Month: October 2022

‘Familiar Faces’ Back At Fort Erie; Meet Ends With 16 Percent Increase In Wagering

After a few delays, the 125th racing season has ended at Fort Erie Race Track, and it was another successful year for the border oval. Originally scheduled for Oct. 18, closing day was postponed until Oct. 24 due to inclement weather. Closing day racing was delayed again due to a 45-minute town-wide power outage in the middle of the card. In the end, beautiful fall weather made for a great closing day, with 12 races and many fans in attendance.

Overall the season was a great success, attracting large crowds to special events and generating $33.2 million in wagering over the season, a 16 percent increase over the previous year.

“After two years of restrictions, it was nice to see new fans and familiar faces back at Fort Erie this season,” said Drew Cady, chief operating officer of the Fort Erie Live Racing Consortium. “Our race days were a success. Our concerts and special events were incredibly well-attended. It was a great year and we're already looking forward to our 2023 season.”

The fan favorite Tour de Fort was back on the card for the final day of racing. Run at a distance of two miles and 70 yards, the marathon race was won by Trinity Gold and jockey Brandon Boulanger for trainer George Newland and owner Trinity Racing Stables, returning $31.20 to backers.

The leading rider at this year's meet, Christopher Husbands scored 32 wins this season, earning him the title for the second year in a row. Husbands narrowly squeezed out rider Melanie Pinto, who ended the season with 30 wins. Pinto earned the title of Outstanding Rider, voted by her peers.

Trainer Julie Mathes secured the title of leading trainer for a third consecutive year. During the 2022 season, Mathes won 27 races. The leading owner title continues to be held by Bruno Schickedanz, who earned 26 wins this year.

Strong Ending earned the Horse of the Year title, trained by Richard Davis for owner Bruno Schickedanz. Strong Ending won all five starts at Fort Erie this season, including the Puss n Boots Cup and the Le Cinquieme Essai Cup. Davis earned the title of Outstanding Trainer this season, voted by his peers.

With this racing season in the books, the border oval looks ahead to next year's meet and has applied for 40 race days, operating on mostly Mondays and Tuesdays, beginning May 23 through to Oct. 17, with some special event Sundays. The Racebook remains open daily for simulcast wagering, from noon to 7:30 p.m.

For more information about Fort Erie Race Track, visit www.forterieracing.com.

The post ‘Familiar Faces’ Back At Fort Erie; Meet Ends With 16 Percent Increase In Wagering appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Minzaal Joins Baaeed on Shadwell Roster

G1 Haydock Sprint Cup winner Minzaal (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) has joined the Shadwell stallion roster at Derrinstown Stud in Ireland. The Shadwell team of stallions for 2023 also includes the world's best turf horse of this year, Baaeed (GB), who will be based in England at Nunnery Stud.

Trained by Owen Burrows, Minzaal won the G2 Gimcrack S. at two before going on to win at the highest level this season at Haydock, in what would transpire to be his final racecourse appearance. In total, he won four of his 11 starts across three seasons, earning £473,938 in prize-money.

Minzaal, from the first crop of Tally-Ho Stud's promising young sire Mehmas, was bred by Derek and Gay Veitch at Ringfort Stud from the unraced Clodovil (Ire) mare Pardoven (Ire) and was purchased by Shadwell as a yearling for 140,000gns.

Shadwell principal Sheikha Hissa said, “Minzaal has been an outstanding sprinter for our operation for the past three years. I believe Owen, Jim [Crowley] and I agree that we have never met a sprinter with such a remarkable temperament, and I hope his progeny in the future will reflect the qualities we have seen and admired in Minzaal. I would like to thank everyone at Owen's, Shadwell, and Derrinstown for their expertise in training and taking care of Minzaal. I would also like to thank Ringfort Stud for breeding an excellent colt that we took a great deal of pleasure in racing – and now proudly stand as a stallion in our operation.”

Along with his two victories as a juvenile, Minzaal was third in the G1 Juddmonte Middle Park S., and filled that same spot the following year in the G1 QIPCO British Champions Sprint. Further stakes placings came his way at four, in the G2 Clipper Logistics York S. When third behind subsequent treble Group 1 winner Highfield Princess (Fr), before finishing second to that top-class mare in the G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest. Minzaal was found to be lame after his Sprint Cup victory, and when x-rays revealed a fractured knee he was retired the following day. 

Shadwell's European bloodstock manager Stephen Collins said, “Minzaal ticks all the boxes for the commercial breeder. He was a speedy, precocious two-year-old who developed into a Group 1-winning four-year-old. He was also Group-1 placed, aged two, three and four. He is Mehmas's top-rated racehorse in his first three crops of racing age but more importantly he is currently the top-rated sprinter in Europe with an official BHA rating of 121. A versatile, good-looking colt with a wonderful temperament who acted in all ground conditions, he is a great addition to the Shadwell stallion roster.”

Owen Burrows, who also trained G1 Coronation Cup winner Hukum (Ire) for the Shadwell team this season, paid his own tribute to Minzaal. He added, “As a two-year-old, he'd do it every time if you asked him. There were a few bits of work that really got the heart pumping. We went to the Gimcrack and I never like to be too confident – you're more hopeful than confident. But it didn't surprise me in the slightest when he did what he did at York. It was an exceptional performance. Minzaal is easily the fastest I've trained. He was a very athletic horse who moved well and covered the ground. When he went up through the gears it was a sight to behold.”

The post Minzaal Joins Baaeed on Shadwell Roster appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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