Canadian Hall Of Fame Jockey Gary Boulanger Announces Retirement

Edited Press Release

Jockey Gary Boulanger, whose numerous career highlights include a Queen's Plate victory, has decided to call it a career.

“It's the right time,” Boulanger, 55, told Woodbine Communications. “I don't feel I have anything left to prove. I am so grateful to all the trainers, owners and my fellow riders for their support. Just like anyone who rides horses, there are many ups and downs, but you always find a way to persevere.”

A 2020 Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame inductee, the native of Alberta enjoyed great success over a career that included devastating injuries. He overcame back problems, which required extensive surgery in the late 1990s, and came back from an eight-year absence precipitated by a spill at Gulfstream, which led to life-threatening injuries, in 2005.

No one believed he'd ever ride again, including Boulanger.

But after breezing horses for champion trainer Mark Casse, he rode his first race in eight years at Tampa Bay Downs in 2013. His first victory after the accident came on a Casse horse.

With a return to the saddle came a new perspective on the sport.

“I felt more in-tune with the horses, having more of a connection with them than I ever had. And it was a great feeling.”

As was the feeling Boulanger got when he would bring a horse back to the winner's circle.

His two biggest highlights came at Woodbine.

Moving his tack to the Toronto oval in June 2000, Boulanger partnered Dancethruthedawn (Mr. Prospector) to victory in the 2001 Queen's Plate and Woodbine Oaks.

In 2017, Boulanger received the Avelino Gomez Memorial Award.

Boulanger, whose son Brandon also rides, retires with 3,685 career victories and $83,543,336 in purse earnings.

“I'm not quite sure what is next, but I love the horses, the horse people and the sport,” said Boulanger, who also has a three-year-old son Cristian with wife Jennifer Petricca. “I would like to stay connected to racing, so we'll see what happens. For now, I want to spend time with my family and reflect on how lucky I was to be a jockey. To everyone who supported me… I can't thank you enough.”

The post Canadian Hall Of Fame Jockey Gary Boulanger Announces Retirement appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Woodbine’s Five Furlongs With Gary Boulanger: That Time Clint Eastwood Called

Born in Edmonton, Alberta, on November 19, 1967, Gary Boulanger began his riding career in Washington State and won three straight jockey titles at Longacres in Seattle, breaking Gary Stevens' meet record with 247 wins in 1991. He also netted two riding crowns at Calder Race Course in 1994 and 1995. Boulanger returned to Canada, specifically Woodbine, in June 2000 and won 78 races, six stakes and more than $4 million in purses. He has been associated with Sovereign Award champions including Dancethruthedawn, who won the Queen's Plate and Woodbine Oaks in 2001. Boulanger's career appeared to be over following a 2005 spill at Gulfstream but after a brief stint as a trainer he made a remarkable comeback after an eight-year absence. Boulanger was the recipient of the 2017 Avelino Gomez Memorial Award for contributions to racing on and off the track. His career totals show 3,655 wins for purses over $82 million (USD).

Who is your favourite actor and why?

“Clint Eastwood. I actually got to meet him when I won a race on a horse that was named after him. When he was the mayor of Carmel at the time, I was riding at Stockton, and I rode a horse named Eastwood. The sire of the horse was named Dirty Harry, and the owners had to get permission from Paramount to name the horse that. When they named the horse Eastwood, they had to get Clint's approval. And he gave it. The horse was an Appaloosa. The race was a Derby, and you had to qualify for it. I get this phone call in the jocks' room and the voice says, 'Are you riding a horse named Eastwood tomorrow?' I said that I was and the person says, 'Do you think you can win?' I told him that I liked the horse a lot and thought I had a good shot. 'Did you know the horse was named after me?' I thought it was a joke. I asked, 'Are you Clint Eastwood?' And he said that he was and wanted to know if he should come. I thought someone was punking me, but he ends up showing up at the track, coming to the jocks' room. So, I got to meet him, shake his hand and have a quick chat. The horse won, and he came to the winner's circle. I had always liked him as an actor, so it's cool to have that connection.”    

