Ontario

A total of 252 yearlings have been catalogued for the Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society (CTHS) Ontario Canadian Premier Yearling Sale, to be held at the Woodbine Sales Pavilion Wednesday, Aug. 30 beginning at 12 p.m. The catalogue features the progeny of 22 sires based in Ontario, responsible for 168 Ontario-bred/sired yearlings and 58 stallions based south of the border in the U.S., which account for 84 youngsters. Locally based stallions represented include Ami's Holiday, Frac Daddy, the reliable Old Forester, Point of Entry, Reload, Queen's Plate winner Shaman Ghost, Signature...

Colleen Dalos resigned as a Director of the Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society (CTHS) effective May 18, 2023, the Board of Directors has announced. Dalos served the Society and its membership for two years. René Hunderup and Robert Marzilli have been appointed to the board. Hunderup (Norse Ridge Farms), has been a member since 1998 while Marzilli (Zilli Racing Stable) has been a member since 2018. "The Board looks forward to having both René and Robert join us in supporting the membership as we prepare for our upcoming 2023 Sales Season,"...

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...

Dale Saunders will be presented with the E.P. Taylor Award of Merit during the 48th Annual Sovereign Awards ceremony. Selected unanimously by the Jockey Club of Canada's Stewards, the E. P. Taylor Award is a lifetime achievement award honoring those who have made significant contributions to the Thoroughbred Industry in Canada and accomplished outstanding individual achievements in Canadian thoroughbred racing and breeding. Amber Hutchinson and Ricardo Nicholson will each receive the 2022 Outstanding Groom Award sponsored by OLG. The Sovereign Awards, which will also name Canada's 2022 Horse of the...

The Jockey Club of Canada has announced the finalists for the 2022 Sovereign Awards recognizing Canada's outstanding achievements in Canadian Thoroughbred Racing and Breeding. The winner of each category, along with Canada's Horse of the Year for 2022, will be announced during the 48th Annual Sovereign Award ceremony held Thursday, April 13 at Universal Eventspace in Vaughan, Ontario. The finalists in each of the following categories are listed in alphabetical order. Champion Two-Year-Old Female: Cairo Consort (Cairo Prince), Last Call (English Channel), Renegade Rebel (Nyquist). Champion Two-Year-Old Male: Philip My...

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...

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....

LongRun Thoroughbred Retirement Society will host an Open House Saturday, July 9, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at their farm in Hillsburgh, Ontario. The public will have access to the 100-acre property and will be able to meet many of the farm's 40 residents, including Canadian Horse of the Year Pink Lloyd, champions Fifty Proof, Riker, Rahy's Attorney, Rare Friends and millionaire Something Extra among others. Demonstrations and merchandise sales and a prize draw are also part of the day's festivities. A donation of $10 per person is suggested....

A total of C$1 million will be distributed to Ontario breeders in 2022, owing to enhancements made by Ontario Racing's Thoroughbred Improvement Program (TIP) Committee in its Mare Purchase and Recruitment Programs for the 2021-2022 sales season. Focusing on the Mare Purchase Program (MPP), the TIP Committee increased the maximum credit available to C$75,000 from C$50,000, lowered the minimum purchase price from US$15,000 to US$10,000 and removed the $100,000 maximum purchase price restriction. We made changes to the Mare Programs to make them less restrictive, but never in our wildest...

Ontario Racing's Thoroughbred Improvement Program Committee has approved an additional $200,000 for its Mare Purchase Program, bringing the total to $700,000 after an enthusiastic response from breeders. "The main focus of this program is to give Ontario horse people the opportunity to buy a better mare, and higher quality stock," said David Anderson, Breeder Representative on the Board of Ontario Racing and member of the TIP Committee. "There are people who still want to buy horses, and this will help them." The program applies to the Keeneland January Sale, as...