Tag: chris lomon

Woodbine’s 5 Furlongs With Steven Chircop: On Hockey, The Beatles And TVG

Each week until opening day of the 2022 Woodbine Thoroughbred meet (April 16), a familiar name in the sport will be in the spotlight, answering some fun, offbeat questions, giving readers a unique perspective into their personality.

Steven Chircop (twitter.com/chircopracing) launched his training career in 2009. Since that time, he's become a graded stakes-winning conditioner, and racked up nearly 160 victories. His biggest highlight to date came with Kara's Orientation, a dark bay son of Orientate who captured the 2011 running of the Grade 2 Sky Classic Stakes. A former hockey standout, Chircop has passed down his love of racing to his 2-year-old daughter, Ava, something he recently shared on Twitter.

You take on one NHL player in an all-star competition. Who do you choose and why?
“I'd go with [Edmonton Oilers superstar] Connor McDavid because he's Canadian and the best player in the world. But no chance that I'd be able to take him in any event I'd face him in. I played defense and I was a pretty good passer, but there's no way I'd be able to get the better of him in anything.”

You get backstage passes at any concert for a singer/group, past or present. Who do you choose?
“I'd have to go with The Beatles. So much of their music were classics and they had so many hits. That era was a great one for music. My favorite song by them would be 'I Wanna Hold Your Hand.' I sing along when I hear them in the car, but I don't want anyone, myself included, to have to hear me sing. That wouldn't be good for anybody.”

You get to star on any TV show. Which one do you choose?
“I would love to be on TVG. I really enjoying watching it. I would love to do commentary on any racing. The documentaries on TVG are amazing. There is so much more to horse racing that people have no idea about it. The documentaries on the Breeders' Cup that I would watch when I was growing up, they got me so hooked on horse racing. Maybe I could guest host with Jeff [Bratt] and Jason [Portuondo] this year on the Woodbine shows.”

What's your favorite distance and course to watch a race at Woodbine?
“I like long races. I would say a mile and an eighth to a mile and a quarter on the E.P. Taylor Turf Course. The thing about it is, for the most part, when it comes to those long races on the turf at Woodbine, usually the best horse wins. I do like the Inner Turf at Woodbine, but you have to get a trip. When it's the long distances on the E.P. Taylor, there is so much room for the horses to run and for the riders to maneuver. You have so much time to not get yourself into trouble. I love those kind of races.”

What is your most memorable win at Woodbine?
“For sure, it has to be the 2011 Sky Classic when Kara's Orientation won. I think about it often. I watch the video of the race on YouTube every now and again. It's unbelievable. To think how far that horse came, how young I was, how great the horse was, and how he won the race – it still amazes me. Everything was happening so fast for me when I started training. You almost don't appreciate … I knew how fortunate I was, but the more time goes on, the more you cherish those moments. You look at the trainers that had a horse in that race, people like Graham Motion, Roger Attfield, Mark Casse – to be able to be in a race against them and show that you could run with their horses is an unbelievable feeling.”

Kara's Orientation winning the Sky Classic

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Sovereign Awards: Mighty Heart Voted Canada’s Horse Of The Year

The Jockey Club of Canada hosted the 46th Annual Sovereign Awards ceremony through a virtual presentation on Thursday evening, April 15, 2021.

The top three finalists in each category are determined by the online ballots of the Jockey Club of Canada's knowledgeable voters.  The media category award finalists were determined by media professionals within the industry selected from across North America.

The Jockey Club of Canada is pleased to announce the 2020 Sovereign Award winners in the order in which they were presented.