Design your own jockey silks.

“They would be blue with silver or black trim. The logo would be a circle, either a black or silver ball. Blue is my favourite colour.”

If you had to write a book about your life, what would it be called?

“I think I'd go with The Comeback Kid. I had to deal with a lot of ups and downs in my career, some life-threatening injuries and other serious ones too. So, I think that title would be appropriate.”

Most embarrassing moment as a jockey?

“I'm pretty hardcore, so it's tough to think of a particular moment. I used to be really shy, just talking to people was tough. I think if I was to look at something embarrassing, it would be learning about public speaking. When I first started doing well, I was in Seattle, and when I would do interviews, I'd turn red. I was really shy and not forward. That was my biggest embarrassment, that I was so nervous around people early on in my career. The Clerk of Scales in Seattle, his son worked for Boeing. He prepared CEOs for presentations. He told me that I had to get used to speaking in public, so I went to his house for a BBQ and met him. He gave me a simple exercise. He said to go to a stoplight, stop, look left, look right, and the first person I see, stare at them until they look at you, and when they look at you, don't turn away and smile. A big fear is when people look at you, that you turn away and break that eye contact. He said that when I can learn to do that, it can help you move on to the next step. And it did help me.”

How are your karaoke talents?

“I sing a lot of karaoke songs. I've sung some crazy ones. George Strait is my favourite artist and I Cross My Heart is my top song. As for my singing voice, I was always the one who didn't care about getting up there and singing first. [Former jockey] Shane Sellers is one of my best friends and he actually cut an album. He was hardcore karaoke… he had a whole sound system in his basement. He didn't do any voice training, but he has a good voice. The thing is, he never wanted to go up first for karaoke. So, I'd go up first. I broke the ice. I'd walk in there and just step up to the mic. Shane would go up there and sound like Pavarotti compared to me, so I'd like to get my songs out of the way first.”

The post Woodbine’s Five Furlongs With Gary Boulanger: That Time Clint Eastwood Called appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Broken Proposal Will Try To Deliver Sam-Son Seventh Princess Elizabeth Score

Broken Proposal, a two-year-old daughter of Broken Vow, goes for her first-added money crown in the $250,000 Princess Elizabeth Stakes, one of two (Grade 3 $150,000 Hendrie) features on Saturday's 10-race card at Woodbine.

Ten starters are slated to go postward in the 76th renewal of the Princess Elizabeth, a 1 1/16-mile main track race for Canadian-bred two-year-old fillies.

Trained by Stuart Simon, Broken Proposal, a Sam-Son Farm homebred, finished second in her career bow on October 1 at Woodbine in a one-mile race over the E.P. Taylor Turf Course.

Sent on her way at 15-1, the bay, under Gary Boulanger, had a less-than-ideal journey.

Despite a tough beginning and a traffic-filled ending, Broken Proposal managed to finish second 1 ¾-lengths behind the winner.

If Simon was hoping for his young charge to gain some needed experience in her debut, she most certainly did.

“She had a trip where she doesn't have a lot of speed, so I told Gary to just let her get her feet underneath her and get some experience of closing behind her horses,” said Simon. “And that's just what she did. She hesitated a little bit in the stretch, but that happens on the turf. I like to see them save ground and it teaches them a little something.”

Broken Proposal came out of the race in good order and has been training forwardly ahead of her spot in the Princess Elizabeth starting gate.

“She came out of the race well. She's one of those fillies where she was a little immature this summer, but each week now she just becomes a better filly. Mind and body, she's putting it all together. I think her turf form will transfer to the main track. She's worked well on the main track and I know she'll really get the distance. She'll run a long way, that filly. I think the two turns and the further distance will only help her.”

Should she win on Saturday, Broken Proposal would be the seventh Sam-Son silk bearer to have won the race that was inaugurated in 1946.

