Fort Erie

On paper, it looks like 8-5 morning line favorite Paramount Prince (Society's Chairman) is the horse to beat in Tuesday's $400,000 Prince of Wales S. at Fort Erie, the second leg of the Canadian Triple Crown. He's perfect around two turns and is coming off a front-running victory in the first leg of the series, the King's Plate. And once again, there doesn't appear to be another horse in the field who can keep this front-runner honest early. But this race always comes with a handicapping conundrum. How do you...

I grew up in the 'Golden Age' of Canadian racing and breeding. Windfields, Sam Son and Stafford Farms are a few great breeders that come to mind. Thriving yearling sales and horses like Deputy Minister, Kennedy Road and Kamar also come to mind. Founded by the great E.P. Taylor, the consistent goal was a thriving industry with stewards of the turf to elevate Woodbine to the highest standards of thoroughbred racing. Secretariat made his final start at Woodbine and the most influential sire of my lifetime, Northern Dancer, was born...

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...

Woodbine Entertainment has released the nominations for the 2023 OLG Canadian Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing, consisting of The King's Plate, the Prince of Wales and the Breeders' S. Totaling 124 3-year-olds foaled in Canada, the list of nominees includes star performers from last season, winners south of the border over the winter and many preparing for the upcoming Woodbine meet. Contested over three different surfaces at two courses, the Canadian Triple Crown will kick off Sunday, Aug. 20 at Woodbine with the 164th running of The King's Plate followed...

Ontario's two Thoroughbred tracks are sparring. The Fort Erie Live Racing Consortium (FELRC) announced Tuesday it has filed a grievance with the Canadian Trade Commission over an alleged "impasse in their attempts to resolve ongoing issues" with Woodbine Entertainment Group (WEG), which runs Woodbine Racetrack. "For the past several race seasons, Woodbine has implemented a horse shipping policy which, in the opinion of the FELRC's board of directors, is designed to starve Fort Erie of its necessary horse supply by restricting the movement of horses between the two tracks," stated...

The unbeaten 2-year-old Iowa-bred gelding Tyler's Tribe (Sharp Azteca), who has never been headed while winning five dirt races by a combined 59 3/4 lengths, will have considerable rooting interest on Friday in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint. But he's no longer the only five-for-five juvenile in North America after a win Saturday by the filly Back to Ohio (Midshipman), who cruised to a 7 1/4-length romp against Ohio-bred stakes company at Mahoning Valley. It's not unusual for 2-year-olds to rack up wins if they compete largely against...

Another record was set Saturday at Kentucky Downs when $21,065,982 was wagered on the 12-race card. Perhaps even more impressively, Kentucky Downs out-handled Del Mar, where $19,423,928 was bet. Del Mar ran 11 races on Saturday. That a wagering record was set was hardly a surprise considering that the card at Kentucky Downs was also the best ever offered at the sport's most unique racetrack. There were six graded stakes on the card and five of them were worth $1 million. The average field size was 11, the type of...

Thoroughbred owners with Ontario-breds competing in the claiming ranks at Woodbine or Fort Erie can check the Thoroughbred Improvement Program website for a list of sales credits eligible to be used on a yearling at the Canadian Premier Yearling Sale, Wednesday, Aug. 31. The sales credits currently on the website include those earned through Aug. 23 and the list will be updated Aug. 29 to include the results from Woodbine through Sunday, Aug. 28. The sales credits will be posted on each sales barn during yearling previews. On sale day,...

Haddassah (Air Force Blue) took to dirt with aplomb to upset Tuesday's Prince of Wales S., the second jewel of Canada's Triple Crown. The 6-1 chance, third in the GIII Marine S. July 11 and eighth after getting rank early in the Queen's Plate last time Aug. 22, both over the Woodbine all-weather, chased in second as they passed the Fort Erie grandstand for the first time. He remained in a perfect, stalking position through a half mile in :47.30, made his move to take over on the far turn...

With the absence of Queen's Plate S. hero Safe Conduct (Bodemeister), who will await the Breeders' S. on turf for his next engagement, a handful of horses who followed him home in that Woodbine feature will try dirt Tuesday at Fort Erie in an eight-horse renewal of the Prince of Wales S., the middle jewel of Canada's Triple Crown. Given the narrowest of nods on the morning line at 5-2 is Ivan Dalos's H C Holiday (Ami's Holiday). Scoring against $40,000 maiden optional claiming foes second out at Woodbine, he...

The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp. (OLG) will partner with Woodbine Entertainment Group for the 2021 Canadian Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing. OLG has been a long-time sponsor of the Triple Crown, encompassing the Queen's Plate at Woodbine, the Prince of Wales S. at Fort Erie and the Breeders' S. at Woodbine. "OLG's continued support of horse racing helps organizations like Woodbine bring the fast-paced action of horse racing to more Ontarians," said Jim Lawson, CEO, Woodbine Entertainment. "With their support, we are able to enhance premier Thoroughbred racing events...

The tale of a one-eyed horse who has come from nowhere to sweep the first two legs of the Canadian Triple Crown has been the feel-good story of the year at Woodbine, but the next chapter could end with an uncomfortable twist. Mighty Heart (Dramedy) is the even-money favorite in Saturday's Breeders S., a role he earned after decisive victories in the Queen's Plate and the Prince of Wales S. But there's a rapidly improving, dangerous horse in the field named Belichick (Lemon Drop Kid) who should relish the mile-and-a-half...