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Woodbine’s Top Jockeys, Drivers Team Up In Heinz Challenge For Charity

Woodbine Entertainment, in partnership with Kraft-Heinz Canada, today announced the launch of the Heinz Challenge, a six-week series to be contested during Racing Night Live on TSN.

The Heinz Challenge pairs a top Woodbine Racetrack jockey with a top Woodbine Mohawk Park driver to create four teams competing for a $5,000 charitable donation from Woodbine.

Every time one of the participating jockeys or drivers competes during a race aired on Racing Night Live, they have the opportunity to earn points towards their team's challenge score.

All eight participating athletes are ranked among the best in their sport and are well-known personalities at Woodbine Racetrack and Woodbine Mohawk Park. The four competing jockeys are Rafael Hernandez, Kazushi Kimura, Justin Stein and Emma-Jayne Wilson, while the participating drivers are Jody Jamieson, Bob McClure, Doug McNair and Louis-Philippe Roy.

The team with the best 'Points Per Race' average at the end of six weeks will win the challenge. The point system is as follows: 10 points for a win, 5 points for a second-place finish and 2 points for a third-place finish.

(Example: Team A earns 50 points over 10 races: Team A's Points Per Race is 5)

Each member of the winning team will select a charity and Woodbine Entertainment will make a $2,500 donation on their behalf to make up the $5,000 winning prize.

Woodbine Mohawk Park driver James MacDonald was originally scheduled to participate in the Heinz Challenge. MacDonald unfortunately suffered an injury in a racing accident on August 1 and will be unable to participate. Louis-Philippe Roy has been selected to replace MacDonald and the two will split the donation should their team win.

Here are the teams for the Heinz Challenge:

Team E=MC²
Jockey: Emma-Jayne Wilson
Driver: Bob McClure
#TeamEMC2

Team Club DJ
Jockey: Justin Stein
Driver: Doug McNair
#TeamClubDJ

Team Island Boyz
Jockey: Rafael Hernandez
Driver: James MacDonald (unable to participate due to injury)
Driver: Louis-Philippe Roy
#TeamIslandBoyz

Team Double Double
Jockey: Kazushi Kimura
Driver: Jody Jamieson
#TeamDoubleDouble

The Heinz Challenge is the latest feature on the weekly Racing Night Live program on TSN.

Racing Night Live, which airs every Thursday at 6 p.m. ET on TSN, showcases the world-class racing from the Thoroughbreds at Woodbine Racetrack and Standardbreds at Woodbine Mohawk Park over an action-packed two hours.

The Heinz Challenge will run from August 6 to September 10.

Fans can join the conversation, track the leaderboard and cheer on their favourite team through social media by using the hashtag #HeinzChallenge. All eight of the participating athletes can be found on various social media platforms and will be engaging with fans over the course of the six-week event.

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Sottsass Pleases In Gallop; Gontaut-Biron Next

Last-out G1 Prix Ganay winner Sottsass (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) is on course for the G3 Prix Gontaut-Biron at Deauville on Aug. 15 after pleasing connections in a route piece of work on Thursday.

“He did a simple work, as we are accustomed to do,” said trainer Jean-Claude Rouget of Peter Brant’s 4-year-old. “The goal is not to have a hard work; once they have made their seasonal bow, we do maintenance work. They worked over 1,800 metres-all went well. The horse has a good action and he behaves as he does when he is in good form.

“After the Ganay, we left him alone for three weeks. His work picked up for a comeback in mid-August. We didn’t know if he would go to York [for the Juddmonte International] or to Deauville. Apparently, we are going to Deauville. He still had a fairly long break and the York race would be difficult for a semi-return to racing.

The long-term aim for last year’s G1 Prix du Jockey Club winner is the G1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe on Oct. 4.

“Sottsass will then have several options before running in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe–either the Prix Foy or, if we stay over 2000 metres, the Irish Champion S.,” Rouget said. “The latter test would be more rewarding for his future stallion career. I am not the only deciding voice. There are also his connections–Peter Brant and Coolmore. We will discuss after the Gontaut-Biron.”