Outstanding Photograph:
WILL WONG

Mambointheforest

Published, September 27, 2020; Ontario Racing Website

Outstanding Writing:
CHRIS LOMON
The Pep-Talking Groom, Willy, and a Queen's Plate Crown
Published, September 18, 2020; Ontario Racing website

Outstanding Digital Audio/Visual & Broadcast:
SANTINO DI PAOLA
Dear Horse Racing
Aired, June 8th, 2020; Paulick Report website
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZyQdLfDZW4

Outstanding Groom Award: Michelle Gibson
Michelle learned everything she could about riding and horse care when she attended riding school in Caledon. She began to work with top circuit show jumpers and was soon travelling throughout the United States to major horse shows. When her son Devin was born in 2001, Michelle wanted to leave travelling behind and she checked in at Woodbine racetrack where she got her first job with Thoroughbreds.

Michelle has worked for Hall of Fame trainer Robert Tiller for almost 10 years and she is the groom of Pink Lloyd, the 2017 Horse of the Year, a six-time Sovereign Award winner. Michelle, who likes to have lots of time to get her horses ready and is at the barn at 3:30 a.m. each morning, believes her strengths as a groom come from her meticulous work habits and ability to multi-task. Humbled by receiving the Sovereign Award, Michelle is grateful that she gets to work at what she loves. “The horses are my therapy, they keep me sound and they keep me sane.”

Champion Older Main Track Male: SKYWIRE
Trainer: Mark E. Casse
Owner: Gary Barber and Lucio Tucci
Breeder: William D. Graham
B. G. 5, by Afleet Alex – Meandering Stream (Gone West)
2020: 8 Starts – 2 wins – 2 seconds – 0 thirds – $321,980
Winner: Autumn S. (G2), Eclipse S. (G2)

Skywire (116), Pink Lloyd (94), Mr. Ritz (24)

Champion Older Main Track Female: SOUPER ESCAPE
Trainer: Michael J. Trombetta
Owner: Live Oak Plantation
Breeder: Live Oak Stud
Dk. b or b F. 4, by Medaglia d'Oro – Cry and Catch Me (Street Cry*Ire)
2020: 7 Starts – 2 wins – 2 seconds – 1 third – $200,950
Winner: Seaway S. (G3), Trillium S. (G3)

Souper Escape (142), Painting (52), Summer Sunday (32)

Champion Three-Year-Old Male: MIGHTY HEART
Trainer: Josie Carroll
Owner: Lawrence Cordes
Breeder: Lawrence Cordes
B. C. 3, by Dramedy – Emma's Bullseye (City Place)
2020: 8 Starts – 3 wins – 0 seconds – 1 third – $922,870
Winner: Prince of Wales S., Queen's Plate, MSW

Mighty Heart (149), Belichick (78), Shirl's Speight (31)

 Champion Three-Year-Old Female: CURLIN'S VOYAGE
Trainer: Josie Carroll
Owner: Hill 'n' Dale Equine Holdings, Inc. (J. G. Sikura) and Windsor Boys Racing
Breeder: Hill 'n' Dale Equine Holdings, Inc.
F. 3, by Curlin – Atlantic Voyage (Stormy Atlantic)

2020: 6 Starts – 2 wins – 1 second – 1 third – $447,000
Winner: Fury S., Woodbine Oaks 

Curlin's Voyage (83), Merveilleux (76), Artie's Princess (72)

Outstanding Apprentice Jockey: MAURICIO MALVAEZ
Starts 191; Wins 16; Seconds 27; Thirds 16
Earnings $210,888; Stakes Wins 1

Born in Edmonton, Alberta, Mauricio Malvaez grew up spending time working with racehorses. Mauricio began his career as a jockey in 2019 and completed his first full season as an apprentice in 2020 quickly making an impression. However, it was his superb front-running ride on Real Grace, trained by Shelley Brown, to win the Grade 3 Canadian Derby, for owners Shelley Brown, Jean McEwan, Bette Holtman and Bernell B. Rhone that put Mauricio's name in the headlines. Mauricio's 16 wins led all apprentice riders in Canada in 2020.

