Woodbine Racetrack

After a rousing Saturday lineup, the stakes weekend isn't complete yet, as Saratoga, Woodbine and Del Mar present graded offerings. The marquee match on Sunday is the GII Shuvee S. at Saratoga, which honors the 1970 and 1971 champion older female by Nashua who was the second filly to win the Triple Tiara. The Virginia bred is also the only filly to ever defeat colts in the Jockey Club Gold Cup. And she did that twice. Though only four are entered here, the race includes the defending champion from last...

Woodbine Entertainment and the Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association of Ontario (HBPA) have reached an agreement for a new two-year deal that commits to $62m in purses for the 2023 and 2024 Thoroughbred racing meets, both released in a statement Friday. The deal also includes a 133-raceday meet in 2023 and 129 race dates in 2024. Despite the fewer race days next year, the track expects the number of races offered to be substantially the same as 2023 through more optimized scheduling during the meet. As part of the agreement,...

Edited Press Release Purchasing two in-foal broodmares at the 2022 Keeneland November Breeding Stock sale doubled the size of Apricot Valley Thoroughbreds' broodmare band. The mares Tiptoe and Turning Point were the latest step in Colin Davis's methodical entrance into the racing game. Davis, a resident of Cobourg, Ont., is new to racehorse breeding and ownership, but familiar with the equine stars of the sport. Growing up, he attended races at Kawartha Downs and in the last decade has owned multiple off-track Thoroughbreds. As Davis went looking for more information...

The Jockey Club of Canada will host the annual Sovereign Awards, a ceremony to honor Canada's champions of 2022, and outstanding achievement in Thoroughbred racing and breeding. Held in Toronto, the 48th edition will take place April 13, 2023. The celebration includes a full slate of prizes for Thoroughbreds and humans, including, Horse of the Year, Outstanding Breeder, and Outstanding Trainer, just to name a few. Tickets to the Sovereign Awards ceremony are $250 each and can be purchased here. Program advertisement space and sponsorships can also be purchased. For...

Longtime Thoroughbred industry executive Steve Koch has joined the senior management teams of the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders' and Owners' Association and Florida Equine Communications. Koch will assume responsibilities in July for all operations and systems related to the FTBOA and FEC offices, meeting rooms, library and museum facilities. Koch will also coordinate a soon to launch, in-house video and broadcast production partnership and tenant relationship and will generally assist the management team in increasing awareness, economics and programs for the FTBOA membership and Florida Thoroughbred industry. "It is an exciting...

Woodbine Entertainment has received approval from the Alcohol Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) for significant post time changes for Thursday and Friday cards at Woodbine Racetrack. First post for live racing on Thursdays will move from 1:10 p.m. to 5:05 p.m., while Fridays will change from 4:50 p.m. to 1:10 p.m. The changes will go in effect next Thursday, June 9. For more information, visit woodbine.com.

Woodbine Racetrack will allow spectators--at 25% capacity in the grandstand and on the track apron--beginning on Canada Day, July 1. "We are thrilled to be able to open our doors on Canada Day and welcome back our owners and some spectators to the track who have been dearly missed," said Jim Lawson, CEO, Woodbine Entertainment. "We have been operating live racing for a couple of weeks now, but it's just not the same with empty stands. We are thankful to the government for entrusting us to safely welcome back a...

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...