Lemaire, a five-time champion jockey in Japan, said, “I think it has been 10 years since I last had a ride at Ascot. I have had a month off and there is no better place to get back in the saddle than here. Every time you race here, there is an excitement because you know it is an important occasion–you are competing against the best horses and the best jockeys in front of a great atmosphere.

“I am really looking forward to the Shergar Cup. We have a strong team made up of experience, with myself and Kerrin, and then the two young guns in Jason and Takeshi. I think it will be a nice combination as we try to win the title, and Kerrin's experience will be very important. He is a top-class jockey and has enjoyed a lot of success in England.”

Formerly Godolphin's number two rider back in the early 2000s, McEvoy is competing in his third Shergar Cup, and said, “It is exciting to be back. I haven't ridden here since 2019, when I did a little stint while William [Buick] was injured. This is a great part of the world to visit, let alone ride horses.”

New Zealander Jason Collett is competing in his first Shergar Cup, and was also experience Ascot Racecourse for the first time. The 31-year-old said, “This is my first time at Ascot and, I have to say, it is something else with the grandstand and everything. This place obviously has a bit of history, so it is pretty awesome to be here.”

Takeshi Yokoyama, who comes from a family of Group 1-winning jockeys, earned five Group 1 victories last year headed by Japanese Classic success on Efforia (Jpn) (Epiphaneia {Jpn}) and Titleholder (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}).

Yokoyama said via translator, “This is my first time at Ascot and my first time in the UK. I am really excited to be here and am appreciative of the invitation. Riding in the Shergar Cup will be a new experience for me. It is a big honour to represent Japan and hopefully I can learn a lot.”

Wilson, the most successful female jockey of all time in Canada, said, “I was supposed to come back for the Shergar Cup in 2020 but obviously the pandemic shut everything down. I think it must be five years since I last rode here, so it feels great to be back.

“I love this event and the novelty of it all. The international element is amazing and it is something you don't find unless you are in a competition like this. The team aspect creates a special camaraderie.”

The post Team Rest Of The World Looking Forward To Shergar Cup appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Two races later, in the Grade 3, $175,000 Tampa Bay Stakes for males on the turf, Wilson set Lady Speightspeare's stablemate Shirl's Speight loose in the stretch, and the 5-year-old horse responded by running down the race's defending champion, pace-setter Get Smokin, by a length-and-a-half.

“That's horse racing, in a nutshell,” Wilson said after 9-1 shot Shirl's Speight's victory for breeder-owner Charles Fipke and trainer Roger Attfield in 1:41.20 for the mile-and-a-sixteenth. “There are many ups and downs, and you've just got to ride the wave.

“When good horses come around, they'll show their stuff when the time is right.”

The two stakes races were the centerpiece of a spellbinding “Turf Champions Day” card under overcast skies that resulted in long-shots aplenty visiting the winner's circle (including Bleecker Street and Shirl's Speight, although their payoffs were minuscule in comparison to several others).

In the 23rd running of the Endeavour, the sixth race on the card, Wilson was sitting pretty on the lead on Lady Speightspeare at the eighth pole when unbeaten 4-year-old filly Bleecker Street – whose previous victory here on Jan. 8 came in a conditional allowance/optional claiming event – showed her stuff and then some, accelerating from mid-pack under jockey Hector Rafael Diaz, Jr., for a convincing length-and-a-half triumph.

The victory was the first graded-stakes triumph for the 32-year-old Diaz, who might feel like he's uncovered the key to buried treasure after trainer Chad Brown stuck with him following his three previous victories aboard Bleecker Street.

“She never gave me that turn of foot before,” Diaz said of today's performance by the Peter M. Brant-owned filly, now 4-for-4. “Not like that. Today was her best race, by far. The effort she put in was great. I have to thank God and Chad and his entire crew for this opportunity. They've done an amazing job with this filly. I knew she had to prove herself today against these kind of horses, but I was confident she could do it.

“I saw that green light in the stretch and she just took off, and the rest is history.”

The victory was the fourth in the Endeavour's 23-year history for Brown, more than any other conditioner. Bleecker Street posted a time of 1:41.91 on the firm turf course.