Mauricio Malvaez (154), Nikki Alderson (60), Edgar Zenteno (59) 

 Outstanding Jockey: RAFAEL HERNANDEZ
Starts 637; Wins 129; Seconds 99; Thirds 77
Earnings $5,463,126; Stakes Wins 17

Born in Puerto Rico, Rafael won a meet-leading 17 stakes races among his 129 wins in Canada earning himself the riders title at Woodbine for 2020. He held a steady 20% win average throughout the meet. Rafael's biggest win came in the Grade 1 E. P. Taylor Stakes when he guided Etoile (Fr), trained by Chad Brown, to preserve victory in the $600,000 race winning by a neck. Rafael's other achievements include three graded stakes wins aboard champion Pink Lloyd and Skywire, winner of the Grade 2 Autumn Stakes, Grade 2 Eclipse Stakes.

Rafael Hernandez (145), Justin Stein (82), Patrick Husbands (13)

Outstanding Trainer: MARK CASSE
Starts 482; Wins 93; Seconds 86; Thirds: 51

Earnings $5,385,935; Stakes Wins 17

In 2020, Mark's trainees won 93 races from 482 starts, 17 of which were stakes races. His starters earned over $5.3 million in purses. Those numbers all exceeded his 2019 totals despite a shortened 2020 season at Woodbine. Leading the charge of stakes winners in Canada for Mark was Grade 1 Summer Stakes winner Gretzky the Great, two-time graded stakes winner Skywire, and Not So Quiet, a two-time stakes winner. Mark had several other juvenile stakes winners on his roster in 2020 including Cup & Saucer Stakes winner Master Spy and Grade 3 Display Stakes winner Helium.

Mark Casse (120), Josie Carroll (100), Kevin Attard (50)

Champion Male Sprinter: PINK LLOYD
Trainer: Robert P. Tiller
Owner: Entourage Stable
Breeder: John Carey
Ch. G. 8, by Old Forester – Gladiator Queen (Great Gladiator)
2020: 5 Starts – 4 wins – 0 seconds – 1 third – $357,600
Winner: Vigil S. (G3), Bold Venture S. (G3), Shepperton S., Jacques Cartier S. (G3)

Pink Lloyd (142), Silent Poet (95), Not So Quiet (35)

Champion Female Sprinter: ARTIE'S PRINCESS
Trainer: Wesley Ward
Owner: Kenneth L. and Sarah K. Ramsey
Breeder: Kenneth L. and Sarah K. Ramsey
B. F. 3, by We Miss Artie – Stormkeeper (Stormy Atlantic)
2020: 4 Starts – 3 wins – 0 seconds – 0 thirds – $260,220
Winner: Bessarabian S. (G2), Ruling Angel S., ALW

Artie's Princess (133), Lady Grace (45), Boardroom (38)

Special Sovereign Award: SAM-SON FARM
Sam-Son Farm, a Canadian thoroughbred breeding and racing operation, was founded in 1972 by Ernie and Liza Samuel. The red and gold colours of Sam-Son Farm enjoyed their first of five Queen's Plate victories in 1988 with Regal Intention.

Sam-Son also bred and raced nine Woodbine Oaks heroines starting with Classy 'n' Smart in 1984. The brilliant Dance Smartly, a daughter of Classy 'n' Smart, became the 1991 Canadian triple crown winner. Following this incredible feat, Dance Smartly went on to win the Breeders' Cup Distaff at Churchill Downs becoming the first Canadian-bred to win a Breeders Cup race.  Sam-Son's beloved Dance Smartly continued her legacy in the breeding shed producing Queen's Plate winners Dancethruthedawn and Scatter the Gold.

In 1991 after which Sam-Son's horses established a world record earning more than $6.8 million in purses, Ernie was presented the Man of the Year award by The Jockey Club of Canada. This honour affirmed Ernie's greatest joy and that of his family, their cherished broodmares and their breeding program.

After Ernie passed away in 2000 Sam-Son was managed by his daughter Tammy Samuel-Balaz until her own passing in 2008. Today the farm's breeding and racing operation is overseen by farm manager David Whitford and racing manager Tom Zwiesler under the leadership of Mark Samuel (CEO), Kim Samuel and Rick Balaz (President).

