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Rafael Hernandez Edges Stein For First Woodbine Riding Title; Casse Leading Trainer For 12th Time; Barber Top Owner

The jockeys' race for the 2020 meet title at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario, went right down to the wire, with Rafael Hernandez edging out Justin Stein in what's been a heated battle for top honors all season long. With more than double the wins of his closest competition, trainer Mark Casse ran away with his 12^thWoodbine training title.

The abbreviated 2020 Woodbine meet, which was scheduled to run through December 13, concluded on Sunday, Nov. 22, after the Government of Ontario issued a minimum 28-day lockdown order for the region of Toronto to begin on Monday, Nov. 23 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The season began on June 6 after its April 18 start date was delayed due to the initial spring COVID-19 lockdowns. The shortened season included 96 race days.

Hernandez and Casse were the hottest combination of the season and teamed up for one final victory before the meet concluded prematurely on Sunday, as 2-year-old filly Road to Romance broke her maiden in the third race. They combined to win a total of 37 races, including six stakes, from 117 starts.

Hernandez earned his first Woodbine jockey title with a total of 129 wins at the meet, besting Stein for the honors by just three wins, while his mounts earned in excess of $7.18 million. The 36-year-old reinsman, who moved to Woodbine full time during the summer of the 2016 season, finished top three with 154 wins in 2017 and second in the standings behind the now-retired Eurico Rosa Da Silva over the next two years. He accumulated 168 wins at Woodbine in 2018 behind Da Silva's record-breaking 237 victories, and followed up with a 164-win campaign in 2019.

Among his meet-leading 17 stakes wins this year, Hernandez earned his first Grade 1 victory in the E.P. Taylor Stakes with the Chad Brown-trained filly Etoile and teamed up with Canadian star Pink Lloyd, who won four stakes for trainer Robert Tiller and Entourage Stable.

Stein's highlights included winning the Grade 1 Ricoh Woodbine Mile with the Kevin Attard-trained Starship Jubilee and partnering with multiple graded stakes winner Silent Poet, conditioned by Nicholas Gonzalez. His mounts earned in excess of $7.19 million. Kazushi Kimura, who won a pair of graded stakes on Saturday and wrapped up the meet by winning three of the final six races on Sunday, finished third in the jockey standings with 83 wins, ahead of Emma-Jayne Wilson (79) and Luis Contreras (76).

Casse topped the trainer leaderboard with 93 wins during the 2020 season and more than $7.13 million in purse earnings. Norm McKnight, who led all trainers for wins over the past three years, picked up a victory on closing day to own the second spot in the standings with 44 wins while Tiller finished third with 43. Kevin Attard, whose stable amassed $3.51 million in purse earnings, edged out Martin Drexler in fourth with 37 wins. Josie Carroll, who trained winners of 29 races, finished third in the money category with $3.49 million in earnings thanks in part to OLG Canadian Triple Crown stars Mighty Heart and Belichick.

Casse's Saturday score with Grade 2 Kennedy Road champion Ride a Comet, ridden by Patrick Husbands, marked his 17^th stakes triumph of the Woodbine season. Another local highlight for the 59-year-old horseman included winning the Grade 1 Summer Stakes with Gretzky the Great, ridden by Kimura, for owners Gary Barber and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners.

Barber was the leading money-winning owner of the meet with more than $1.56 million in purses followed by Stronach Stables ($1.24 million) and Live Oak Plantation ($1.14 million). Meanwhile, Bruno Schickedanz topped the win column with 35 successful starters, followed by Barber's 17 victories.

For more information and the latest updates on the 2021 Woodbine meet, visit Woodbine.com.

The post Rafael Hernandez Edges Stein For First Woodbine Riding Title; Casse Leading Trainer For 12th Time; Barber Top Owner appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Casse Earns 12th Woodbine Training Title

Mark Casse topped the Woodbine trainers leaderboard for the 12th time with 93 wins during the abbreviated 2020 meet. Beginning June 6, the meet was originally scheduled to conclude Dec. 13, but was forced to end early Nov. 22 due to a government-mandated lockdown for the region of Ontario due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The jockeys’ race went right down to the wire with Rafael Hernandez edging out Justin Stein. It was the first riding title at Woodbine for Hernandez, who racked up 129 wins.

The post Casse Earns 12th Woodbine Training Title appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Merveilleux Enters Sovereign Award Discussion After Ontario Damsel Victory

Following up her three-length Wonder Where win, Merveilleux turned in another dazzling performance in the $150,000 Ontario Damsel Stakes for Ontario-bred 3-year-old fillies on Saturday at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario.

With Rafael Hernandez aboard, the Kevin Attard trainee stalked the dueling front-runners before launching her winning bid three-wide in the final turn of the 1 1/16-mile main track stakes event.

Avie's Samurai left sharply and darted to the lead with Justleaveitalone joining her on top to trade blows through fractions of :24.91, :48.68 and 1:26.61. Reigning divisional champion and Woodbine Oaks winner Curlin's Voyage attempted to circle the pacemakers approaching three-quarters, but the even-money favorite posed no threat down the lane.

At the top of the stretch, Merveilleux exploded with late pace and drew off by 3 1/4 lengths in 1:44.37, with Avie's Samurai staying for second over the late-rallying Afleet Katherine, also trained by Attard. Ann of Cleves, Curlin's Voyage and Justleaveitalone completed the order of finish.

