Woodbine horse people are always ready to go to bat for a good cause, especially when it's for one of their own.
Fellow jockeys, exercise riders, trainers, owners, grooms and several other members of the Woodbine horse racing community will come together on Monday, June 20, for the 'Backstretch Baseball Tournament' at Paul Coffey Park in Malton to raise money for jockey Sheena Ryan, who suffered serious injuries in a morning training accident in the backstretch in early May, injuries that required major surgery at Sunnybrook Hospital.
The event, which includes six teams playing in the tournament, a $5 BBQ lunch, free ice cream truck, DJ Fabulous, a silent auction, and a 50/50 draw, is open to the public. The first game is at 11:30 a.m. with the championship at 4:00 p.m.
“We'd love to see people come out to see the jockeys in a much different way than they're used to seeing them,” said jockey agent Neal Wilson. “We have a large picnic area and plenty of great things for families to enjoy. It's going to be a great day and we encourage everyone to come out and join in the fun.”
The Woodbine racing community has banded together to raise funds for the popular rider, who was getting back on horses after suffering a concussion last fall. A GoFundMe (www.gofundme.com/f/help-injured-exercise-rider-may-rivas-in-recovery) was organized by fellow jockey and close friend, Isabelle Wenc.
“She has a very long road to recovery, and I know times are tough for everyone, but any little donation would be greatly appreciated,” Wenc wrote on the GoFundMe page, which has brought in over $15,000 in donations to date.
Josie De Paulo, one of the organizers of the baseball tournament, and assistant trainer to her husband, Mike De Paulo, is grateful for the many who have stepped up to help Ryan.
“So many people have come together to help out Sheena. It's not surprising, but it's wonderful to see. This business has given us a great life and it's important to support each other. When Daren Gomez [Executive Director, Jockeys' Benefit Association of Canada] came to me, I had a lot of experience in helping to assist with these types of fundraisers. I had helped organize a fundraiser for Lanscott Fray, who was paralyzed after a morning training accident. So, when Daren came to talk with me, I was only too happy to help.”
Mike De Paulo, who has 926 career wins, reached out to several horsepeople to ask if they would support the cause.
All of them did.
“It's a competitive business, but it's a family back there,” he noted. “There are a lot of people you know and although Sheena didn't ride for us, she is part of that family. We have a bunch of TVs donated from people and one of my owners, Robert Marzilli, paid for an ice cream truck. It's been great to see everyone band together to want to help.”
Gomez, nephew of the late Hall of Fame rider Avelino Gomez, echoed De Paulo's thoughts.
“Well, simply put, we are a racing community and when someone gets hurt, we should help. I might also add, happy to help.
It makes you feel good and proud to be part of something so strong. Simply put, Sheena is an integral part of our community, very happy, a positive attitude and loves the horses.”
Ryan, Canada's Sovereign Award-winning apprentice in 2014, took to social media to share her gratitude for the outpouring of support.
The lifetime winner of 197 races, including five stakes victories, will be on-hand for the tournament.
“Huge thank you to Josie De Paulo, Neal Wilson and [Woodbine's grounds manager] Wendy McLaren for putting this together!
“It's going to be a fun day – good for everyone to get out and play some softball! I will be there and I'm excited to see everyone!”
As for the tournament itself, expect the competitive side of horsepeople to come out ahead of the first pitch.
“I can't wait to see it,” said Josie De Paulo. “This is fun competition. When you're racing, you could be racing against family members, and you are all competing to win. There could be times when you feel guilty if you nose out someone you're close with, but for something like this, you love it if you beat them.”
Woodbine Entertainment announced today that high-profile Thoroughbred owner and breeder, Jaime Roth,of LNJ Foxwood Stables, has been appointed to its Board of Directors.
“Woodbine is excited to announce the appointment of Jaime to its Board of Directors,” said Christine Magee, Chair, Woodbine Entertainment Board of Directors. “We look forward to working with Jaime and will benefit greatly from her expertise as we leverage her horse racing experience to continue to grow the sport of horse racing in Ontario, and our brand and racing product globally.”
Roth is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin and holds a degree in Journalism as well as a Masters in Sports Business from New York University. After years of following Thoroughbred racing as a fan she wanted to get involved at the business level. In 2012, Jaime and her parents Larry and Nanci Roth started LNJ Foxwood Stables. In only four years, the family-owned stable is in full swing and has emerged as a major racing outfit in the U.S. and abroad. Jaime and her family care deeply about the welfare of all animals, especially Thoroughbreds. In January 2016, LNJ Foxwoods had the honour of sponsoring the Thoroughbred Charities of America (TCA) Stallion Season Auction and look forward to maintaining its strong relationship with the TCA.