Celebrating almost 50 years in the thoroughbred breeding and racing business, Sam-Son has been the recipient of an impressive four Eclipse awards, 13 Hall of Fame Awards and 84 Sovereign Awards. Since its inception Sam-Son has bred and raced 44 Graded Stakes winners including 37 Classic winners and 14 Grade 1 winners.

Outstanding Breeder: TALL OAKS FARM
Starters 44; Winners 19
Earnings $2,231,813
Starts 206; Wins 28; Seconds 26; Thirds 25

Ivan Dalos and his Tall Oaks Farm was once again prominent on the leading breeders list in Canada and the United States. Channel Maker, a son of English Channel out of Ivan's 2018 Outstanding Broodmare In Return, had another stellar racing campaign in 2020. Winning the Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Stakes, the Grade 1 Sword Dancer Stakes and finishing third in the Grade 2 Bowling Green Stakes and the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Turf at Keeneland earning the gelding the 2020 Eclipse Award for Champion Turf Male. Dalos bred and raced stakes winner Court Return, winner of the Eternal Search Stakes, second in the Grade 1 E. P. Taylor Stakes and third in the Grade 2 Canadian Stakes as well as, graded stakes placed Avie's Samurai and Avie's Flatter. Tall Oaks led Canadian breeders in earnings with over $2.2 million in purses.

Tall Oaks Farm (103), Sam-Son Farm (93), Anderson Farms Ont. Inc. (48)

 Outstanding Broodmare: DANCEFORTHECAUSE
M. 2011 by Giant's Causeway – Dancethruthestorm (Thunder Gulch)
3 Foals, 2 Starters, 2 Winners, 2 Graded Black-Type Winners
Progeny Earnings $760,518

A granddaughter of the great Dance Smartly, Danceforthecause bred by Sam-Son Farm never made it to the races but she is off to a spectacular start in her broodmare career. The daughter of Kentucky Derby winner Thunder Gulch has had two starters and both are graded stakes winners. Rideforthecause winner of the Grade 2 Canadian Stakes and Say the Word who won the Grade 1 Northern Dancer Stakes at Woodbine and finished third in the Grade 2 Hollywood Turf Cup at Del Mar and the Grade 3 Singspiel Stakes. The mare is now owned by Gainesway Farm. She was purchased by Gainesway at the 2021 Keeneland January sale. Danceforthecause has 2019 foal by Distorted Humor and a 2020 foal by Street Sense.

 

Danceforthecause (75), Include Katherine (62), Count to Three (59)

Champion Two-Year-Old Male: GRETZKY THE GREAT
Trainer: Mark E. Casse
Owner: Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Gary Barber
Breeder: Anderson Farms Ont. Inc.
B. C. 2, by Nyquist – Pearl Turn (Bernardini)
2020: 5 Starts – 3 wins – 1 second – 0 thirds – $354,400
Winner: Summer S. (G1), Soaring Free S., MSW

Gretzky the Great (152), Ready to Repeat (46), Stephen (27), Master Spy (27)

Champion Two-Year-Old Female: LADY SPEIGHTSPEARE
Trainer: Roger L. Attfield
Owner: Charles E. Fipke
Breeder: Charles E. Fipke
Ch. F. 2, by Speightstown – Lady Shakespeare (Theatrical*Ire)
2020: 2 Starts – 2 wins – 0 seconds – 0 thirds – $146,394
Winner: Natalma S. (G1), MSW

Lady Speightspeare (148), Dreaming of Drew (54), Alda (39)

Champion Male Turf Horse: SAY THE WORD
Trainer: D'Amato Philip
Owner: Agave Racing Stable and Sam-Son Farm
Breeder: Sam-Son Farm
Dk. b. or b. G. 5, by More Than Ready – Danceforthecause (Giant's Causeway)
2020: 7 Starts – 2 wins – 0 seconds – 2 thirds – $298,490
Winner: Northern Dancer S. (G1), ALW/OC

