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The profile of Woodbine racetrack continues to change even with one more to go before the 60th season opens on April 11.
Already this spring, president and CEO Nick Eaves will be leaving his post as chairman Jim Lawson will ably take over the helm of one of the continent’s greats racetracks.
Track announcer Dan Loiselle will call his last race on the last day of May and his replacement is still being sought.

This week, the long awaited announcement of the track’s new racing surface was made and to no one’s surprise it will be Tapeta, created by top trainer Michael Dickinson, and the new synthetic will be laid down beginning Dec 1 (four December cards are expected to be held on Thursdays in November).
On Thursday, it was announce that VP of racing Steve Koch has accepted a job with the NTRA and will leave Woodbine for the bluegrass of Kentucky in early April.

from the NTRA:
The National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) today announced that Steve Koch has been named Executive Director of the NTRA Safety & Integrity Alliance. Koch will assume the new role April 6 and will be based out of the NTRA’s main office in his hometown of Lexington, Ky.

As head of the Alliance’s operations, Koch will oversee the industry’s only accreditation program assuring the establishment and implementation of uniform standards for racetrack safety and integrity.

Koch (pronounced “Cook”) comes to the NTRA with 15 years of industry experience, including the last seven spent as Vice President of Thoroughbred Racing for the Woodbine Entertainment Group.

Koch joined the team at Canada’s leading racetrack operator in 2003 and has held the titles Director of Racing, Director of Backstretch Operations, Manager of Backstretch Operations, and Projects Manager.

Meanwhile, the application for an expanded casino at WOODBINE is back on the city council table as Toronto Mayor John Tory said the plan will be re-visited. While a downtown T.O. casino has not been greeted warmly by the public, expanding the already impressive digs at Woodbine, with room to spare, is seen as a better idea.

Certainly this is good news should it get passed it council, however getting a deal with horse racing has to be involved in that plan.

What remains the same is that the track that E.P. Taylor built in 1956 will once again offer great racing, a super stakes program and star horses from all points on the backstretch.

Just a look at the possible contenders for the Woodbine Oaks and Queen’s Plate shows that stables small and large have some exciting horses: from the Mark Casse, Brian Lynch, Josie Carroll, Roger Attfield, Reade Baker, Malcolm Pierce and Mike Doyle barns to those of Steve Owens, John LeBlanc Jr., Sid Attard, Rachel Halden and Mike DePaulo there are some exciting young runners ready to go.

The worktab at Woodbine at has been picking up too, and it won’t be long before the main track will be open for workouts.
Champion PHIL’S DREAM, whose season in 2104 was cut short by injury, is back in action with a 46.60 prep on Tuesday on the dirt training track.

POHDI POHDI, that fleet stakes winning filly for 3 Sons Racing and trainer Robert Tiller, had a 3 furlong workout on Thursday in 36.60 with stablemate and SW EFF BEE EYE (36.40).

 

 

QUEEN’S PLATE NEWS

Woodbine released the 125 nominees to the Queen’s Plate/Canadian Triple Crown (horses can be supplemented on several occasions before the race) and it is no surprise that Ami’s Flatter is the big favourite based on his success already in 2015.

Many of the top contenders have been racing or posting workouts  (impressive debut winner GRAND BILI has been idle since mid February).
The Top 15 in the Woodbine  Winterbook

1. Ami’s Flatter (5-2)
2. Unbridled Juan (3-1)
3. Conquest Typhoon (4-1)
4. Danzig Moon (5-1)
5. Decision Day (6-1)
6. Danish Dynaformer (7-1)
7. Kingsport (9-1)
8. Nipigon (10-1)
9. Conquest Harlanate (f) (12-1)
10. Grand Bili (14-1)
11. Conquest Tsunami (15-1)
12. Shez a Masterpiece (f) (18-1)
13. Conquest Curlinate (20-1)
14. Scorch (22-1)
15. Brooklynsway (f)(25-1)

 

 

MORE CANADIAN STUFF

A WOODBINE DAILY SOUBLE at Gulfstream on Thursday and 3 of the first 4 races won by locals…

MARTHA AND NICK GONZALEZ won the first race at Gulfstream on Thursday when DOINWHATSHELIKES won a $12,500 claiming race for 3yo fillies by 3 lengths. The Kentucky bred by Include was the odds-on choice and was claimed by Black Cloud Stable.