“I just wanted to make sure to get the right move, at the right time,” said Hernandez. “I didn't want to get it too early and then flatten out in the lane, but everything worked good in the whole race. We sat behind the speed horse, relaxed good and everything worked perfect today.”

Bred by Mike Carroll, the daughter of Paynter out of Breech Inlet now boasts three wins and third (in the Woodbine Oaks) from five sophomore starts for owners Al and Bill Ulwelling. The consistent filly has hit the board in eight of her 11 races lifetime.

“She was kind of misfortunate earlier in the year to have some rough trips and some bad racing luck, but she's really put it together lately and I'm just happy to see it for the owners,” said Attard, via a video call after watching the race from home.

Merveilleux's late-season stakes success puts her in the conversation for divisional Sovereign Award honors.

“The championship is not based on one or two months of the year, it's over the season, and she's obviously gotten better as the season's gone on and she's at the top of the division right now,” noted Attard. “We're just happy that she's progressed like we wanted her to and hopefully she turns out to be a nice 4-year-old.”

Merveilleux paid $6.10 to win as the 2-1 second choice.

Live Thoroughbred racing continues at Woodbine Racetrack on Sunday, Nov. 22, featuring the $125,000 Grey and matching Mazarine, a pair of Grade 3 stakes for two-year-olds.

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Casse, Rafael Hernandez Team Up For Graded Stakes Double At Woodbine

Woodbine's meet-leading trainer Mark Casse teamed up with jockey Rafael Hernandez to sweep Saturday's graded stakes action at the Toronto, Ontario, oval.

Three-year-old filly Heavenly Curlin continued her winning momentum when facing stakes company for the first time in the co-featured $125,000 Maple Leaf Stakes (Grade 3).

With Hernandez picking up the mount, Heavenly Curlin trounced her older rivals with ease, launching her attack from the backfield on the final turn and drawing away by 5 3/4 lengths. Her winning time was 2:03.24 over 1 1/4 miles on the Tapeta.

Auntie Katherine and Juliana traded turns on the lead through fractions of :23.93, :48.79 and 1:13.04 before Heavenly Curlin moved into contention as they raced past the mile mark in 1:37.91. She took command as the fillies and mares headed into the homestretch en route to her third straight victory.

After posting a pair of wins over 1 1/16 miles on the Tapeta, Heavenly Curlin was sent postward as the 5-2 second choice and returned $7.60 to win. Art of Almost, the 2-1 favorite, settled for second-place honors after closing from mid-pack while Peace Seeker rode the rail to finish 1 1/4 lengths back in third after tracking the pacesetters.

Multiple graded stakes winner Elizabeth Way was fourth with Juliana, Gun Society, the winner's stablemate Tappitty Tappitty, A Broken Breeze, Silent Tango and Auntie Katherine completing the order of finish.

“There was too much speed in the race, so the main thing was getting her relaxed,” said Hernandez of the winning trip. “We just sat behind the 10 [Art of Almost] and when we turned for home, I just put her in the clear. She was doing her thing and just rolling down the lane.”

Owned by Gary Barber and John Oxley, the lightly-raced Kentucky-bred daughter of Curlin is now three-for-five in her career and boasts a perfect three-race Woodbine record.

Team Casse struck again two races later in the $175,000 Autumn, as Skywire went from last to first in the Grade 2 main track stakes event for horses three years old and up over 1 1/16 miles.

After a first quarter in :24.21, Skywire was trailing the field – reduced to five starters following the scratch of the Casse-trained Dream Maker.

It was another stablemate, the favored Salute With Honor, who controlled the pace after crossing to command before the first turn. Fresh off his Grade 3 Durham Cup triumph last month, Salute With Honor continued to lead through a half-mile in :48.10 before Armistice Day headed him past the 1:11.85 three-quarters mark.

However, Skywire had improved to third down the backside and rallied three-wide on the final turn as Armistice Day took the lead. They battled briefly down the lane before Skywire surged by to score in 1:42.70 by 1 3/4 lengths. Armistice Day stayed for second while Timeskip, who was denied racing room between rivals down the lane, finished third after moving inside. Vanzzy was fourth while Salute With Honor faded to fifth.

Skywire, winner of the Grade 2 Eclipse over the same course and distance this summer, paid $6.70 as the 2-1 second pick. He entered the Autumn after putting forth a strong rally to finish one-length behind Salute With Honor in the Durham Cup.

“Last time, we were stuck inside and by the time he was clear and started running, it was too late, but today I made sure he had a clear path the whole way and you see the results,” said Hernandez, who knew turning for home it was his race to win. “Every time he switches leads, he gives you another gear. When he switched leads, I thought, that's it. If they're going to beat me, they have to come running because my horse was running.”

Bred in Ontario by the late Bill Graham, the 4-year-old son of Afleet Alex now has five wins to go along with three seconds from 14 starts lifetime.

Gary Barber celebrated a Saturday stakes double at Woodbine as co-owner of the Autumn champ with Lou Tucci.

With a training triple on the 12-race card, Casse moved within three wins of joining the 3,000-win club.

Live Thoroughbred racing resumes at Woodbine Racetrack on Sunday, with post time set for 1:25 p.m. Please note new post times are in effect for the remainder of the meet with live racing four days a week on Thursdays (2:25 p.m.), Fridays (4:45 p.m.), Saturdays (1:25 p.m.) and Sundays (1:25 p.m.).

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