In December of 2020 during the height of COVID-19 Pandemic, Horses First Fund, founded by Roth, donated a nutritious, hot meal each week to the 130 backstretch workers living on Woodbine Racetrack property. The Horses First Fund assists Thoroughbreds and their caretakers in need of emergency aid due to large scale neglect, natural disaster, or other catastrophes.
LNJ Foxwoods has enjoyed great success at Woodbine, including with their outstanding multiple graded stakes winning mare, Boardroom, as well as with 2020 Breeders' Stakes winner, Belichick, whom they co-own with NK Racing. Roth is also on the Board of Directors for Keeneland and a Breeders' Cup Member.
“Jaime's valuable experience in horse racing, horse ownership and breeding adds significant depth of racing knowledge on our Board and complements the wide-ranging business experience of our existing Directors,” said Jim Lawson, CEO, Woodbine Entertainment. “As we continue to invest in racing and ancillary initiatives that will support the growth of our sport in Ontario, Jaime's knowledge and passion for our industry will be tremendously valuable.”
Woodbine Entertainment also announced that Mark Saunders is re-joining its Board of Directors after taking a short leave of absence to run in the recent Provincial Election.
Saunders is a retired police officer and most recently, the Chief of Police for the Toronto Police Service. As Chief of Police, Saunders successfully led the largest municipal Police Service in Canada and fourth largest in North America, helping to keep Toronto safe. As Deputy Chief, Saunders created and operationalized the “C3” Unit, a unit whose mandate is to investigate cybercrime and provide technology based investigative support throughout the Service.
“We are also very excited to welcome back Mark and his valuable insights, experience and perspective to our Board,” said Magee.
Saunders and Roth's appointments to Woodbine Entertainment's Board of Directors is subject to regulatory approval.
Wesley Ward and Irad Ortiz have endured a difficult Royal Ascot so far, but Campanelle will lift their spirits considerably if she can win at the Royal Meeting for a third successive year in a fabulously competitive Group 1 Platinum Jubilee Stakes, which this year offers £1 million in prize money for the first time.
Horses who win three years running at Royal Ascot are rare enough. Horses who win three different races in three years are far rarer still, but that is what Campanelle is bidding to do, having been successful in the 2020 Queen Mary Stakes and then in last year's Commonwealth Cup, where she was declared the winner following the controversial relegation of first past the post Dragon Symbol.
Mind you, she faces formidable opposition from Australia in particular, with Home Affairs, a stablemate of stunning King's Stand winner Nature Strip, joined by a talented compatriot in Artorius, and there is also a Japanese challenge from Grenadier Guards, who was a two-year-old Group 1 winner.
Ward, whose 12 previous Royal Ascot winners include the three main sprint races, all of which feature in the 35-race QIPCO British Champions Series, fully appreciates what an achievement it would be for Campanelle to win again, and while Golden Pal's much anticipated King's Stand Stakes turned into a nightmare after he got left at the start, he is optimistic about his filly's chance.
He said: “To have any winner at Royal Ascot is something, but if she were to win for a third time there it would be phenomenal. We are so excited for that.
“She's coming here after a strong performance on her comeback at Keeneland, and if you watch that race what she did was pretty impressive. Six furlongs is her perfect distance and she loves Ascot. She'll take to any surface, and that's a big plus for her too.”
Nature Strip would be at short odds to complete a double achieved spectacularly by Australian pathfinder Choisir in 2003 if trainer Chris Waller had chosen to take up his engagement here, but Waller has resisted the temptation. Waller has done so not only in consideration of compromising Nature Strip's preparation for the immensely valuable Everest Stakes back home, but also because he has brought over another sprinting tour de force in Home Affairs, who beat Nature Strip a short head in February's Lightning Stakes, a race with a history as a key pointer to Royal Ascot success in the past.
Home Affairs is four years younger than Nature Strip and his future at stud on the Coolmore roster is already assured. However, success here would undoubtedly enhance his stallion value.
