner Arcangelo (Arrogate). "He's a lovely horse, with a magnificent pedigree," said Stride Away co-owner Cathy Reggelsen. "He came out firing as a freshman last year and that's certainly continued this season...

On Tuesday, the consortium that operates Fort Erie racetrack filed a grievance with the Canadian Trade Commission over alleged strongarm business tactics by Woodbine Entertainment Group (WEG) that Fort Erie contends are designed to "starve Fort Erie of its necessary horse supply." Two days later, David Anderson, a prominent Ontario-based breeder who owns Anderson Farms and serves on the boards of three key Thoroughbred organizations in Canada, told TDN that Woodbine's tactics are, in his opinion, a coordinated effort to hamper Fort Erie's operations, and that some of those detrimental...

The Jockey Club of Canada's Graded Stakes Committee held its annual review of the graded and listed stakes races in Canada. The number of graded stakes in Canada will increase to 42. The increase is due to the return of the GI Canadian International and the upgrade of one listed race to Grade III status. No graded stakes races were downgraded. The Committee reviewed the North American Race Committee (NARC) figures and the Race Quality Scores (RQS) for all graded, listed, and potentially listed races in Canada. Last year was...

Premium UK bookmaker Fitzdares is ready to break new ground as it launches in Canada this week after receiving its iGaming Operator Registration from the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) in March. It is the 140-year-old bookmaker's first foray outside of the UK. The launch, which is under contract with iGaming Ontario as the exclusive bookmaker, seeks to expand its portfolio and capitalise on a passionate Canadian sporting fanbase. A Super Bowl launch party will be held at Fitzdares' latest luxury pop-up, as their first 100 clients gather...

The Jockey Club of Canada will host the annual Sovereign Awards, a ceremony to honor Canada's champions of 2022, and outstanding achievement in Thoroughbred racing and breeding. Held in Toronto, the 48th edition will take place April 13, 2023. The celebration includes a full slate of prizes for Thoroughbreds and humans, including, Horse of the Year, Outstanding Breeder, and Outstanding Trainer, just to name a few. Tickets to the Sovereign Awards ceremony are $250 each and can be purchased here. Program advertisement space and sponsorships can also be purchased. For...

The Oct. 19 CTHS Ontario Mixed Sale saw three individuals share the top price of $35,000. The first was a yearling filly by Cairo Prince consigned by Richard G. Hogan, Agent, second a Kantharos yearling filly consigned by Hill 'N' Dale Sales Agency, Agent and Blurricane (Rebellion {GB}), a stakes-winning broodmare by Rebellion (GB) consigned by Ballycroy Bloodstock, Agent for Ken Lee, Dennis Mitchell and Dan and Gaye Bell. The average selling price of $9,396.00 was up significantly over 2021($4,251.64). The median this year was $6,250.00 versus ($2,000.00) last year....

GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile winner Tamarkuz (Speightstown--Without You Babe, by Lemon Drop Kid) and GISW Collusion Illusion (Twirling Candy--Natalie Grace, by First Dude) will stand at Ballcroy Bloodstock in Ontario for 2023. Collusion Illusion captured five of 13 races with three of those wins coming in graded events. His career high was a win in the GI Bing Crosby S. and he earned over $480,000. He will stand for $6,000. "Collusion Illusion is an exciting stallion prospect, and we are thrilled to have him standing in Ontario," said Ballycroy...

Andrew Gaughan has been appointed the next Independent Chair of the Ontario Racing Board of Directors. Jamie Martin will be an Executive Consultant to the board. Gaughan became a manager with Woodbine Entertainment Group (then the Ontario Jockey Club) in 1994, and over the next three decades served in senior leadership positions with WEG, Magna Entertainment Corporation, Scientific Games Corporation (NASDAQ listed), and Sportech PLC a UK based publicly traded (LSE) gaming technology business. "Andrew is the ideal candidate to step into the role," said outgoing Independent Chair John Hayes....

GSW Cape Canaveral (Mr. Prospector--Seaside Attraction, by Seattle Slew) passed away at age 26 at Highfield Stock Farm in Canada, where he stood for 14 years. He had been battling severe cellulitis and was humanely euthanized. He was pensioned last fall. Cape Canaveral has been one of the leading sires in Canada since 2008 with 20 crops of racing age, 541 foals, 429 starters, 21 black-type winners, 315 winners of 1,080 races and earnings of over $17.8 million. Out of GI Kentucky Oaks winner Seaside Attraction, Cape Canaveral raced for...

Effective Monday, July 18, 2022, purses at Assiniboia Downs have been increased across the board. The highlights include a 25% increase in maiden special weight races to $20,000 and a 20% hike for open allowance heats for $24,000 while the new minimum purse for 'open' stakes races has been raised to $40,000. "Our community of owners, trainers and jockeys continue to be so supportive of the racing program here," said Darren Dunn, CEO of the Winnipeg, Manitoba-area track. "We are happy to be in a position that we can introduce...