“She has won all four times coming off the pace, and being able to work out a trip like that every time is very difficult to do,” Brown said via telephone. “He (Diaz) has ridden her all four times, and I'm very proud of him.

“She had a good post (No. 2), the trip worked out real well and she showed a super turn of foot through the stretch. This filly took time to come around, and my whole staff has done an unbelievable job with her. And Mr. Brant is so patient. We scratched In Italian from the race this morning because we thought bringing her back inside a month was a little soon for her, and we didn't want to run them against each other.

“She (Bleecker Street) stepped up and it turned out to be the right call,” added Brown, who later won the Grade III Withers for 3-year-olds at Aqueduct with Early Voting.

Wilson was disappointed to get beat, but offered no excuses. “Chad's horses have a tendency of doing that to you,” Wilson said. ”I wouldn't give (Lady Speightspeare) any excuses. She had everything go as well as it could. We had a good run at it – we were just second-best.”

Stunning Princess finished third and Jezebel's Kitten was fourth. Bleecker Street paid $16 to win.

The way Get Smokin was sailing along under jockey Antonio Gallardo in the Tampa Bay Stakes, it appeared everyone was running for second at the top of the lane. The 5-year-old gelding hadn't been asked much approaching the stretch in his first start since June 20, but Wilson sensed she was sitting on a powder keg.

“I was interested to see how the pace was going to set up,” Wilson said of Shirl's Speight's performance. “Last time (a Jan. 15 victory here under Gallardo in an allowance/optional claiming race), he was a little keen, but today he settled off the pace nice and the way they kind of ran away from him early, I just wanted to make sure he relaxed and got into position where he was comfortable.”

Reserved near mid-pack, Shirl's Speight was asked for his best when Wilson tipped him out wide and kept to his task to record his second lifetime Grade 3 victory. Floriform finished third and English Bee was fourth.

“I had to thread the needle a little down the lane, but good horses will overcome adversity and he shot through there like he was shot out of a cannon,” Wilson said. “Roger is a Hall of Famer, and he knows how to have them primed and ready.”

Attfield, in fact, is a member of both the U.S. and Canadian Horse Racing Halls of Fame, a status shared by Get Smokin's trainer, Mark Casse.

“We've lost a lot to Roger. He's a wonderful guy and a class act, and good for him,” Casse said.

Attfield had both of his horses ready for top efforts and was thrilled to come away with a victory and a second.

“It (the Tampa Bay Stakes) was a beautiful race, no question,” he said. “I liked the way he did it today – I don't really want him to be speed all the time, but he's got a lot of speed. (Wilson) rode him very well. I definitely thought (Get Smokin) was the horse to beat.

“And our filly (Lady Speightspeare) ran very well for everything she has been through, so it's been a good day.”

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In a field of nine, Lady Speightspeare was away in second, with Our Secret Agent taking the lead in the race's early strides. With jockey Emma-Jayne Wilson in the saddle, Lady Speightspeare transitioned from the rail to the outside of Our Secret Agent as they approached the far turn, pulling even with the leader as they entered the stretch.

In the Woodbine straight, Lady Speightspeare showed an impressive turn-of-foot on the Tapeta, pulling clear by a length at the top of the stretch and then pulling away to win with ease. Our Secret Agent hung on for second and La Libertee was third.

The final time for the seven furlongs was 1:21.03. Find this race's chart here.

Lady Speightspeare paid $12.90, $5.70, and $3.90. Our Secret Agent paid $2.90 and $2.50. La Libertee paid $6.20.

Bred in Kentucky by owner Charles Fipke, Lady Speightspeare is by Speightstown out of the Theatrical (IRE) mare Lady Shakespeare. She is trained by Roger Attfield. With her win in the G2 Bessarabian, the 3-year-old filly has two wins in two starts in 2021 for a perfect lifetime record of four wins in four starts and career earnings of $264,779.

The post Lady Speightspeare Goes From Turf To Main Track To Take Bessarabian At Woodbine appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Slated to be run at 1 1/16 miles on the turf, the Rubicon Valley View will go as the ninth race on Friday afternoon's 10-race program with a 5:16 p.m. ET post time. First post Friday is 1 p.m.