Sam-Son, who lead all owners with six Princess Elizabeth victories, won the 2000 edition with Dancethruthedawn. The Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame inductee went on to win the 2001 Queen's Plate and Woodbine Oaks, both with Boulanger aboard.

In 2018, Boulanger and Simon teamed with Bold Script to win the race. One year later, Simon won with Cool Shadows.

“It would be great to see Sam-Son get their seventh,” said Simon. “I have two, so I'm looking forward to going for the hat trick.”

Mark Casse has four chances to win. The dual Hall of Fame trainer is represented by Baksheesh, a daughter of Summer Front, who won the Muskoka Stakes in August, Lois Len, a stakes-placed daughter of Hunters Bay, Gary Barber homebred Into Touring, who will make her Canadian debut on Saturday, and Mo Touring, another Barber homebred, who will contest her third consecutive stakes event.

Princess Elizabeth-winning fillies Nipissing (2012), Roan Inish (2009), Ginger Gold (2001), Dancethruthedawn (2000), Deputy Jane West (1992) and Par Excellence (1979) all went on to win the Woodbine Oaks presented by Budweiser the following year. Ginger Gold holds the race record (1:43.48) at the current distance of 1 1/16 miles.

The Grade 3 Hendrie has drawn six hopefuls, including Amalfi Coast. The five-year-old daughter of Tapizar arrives at the 6 ½-furlong race for fillies & mares, three-year-olds and up, off a splendid score in the Grade 3 Ontario Fashion Stakes on October 3. Trained by Kevin Attard, the Terra Racing Stable homebred is 7-2-4 from 18 career starts. Attard is also represented by Toffen, a four-year-old daughter of Cairo Prince, who is 5-1-0 from nine starts.

The Princess Elizabeth is slated as race seven. The Hendrie goes as race three. First race post time is 12:55 p.m. Fans can also watch and wager on all the action via HPIbet.com or the Dark Horse Bets app.

$250,000 PRINCESS ELIZABETH STAKES

Post – Horse – Jockey – Trainer

1 – Broken Proposal – Gary Boulanger – Stuart Simon

2 – Mo Touring – Rafael Hernandez – Mark Casse

3 – Into Touring – Rafael Hernandez – Mark Casse

4 – Lois Len – Patrick Husbands – Mark Casse

5 – Souper Flashy – Antonio Gallardo – Kevin Attard

6 – Swinging Mandy – Emma-Jayne Wilson – Dale Desruisseaux

7 – Keep It Neat – Luis Contreras – Barbara Minshall

8 – Baksheesh – Kazushi Kimura – Mark Casse

9 – Moira – Justin Stein – Kevin Attard

10 – Intro – Daisuke Fukumoto – Michael De Paulo

$150,000 HENDRIE STAKES

Post – Horse – Jockey – Trainer

1 – Fiduciary (GB) – Luis Contreras – Josie Carroll

2 – Our Secret Agent – Kazushi Kimura – Mark Casse

3 – Betwixting – Patrick Husbands – Martin Drexler

4 – Toffen – Antonio Gallardo – Kevin Attard

5 – La Libertee (S) – Rafael Hernandez – Mark Casse

6 – Amalfi Coast – Justin Stein – Kevin Attard

The post Broken Proposal Will Try To Deliver Sam-Son Seventh Princess Elizabeth Score appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Four Canadian Bred Stakes Highlight Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society Card At Woodbine

Woodbine's Sunday card of racing spotlighted graduates of the Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society's sales vying for over $600,000 in purses across four stakes events at the Toronto, Ontario racetrack.

Rookies competed over 6 ½-furlongs on the main track in the $201,200 Simcoe Stakes for colts and geldings, and the filly companion $201,600 Muskoka Stakes. The $100,000 Elgin Stakes, for colts & geldings, and matching $100,000 Algoma for fillies, both over seven furlongs on the Tapeta, showcased 3-year-olds.

