Picture Terry Greer in his office, dreaming up matchups between thoroughbreds. An old movie reel would help. “His office was a little crazy to see,” said son Brandon, 43, trainer of Town Cruise, the surprise winner of the $1-million Woodbine Mile on Sept. 18, the kind of win that scattered the pigeons. In fact, Town Cruise is one of the few horses Greer trains. He’s chief of … [Read more...] about Town Cruise: Horse of a Lifetime
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The Trotting Classic Comes Down to a $100 Bill
What can you do with a hundred dollar bill? Buy an inflatable car bed? A few bottles of champagne? Tickets to see The Guess Who? An entire box full of used CDs at a garage sale? (Maybe two boxes.) A couple of steaks? The way things are going, a few pieces of lettuce? Or you can pocket the dough and name a trotter “Ahundreddollarbill” and hope for the best. And if you … [Read more...] about The Trotting Classic Comes Down to a $100 Bill
Take A Flying Leap. Please.
When Canada finally allowed international travelers back into the country, picking its way through the COVID mess, some horse racing floodgates opened and in washed Frankie Dettori. For the past two days, the Italian-born jockey, based in the UK, has livened up the place. The timing couldn’t have been better for the 50-year-old rider to re-acquaint himself with … [Read more...] about Take A Flying Leap. Please.
Desperate Man Bursts out of the Shadows
Arthur, Ont., is a town of 2,450 people. Humble and charming. You can buy a truck there, visit the goat dairy, get uplifted at the York Soaring Association, treat yourself to organic food. Gasoline prices are the best there. There used to be a restaurant in Arthur called Post Time, with photos of all sorts of racehorses on the walls. Sadly, it’s gone now, but not the spirit … [Read more...] about Desperate Man Bursts out of the Shadows
An Ode to Silent Poet
Out of the rain came the sun. And his name was Silent Poet. He was dismissed by punters in the $395,500 Highlander Stakes, run in the shadow of the Queen’s Plate. The Highlander was the next race. The aftermath. The anti-climax race. People were starting to fold up the lawn chairs. Except that Silent Poet would have none of that. With a swish of his black tail, … [Read more...] about An Ode to Silent Poet
Safe Conduct Wins an Unusual Queen’s Plate
Everything seems improbable this year. The 162nd Queen’s Plate is no different. Mitchell Kursner found himself clutching petals and stuffing them into his pockets for a later engagement at a cemetery, after the horse he bred, Safe Conduct, won the Queen’s Plate. He went to the Plate on Sunday, wearing the same shoes he had worn when Neshama, a filly he owned in a … [Read more...] about Safe Conduct Wins an Unusual Queen’s Plate
The Power of Mark Casse
Believe it or not, Canada’s leading trainer for a dozen years – Mark Casse – does not have a horse entered in the $1-million Queen’s Plate on Sunday. But that doesn’t mean the 60-year-old conditioner, who has been inducted into two Halls of Fame, is sitting idle somewhere. He’s not physically at Woodbine - very rarely indeed is he there any more - but he has a stable of … [Read more...] about The Power of Mark Casse