Trained by Roger Attfield, Lady Speightspeare has won all three of her starts highlighted by a victory in last year's Grade 1 Natalma at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario. Emma-Jayne Wilson, who has been aboard for all of Lady Speightspeare's starts, will ride Friday and break from post 11.

The other graded stakes winner in the field is Lazy F Ranch's homebred Gam's Mission.

Trained by Cherie DeVaux, Gam's Mission returns to the races for the first time since finishing fifth in the Grade 3 Saratoga Oaks Invitational in August at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. Prior to that, Gam's Mission was fourth in the Grade 1 Belmont Oaks Invitational at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y., after winning the Grade 3 Regret at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky.

Adam Beschizza will have the mount Friday and break from post 14.

Six other grass stakes winners in the field are Godolphin's Adventuring (Dueling Grounds Oaks), BBN Racing's Core Values (Preview Dueling Grounds Derby), Peachtree Stable's Saranya (Curtis Sampson Oaks), G. Watts Humphrey Jr.'s Navratilova (Tepin), EuroLindy Syndicate's Queenship (IRE) (Navigation Stakes in Ireland) and Terry Hamilton, Gary Barber, and trainer Brian Lynch's three-time stakes winner Tobys Heart.

Also entered is Phoenix Thoroughbred III's Crazy Beautiful, a three-time graded stakes winner on dirt who won going a mile on the grass in her racing debut last year at 2 for trainer Kenny McPeek.

The field for the Rubicon Valley View, with riders and weights from the inside, is: Core Values (Rafael Bejarano, 118 pounds), Saranya (Joe Talamo, 118), Crazy Beautiful (Brian Hernandez Jr., 118), Tobys Heart (Joel Rosario, 118), Navratilova (Colby Hernandez, 118), Oliviaofthedesert (Corey Lanerie, 118), Adventuring (Florent Geroux, 118), Breaker of Chains (Tyler Gaffalione, 118), Arm Candy (Ricardo Santana Jr., 118), Oyster Box (James Graham, 118), Lady Speightspeare (Wilson, 118), Queenship (IRE) (Julien Leparoux, 118), Flown (Jose Ortiz, 118), Gam's Mission (Beschizza, 118). Also eligibles: Princess Theorem (Jose Ortiz, 118), Wait for Nairobi (Edgar Morales, 118).

The post Lady Speightspeare, Gam’s Mission Headline Friday’s Valley View appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Lady Speightspeare was 2-for-2 in 2020 and had punched her ticket to the Breeders' Cup with a victory in the Natalma (G1) at Woodbine. After being sidelined, she did not return to the races until Sept. 6, when she scored a front-running 2-length victory at Woodbine.

“I was hoping to be here in the spring and at Saratoga in the summer,” trainer Roger Attfield said. “She is fine now and ready to carry on with her life. Hopefully, she will have a nice, long career and this is the next step up.”

The next step up is Saturday's $500,000 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (G1) Presented by Dixiana going 1 1/8 miles on the grass, the surface on which Lady Speightspeare has made all of her starts.

Lady Speightsphere arrived at Keeneland from Woodbine Wednesday night and has trained on the main track the past two mornings with a visit to the starting gate being a part of Friday's activity. Ally Walker has been aboard both mornings.

Attfield trained Lady Speightspeare's dam, Lady Shakespeare, who won the Bewitch (G3) here in 2010 for Fipke and was fourth I the 2009 Queen Elizabeth Challenge Cup,

“They are similar in a number of ways,” Attfield said of mother and daughter. “They are both very sensible and good to work with and always feeling good.”

Emma-Jayne Wilson, who has been aboard for all of Lady Speightspeare's starts, will be aboard Saturday.

The post Unbeaten Lady Speightspeare Ready For ‘Next Step’ In Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Breaking from the first post, the 5-year-old daughter of Dansili was taken back early, setting in sixth a half-mile into the 1 1/16-mile stakes behind front runners Crystal Glacier and Juxtapose. On the far turn, Wilson angled the Casse trainee out, going three-wide as the field entered the stretch.