Say the Word (111), Silent Poet (79), Count Again (74)

Champion Female Turf Horse: THEODORA B.
Trainer: Michael W. Dickinson
Owner: Augustin Stable
Breeder: Augustin Stables
Dk. b. or b. M. 5, by Ghostzapper – Dyna Waltz*GB (Dynaformer)
2020: 6 Starts – 3 wins – 0 seconds – 0 thirds – $455,940
Winner: TVG S., Dance Smartly S. (G2), ALW/OC

Theodora B. (90), Rideforthecause (88), Elizabeth Way (47)

Outstanding Owner: LIVE OAK PLANTATION
Starts 47; Wins 14; Seconds 9; Thirds 4
Earnings $1,146,408; Stakes Wins 5

Charlotte Weber's Live Oak Plantation and Stud, in Florida, has produced and raced top racehorses since the early 1990s. Charlotte's horses, trained by Mark Casse and Michael Trombetta, closed the season with purse earnings of over $1.1 million placing her third on the leading owners list. The Live Oak stars of 2020 include Souper Escape, a multiple graded stakes winner with victories in the Grade 3 Seaway Stakes and Grade 3 Trillium Stakes. The farm also campaigned the Grade 2 King Edward Stakes winner March to the Arch, the Grade 3 Durham Cup Stakes winner Salute With Honor and 2-year-old filly Souper Sensational, who won the Glorious Song Stakes. 

Live Oak Plantation (124), Sam-Son Farm (51), Gary Barber (35)

Horse of The Year: MIGHTY HEART
Trainer: Josie Carroll
Owner: Lawrence Cordes
Breeder: Lawrence Cordes
B. C. 3, by Dramedy – Emma's Bullseye (City Place)
2020: 8 Starts – 3 wins – 0 seconds – 1 third – $922,870
Winner: Prince of Wales S., Queen's Plate, MSW

Mighty Heart (95), Pink Lloyd (78), Silent Poet (30)

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‘It’s Okay To Dream Big’: Trainer Breeda Hayes Waiting For That Day

Breeda Hayes hopes the time will come, the moment when she allows herself to dream big.

These days, the longtime Woodbine-based trainer is walking the line between optimism and pragmatism, hopeful of what could be in her future, but mindful of the journey that's needed to take her there.

“It's okay to allow yourself to dream,” said the Irish-born Hayes. “But I don't think I'll do that quite yet. There is still a lot of time between now and then.”

“Then,” in this instance, is Aug. 22, the date of this year's $1 million Queen's Plate at Woodbine Racecourse.

Hayes has a pair of promising hopefuls in the form of Credit River and Go Take Charge, both bred and owned by Garland Williamson (Hillsbrook Farms), each listed at 25-1 in the Queen's Plate Winterbook.

But that's where the similarities between the 3-year-olds end.

Credit River is by More Than Ready and out of Wonder Where Stakes winner Like a Gem, the dam of the Grade 1 winning millionaire turfer Hard Not to Like.

The initial plan was for Credit River to run in a maiden race last year at Woodbine. When the race didn't fill, the connections decided to roll the dice and enter the rookie in the Ontario Racing Stakes.

Stepping into the starting gate at odds of 41-1, Credit River and jockey Emma-Jayne Wilson got away last in the 5-furlong Inner Turf Course race.

For a time, it looked as though that's where they'd stay.

As the field turned for home, Wilson swung Credit River to the outside in an attempt to rouse the first-time starter into action.

The move quickly paid off.

Credit River and Wilson methodically picked off their rivals one by one down the lane, culminating in a three-quarters of a length score in a final time of :57.06 over firm turf.

Jockey Emma-Jayne Wilson guides Hillsbrook Farms Credit River to victory in the $135,000 Ontario Racing Stakes for trainer Breeda Hayes.

“This horse comes by his talent honestly,” said Wilson. “You can see it in the form; his mom [Like a Gem] was a multiple stakes winner that I used to ride here, and one of his siblings [half sister Hard Not to Like] was a grade 1 winner. So to see him flourish on the turf is no surprise.”

