Woodbine

Four weeks removed from the running of the GI Kentucky Oaks and GI Kentucky Derby, Churchill Downs stages its second stacked weekend of the spring/summer meeting, with five Grade IIIs and one listed contest on 'Stephen Foster Preview' Day. The program serves as a steppingstone to Foster Day itself in a month's time. A field of 10 has been entered for the GIII Blame Stakes, the course-and-distance prep for the $1-million GI Stephen Foster Stakes, a 'Win and You're In' qualifier for the GI Breeders' Cup Classic. Gary and Mary...

Longtime Canadian-based trainer, breeder and owner Paul Buttigieg died, according to a Woodbine release Wednesday. Over the course of his career at Woodbine, the horseman amassed 672 wins and more than $19 million in earnings as a trainer. Buttigieg also operated his own training center in Egbert, Ontario--Buttigieg Training Centre--where trainers such as Robert Tiller, Kevin Attard and Michael De Paulo were stabled. Buttigieg's most significant horses were led by champion Phil's Dream, who he bred, owned, and trained. Phil's Dream captured the GI Nearctic Stakes in 2013 and was...

J.P. (Paul) Souter, who posted 928 career riding wins, has been named the 2025 recipient of the Avelino Gomez Memorial Award. The Gomez Award is given to the person, Canadian-born, Canadian-raised or regular rider in the country for more than five years, who has made significant contributions to Thoroughbred racing. It is named in memory of one of the sport's most talented and respected competitors. The Cuban-born Gomez died of complications after a three-horse accident in the 1980 Canadian Oaks. "I don't know what to say," said Souter. "I'm not...

   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 Moyglare Stud homebred Bellezza during the Belmont at the Big A meeting on GI Kentucky Derby eve. Siyouni's Bellezza Shines In New York Bellezza, making her American debut, waltzed away with the GIII Sheepshead Bay Stakes during the Belmont at the Big A meet on Friday (video). The daughter of Siyouni, trained by Christophe Clement, already sported a victory at listed level in...

   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 Princess Attitude in Lexington. Frankel Filly Graduates At Keeneland Watts Humphrey, Jr.'s Princess Attitude (Frankel {GB}) ran out a one-length winner at Keeneland for trainer Victoria Oliver on April 24 (video). Making her fifth start, the filly was bred by Bryant H. Pursuit of Success III in Kentucky. Out of multiple graded winner and multiple Grade I-placed Keertana, herself by GI Breeders' Cup...

6th-Woodbine, C$77,818, Alw (NW2L)/Opt. Clm ($36,086), 4-26, 3yo/up, f/m, 5 1/2f (AWT), 1:04.56, ft, 1 1/2 lengths. PARTY ON (f, 4, Twirling Candy--No Curfew, by Curlin), who has not raced in nearly two years, got her picture taken at Woodbine on opening day for the newly-crowned Sovereign recipient Kevin Attard. An 8 1/4-length winner in her only prior start in July 2023, Party On came off the bench Saturday and the filly angled over from the outside gate to take over the lead up the backstretch. Making every pole a...

The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) announced Friday that it has reached an agreement with Woodbine after it conducted an investigation into a rash of equine fatalities in the fall of 2024. Woodbine did not contest the AGCO findings. Between Oct. 28 and Dec. 15, 19 horses sustained injuries while racing and training over Woodbine's synthetic surface. Ten of those horses had to be euthanized. Two horses died on Nov. 9 and the remainder of that day's card was cancelled. The breakdowns were not expected as Woodbine's Tapeta...

The nominations for the 2025 Canadian Triple Crown, consisting of The King's Plate, Prince of Wales and Breeders' Stakes, were released by Woodbine Entertainment Friday. A total of 88 3-year-olds, all foaled in Canada, have been nominated to this year's Canadian Triple Crown. The 166th running of The King's Plate will launch the Canadian Triple Crown Saturday, Aug. 16 at Woodbine Racetrack. The Prince of Wales, scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 9 at Fort Erie Race Track, and the Breeders' Stakes, scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 28 at Woodbine, complete the Triple...

The 166th King's Plate will crown the Canadian racing season at Woodbine, set to go Saturday, Aug. 16, and will top a full stakes schedule, the track announced Monday afternoon. With 39 graded contests--five at the elite level--set for this season, Woodbine will kick off the 2025 Road to the Canadian Triple Crown with the annual running of their Classic Aug. 16, and will then move to Fort Erie Race Track for the Prince of Wales Sept. 9 before concluding in the Breeders' Stakes Sept. 28 at the venue. Of...

Three previously graded races in Canada have been downgraded following an annual review of graded and listed stakes in the country by The Jockey Club Of Canada's Graded Stakes Committee. The Committee reviews the North American Race Committee (NARC) figures and Race Quality Scores (RQS) for all graded, listed and potentially listed races and determined that the GII Autumn Stakes and GII Seagram Cup Stakes, each run at Woodbine, will carry Grade III status in 2025. Additionally, the GIII BC Premier's Handicap at Hastings Park in Vancouver, will be downgraded...

Though still weeks from being potentially enacted, the threatened 25% blanket tariff on all Canadian goods entering the U.S. is causing some Canadian-based owner-breeders to sound the alarm about the possible impacts to their businesses and to the country's broader industry. "For us, it could be the end of the industry. Period," warned Yvonne Schwabe, the owner of Persley Den Farms in Acton, Ontario, and the breeder of 2013 Queen's Plate winner Midnight Aria. "That's the scary part." As currently outlined, the tariffs are scheduled to go into effect on...

In anticipation of the 25% blanket tariff on all Canadian goods entering the U.S. expected to be enacted April 2, the Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society (CTHS) has issued an advisory to its members, aiming to provide some clarity to a fluctuating and often confusing situation. Already this week, the U.S. government enacted a 25% tariff on Canadian steel and metal imports. "This could very well change at any moment given whatever the will of the president is," warned Tom Rooney, president and chief executive officer (CEO) of the National Thoroughbred...