The sky looked ominous. It couldn’t decide between sunshine and rain and rainbows on Oct. 17, suddenly autumn. The winds chased the dark clouds around and the people too. And beneath it all, French-born trainer Christophe Clements almost swept the $602,000 E.P. Taylor Stakes, winning with British-bred Mutamakina, and finishing second with La Dragontea, another British-bred … [Read more...] about Stormy Skies, Gritty Wins
Avie's Flatter
Tone Broke Conquers
Tone Broke is big and bullish, at least to a point. But so talented that he won the $400,000 Breeders Stakes over 1 ½ miles, in his first turf test on Aug. 17 at Woodbine. Patience was the key. And 34-year-old jockey Rafael Hernandez supplied it. Tone Broke scattered the pigeons when he broke from the gate in the Queen’s Plate, bearing to the inside, and then … [Read more...] about Tone Broke Conquers
Tone Cold Running
Tone Broke. Stone Cold. Triple Crown Screeching Halt. Tone Broke, another gem bred by Ontarian Sean Fitzhenry, steamed home to win the $400,000 Prince of Wales, as the second longest shot on the board. And once again, Little Saratoga, just like Big Saratoga, became a graveyard of favourites. Overlooked a tad at 5.60 to 1, Tone Broke laid waste to One Bad Boy’s shot at … [Read more...] about Tone Cold Running
One Bad Boy romps in the Queen’s Plate
What a scamp, that One Bad Boy, who ran off so easily with the 160th running of the Queen’s Plate, making it look like just about anything is possible. He made off with this gem of Canadian racing, worth one million Canadian bucks, pulling away at will from Canada’s top juvenile of last season, Avie’s Flatter, winning by 3 ¾ lengths, laughing. And how crazy is this? … [Read more...] about One Bad Boy romps in the Queen’s Plate
Start Your Engines for the 2019 Queen’s Plate
This is a milestone year for the Queen’s Plate: it’s the 160th running, so many years from the first, won by Don Juan. Don Juan had to run three heats to win it and defeat seven others in Toronto, which at the time had a population of 44,425. This time, there are 14 horses, and it’s one dash for $1-million in front as the crowd tries to muster up the Royal Ascot flavour. … [Read more...] about Start Your Engines for the 2019 Queen’s Plate