Down the center of the Woodbine straight, Art of Almost made her bid for the lead in the race's final furlong, hitting the wire a length and a quarter in front. Skygaze passed Juxtapose to grab second. Crystal Glacier, Saratoga Vision, and Afleet Katherine rounded out the order of finish.

The final time for the G3 Ontario Matron was 1:43.99. Find this race's chart here.

Art of Almost paid $19.80, $4.90, and $3.40. Skygaze paid $2.40 and $2.10. Juxtapose paid $4.90.

Bred in Kentucky by Fred Seitz, Dr. Ted Folkerth, J.R. Ward Stables, and Jon Kelly, Art of Almost is out of the First Defence mare Reimpose. Consigned by Brookdale Sales, the 5-year-old mare was purchased by owner D.J. Stables for $290,000 at the 2021 Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale. With her win in the Ontario Matron, Art of Almost has two wins in six starts in 2021, for a lifetime record of five wins in 25 starts and career earnings of $357,434.

The post Art of Almost Takes Ontario Matron At Woodbine appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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“One thing I really learned was just how important a rider was for that particular (Queen's Plate),” Serpe said of the Aug. 22 race that Safe Conduct won by a head over Riptide Rock on the Tapeta track to claim the first leg of the Canadian Triple Crown.

“Irad Ortiz was pivotal in getting that horse out of the one-hole… He's a big brute of a horse and if you watch the first 100 yards of that race, to me, that's where the race was won because he got that horse out of there and in position without having to use him.

“Taking that into consideration, we have a rider change to Emma-Jayne Wilson (for the Breeders' Stakes). She was going to ride him last year for us as a 2-year-old. The ball was actually in her court to ride him in the Queen's Plate. The horse had gotten sick and had a couple of bad starts… so I don't blame her for (choosing to ride Tidal Forces). In fact, she was one of the first people to text me after the horse won to congratulate me.

“We feel confident with her because the whole scenario changes. What we want now is just a nice, calm ride. She knows the turf course up there, it's her ballpark, so we're very happy to have her… I feel like he'll get the distance if he gets the right ride.”

Serpe's biggest concern is weather. Should it rain, it likely won't be Safe Conduct's game. The son of Bodemeister out of the Congrats mare Duchess Dancer wasn't a fan of soft going in his pre-Plate July 10 start in the Belmont Derby in which he finished 8th.

“The turf it had taken a lot of rain and he was just not getting through it,” Serpe said. “But we can't do anything about the weather… I actually think that grass is probably going to be his best surface, so I'm more confident about this surface than (the Tapeta).”

Serpe said Safe Conduct came out of the Queen's Plate in fine form and was back at his base in New York the next day.

“He is a big, strong horse and so he took that well. We just gave him a little breather, then brought him back down to Belmont. He had a terrific work the other day. We just blew him out a little bit (Tuesday, Sept. 28). We let him go about a half on the main track here in about :51. Really, just kind of let him go down the lane and gallop out strong. I think he went the last three-eighths in :38.2 and the last quarter in :24-and-change or something like that. He was stepping it up,” Serpe said.

The decision to skip the Prince of Wales — the second leg of the Canadian Triple Crown — was a tactical one, Serpe said.

“We would love, love, love to win the Canadian Triple Crown, but we weighed it out and we thought that we would rather have a fresh horse to run a mile-and-a-half, than to take a chance running him on the dirt and then he goes backwards and we're not even coming,” Serpe said. “The Triple Crown in Canada is on three surfaces and, to me, that's a lot harder, or can be a lot harder, than running at three different distances — and, of course, you are at three different distances anyway.”

Serpe said it was an honour to win the Queen's Plate, even though neither he nor the owner — WellSpring Stables' Dr. Robert Vukovich of Colts Neck, NJ — made the trip to Woodbine due to COVID-19 restrictions and pandemic concerns.

“We didn't even know if we were going to make it or have personnel there, so we had three different plans intact as far as the horse was concerned. Fortunately, it all worked out well. I'm very sorry that I couldn't be there, because it's such a prestigious race, but we had to make sure we had people in the right spots in case something went backwards,” Serpe said, adding the fact Safe Conduct won without him there is the reason he won't be coming for the Breeders' Stakes.