Waller, whose first Royal Ascot runner Brazen Beau was an arguably unlucky second to Ward's Undrafted in the 2016 Diamond Jubilee, said: “It was great for Home Affairs to travel with a horse like Nature Strip, as he's a three-year-old colt and Nature Strip is an old gelding who has been around and so makes a great travelling companion. He galloped at Ascot on Friday morning, as did Nature Strip, and it went perfectly. I was pretty happy with what they did.”
“We did want to keep them apart, for sure, but I think it will be a tough 1200 metres (six furlongs) and I think Home Affairs is a very good 1200 metre horse – not that Nature Strip's not. This fits in well for Home Affairs, who is going to be a stallion once he leaves England. Running here he could make his value even greater than it already is. He's in the July Cup, but we'll just take it one race at a time and I'll leave that to the owners.”
Artorius represents joint license-holders Anthony Freedman and his son Sam, who has been supervising preparations at Newmarket. Sam Freedman believes Artorius, a powerful finisher who will be ridden by straight track specialist Jamie Spencer, has what it takes – provided he can stay in touch.
Freeman said: “He's a hold-up horse who is usually a bit slow out of the boxes and wants a good strong tempo. He's probably more of a 1400 metre (seven furlongs) horse, but that should hold him in good stead at Ascot. His last 100 metres will be excellent, but his problem is that he can give himself too much to do. He always hits the line hard and just needs to stay in touch.
“Hopefully Jamie can get him out of the gates a bit better and hold a spot a little closer. We went for him for a reason.”
The betting is dominated by international challengers, but the home team has stronger credentials here than it did in the King's Stand Stakes and features several classy types who are already Group 1 winners.
Foremost among them in terms of numbers of Group 1 wins is Alcohol Free, whose heavy ground and soft ground wins at a mile in last year's Coronation Stakes and Sussex Stakes followed a juvenile success over six furlongs on the Cheveley Park Stakes. She hasn't looked the same filly so far over a mile this year, but Andrew Balding has always felt she has the speed for sprinting.
Haydock Sprint Cup winner Emaraaty Ana is another Group 1 winner who hasn't recovered his best form yet.
Much shorter in the betting is Godolphin's Creative Force, whose five wins last year included the seven-furlong Jersey Stakes here at Royal Ascot and the QIPCO British Champions Sprint over course and distance in October, where he beat Diamond Jubilee runner-up Glen Shiel and Minzaal, with last month's impressive Duke Of York winner Highfield Princess (a handicap winner here last year) as well as Kinross and Happy Romance among those further behind.
Charlie Appleby feels Creative Force was a bit rusty after a break when running in the Al Quoz Sprint at Meydan and added: “He's definitely benefited from the run and his preparation has been great. He looks fantastic and he's going to be a live player.”
Appleby also saddles former Classic hope Naval Crown, who was fourth in the Al Quoz. He said: “He ran a very fine race in his first start at sprinting level. His homework has been good and he can hopefully be in the top sprinting division this year.”
A Case Of You won the Al Quoz from Happy Romance, having earlier won Longchamp's Prix de l'Abbaye. As a dual Group 1 sprint winner the Ado McGuinness-trained four-year-old obviously merits plenty of respect, while Richard Hannon warns we should not dismiss Happy Romance.
Hannon said: “She just tweaked a joint so she couldn't run at York, but missing that hasn't done her any harm and she's looking better than ever.”
William Haggas has already won one of the week's main prizes with Baaeed and he was unlucky not to take a second with Maljoom in the St James's Palace Stakes. He saddles Sacred, a close second to Campanelle in the Queen Mary two years ago and last seen winning the seven-furlong Hungerford Stakes at Newbury in August.
Haggas said: “You needn't worry about her absence as she goes well fresh and has had a racecourse outing. She's in great shape and just needs fast ground, so hopefully she'll be competitive.
“Obviously the trip is a bit short for her, but unfortunately there's no race for her over seven. It's a Group 1 and that's why we are going.”
Ralph Beckett hopes Kinross can get in the money. He said: “Ideally he'd prefer rain, but he ran well on fast ground in the John O'Gaunt and he ran really well at Ascot on QIPCO British Champions Day, where things might have been different if he'd got the break.”
Henry Candy, whose Twilight Calls chased home Nature Strip in an excellent second, saddles an outsider who could outrun his odds in last month's Windsor Listed winner Run To Freedom.
Candy, who won the 2016 Diamond Jubilee with the half-brother Twilight Son, carrying the same silks, said: “He's from a late maturing family and he's improving. He's a big boy and he seems very well.”
