Woodbine Racetrack

Woodbine Entertainment has appointed experienced sports executive Michael Copeland as its Chief Commercial Officer. Copeland assumes his role with Woodbine Entertainment May 10. Copeland founded and led his own consulting business focused on issues of growth and transformation in sports and entertainment. Prior to that, Copeland was President and Chief Executive Officer of the Toronto Argonauts (2015 to 2018), who under his leadership won a Grey Cup championship in 2017. Before joining the Argos, Copeland was the President and Chief Operating Officer of the Canadian Football League for nearly 10...

Courtesy Woodbine Communications TORONTO--When Zeljko Krcmar arrived in Ontario, he carried two dollars in his pocket, hope of a better life, and a dream of rekindling his association with horses. It was 1968 when the young man from Yugoslavia first set foot in Toronto. He can recall the moment as though it happened yesterday. "I came here to work as a chemist, that was my trade," recalled Krcmar. "But because my love and my passion was horses, I knew I had to do something for my career that was built...

A pair of fillies, including Canada's reigning champion 2-year-old filly Curlin's Voyage (Curlin), will take aim at 13 sophomore colts in Saturday's $1-million Queen's Plate S., historically the first jewel in Canada's Triple Crown. The winner of the Aug. 15 Woodbine Oaks, the Hill 'n' Dale Equine and Windsor Boys Racing-owned filly is trained by Josie Carroll, who previously won the 10-furlong Classic with another filly--Inglorious in 2011--and with Edenwold in 2006. In this renewal, Carroll will also saddle Belichick (Lemon Drop Kid)  and Mighty Heart (Dramedy). "We've always thought...

The minimum weight for jockeys will be raised to 118 pounds at Canada's Woodbine Racetrack, effective Thursday, Aug. 6, in conjunction with Condition Book 4. Woodbine Entertainment made the announcement Saturday in consultation with the Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association of Ontario (HBPA) with a statement that "the health and welfare of our jockeys was the driving factor for this decision, and the new base weight aligns with racing jurisdictions in Kentucky, Florida, and New York." Depending on conditions and age, top weights will be up to 125 pounds. Stakes...

Canadian Hall of Fame jockey Don Seymour, who stamped himself one of the nation's leading riders after riding two Triple Crown winners, died June 26 at his home in Barrie, Ontario. Surrounded by his family, including his mother Mary, at the time of his death, he reportedly had been suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease since earlier this year. He was 59. Born and raised in Hamilton, Ontario, Seymour was a leading rider in Alberta in the 1980s before relocating to ride at Woodbine Racetrack in Etobicoke, Ontario. Best remembered...