Woodbine

Woodbine Entertainment has named Tim Lawson, Woodbine's former manager of racing development and stabling operations, as the new Director of Thoroughbred Racing. He had also previously served as assistant racing secretary for both Thoroughbred and Standardbred racing at the Toronto-area track. Lawson, the son of Woodbine CEO Jim Lawson, interned for Keeneland Sales and Racing before working in various positions at Century Downs, including as racing secretary, and as a project manager for Century Mile. Both Century Downs and Century Mile are located in Alberta. Lawson's new role will begin...

Munnyfor Ro (Munnings) completed a quick-fire stakes double for her outstanding sire, overcoming a tough trip from a double digit gate to take out Sunday's C$500,000 Woodbine Oaks in Toronto. Settled behind midfield through the opening furlongs, the $65,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase traveled four and five off the inside--though with some cover--down the backstretch and began working into it entering the final half-mile. Four deep for the run around the second turn, she sustained a long run despite the ground loss, hit the front in upper stretch and stayed...

Eurico Rosa da Silva, one of Canadian Thoroughbred racing's most accomplished riders and popular personalities, has been named the 2021 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 the sport. It is named in memory of one of the sport's most heralded and loved performers. The Cuban-born Gomez died of complications after a three-horse accident in the 1980 Canadian Oaks. "What a nice surprise....

A pair of undefeated fillies lead the way in a 10-horse, wide-open renewal of the Woodbine Oaks Sunday. Brent and Russell McLellan and Gerry Olguin's Lorena (Souper Speedy) is three-for-three and was most recently a front-running 3/4-length winner of the seven-furlong Fury S. July 10. The dark bay filly, 2-1 on the morning line, will be trying a route for the first time in Sunday's nine-furlong Oaks. "She's just done everything so well," trainer Stuart Simon said of the filly. "She keeps taking steps forward. I'm not concerned about the...

A total of 39 graduates of LongRun, one of the first adoption and placement programs for Thoroughbred racehorses in Ontario, are part of Race to the Plate, an initiative that invites people to sponsor a horse to a maximum of $25 per person, with each $5 donation providing one length for the horse as part of a contest that culminates with a winner being announced Aug. 22, Queen's Plate day, at Woodbine Racetrack. "One of our TAA [Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance] partners, Maryland Horse Rescue, they did an event like this...

Woodbine will host a pop-up COVID-19 vaccine clinic at the track Wednesday from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. for anyone requiring a first or second dose, including Toronto residents and those who work at Woodbine Racetrack, Casino Woodbine and the Casino Woodbine development. The vaccine clinic, which is operated by Unity Health Toronto, will operate for one day and is open to individuals 12 years and older in 2021 and who live or work in Toronto. Woodbine Racetrack previously hosted a six-day pop-up COVID-19 vaccine clinic in May 2021. During...

After racking up three safety-related riding penalties--two of which caused racing accidents within the first four weeks of the meet--jockey Leo Salles has been suspended by the Woodbine Racetrack stewards through Dec. 5. Salles, 27, a Brazilian native who has previously ridden in the Middle East, told the Toronto Sun that he accepted responsibility for the latest accident on July 11 and won't be appealing the ruling, although he did term the suspension as overly harsh. "I think I deserve some days, but I just think it was extreme," Salles...

6th-Woodbine, C$77,590, Msw, 7-18, 2yo, 5 1/2f (AWT), 1:04.59, ft, nose. FEELTHEBEAT (c, 2, Cupid--Shelby's Song, by Songandaprayer) was third, beaten just a head in a blanket finish, in his five-furlong debut at Churchill June 4. Favored at 8-5 while adding blinkers in this move to the synthetic, the dark bay colt jumped out to the early lead and was in control while zipping through fractions of :21.91 and :44.89. He extended his advantage in upper stretch, but tired noticeably before just holding off the late-rushing Heat Merchant (Kobe's Back)...

What a singular coincidence, and literally so, that two of the best horses recently bred in Canada--and that has never been a negligible distinction--should both have only one eye. True, the origins of Hard Not to Love (Hard Spun) and Mighty Heart (Dramedy) could scarcely be more diverse. The 2019 GI La Brea S. winner, who was retired a few weeks ago, graduated from one of the most admired breeding programs in North America, which routinely sends yearlings to Keeneland as coveted as any making a shorter trip from the...

Woodbine Entertainment and sports streaming platform DAZN Canada announced the new four-part live Thoroughbred racing series DAZN Day at the Races. Hosted by Woodbine Entertainment's Jason Portuondo, DAZN Day at the Races will kick off Saturday, June 26th at 3 p.m. ET and feature racing from Woodbine Racetrack as well as Belmont, Delaware Park and Churchill Downs. "We are thrilled to partner with DAZN Canada to offer this new live horse racing series to their customers across the country," said Michael Copeland, Chief Commercial Officer, Woodbine Entertainment. "Racing has such...

The Senate of Canada passed Sports Betting Legislation (Bill C-218) at Third Reading debate on Tuesday. The Bill will now proceed to Royal Assent, the final milestone to legalize single event sports wagering in Canada. "This is a significant day for what is now an emerging sector in Canada that will regulate sports betting, generate new revenues and create new jobs," said Jim Lawson, CEO, Woodbine Entertainment. "Congratulations to the Federal Government for taking this important step forward and creating a substantial opportunity for the Canadian economy." Bill C-218, which...

Woodbine opened its 2021 season Saturday with an opening-day record handle of $6,912,477. Opening day was delayed two months due to the pandemic. The $6.9-million handle broke the previous opening-day handle record of $5.5 million set in 2020, which was also had a delayed opening day due to the pandemic. Saturday's eighth race (14-horse, mile, maiden allowance on the E.P. Taylor turf course) generated the largest single-race handle of the day at $1.1 million. The average per race handle was $628,407.