Woodbine, horsemen’s association reach two-year deal to boost purses by $5.7 million

TORONTO - Woodbine's 2025 racing season will begin April 26 after Woodbine Entertainment and the Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association of Ontario (HBPA) agreed Wednesday on a two-year contract.

The deal boosts purses by $5.7 million. It commits $64.7 million in purses this year and $65 million in 2026, both with 128-day race meets.

Woodbine's 2025 campaign will conclude Dec. 14.

"We understand and appreciate that many horse people are facing tough economic circumstances during these uncertain times," Woodbine Entertainment CEO Michael Copeland said in a statement. "At the same time, we remain focused on meaningful strategic initiatives aimed at driving long-term growth and sustainability.

Top Canadian breeder says U.S. tariffs could cripple horse-racing industry

David Anderson doesn't know what will happen April 2, but he is preparing for the worst.

Earlier this month, United States President Donald Trump paused proposed 25 per cent tariffs on some Canadian and Mexican goods until April 2. Should the U.S. go ahead with its tariffs, Anderson said that would be catastrophic for Canada's horse-racing industry.

Anderson would know. He operates Anderson Farms — one of Canada's leading thoroughbred and standardbred breeding operations — in St. Thomas, Ont., and is the president of the Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society, the official registry of thoroughbred horses in this country.

"It's all breeds, it's show horses, ponies for kids, draft horses. All kinds of breeds will be impacted," he said.

Prince of Wales Stakes race set to go Sept. 9 at Fort Erie Racetrack

FORT ERIE, Ont. - The $400,000 Prince of Wales Stakes, the second jewel of the OLG Canadian Triple Crown, will be held Sept. 9 at Fort Erie Racetrack.

The racetrack made the announcement Tuesday.

The 1 3/16-mile dirt race will follow the $1-million King's Plate, which will be held Aug. 16 at Toronto's Woodbine Racetrack.

The final leg of the Triple Crown is the $400,000 Breeders' Stakes and it will be run Sept. 28 at Woodbine.

Unbeaten filly Chantilly among 69 horses nominated for $1-million North America Cup.

CAMPBELLVILLE, Ont. - Unbeaten filly Chantilly was among 69 three-year-old pacers nominated Monday for the $1-million North America Cup, one of the premier events in harness racing.

The Grade 1 race is slated for June 14 at Woodbine Mohawk Park. Chantilly was the lone filly nominated.

The 69 nominations are up from 67 last year. Chantilly, Canada's reigning horse of the year, is believed to be the first filly ever nominated for the North America Cup.

She won all nine of her races as a two-year-old in 2024. Among her victories were the Shes A Great Lady and Ontario Sires Stakes Super Final.

Investigation turns up an Illicit drug in a dozen racehorses following the high-stakes All American

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico regulators have suspended two prominent horse trainers after tests turned up a banned medication in a dozen racehorses that competed in one of the world’s most recognized and richest quarter-horse events.

Officials with the New Mexico Racing Commission described it as unprecedented to have so many top finishers test positive on such an important race day. The All American is equivalent to the Kentucky Derby for thoroughbreds.

More than $5 million in purse money for the All American Futurity and the other races run that September day had been withheld pending the outcome of the testing, which took months to complete.

Regulators announced the suspensions during a news conference Wednesday. The formal notices were issued Thursday.

Chantilly a big winner at harness racing’s O’Brien Awards

MISSISSAUGA, Ont. - Chantilly and her connections took centre stage at the 36th O'Brien Awards on Saturday, as the Two-Year-Old Pacing Filly of the Year was also named the Somebeachsomewhere Horse of the Year.

Standardbred Canada announced the winners of the 2024 O’Brien Awards, honouring Canada’s best in harness racing over the past season, during a black-tie gala in Mississauga, Ont.

The event marked the 36th edition of the O’Brien Awards, named in honour of the late Joe O’Brien, an outstanding horseman from Prince Edward Island and member of the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame.Chantilly became just the fifth two-year-old — and only the third pacing filly — to be named Canada’s Horse of the Year, joining the likes of Emilie Cas El, Whenuwishuponastar, Somebeachsomewhere and JK Shesalady.

Chantilly’s breeder and owner, Millar Farms, earned its third Armstrong Breeder of the Year award and was also recognized as the leading owner at Woodbine Mohawk Park. The celebrations continued for her connections, with Nick Gallucci securing his first Trainer of the Year title and James MacDonald collecting his fourth consecutive Keith Waples Driver of the Year award.

