Sunday, September 14 2008

Second chance at big Megapick prize goes Sunday at Woodbine

Woodbine Racetrack presented three lucky Woodbine $1 million Megapick participants with their prizes this week.

The FREE-to-enter contest, at http://www.theracetrack.ca, offers up to $1 million in prize money and asks participants to predict the entire outcome of particular races from the winning horse to the last steed under the wire.

Thursday, September 11 2008

After the Applause tries turf in Natalma

TORONTO, September 11 - Trainer Nicholas Gonzalez will attempt to net his meet-leading ninth stakes win of the 2008 Woodbine campaign in Sunday's $150,000 Natalma Stakes.

The Fort Erie resident will saddle After the Applause in the Grade 3 event, which, as a 'Win and You're In' race, guarantees a berth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Santa Anita.

Bred in Kentucky by Hal Snowden, Jr., After the Applause began her career in South Florida, in the barn of Stephen DiMauro.

Monday, September 08 2008

Rahy’s Attorney rules in Woodbine Mile

Ontario-bred Rahy's Attorney, ridden by Slade Callaghan, scored a shocking upset in the Grade 1, $1 million Woodbine Mile, Sunday at Woodbine.

Trained by Ian Black, Rahy's Attorney, unbeaten in three career starts at one mile on the grass, kept his streak intact remarkably by taking one of the most prestigious turf races on the continent, a hard-fought, one and one-quarter length win over Ventura, as the two battled from the eighth pole to the wire over a yielding E.P. Taylor Turf Course. Just Rushing wound up third, with Ice Bear fourth, as the mile was reached in 1:36.14.

Sunday, September 07 2008

Kip Deville favoured in $1 million Woodbine Mile on Sunday

IEAH Stables and Partners' Kip Deville, the top ranked turf miler in North America, is the 6-5 morning line choice for Sunday's Grade 1, $1 million Woodbine Mile.

A field of eight seeking the $600,000 first place prize will go postward at 5:35 pm ET over the E.P. Taylor Turf Course. The Woodbine Mile is now a Breeders' Cup 'Win and You're In' race, giving the winner an automatic berth into the Breeders' Cup Mile, October 25 at Santa Anita.

Friday, September 05 2008

Kip Deville headlines Woodbine Mile

IEAH Stables and Partners' Kip Deville, the top-ranked turf miler in North America, is the 6-5 morning line favourite and will break from post four in a field of eight for Sunday's Grade 1, $1 million Woodbine Mile.

The 12th edition of one of the premier grass races in North America will be televised live across Canada on The Score, in a special two-hour presentation from 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm ET, with post time scheduled for 5:35 pm. The winner receives $600,000.

Thursday, September 04 2008

FRANKEL LOOKING FOR A THIRD WOODBINE MILE WIN

Hall of Fame trainer Bobby Frankel will be looking for his third win in the Woodbine Mile on Sunday, when he sends out Juddmonte Farms' Ventura in the Grade 1, $1 million turf classic.

Ventura, a four-year-old daughter of Chester House, has won three of her five starts this year after campaigning in England as a two and three-year-old. She'll also try to become the first filly to win the Woodbine Mile in its 12 editions.

Wednesday, September 03 2008

KIP DEVILLE RARING TO GO IN WOODBINE MILE

IEAH Stables & Partners' Kip Deville, winner of last year's Breeders' Cup Mile at Monmouth Park, is expected to be the heavy favourite for Sunday's $1 million, Grade 1 Woodbine Mile.

Trained by Richard Dutrow, Jr., the Oklahoma-bred five-year-old, the top-ranked turf miler on the continent, is unbeaten in his last three outings, including the Maker's Mark Mile at Keeneland in April and the Poker Handicap at Belmont Park in July.

Tuesday, September 02 2008

YEARLING SALES STAKES RECAPS

TORONTO, September 1 * Jono Jones piloted three Yearling Sales graduates to victory during the 2008 edition of Woodbine's Yearling Sales Stakes day on Monday.

The six $125,000 added-money events are featured annually on Labour Day weekend in advance of the Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society's Canadian-bred horse auction.

The 2008 sale will be held on Tuesday, September 2 (Select Session, 3 p.m.) and Saturday, September 6 (Preferred Session, 3 p.m.) at the Woodbine Sales Pavilion at the south end of the Woodbine property.

Monday, September 01 2008

Sand Cove saves day for Attfield

TORONTO, August 31 - Hall of Fame trainer Roger Attfield had looked forward to running Queen's Plate winner Not Bourbon in Sunday's featured Vice Regent Stakes at Woodbine.

Unfortunately, the chestnut colt hurt himself in the stall earlier in the day, forcing Attfield to scratch the star pupil from his turf debut.

Attfield was left to saddle Ralph Johnson's Sand Cove in the one mile turf stake. The son of Bold Executive, ridden by Slade Callaghan, proved a game winner over Delaforce, registering a half-length triumph on a firm E.P. Taylor Turf Course, getting the distance in a stakes record 1:33.76. The first two finishers were also making their turf debuts.

Woodbine $1 million Megapick contest to launch Monday

TORONTO, August 31 - There's a million reasons to pay attention to the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series races at Woodbine over the next several weeks.

A free-to-enter, lottery-style contest called the Woodbine $1,000,000 Megapick asks fans to choose the exact order of finish for the entire field from three of Woodbine's six Breeders' Cup Challenge Series races, the Woodbine Mile on September 7, the Natalma Stakes on September 14 and the Pattison Canadian International on October 4.

Sunday, August 31 2008

Sugar Bay sweet in Ontario Colleen triumph

TORONTO, August 30*Augustin Stable's Sugar Bay, ridden for the first time by Jono Jones, rallied down the centre of the E.P. Taylor Turf Course to take the featured $182,800 Ontario Colleen Stakes, Saturday at Woodbine.

At the finish of the one-mile event for three-year-old fillies, Sugar Bay, an Ontario homebred product of Syncline-Otra Vez, proved a definitive four and one-quarter length winner over import Fareena, with the 9-5 favourite, Lickety Lemon, a further one and one-quarter lengths back in third. The final time over a 'good' turf was 1:34.44.

Saturday, August 30 2008

Not Bourbon tries turf for the first time in Vice Regent

TORONTO, August 29 - Queen's Plate champ Not Bourbon returns to the Ontario-sired ranks in Sunday's $125,000 Vice Regent Stakes at Woodbine.

The Charles Fipke-owned colt hasn't raced since finishing sixth in the Prince of Wales Stakes at Fort Erie on July 13.

The one-mile Vice Regent will be the homebred's first attempt over the E.P. Taylor Turf Course.