“Lisa brings incredible depth and experience to the Woodbine leadership team,” Woodbine Entertainment CEO Michael Copeland shared. “We are excited to have her join our team and help lead our business and the horse racing industry to ambitious new heights.”

Formerly a Vice President of Finance at Loblaw Companies Limited, Headrick led Finance for the Discount Grocery Retail Division and prior to that, the E-Commerce and Loyalty (PC Optimum) segments. She spent over 20 years at Celestica, an international design, manufacturing, and supply chain solutions company and most recently served as the Chief Financial Officer, Connectivity and Cloud Solutions, a $4-billion dollar segment of Celestica.

“I am excited to start my new role at Woodbine,” Headrick said. “My family and I experienced the magic of Woodbine during a race day–the warm welcome, amazing atmosphere and thrilling horse racing made it an unforgettable experience. I'm looking forward to being a part of this welcoming community and contributing to its bright future ahead.”

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In 2023, a total of 1,180 races were contested over 128 dates of racing compared to 1,198 races over 132 dates in 2022. Woodbine ran four less dates and 18 less races in 2023 due to an unprecedented number of cancelled race cards (five) because of extreme heat and poor air quality caused by smoke from forest fires across Canada. The average field size for those races was 8.2, the same as 2022, and above the industry average.

In Ontario, wagering on Woodbine Thoroughbred racing by customers across the province was down 6.2% ($81.8 million this season vs $87.2 million in 2022).

The decline in home market wagering was partially mitigated by a foreign market handle of $512 million, a decrease from $515 million in 2022, though still a remarkable gain from the previous record of $420 million in 2021. The $512 million in foreign market handle was supported by a strong U.S. dollar.

The average handle per race in 2023 was a record $519,597. This is an increase of $580 per race from 2022.

To address the increased competition from an emerging licensed sports betting market, Woodbine Entertainment announced a partnership with global sports betting leader bet365 prior to The King's Plate.

“We are operating on a very solid foundation that positions us well to manage the current industry and economic trends,” said Michael Copeland, CEO, Woodbine Entertainment. “We also have opportunities before us that have not been fully realized yet, like the integration of racing into licensed sportsbooks, which will have a positive impact.”

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The 2-year-old chestnut colt is named for the 31-year-old son of Wade Jost, who bought into the horse from his classmate at the United States Military Academy, Terry Finley, thorough West Point Thoroughbreds.

Carson Jost continues to battle Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome. The story might sound familiar, as Cody's Wish (Curlin) is named in honor of Cody Dorman, who also suffers from the rare genetic disorder.

To learn more about Carson Jost and this colt, Wade Jost was the Green Group Guest of the Week on this week's TDN Writers' Rooom podcast presented by Keeneland.

“It's been emotional, as my voice breaks right now,” Jost said. “We just wanted to do something for Carson. He's never walked and this is an opportunity to give him some focus, give him some limelight. Terry and I have been talking for over a decade about this, the possibility of doing something in his honor. The timing was just right. Carson just turned 31. He wasn't supposed to be with us and was supposed to have passed early in life. But mainly because of all the love he gets from his mother, who has constantly taken care of him, he is still with us.”

The Josts have yet to see Carson's Run compete live, but a trip to the Breeders' Cup and a meeting with the Dorman family is a possibility.

“It sounds like both Cody's Wish and Carson's Run may be at the Breeders' Cup,” Jost said. “If so, we'd love to get together with the Dormans. We'll talk about it after we get through some more races here. It's good that the Breeders' Cup is at Santa Anita on the West Coast, given that we live in Washington State. It may still be tough. Carson has a lot of issues, one of which is a very low immune system. So with everything going on right now, with all the viruses going on in the world, it may be tough to get them down there, but we'll see.”

Jost's military career included fighting in the Gulf War. An inordinate number of people who fought in that war went on to have children born with disabilities. Could that be what happened with Carson?