“I'm going to stay here because I'm slightly superstitious,” he said, laughing. “If he runs a third time (at Woodbine), then I'll be there… My partner and assistant of 25 years, Lisa Bartowsky will be up again.”

However, this time, Vukovich is expected to be at Woodbine. It was Vukovich who picked out Safe Conduct — bred by Ontario's Mitchell Kursner — from the 2018 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale and bought him for $45,000. Thanks to the $600,000 (Cdn – $467,952 U.S.) payday in the $1 million Queen's Plate, Safe Conduct now sports earnings of $603,202 (U.S.).

“I'm especially happy for (Vukovich) because he is a really, really good owner and a really good person,” Serpe said.

As for Serpe, the Plate proved to be a Godsend.

“We've had three or four pretty large outfits (in New York) where the trainer has retired,” Serpe said. “The pandemic put a lot of strain on people, including ourselves. Our purse earnings were down in 2020 about $800,000 from the year before. So, this money has helped immensely. For whatever reason, also, we've been going through a dry, dry, dry spell. Like, drier than the first year I was training horses… So, good things happened at the right time for us and we are grateful for that. The money went to good use, my employees.

“No new cars or boats or anything. The stable is our main focus.”

The post Serpe Believes Emma-Jayne Wilson The Key To Safe Conduct Winning Breeders’ Stakes appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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The Ontario Racing, for two-year-olds, and the Woodbine Cares, for two-year-old fillies, were each contested at five furlongs on the Inner Turf.

A chestnut son of Shackleford, Diamond City, trained by Mark Casse for D.J. Stable LLC, was the 4-5 choice in the Ontario Racing.

The Kentucky-bred settled just off the early pace before taking a narrow lead at the stretch call.

Diamond City, who came into the race off a pair of third-place finishes to launch his career, drew away in the late going to win by 1 ¾-lengths in a time of :57.68 over firm ground.

Bred by Canvasback Thoroughbreds, he paid $3.60 for the win.

Derrynane, sent on her way as the 8-5 choice, powered by the leaders in mid-stretch to record an impressive 2 ¾-length triumph for trainer Christophe Clement and owner-breeder Waterville Lake Stable.

The daughter of Quality Road was patiently handled by Rosario as Fulminate set the early tone, but Derrynane loomed a major threat as the field made the turn for home.

Once the bay filly struck front, it was simply a question of what the margin of victory would be.

The final time over firm going was :57.04. Derrynane returned $5.50.

It was the second win from three starts for the New York-bred, who won her debut this July at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

Former champion jockey Eurico Rosa da Silva, who was feted early as the recipient of this year's Avelino Gomez Memorial Award earlier in the afternoon, made the trophy presentation.

The post Diamond City Best In Ontario Racing Stakes, Derrynane Gets Woodbine Cares Win appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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The odds, 6-1 on the Woodbine infield toteboard, suggested Tidal Forces had a decent shot at winning the allowance optional claiming main track race this past Saturday at the Toronto oval.

Cox also figured he had a reasonable chance at taking the spoils.

“He ran so well in his first start [April 10, at Gulfstream] I really like him. Running that first race at Gulfstream, it's tough there. He ran so well and it was a very impressive effort.”

As was his encore at Woodbine.

At the end of the 8.5-furlong main track race, the 3-year-old son of Malibu Moon crossed the wire a half-length winner under Emma-Jayne Wilson.

Although Cox wasn't certain Tidal Forces, who was unraced at 2, could get up in time for the victory, Wilson had no doubt about the outcome.

“It impressed me that he settled so nicely. Emma said he had the measure of them the whole way. When they were turning for home and down the lane, I thought, 'Is he going to get there?' When I talked to Emma after the race, she said she knew they would. I thought, maybe, he wouldn't have enough speed for there, but I think he did. In hindsight, when you watch the replay, you could see that he did have the measure of them the whole time.”

While there are still key races to be run ahead of the Queen's Plate (August 22), the big picture has now come into sharper focus for Tidal Forces' connections.

Listed at 50-1 in the Queen's Plate Winterbook, the Ontario-bred has now stamped himself as a legitimate Plate contender.