Richard Fahey runs Umm Kulthum and said: “We've kept her for the race and I'm very pleased with what she's shown. She needs to improve again but she might as she's only had a few runs. She was off nearly a year before she won at Newmarket and that was a good performance. She's had plenty of time to get over it and the faster they go the better.”
A month shy of the two-year mark as a full-time rider in Southern California, Juan Hernandez, a 30-year-year old native of Veracruz, Mexico, who had been a dominant force at Golden Gate Fields, is currently on a tremendous roll with veteran agent Craig O'Bryan as Santa Anita's leading jockey heading into closing weekend at the Arcadia, Calif., track.
With three racing days remaining, Hernandez has 100 wins through 73 racing days and perhaps most importantly, he has 22 stakes victories, six clear of the now-departed Flavien Prat. In June of 2020, Hernandez, who had just won 135 races at Golden Gate, 77 clear of his nearest competitor, made the decision to relocate to Southern California on a full-time basis. Married with two young boys, Hernandez contacted O'Bryan, at the suggestion of Golden Gate-based trainer Blaine Wright. O'Bryan had been idle for several months
With 50 years of on the job experience that includes success with Hall of Famers Eddie Delahoussaye, Gary Stevens and Alex Solis as well as a number of other riders, O'Bryan and Hernandez hit the ground running in the summer of 2020 at Del Mar. If Santa Anita's 2021-'22 Winter Spring Meet is any indication, they're just getting warmed up.
The son of the late George O'Bryan, a legendary agent who worked through five decades dating back to the 1950s for Hall of Famers such as Johnny Adams, Ralph Neves, Manuel Ycaza, Laffit Pincay, Jr. and Donald Pierce, Craig O'Bryan, not surprisingly, has an instinctive feel for the business and relationships that produce live mounts—with regularity.
Q. Before we address the success Juan and you are having, I know as a kid, you often accompanied your dad to the racetrack in the mornings and afternoons. Can you describe the impact he had on you and on the way you've conducted your business all these years?
A. He was a man's man. His word was his bond. He earned his nickname, “Black Heart,” when he took Manny Ycaza back to New York (circa 1961). The other agents told him, “Don't get unpacked, you won't last long.” Well, Ycaza lasted 10 years as the number one rider on the East Coast. As a kid, you just accumulate (knowledge), almost through osmosis. It's just being around somebody as good as my dad was, it has to have a positive impact. The same thing with Scotty McClellan. His dad, Chick was a tremendous agent and we were also fortunate to be around some other great, great agents. Guys like Harry Silbert, Ivan Puhich, George Hollander, Vince DeGregory, they were all in action when I first came around and they all made you better.
Q. Juan Hernandez has now established himself as Santa Anita's top rider. In addition to having tremendous ability, he appears to be the complete package. His temperament is even, he's polite and hard working. He was born on a farm in Veracruz and he pretty much grew up in racing. What's he been like to work for?
A. Next month, it'll be two years since he came down from Golden Gate, When he came down here to ride full-time, the first week at Del Mar, my wife and I had Juan, his brother Jonathan and (jockey) Ricky Gonzalez over for dinner. When they left, Sharon said “All three of those boys, you can tell, were really well raised.” That foundation carries you a long way. When I tell someone Juan is going to work a horse at 6:30, he's not there at 6:35, he's there at 6:20. He's very professional. As far as riding, he's been tremendous, obviously. I know Prat was in front when he left a couple months ago (April 3, 72-53), but Juan beat him this past fall at Del Mar (17-14) and for him to have won 22 stakes and a 100 races here at this meet is just phenomenal.
People of course notice that he's a strong finisher and that he wins a lot of races from behind, but he's tremendous out of the gate as well. Bob Baffert came up to me a little over a year ago and he said he wanted to start using Juan a little more. He said, “That jock's really, really good out of the gate.” When Juan's in front, much like Eddie and Shoemaker and some of those guys…Those jocks are awfully tough to get by. He's quiet on a horse, a great judge of pace and from the quarter pole home, he wins. Look at the prices a lot of his horses have paid since he came down here. He wins on the dirt. He wins on turf, he wins long, short, stakes, claiming horses and he goes out to the paddock with a fresh approach every single time he gets a leg up.
Q. You've had some outstanding riders in addition to Eddie D., Stevens and Solis. Guys like Paco Mena, David Flores and Tyler Baze. Beyond getting live mounts, what makes a top rider?