Citizen Bull wins Robert Lewis Stakes, giving trainer Bob Baffert 1-2-3 finish at Santa Anita

ARCADIA, Calif. (AP) — Citizen Bull won the $200,000 Robert Lewis Stakes by 3 3/4 lengths at Santa Anita on Saturday in the 3-year-old colt’s first start since winning the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile in November.

Trained by Bob Baffert, Citizen Bull ran a mile in 1:36.71 under jockey Martin Garcia. The colt earned 20 qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby in May.

"The champ is back,” Baffert said. “It’s funny, you see him and you don’t realize that he has those gears. He won’t show you that in the morning, but he does have gears.”

Rodriguez was second and Madaket Road, giving Baffert a 1-2-3 finish in the Grade 3 race for 3-year-olds. The Hall of Fame trainer won the Lewis for the seventh consecutive time and 13th overall.

Santa Anita postpones weekend racing as track is staging area for fire relief efforts

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A flareup of the wildfire on the west side of Los Angeles that prompted new evacuations has caused Santa Anita to cancel horse racing this weekend.

The track in Arcadia, near the smoldering Eaton fire that decimated Altadena, had said Friday that it would go ahead with Saturday racing, pending air quality conditions.

However, track officials said early Saturday that given the Friday night developments involving the Palisades fire, there will be no racing this weekend.

They said air quality standards at the track remain well within the limits set by the California Horse Racing Board and the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority, but cited the growing impact of the fires throughout Los Angeles County.

Barnes wins San Vicente Stakes as trainer Bob Baffert goes 1-2 in Kentucky Derby prep at Santa Anita

ARCADIA, Calif. (AP) — Barnes defeated stablemate Romanesque by 5 1/2 lengths to win the $200,000 San Vicente Stakes for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert in a field of Kentucky Derby hopefuls on Saturday at Santa Anita.

Ridden by Juan Hernandez, Barnes ran seven furlongs in 1:22.15 and paid $4, $2.80 and $2.10 as the slight even-money favorite. The 3-year-old colt had $307 more in the win pool than Bullard.

"I knew he would run well,” Baffert said. “I was watching Juan, he knows the horse well, and he said he was a little green. But everyone who has worked him says he has another gear. They are all a little green. The second (race) out is the most important for all these horses.”

Barnes improved to 2-0. He was purchased for $3.2 million as a 2-year-old by owner Amr Zedan.

Raging Torrent wins Malibu Stakes at Santa Anita with Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan in last

ARCADIA, Calif. (AP) — Raging Torrent won the $200,000 Malibu Stakes by 1 1/4 lengths on Thursday at Santa Anita, with Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan finishing last in the final Grade 1 stakes of the year in the United States.

Ridden by Frankie Dettori, Raging Torrent ran seven furlongs in 1:21.54 and paid $7.20 to win as the 5-2 favorite in the field of six in front of 41,562 on opening day of Santa Anita's 90th anniversary winter meet.

“We really thought going into it we were the best horse,” winning trainer Doug O'Neill said. “Just watching him day in, day out, he was training out of this world.”

Mystik Dan, a nose winner of the 150th Kentucky Derby in the closest three-horse finish since 1947, was last. The 3-year-old colt raced for the first time since finishing eighth in the Belmont Stakes in June.

Veteran jockey Justin Stein retires again, this time to become horse-racing steward

TORONTO - This time, it feels right for Justin Stein to hang up his tack.

The veteran jockey is retiring after 19 seasons riding thoroughbreds. Stein, 44, left horse racing after 2016 but returned to Woodbine Racetrack in 2019 feeling he was too young then to have called it a career.

Eight years later, Stein feels much more at peace with the decision, given the New Westminster, B.C., native says he'll start next month as a racing steward with the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario.

"I looked at the steward's position and kind of figured if it was meant to be I'd get the job and hang up my tack," Stein said. "If I didn't get it, I'd be OK with riding still because I love riding and could still ride for a number of years from this point on.

A record 80 foreign horses are pre-entered for Breeders’ Cup world championships at Del Mar

DEL MAR, Calif. (AP) — Fierceness, Ireland-based City of Troy and Forever Young from Japan are among a full field of 14 horses for the $7 million Breeders’ Cup Classic next month at Del Mar. The Classic field was among the 212 horses, including a record 80 from overseas, pre-entered Wednesday for the more than $34 million, 14-race world championships on Nov. 1-2 at the seaside track north of San Diego. Del Mar is hosting for a third time in the event’s 41-year history. Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan isn’t running and neither is Belmont winner Dornoch, who has been […]