Aside from his physical talents, Tidal Forces' demeanor has impressed Cox from day one.

“He's a pretty cool guy. He eats well and he's pretty easy to deal with. He walks over the paddock calmly. He's just very professional in everything he does. There are times when you see little signs of immaturity, losing focus a little bit, but I'm really happy with everything when it comes to him.”

Cox doesn't dial back that high praise even if Tidal Forces can be, at times, somewhat laid back.

“When you're walking out to the track with him, you'd almost think he's lazy. He kind of wanders out and wanders back. But when you turn around to gallop him, he's quite powerful. And that's just the type of horse you love to have, one who can turn the dial from laid-back to all business.”

Those aren't the only things that have stuck with Tidal Forces.

Although he no longer showcases a particular look, the sobriquet bestowed upon him has stayed.

“We call him 'Brutus,' said Cox with a laugh. “As a young horse, he had this huge neck, a big, fat, wide neck. As he's grown up, he's certainly lengthened out a bit and become much more refined. He's really quite beautiful.”

A horse that looks to be a bona fide Plate contender.

That said, Cox, in search of her first win in the $1 million classic, will endeavor to rein in her emotions as the road to the big day continues to intensify.

“I'm really happy we got to run him at Woodbine because he is going to need a couple of races now that we are planning towards running him in the Plate. He's got to get some experience. But after these two races, it makes you confident in taking the next step.”

The post Path To The Plate: ‘Very Professional’ Tidal Forces Showing All The Right Signs appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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“We always like to root for the horses who ship from here to run out of town,” Wilson said. “This year it's been far more rare, so we've been watching them a lot more closely. It's always fun to root for your home team.”

Wilson was glued to a television screen when trainer Gail Cox sent Sam-Son Farm's Say the Word to Saratoga in August, running the 5-year-old son of More Than Ready in a 1 3/16-mile allowance race on the grass.

“Junior Alvarado rode him and he came last to first with a wicked run,” Wilson recalled. “I was extremely impressed, and I mentioned to Gail that I liked the way he'd run and that I'd like to ride him.

“Woodbine only had five Grade 1's this year, and quite often we get a lot of ship-in horses, so the locals have to step up their game. I'm always on the lookout for serious horses, and I thought he'd be a tough horse.”

Wilson first rode Say the Word in the G3 Singspiel Stakes over 1 1/4 miles on the grass, beaten just 1 1/2 lengths overall to finish third.

“I got to know him a little bit; he's a little bit unique so I had to find that happy balance and get on the same page with him,” said Wilson. “It's like in hockey, if you take a left wing and place him on the right, it's going to take him a little bit of time to get used to that side.”

Cox and Wilson's end goal was to stretch the horse out to the 1 1/2 miles of the Grade 1 Northern Dancer Turf, held last Saturday, Oct. 17, and Say the Word responded brilliantly. Making his signature last-to-first move, Say the Word made a big run in the stretch to win by a length.

“Say the Word was definitely coming into his own this year,” Wilson said. “I'm grateful to have gotten the mount when I did.”

Say the Word and Emma-Jayne Wilson winning the Northern Dancer Turf Stakes

Of course, big race days don't feel quite the same this year without the presence of spectators at the Ontario oval.

“When I walk up on big race days at Woodbine, I enjoy that moment looking up at the grandstand and its totally full,” Wilson explained. “Normally on Queen's Plate day, you come on the gap at the seven-eighths pole and the grandstand is packed, just thousands and thousands of people, and you can feel each and every one of them, their energy.

“This year was bizarre. You can feel the energy of the horses, the jocks, the anxiety, but it wasn't the same. It didn't have the anticipation, that buzz of the crowd, and I definitely miss that. It's a big part of our game; the fans are massive and we wouldn't be there without them.”

Though Wilson has earned both an Eclipse Award and multiple Sovereign Awards for her riding career, last weekend's Northern Dancer Turf is just the third Grade 1 win added to her resume. The first came in 2015, also in the Northern Dancer Turf aboard Canadian champion Interpol. It took five years until she rode her second Grade 1 winner, Lady Speightspeare, victorious in last month's G1 Natalma Stakes.