“The bottom line is we don't know,” Jost said. “But yes, the possibility exists. I know it definitely did for some that have been diagnosed. By and large, this chromosomal disorder is overwhelmingly a matter of one of the two parents carrying it in their chromosomes. But it just hadn't affected them until they had offspring. That didn't happen with my wife and I. So we don't know. Carson was doing studies. We were doing studies for three years after he was born. And we got to a point where the studies got to be too frequent. The blood that they drew, the tests that they did, and we finally just decided that it was time to move on with life and not put him through any more of that rigor. Nothing was ever conclusive for us.”

Elsewhere on the podcast, which is also sponsored by the Retired Racehorse Project, the Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association, Kentucky Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders, WinStar Farm, XBTV.com, Lane's End and West Point Thoroughbreds, the team of Zoe Cadman, Bill Finley and Randy Moss delved into another big weekend in North America for trainer Charlie Appleby, who won the GI Woodbine Mile S. and the GIII Jockey Club Oaks Invitational S. Cadman gave an update on the Keeneland September Sale and the trio looked ahead to Saturday's GI Pennsylvania Derby and the GI Cotillion S. at Parx. There was also a spirited debate about whether or not running a horse too often or on short rest could be a contributing factor when it comes to breakdowns. Moss said yes. Finley said no.

To watch the Writers' Room, click here. To view the show as a podcast, click here.

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Drawn to the outside is the last out winner of the GIII Trillium S. July 23 in Toronto, Il Malocchio (Souper Speedy). Cutting back, the Martin Drexler trainee is the morning-line favorite at 5-2.

The 5-year-old will face eight others, including Catherine Day-Phillips trainee Millie Girl (Hard Spun), who finished third in the June 3 GII Royal North S. and in the same spot in the GII Nassau S. July 1–both over the E.P. Taylor Turf Course.

Also present are a pair of alums from the Sweet Briar Too S. From Kevin Attard's shedrow, Vantarsi (Speightstown) was fifth in that race Aug. 19 and GSP Talk to Ya Later (Perfect Timber) from the Ian Black barn was the runner-up.

Finally, it would not be a Woodbine graded stakes without the presence of Mark Casse. The Hall of Fame trainer sends the youngest female of the bunch to the post in Ticker Tape Home (Medaglia d'Oro). The 3-year-old won the Fury S. in gate-to-wire fashion against state-breds June 10 before running fifth in the July 23 Woodbine Oaks.

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With 68 RND'd, gross sales out of 168 increased by 4.6% to $4,017,790 from $3,837,700 a year ago when 150 went through the ring. Seven hips sold for $100,000 or more (three in '22), while the average was $23,915 and the median $15,000.

The top three yearlings were: Pink Lloyd's full-brother (hip 82), a gray colt out of Gladiator Queen (Great Gladiator) consigned by agent John Carey on behalf of T.C. Westmeath Stud Farm which went for $150,000 to Nancy Guest; a bay filly by War of Will (hip 14) out of Avie's Mineshaft (Mineshaft) consigned by agent Richard G. Hogan which sold for $135,000 to Goldmart Farms; and a bay colt by Mo Town (hip 199) out of Samsal (Consolidator) consigned by agent Huntington Stud Farm which was purchased for $120,000 by Paul Braverman.

“This year's catalogue was one of the largest in recent years attracting over 250 entries,” said Peter Berringer, President and Sales Chair of the CTHS. “One of those entries was a half-sister to this year's Kings Plate S. winner. Selling as hip 174, his half-sister, sold to Gary Barber for $100,000. This year's sales topper a full-brother to classic champion Pink Lloyd sold for $150,000.”

Click here for full results.

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As expected, taking much of the pre-race play in the 17-horse field was GSW Kalik (Collected), trained by four-time Eclipse Award winning trainer Chad Brown. Installed the 4-1 favorite, the colt weighed in slightly ahead of third betting choice Stanley House (Army Mule). While Paramount Prince seemed to take in all the hubbub that goes hand-in-hand with the big race days, Kalik bypassed the indoor enclosure entirely and set up shop in the outside ring early, proceeding to work up a fierce sweat by the time the field made their way out to the track.