Lorena ($3.50), under Gary Boulanger, let a pair of her rivals do the early legwork before the dark bay put in a determined late bid to win the $100,000 Algoma Stakes.

The Souper Speedy-Negotiable filly posted her second career stakes victory and fourth score from five starts for trainer Stuart Simon, who co-owns with Brent and Russell McLellan, and Gerry Olguin.

It was sweet redemption for the connections of Lorena, who arrived at the seven-furlong main track event for 3-year-old fillies foaled in Canada off an eighth-place effort in the Woodbine Oaks presented by Budweiser on August 1.

That was the first defeat for the $50,000 CTHS (Ont. Division) 2019 Canadian-Bred Yearling Sale purchase, who won the Fury Stakes in July.

A change of tactics, a late burst of speed, and a game effort in the Algoma put Lorena back in the winner's circle.

“Stu and I discussed it and we worked her last breeze and when she settles she's really good, but she's such a good gate horse, she leaves there so hard I'm always a length, two lengths in front,” said Boulanger. “I knew probably the five-horse (Fourteen Days) was going, maybe the seven-horse (Raven Echo), so we didn't want to be caught where we're always the target, the first wave comes on, we shake them off and here comes the second wave and wears us out, so we committed to running her the way she worked and get her back off the pace and make that tactical run instead of being the target.”

After breaking sharply, Lorena was settled into third by Boulanger, as Owen's Tour Guide and Fourteen Days matched strides through an opening quarter in :23.24. Owen's Tour Guide took clear command through a half-mile timed in :45.84, and began to open up on her eight rivals around the turn for home.

Five lengths clear at the stretch call, Owen's Tour Guide soon found herself under pressure from the trio of Lorena, Jilli Marie, and Pemberley.

It was Lorena who emerged with the lead in deep stretch, going on to post a 1 ¼-length victory over Jilli Marie. Pemberley was a neck back in third, while Owen's Tour Guide held for fourth.

“She got a little rubbery, she didn't switch leads today, but she was running and I wasn't too concerned about it and felt like she was still underneath me and even the gallop out was still there,” said Boulanger. “She's a pretty gutsy filly, she gives you everything she has.”

The final time was 1:23.79.

“She's just a plain, nice filly and we had a lot of reservations about running in the Oaks and it's the same old thing hindsight always easy,” noted Simon. “It was a very condensed schedule, she wasn't a real seasoned horse and hindsight is always easy, but we made the right decision to cut back today. She will win going two turns, but it'll be later on.”

Owned by Carlo D'Amato and Stacey Van Camp, and trained by Mike Mattine, Secret Reserve ($3.20) was once again impressive, this time in taking the $100,000 Elgin Stakes.

It was the second straight score and third from four starts for the son of Giant Gizmo-Smart Suzie, who arrived at the seven-furlong main track event for 3-year-old colts & geldings foaled in Canada off an equally sharp victory. On July 24, in a six-panel trek over the Toronto oval Tapeta, Secret Reserve won by 4 ¼-lengths under Rafael Hernandez.

The duo duplicated that effort with another big showing in the Elgin.

Breaking from post one, the pair sat third in the early going, content to watch pacesetters Jelgo and Mason's Gamble scrap over the lead. The frontrunners took their five rivals through an opening quarter-mile in :23.12 and a half in :45.85.

As the field straightened for home, Hernandez directed Secret Reserve to the outside to take aim at the leaders.

Midway down the lane, Secret Reserve struck the front and then began to easily widen his advantage, going on to post a 3 ¾-length score in a time of 1:22.30. Mason's Gamble finished a length ahead of Jelgo for second, with Perfect Crime nabbing fourth.

“He was perfect,” praised Hernandez. “Mike told me, 'Rafi, just try to follow a horse get him relaxed' and we got two good horses to make the pace for us and then he just come running. He was working good. That last work, he was unbelievable, he felt super great and that's why we were thinking to go to the seven-eighths.”