Later, the Gonzalez’s claimed SEVENTHFLEETHUMOR for $25,000 from a turf race in which he finished 2nd.

In the very next race, the booming stable of BILL THARRENOS took another win, this time with TORRID HEAT, a Bring the Heat gelding who won at 7 to 2 in a $12,500 claiming race for non-winners of 2.
The Woodbine DD paid $27.

In race 4 – Janice and Veronica Attard were winners with trainer Sid Attard when COASTAL MOON came off a November layoff and won his maiden for $25,000 claiming as the even money choice. The Malibu Moon 4yo was not claimed.

ERIN RESIDENT MAC NICHOL HAS KY. DERBY PREP STARTER

Madefromlucky (Lookin at Lucky), who takes a three-race win streak into Saturday’s GII Rebel S. at Oaklawn,
is the only Thoroughbred member of the ‘the Stable That God Loves,’ meaning 1% of his purse earnings in
2015 will go to Chaplain Ken Carter’s Standardbred Chaplaincy of Canada, according to a release from the
group. The organization is dedicated to providing for the emotional, physical, spiritual and human needs of
the horse racing work force in southwestern Ontario.
Madefromlucky is co-owned by Ontario horseman Mac Nichol and Everett Dobson. AI figured I=ll mix it up a bit
on this Thoroughbred and maybe it will open some more doors for support [for the chaplaincy],@ said
Nichol, who is owner of Ideal Training Center in Erin, Ontario.

Saturday, Oaklawn Park, post time: 7:06 p.m. EDT
REBEL S.-GII, $750,000, 3yo, 1 1/16m
PP HORSE SIRE JOCKEY TRAINER WT
1 The Truth Or Else K Yes It’s True Borel McPeek 115
2 Madefromlucky K Lookin At Lucky Velazquez Pletcher 115
3 Tizwonderfulcreek K Tiz Wonderful Quinonez Martin 115
4 American Pharoah Pioneerof the Nile Espinoza Baffert 119
5 Bold Conquest Curlin Santana Jr Asmussen 115
6 Paid Admission K Candy Ride (Arg) Bridgmohan Richard 115
7 Sakima Curlin Vazquez Moquett 115

HASTINGS PARK in Vancouver will have some new riders in the room – agent Ryan Deyotte recently completed arrangements to work for Ontario-based jockeys Mark Buchanan and Howard Newell, who both will be arriving at Hastings shortly.

Also heading back is journeyman rider Ryan Pacheco, whose mounts will also be booked by Deyotte.

CENTURY DOWNS is getting closer to opening its casino/racetrack. Thoroughbreds still arrive in 2016 but the Standardbreds will bein action soon.
Here is  a feature on the personable MAX GIBB, one of the driving forces behind the new Alberta racetrack:

https://canadianthoroughbred.com/magazine_articles/life-to-the-max/

OBS 2-YEAR-OLD SALE – MARCH 17 AND 18

Ontario-breds in the sale:

HIP NO. GALLOP SHOW TIME    SEX  BREEDING   CONSIGNOR

 

10         10.3     Updates                 F     Uncle Mo     Captivating     Ontario     Wavertree Stables, Inc. (Ciaran Dunne), Agent    36  10.1     Updates         Y     C     Scat Daddy     Classic Neel     Ontario     Niall Brennan Stables, Agent XVI
38         22.0     Updates                 C     Stormy Atlantic     Clear Lake     Ontario     Kirkwood Stables, Agent
153           out     Updates                 C     Uncle Mo     Gentle Words     Ontario     Secure Investments
191         10.1     Updates         Y     C     Haynesfield     Hold the Sugar     Ontario     Halcyon Hammock Farm, Agent
310           out     Updates                 C     Ghostzapper     Northglen     Ontario     Bobby Dodd, Agent I
323         10.3     Updates                 C     Kitten’s Joy     Parisia     Ontario     Niall Brennan Stables, Agent XIX
344         21.3     Updates                 F     City Zip     Princess Ruckus     Ontario     Excel Racing (Rudy Delguidice), Agent III
535               Updates           Y     F     Old Forester     Woodland City (SAF)     Ontario     RiceHorse Stables
537               Updates           Y     F     City Zip     Woodsmoke     Ontario     Wavertree Stables, Inc. (Ciaran Dunne), Agent
600               Updates                 F     Marchfield     Bob’s Choice     Ontario     Ends Well