Credit River's milestone moment was also one for a surprised Hayes, who celebrated her first career stakes win.

“The maiden race didn't go, but he went and ran his eyeballs out. He showed up, or I should say, unexpectedly showed up. It was a fantastic run. Emma gave him what he wanted. Once he switched leads at the top of the lane, and Emma roused him, it was as though he said, 'Okay, my dear, let's go.' She was so happy with him. She rode his mother and she was the same kind of horse. Once she switched her to the outside, it was a different horse. It seems both of them love to run on the outside.”

Credit River closed out his 2-year-old campaign with a fifth-place finish in the Cup & Saucer Stakes on October 10.

His stablemate Go Take Charge is by Will Take Charge out of Go Go Neigh.

The colt was seventh in his career bow on November 1, an eventful debut that saw him break inward at the start before hanging late in the 1 mile and 70-yard main track race.

There was less drama and more encouraging signs in Go Take Charge's second start on November 20.

Under Sahin Civaci, he was fifth, rolling late in the 1 1/16-mile main track race, the final race of his 2-year-old campaign.

Go Take Charge and Credit River are back in Hayes' Barn No. ?? on the Woodbine backstretch, training towards their respective 3-year-old debuts.

Hayes' focus will be on the short term for both.

“We have take things day-by-day. We're progressing with them. Credit River went away to [fellow trainer] Graham Motion for the winter, at Palm Meadows, and came back to me about two weeks ago. He had worked a handful or so of times. He's back to me and we're going forward with him. It was great to see him again.

“Go Take Charge is a maiden, but two turns is stamped all over him, being a half brother to Camp Creek [a stakes-winning son of Dunkirk, bred and owned by Williamson]. He's a lovely individual. He was gelded over the winter, which he needed to get his mind on the job. I thought he ran a credible race in his last race of the 2020. I'm looking forward to seeing him run, hopefully, we can get a maiden allowance at 7/8ths for him, and we can go from there. Really, it's great to have two very nice horses in my barn. Hopefully, it's a big year for both of them.”

Two horses with two very different personalities, noted Hayes.

“They're definitely opposites. They have different characters, for sure. Credit River is the more aggressive one. He'd be the underdog, the little man coming into the ring with big ideas, whereas the other lad is a big fella coming in with big ideas.”

As for Hayes, she's a trainer with big hopes and a detailed Queen's Plate plan.

She's looking forward to the challenge of seeing Hillsbrook silks, times two, represented in Canada's most historic horse race.

“I'm very grateful to Mr. Williamson for entrusting me with his horses. He breeds good horses. He invests a lot of money into the game and I say kudos to him for doing that. It would be wonderful to see his contributions to our sport showcased on Queen's Plate Day.”

Until that Sunday in August comes, Hayes will have plenty on her plate, inside and outside of the racetrack.

Every day, along with her husband, John Hayes, she works until the cows come home.

Quite literally.

The couple's “paradise” is the last farm north of Highway 7 on Major Mackenzie Drive, about a 25-minute drive from Woodbine.

“Johnny, I couldn't do any of what I do without him. He's at the racetrack early every morning, helping me. What he does is invaluable. We run a cattle farm – there are about 60 beef cattle – where we live, so we're busy. We also have a few broodmares with us here. There are plenty of farm animals around and it gives you a different perspective on the racing game. There's a lot to be said for the farm life. Both of us are busy people, and that's the way we like it. There's always something going on and you just roll with it.”

It also happens to be the blueprint Hayes employs with her up-and-coming pair of Queen's Plate hopefuls.

“Fingers crossed we can get there. Of course you dream about it becoming a reality. For now, there's work to be done and that's what I'll focus on.”

And at some point, she hopes to let her thoughts go elsewhere.

“It's okay to dream big. The great thing about this game is that's what it allows you to do.”

This story was originally published at ontarioracing.com, and is reposted here with permission.

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