Tag: People

Kazushi Kimura earned his second consecutive Woodbine jockey crown with 152 wins at the meet, which concluded Sunday while his mounts earned combined purses of US$6,786,062.

Born in Hokkaido, Kimura joined the Woodbine jockey colony as a 19-year-old apprentice in 2018 and made a strong first impression. He finished his first Woodbine campaign sixth in the standings with 89 wins and his mounts totaled more than $2.3 million in earnings. His first victory came aboard 70-1 longshot Tornado Cat, and his first stakes win came aboard Speedy Soul in the Muskoka. The Eclipse Award winner as North America's outstanding apprentice, Kimura also won the Sovereign Award equivalent in both 2018 and 2019. He won the 2021 Sovereign as Canada's outstanding rider.

This year, Kimura won 15 stakes, six of them graded, at the Toronto oval, including the Grade 1 E.P. Taylor with Rougir, the Grade 2 King Edward aboard Filo Di Arianna, the Grade 3 Dominion Day with Frosted Over, and the Cup and Saucer with Philip My Dear.

Rafael Hernandez, who finished second with 122 wins, led the way with 17 stakes victories, including the Queen's Plate (now known as the King's Plate) with Kevin Attard trainee Moira.

Mark Casse topped the trainer leaderboard for the 14th time courtesy of 119 wins and more than $7.4 million in purse earnings.

Casse recorded 22 Woodbine stakes victories, 13 of them graded. A lifetime winner of over 3,400 races, the dual Hall of Fame member took the Breeders' Stakes, third jewel in the Canadian Triple Crown Series, with Sir for Sure. His graded scores included the Grade 2 King Edward and Connaught Cup with Filo Di Arianna, and three with Who's the Star (Grade 2 Autumn, Grade 3 Valedictory, Grade 3 Durham Cup), who also won the Niagara.

Al and Bill Ulwelling were the leading money-winning owner of the meet for the first time with more than $1.2 million in purses. Bruno Schickedanz led all owners with 45 wins.

Epilogue and Who's the Star led all horses with five wins each at the meet.

The post Kimura Takes Woodbine Jockey Title, Casse Tops Trainer Standings appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Jockey Luis Saez has been heating up in advance the Championship Meet that gets underway Dec. 26, having ridden 13 winners on the last four programs at Gulfstream Park.

The defending Championship Meet titlist rode four winners on Sunday's 10-race card, after winning three races Saturday, three races Friday and two races Thursday.

Saez rode Oaxaca ($12.20) to victory in Sunday's Race 3, before winning the last four races on the card with Alpha Bella ($4) in Race 7, Battle Cry ($4.40) in Race 8, Gangly ($9.20) in Race 9 and Erna ($4.40) in Race 10.

The post Gulfstream’s Defending Championship Meet Titlist Saez Wins Five Races Sunday appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Apprentice jockey Madison Olver, who launched her career on November 12 at Aqueduct Racetrack, earned her first victory in her 16th attempt aboard Curbstone for trainer Tom Morley in Friday's sixth race, a $40,000 claiming event, at the Big A.

“I don't think I would have been happier to win the Kentucky Derby right now,” an emotional Olver said after being doused with water by her fellow celebrating jockeys. “It's the best kind of cold.”

Curbstone, a 3-year-old homebred for owner Patricia Moseley, scored the second win of his career after breaking his maiden in May at Churchill Downs. The son of Street Sense was sent to post at 12-1 odds under Olver for the first time and stalked in fourth through the first half-mile of the nine-furlong test before coming under a ride from Olver.

Curbstone went three-wide and began to pick off his rivals passing the three-quarters pole, and by the stretch call, had taken a 5 1/2-length advantage on the field. Olver continued steady urging and Curbstone responded, coasting home six lengths in front in a final time of 1:52.82.

“A good horse makes me look good,” said Olver, who was greeted by a large crowd of cheering fans upon her return to the winner's circle. “He is just honest and I knew he didn't want kickback, so I took him out where there wasn't any. He'll just keep going and he's a good kid.”

Olver's win came after hitting the board in seven other races, including five runner-up efforts, one of which happened earlier on the Friday card aboard B C Glory Days. Olver, 23, is represented by agent Joe Migliore and is named on four horses on Thursday's card at the Big A.

The post Apprentine Jockey Olver Notches First Career Win At Aqueduct appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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With more than 1,230 victories and four jockey championships to his name, longtime Hong Kong stalwart Joao Moreira bid farewell to Hong Kong racing Sunday during the International Races at Sha Tin.

A 39-year-old native of Brazil who has been riding in Hong Kong since 2013, Moreira has an irreversible hip injury and has been undergoing treatment. He is hoping to launch a farewell tour to compete in top races in Europe, Australia, and elsewhere before the injury ultimately forces his retirement.

“I have been suffering from left hip pain which is due to a condition called labral tear, from injury and stress,” Moreira said in statement in late September. “After consulting experts in the field, I have decided to repeat platelet-rich-plasma (PRP) treatment which I have had once before in 2020. I will be having a certain period of rest, rehabilitation, and physiotherapy after the PRP injection.”

Hong Kong Jockey Club Chief Executive Officer Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges and Executive Director Racing Andrew Harding presented a silver dish and a souvenir to Moreira in the parade ring of the Sha Tin before Sunday's first race in recognition of his incredible achievement in Hong Kong. Moreira has set a slew of records, including the most wins in a season with 170 and most wins at a single Hong Kong meeting of eight wins set March 5, 2017.

“Hong Kong has contributed to my life so positively, but I'm dealing with some physical and personal problems,” Moreira told racenet.com. “Unfortunately, some changes had to be made and that includes me not being based in Hong Kong anymore.

“I took this opportunity to set up a farewell and express a little bit of love not only to those people who helped me out, but also to the club, the public, and everyone else who has contributed to my success in Hong Kong.”

The post Four-Time Champion Jockey Moreira Bids Farewell To Hong Kong Racing appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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