Bred by Dr. Brian Van Arem, Secret Reserve won his debut last September at Woodbine, his one and only race as a 2-year-old. After opening up 2021 with a fifth-place performance, he now has made two consecutive trips to the winner's circle, including his first stakes crown.

“Last year he was really on the muscle and showed a lot of speed,” said Mattine. “So, this year, I decided to take the blinkers off and bring him along slowly and in his morning works he would always start off slow and finish up really good and gallop out strong. His last two races have been almost a replica.”

The dark bay was a $9,000 purchase at the 2019 CTHS (Ont. Division) Canadian-Bred Yearling Sale.

[Story Continues Below]

Baksheesh, making her first start for Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Gary Barber, rallied from well back in the field of 12 to score by a convincing four lengths in the $201,600 Muskoka Stakes, for 2-year-old fillies foaled in Canada.

“She didn't have speed at the beginning that's why I was very focused that if I have a chance to get out that's it and I did, ”said Kazushi Kimura, who was riding Baksheesh for the first time. “That was a pretty smooth trip. When I was at the three-eighths I was like 'She's going to win for sure', and she did.”

Thatsitthatsall, at 18-1, finished second after leading a furlong out. Proud Speaker ended third, another 2 ½-lengths back.

The final time for 6 ½-furlongs on the Tapeta was 1:17.91.

Baksheesh, purchased for $18,000 at the local select sale, had kicked off her career here this summer for trainer Ralph Biamonte with a pair of promising efforts, finishing third and then second and attracting the attention of potential buyers.

“I got quite excited after the last race when you get somebody like Mark Casse or Aron Wellman from Eclipse calling me that we're interested in your horse,“ said Biamonte. “It's kind of nerve-wracking when you train a horse for them, but it was good and now tomorrow she can go and live with them.

“She's really nice. She's good, we never expected her to be that good and she'll get better. She does everything right and I'm going to have a good time watching her now.”

Baksheesh picked up $120,000 for her success on Sunday, a nice return on investment for her new interests. The Summer Front filly paid $4.50 as the favorite.

Ironstone, who tipped his hand with a bullet four-furlong breeze in :46.20 last weekend, proved he is no morning glory as he drew off to a very impressive 8 ½-length victory in the $201,200 Simcoe Stakes, for 2-year-old colts & geldings foaled in Canada.

Breaking alertly, Ironstone made all the running through fractions of :22.98, :46.21 and 1:10.28 en route to a final clocking of 1:16.61 for 6 ½-furlongs on the main under regular rider Ademar Santos.

“We put a lot of work into the horse,” said Santos. “I knew the track wasn't playing to speed, but when I looked on the lead nobody wanted to go and so turning for home I had a ton of horse. He's just amazing.”

Ironstone was just the 24th career stakes starter for trainer Willie Armata with his lone previous victory coming with Bold Corky here in the 2008 Classy 'n Smart.

“It feels unbelievable. It's been a long time (since visiting the infield winner's circle),” said Armata. “I remember telling (WEG racing analyst and on-air personality Jason Portuondo), 'So far in my career this is one of the best horses I've ever trained' and he showed that today.”

Where's Neal, a half-brother to Saturday's beaten Bison City Stakes favorite Miss Speedy, was prominent throughout and ended second in a promising debut.

Chairman Bob, the only winner in a field of 11 which included five first-time starters, rallied on the rail but flattened out to finish third as the very slight 2-1 choice.

Ironstone, a colt by Mr Speaker, had finished second in his 4 ½-furlong opener but then faltered to fifth when traveling 5 ½-furlongs. Sunday's start was his first since joining the Lasix program.

Knocked down for $7,000 at the local select sale, Ironstone picked up $120,000 for his Simcoe success and returned $6.20 after attracting late support.

This year's Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society's Premier Yearling Sale will be held on Wednesday, September 1, at 12 noon (ET) in the Woodbine Sales Pavilion.

The post Four Canadian Bred Stakes Highlight Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society Card At Woodbine appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Verified by MonsterInsights