“Lady Speightspeare is a pretty significant horse,” said Wilson. “I think you're going to be hearing her name quite a lot down the road.”

A Charles Fipke homebred out of his multiple graded stakes-winning mare Lady Shakespeare, the 2-year-old daughter of Speightstown won both her starts this year for trainer Roger Attfield. Lady Speightspeare earned an expenses-paid berth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf via her Natalma victory, but an ill-timed knee injury will keep her from making the trip to Keeneland.

“She's an athlete and a competitor, and she wasn't taking any prisoners (in the Natalma),” Wilson said. “It's disappointing that she's not able to go to the Breeders' Cup, because she was definitely one that I was willing to sit out races for, just to ride that one race; she is that good.”

Were Wilson to have made the Breeders' Cup trip with the filly, it would likely have cost her a total of 24 days away from Woodbine because of COVID-19 quarantine protocols. The jockey is currently tied for third in the standings with 72 victories this year, so her willingness to give up those days of riding indicate just how special she believes Lady Speightspeare could be.

What has made her two Grade 1 victories and strong 2020 season even more special, Wilson said, is the fact that she missed significant portions of the last two seasons with injuries.

“I'd been pretty lucky,” Wilson said. “I had a liver laceration in 2010 that kept me out of the saddle for three months, and it was serious, but physically I was okay. I didn't have any broken bones or anything, so I just had to maintain my physical fitness while being careful.”

In 2018, Wilson took a spill the morning before the meet started at Woodbine that resulted in the worst injuries of her career. She broke her humerus (upper arm) all the way through and required surgery with a 5 1/2-inch metal plate and nearly a dozen screws to put it back together.

“I wasn't expecting the challenges that came along with it,” Wilson admitted. “I was thinking it would take about six to eight weeks for the bone to heal, which was accurate, but then I remember trying to take my arm out of the sling and straighten it and I just couldn't.

“It was immobilized from the moment I hit the ground until a few weeks after surgery. After a trauma like that and then it gets seized up, it was disconcerting that my arm wasn't working the way I wanted it to. I wasn't prepared for the rehab; the muscle atrophy and loss of range of motion were just shocking.”

Four months after the injury Wilson was able to get back in the saddle, and she wound up winning 48 races at Woodbine in 2018.

Last year, her injury occurred on Sept. 8 in an afternoon spill. She fractured her left clavicle and three bones in her right hand, also requiring a surgical repair.

“The severity of those wasn't nearly as bad, but they're still injuries,” Wilson said. “I've learned over the years that I'm a professional athlete, and part of my job is knowing how to rehab. Most importantly, the rest days are just as important as the working ones.

“When I was a kid I was just, 'Go go go!', but you come to appreciate the days of healing. I made healing my job, and it was essentially eight weeks to the day that I was back in the saddle, so that was reassuring.

“I really have a great team behind me. My wife (equine chiropractor Laura Trotter) is just phenomenally supportive, and my personal trainer Matt Munro is a physiotherapist as well. When you have such a passion and a love for the sport like I do, it makes it easy to work harder and be ready to go as soon as you return.”

Wilson showed she was definitely ready to return, capping her 2019 season with 59 wins to finish sixth in the standings last year.

The jockey used to travel south in the winters to work the Fair Grounds meet, but that changed when she and Trotter started a family. Now, Wilson prefers to stay home with her 3-year-old twin daughters, Avery and Grace. She'll still fly to Florida a couple times a month as the weather starts to warm up, staying for the weekend to breeze a few horses for regular clients, then returning home to her family.

Until this spring, of course. The coronavirus pandemic put the entire Woodbine meet in jeopardy, so like the rest of her fellow jockeys based at the Ontario track, Wilson was grateful to be riding when the season started in June, about six weeks later than usual.

The hard-working 39-year-old has since turned the abbreviated meet into a successful one, making it one of her best years in the saddle yet. Wilson says she's far from finished, though.

“This game's been good to me, and I enjoy it every single day, every single leg up,” Wilson said. “I think I'll keep riding for as long as I'm healthy and happy. When you're winning races for great connections it's easy to have a love for the sport, and being in the winner's circle always helps you pull out of tough times, so there's no better reason to keep going.”

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