The post Sottsass Pleases In Gallop; Gontaut-Biron Next appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Maryland’s First 2-Year-Old Race Kicks Off Friday’s Stronach 5

The Stronach 5, featuring a $100,000 guaranteed pool and industry-low 12-percent takeout, will begin Friday with the first 2-year-old race run this year in Maryland, a $40,000 maiden special weight event at five furlongs on Laurel Park's main track.

The popular wager will feature three races from Laurel and two from Gulfstream Park. Gulfstream's races will include a five furlong event on the turf and the sequence will conclude with a $45,000 allowance optional claimer at 5 ½ furlongs on Laurel's Dahlia Turf Course.

The opening leg of the Stronach 5 features a field of 10 juvenile colts and geldings. Three of the maidens – San Antone, Don't Dare Me and Alwaysinahurry – come into the race off second-place finishes at Delaware Park against maiden special weight company.

Friday's races and sequence

· Leg One – Laurel Park 6th Race: (10 entries, 5 furlongs) 3:21 ET, 12:21 PT

· Leg Two –Gulfstream Park 8th Race: (11 entries, 5 furlongs turf) 3:40 ET, 12:40 PT

· Leg Three –Laurel Park 7th Race: (12 entries, 1 mile) 3:59 ET, 12:59 PT

· Leg Four –Gulfstream Park 9th Race: (11 entries, 1 mile) 4:14 ET, 1:14 PT

· Leg Five –Laurel Park 8th race: (9 entries, 5 ½ furlongs turf) 4:32 ET, 1:32 PT

Fans can watch and wager on the action at 1/ST.COM/BET as well as stream all the action in English and Spanish at LaurelPark.com, SantaAnita.com, GulfstreamPark.com, and GoldenGateFields.com.

The Stronach 5 In the Money podcast, hosted by Jonathan Kinchen and Peter Thomas Fornatale, will be posted by 2 p.m. Thursday at InTheMoneyPodcast.com and will be available on iTunes and other major podcast distributors

The minimum wager on the multi-race, multi-track Stronach 5 is $1. If there are no tickets with five winners, the entire pool will be carried over to the next Friday.

If a change in racing surface is made after the wagering closes, each selection on any ticket will be considered a winning selection. If a betting interest is scratched, that selection will be substituted with the favorite in the win pool when wagering closes.

The Maryland Jockey Club serves as host of the Stronach 5.

The post Maryland’s First 2-Year-Old Race Kicks Off Friday’s Stronach 5 appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Alpine Star Eyeing Deauville Date

G1 Coronation S. winner Alpine Star (Ire) (Sea The Moon {Ger}), last seen finishing a short-neck second to Fancy Blue (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in the G1 Prix de Diane on July 5, could resurface in the G1 Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville on Aug. 16 if ground conditions play to her liking.

“If all goes according to plan she could go to Deauville, but we just need to keep an eye on the ground,” said Alan Cooper, racing manager to owner/breeder The Niarchos Family. “There’s very hot weather forecast, but then there could be thunderstorms, so we’ll watch out for that. Her form appears very strong, with Fancy Blue winning again at Goodwood. The 3-year-old fillies appear to be very strong this year which is exciting, it’s good for racing.”

The Niarchos Family could yet have another major player in the division in Albigna (Ire), also from the yard of Jessica Harrington. The daughter of Zoffany went into winter quarters with hopes high off a win in the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac, but has only been seen once this year when sixth in the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas.

“Albigna is making steady progress and it’s possible she could have a busy end-of-year programme,” said Cooper. “She could reappear in the Snow Fairy at The Curragh at the end of the month, we’ll just wait and see. But all is well with her.”

Cooper reported that 3-year-old colt Highest Ground (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), who lost his unbeaten record when beaten a neck at third asking in the G2 Dante S. on July 9, will stay in training at four.

“Sir Michael is very happy with him currently, but he’s just waiting a little bit longer before committing to a plan,” said Cooper. “There was a mad rush when racing resumed with all the races crammed together, but it’s not like that now. The long-term plan for him is for next year, he’ll be staying in training as a 4-year-old, so Sir Michael will feel his way and when he’s ready, he’ll take it from there. I would think Highest Ground fits the profile of a typical Sir Michael late-maturing type–I hope so.”

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