Woodbine

Sunday's Racing Insights: Homebreds Debut At Gulfstream, Reigning King's Plate Winner Returns

2nd-GP, $89K, Msw, 3yo, f, 1mT, 12:39 p.m. ET. SF Racing's MONT SAINT MICHEL (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) makes her inaugural voyage for Brendan Walsh after she started her work regimen at Turfway in early December and then moved to Palm Meadows. The homebred is out of SP Black Dahlia (GB) (Dansili {GB}), who is also responsible for third place GI Breeders' Cup Mile runner Lope Y Fernandez (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}). Also making the post is Alpha Delta homebred Highland Light (Uncle Mo) for trainer Chad Brown. The...

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King's Plate Highlights Woodbine's 2024 Stakes Schedule

Anchored by the 165th running of the King's Plate, Woodbine's 2024 stakes schedule features 38 graded races, four of them Grade I events. The track's stakes schedule this year is missing the GI Canadian International, which was put on hiatus, "after review and consideration of industry and logistical challenges," according to a Woobine press release. In another change to the track's traditional line-up of stakes, the $750,000 GI E. P. Taylor S. will be moved up three weeks and will be run on a Sept. 14 card which also includes...

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Ontario Mare Purchase Program 2024 Funds Fully Dispersed

The $800,000 allocated to the Ontario Thoroughbred Improvement Program's Mare Purchase and Recruitment Programs has been exhausted for the year. The program provides Ontario residents with 50% of the purchase price--up to a maximum of C$25,000--per in-foal mares purchased either online or in person at a recognized public auction outside of Ontario, with progeny of 2024 to foal in the province. "It's a good incentive," David Clancy, a long-time owner and breeder, and owner of Toronto-based accounting firm Clancy CPA & Co, said of the Mare Purchase Program. "Some of...

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Dubai World Cup Runner-Up Algiers Retired

After what his connections described in a tweet on X as 'works not showing the same sparkle' as in years prior, the 2023 G1 Dubai World Cup runner-up Algiers (Ire) (Shamardal) has been retired from racing. A multiple Group winner in Meydan in addition to his second-place finish to multiple Group 1 winner Ushba Tesoro (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}), he'd last been seen in Canada on Oct. 7, missing victory in Woodbine's GIII Durham Cup S. by half-a-length. A horse for Dubai's dirt courses, his first Group triumph came in 2022...

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King's Plate 2024 Date Set for Aug. 17; E.P. Taylor Turf Course Renovation Plans Unveiled

The King's Plate will be held in August for the third straight year in 2024 when it will be run Aug. 17 at Woodbine Racetrack. "This year's King's Plate was a big success, delivering a record handle, sold-out crowd and really exciting racing," said Michael Copeland, CEO of Woodbine. "The third weekend in August has been a good spot for attracting a quality field on the track and an energetic crowd off the track. Building on our momentum created at this year's Plate, we are excited to make the event...

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Woodbine Solidifies Racing Leadership

Woodbine has promoted Tim Lawson and Bill McLinchey to vice president positions, Woodbine Entertainment's Bill Ford, General Counsel and Executive Vice President of Racing, announced Thursday. Lawson has been promoted to Vice President of Thoroughbred Racing and McLinchey has been promoted to Vice President of Standardbred Racing. "Over the last several years, Bill and Tim have been instrumental in the continued growth of our world-class racing programs," Ford said. "Through their leadership, racing knowledge and expertise, we are confident both will make major contributions towards Woodbine being a global leader...

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Fasig-Tipton '21 October Yearling Sale Topper A Winner On Debut At Woodbine

1st-Woodbine, C$83,428, Msw, 10-29, 3yo/up, 1 1/8m (AWT) (off turf), 1:52.46, ft, 6 1/4 lengths. LOOSE WIRE (c, 3, Street Sense--Dance With Doves, by A.P. Indy) topped the '21 Fasig-Tipton October Yearling Sale when he was purchased for $925,000 by Mike Repole and St. Elias Stable. Debuting around two turns as the 2-1 second choice here, the hooded bay colt with Lasix exited the outside gate cleanly, raced mid-pack into the first turn and traveled well up the backstretch. Given his cue before the far turn, Loose Wire took control,...

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The Sun Shines Bright On Weekend Graded Stakes

I don't mean to tease any New York racing connections when I say this, but the real standout when it comes to racing this weekend might be the beautiful Fall weather. Graded-stakes action is happening at Keeneland and Woodbine on Saturday and both tracks should feature sunny skies and seasonal, if perhaps slightly below-average, temperatures. That leaves the racing to heat things up and Keeneland takes center stage with the GII Lexus Raven Run S. over seven furlongs for the 3-year-old fillies. A field of nine will line up led...

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More Than Ready Mare Tops CTHS Ontario Sale

The Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society (CTHS) Ontario Mixed Sale, held Oct. 18 at the Woodbine Sales Pavilion, generated the second-highest average and median of the last seven years. A total of 48 horses sold for a gross of $252,400. Average was $5,258, while the median was $3,000. "The Annual Mixed Sale is important to our breeders in Ontario. It provides a necessary venue to restructure and improve their breeding stock," said Peter Berringer, president of the CTHS Ontario Division. "This sale continues to attract new buyers from across Canada as...

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Making Waves: Purple Patch For Godolphin

   In this series, the TDN takes a look at notable successes of European-based sires in North America. This week's column is highlighted by the victory of Nations Pride in the Canadian International at Woodbine and two other graded wins for Godolphin colourbearers.   Nations Pride Adds Another Graded Win To His Resume Autumn in North America is a rich seasonal hunting ground for Godolphin's European raiders, particularly those trained by Charlie Appleby, and Nations Pride (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) scooped Woodbine's GI Canadian International S. recently (video). The royal blue...

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Nations Pride Gets Up Late In Canadian International

It should shock no one that Godolphin homebred Nations Pride (Teofilo {Ire}) has a more-frequently used passport than most of his human connections. The star 4-year-old has raced (and won) in his native England, is a Grade I winner in the United States, a graded-stakes winner in the United Arab Emirates and most recently took a Grade I race in Germany July 30 before shipping north of the border to Woodbine. Racing with the addition of Lasix for his Canadian debut, the son of Teofilo certainly wooed the betting public...

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Tracy Farmer's Fev Rover Bests Them All in E.P. Taylor

The trip might have been unusual, but rider Javier Castellano knew what he had under him as Fev Rover (Ire) (m, 5, Gutaifan {Ire}--Laurelita {Ire}, by High Chaparral {Ire}) captured Sunday's GI E.P. Taylor S. at Woodbine. The bay showed the way early from the rail, but was quickly under pressure as 50-1 Rocky Sky (Ire) (Rock of Gibraltar {Ire}) dogged her from the outside through fractions of :25.66 and :50.29. The rest of the field was strung out and just after the half-mile mark, Fev Rover yielded to let...

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