A. Good question. Everybody says the best riders are strong and they're good finishers. I would say that in any sport, the guys that are a little smarter are a little better. You think Tom Brady is the most athletic guy? Probably not. But he's awfully smart and I think just being smart, on the track and off the track, too. The top riders know what to do…You know, Gary Stevens, if you look back, some of those guys, like Shoemaker, they seldom got in trouble.
Juan doesn't get in trouble very often. These kinds of guys are smart on the track and everywhere else. Juan's a smart guy. He gets it, day in and day out. And on top of it, he's a very nice person. He reacts well to everything, he doesn't get flustered and that helps. He's always calm, cool and collected, much like Eddie in that respect.
Q. Juan won the Grade 1 American Oaks with a filly trained by Michael McCarthy named Queen Goddess on opening day, Dec. 26 and from there, he's been remarkably consistent. You won four stakes at this meet with Craig Lewis' Brickyard Ride and you won four stakes on May 28 for four different trainers. How amazing is all of this?
A. Pretty amazing, but this jock is amazing. The Oaks on opening day got shifted from the grass to a wet/fast track and that filly really wasn't expected to do well. Juan put her on the lead and she was gone. A mile and a quarter and she pays $31.20. Brickyard Ride is just an incredibly fast horse that Juan gets along with. I've got a great relationship with Craig and we ride a lot for him because he wants Juan whenever he can get him. What Brickyard Ride did at this meet, winning four stakes, was phenomenal and I really want to thank Craig and the owner, Mr. Pais.
That day we won four stakes, Juan won five races total. All of those horses figured, but again, Juan showed his versatility. He won the Crystal Water for Dean Pederson going a mile on the grass (Carmelita's Man). He won the Thor's Echo for Steve Miyadi going six furlongs (Desmond Doss). He won the Melair going a mile and a sixteenth on dirt for John Sadler (Big Switch) and he won the Fran's Valentine for Phil D'Amato going a mile on turf (Alice Marble).
Queen Goddess and Juan Hernandez take the off-the-turf American Oaks
Q. Have you ever had another jock win four stakes in one day?
A. One other time. Gary did it here on one of those Breeders' Cup prep days in 2013, the year Mucho Macho Man won the Classic. To be fair, we never used to have these colossal, multiple stakes days 30 or 35 years ago. Very seldom did we have more than one stake a day.
Q. You got your 22nd stakes win with Under the Stars last Sunday in the Grade 2 Summertime Oaks. Juan had never ridden her, but he obviously knew quite a bit about her?
A. Yes, we had been in communication with Sean (McCarthy) and he said they had backed off her a little bit and that they'd been schooling her a lot. Juan had watched her previous races and as you saw, he rode a great race. You couldn't ride a filly any better than that. He put her in the race out of the gate, but then he sat just off her stablemate (Ganadora) and when it was time to go, Lady T couldn't catch her.
Q. Juan is currently ranked ninth nationally by money-won with nearly $6 million and 10th nationally coming into this Friday with 100 wins. Given the fact that we're operating with fewer race dates, can he move up the ladder in either one of the categories?
A. He's only been here, it'll be two years in July and he wins 22 stakes at this meet, so there's no telling. He's riding for all the right people and truthfully, he sure doesn't shy away from the moment. He brings it when the big money's down, that's pretty obvious…Riding three days a week as opposed to four and five back east, it's a challenge, but purse-wise, we have our best meet coming up, so with a good Del Mar, yes, he could move up the ladder.
With entries for Saturday, June 18, being taken Wednesday morning at Santa Anita, Hernandez appears to be well armed, as he'll ride impressive first-out maiden winner Tahoma, a son of 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify, for Doug O'Neill in the $100,000 Fasig-Tipton Futurity. He's also named to ride the multiple graded stakes-winning filly Private Mission for Sean McCarthy in the Grade 2 Santa Maria Stakes on Saturday.
According to O'Bryan, Hernandez is scheduled to ride all three closing day stakes on Sunday: Avenue for trainer Michael McCarthy in the Grade 3 American Stakes at one mile on turf, Tarantino for Ed Moger in the Grade 3 San Juan Capistrano at a mile and three quarters down the hillside turf, and French-bred Neige Blanche, a two-time graded stakes winner at the meet for Leonard Powell in the $100,000 Possibly Perfect for fillies and mares at a mile and one quarter on turf.