Still giving the gate crew all they could handle in the moments right before the break, the favorite wasn't in much of a hurry at the start, stationing himself toward the back early as his counterpoint, Paramount Prince, bounced to the front with relative ease. Carving out a quarter mile in :23 1/5 as longshots Velocitor (Mor Spirit) and Silent Miracle (Silent Name), followed by Casse's other runner–the filly Elysian Field–were within striking distance, the gelding continued to show the way following an honest but comfortable half-mile in :47.41. Still zipping along in front as the Woodbine Oaks winner started to turn the screws on Velocitor up the inside through three quarters in 1:11.81, Paramount Prince was given his cue from Husbands at the quarter pole, as his nearest pursuers were also set down for the final push. Given several right-handed reminders late just to remain on task, the gelding had enough left in the tank to score by 1 1/2 lengths over Elysian Field, co-owned by Barber and Team Valor International. Stanley House rallied from far back early to round out the triactor, while Velocitor came home fourth, seven lengths behind the winner. Favored Kalik never got into the mix of things, finishing 13th.

Sunday's King's Plate card yielded record handle of $18,127,726, up from the previous record of $18,005,973 generated in 2019.

“I didn't want to change anything that was already working,” offered Husbands when asked whether his instructions were to get to the front early. “But he left there running and he just did his own thing.”

Husbands also was winning his third Plate, following a score with ultimate Triple Crown winner Wando and Lexi Lou, for Casse and Barber.

He added, “I knew the first time around, that it was going to take a good horse to beat him.”

“At the end of the day, you've got to let the horses talk and don't get too cocky. I had a clean break, I let him do what he likes to do best, and he just enjoyed the running. I asked him to get over on his right lead and he was just gone. He just glides over the ground.”

Casse explained, “He often wins the race at the start. He just breaks so fast. And there was a lot of speed. He's so quick from the gate and that's where he won it. He outbroke them and I knew when he went by us the first time he was traveling well.”

“I was with Gary Barber, and we saw the half in :47 and I said, 'That's not too bad.' And that Elysian Fields, she's just so tough, she came up. But it was a dream come true.”

Bred in Ontario by Ericka Rusnak, Paramount Prince was the first horse bought at auction by Langlois and his wife Charmaine, who made the purchase through then-trainer Jamie Attard. For Attard, Paramount Prince won when getting thrown in against $40,000 maidens going six panels over Woodbine's Tapeta surface last November. Barber bought into the Ontario-bred  following his first start, however, left him with Attard for the remainder of his 2022 campaign. Sent to Casse following a third facing Ontario-breds in the Clarendon S. in December, Paramount Prince kicked off 2023 with a second to One Bay Hemmingway (Danger Bay)–who returned to win the following month–in a six-furlong optional claiming event Apr. 30.

Stepping back into stakes company for his next start, he was runner-up behind Kaukokaipuu (Mr Speaker) in Woodbine's seven-furlong Queenston S. June 11, but seemed to relish the added yardage, winning by five lengths at odds of 11-1 in his latest start in the Plate Trial S. July 23.

The gelding came into the Plate looking to become the first horse since Big Red Mike (2010) to notch the Trial-Plate double. Not Bourbon, in 2008, and Eye of the Leopard, in 2009, also recorded the double.

“When he came to us in Ocala, he was a different horse. We were shocked he was getting beat the first couple of times,” recalled Casse. “I think the key to that is he just doesn't want to run short. And he just wants to use his speed.”

Pedigree Notes:

With the victory, Paramount Prince becomes the ninth black-type winner for his sire, Society's Chariman. The King's Plate winner is out of SP Platinum Steel, a daughter of stakes winner Crafty Toast and a half-sister to GI Carter winner and Hill 'n' Dale stallion Army Mule (Friesan Fire).

Sunday, Woodbine
KING'S PLATE S., C$1,004,500, Woodbine, 8-20, (C), 3yo, 1 1/4m (AWT), 2:01.93, ft.
1–PARAMOUNT PRINCE, 126, g, 3, by Society's Chairman
                1st Dam: Platinum Steel (SP, $171,013), by Eddington
                2nd Dam: Crafty Toast, by Crafty Prospector
                3rd Dam: Give a Toast, by Storm Bird
(C$21,000 Ylg '21 CANSEP). O-Michael J. Langlois and Gary
Barber; B-Ericka Nadine Rusnak (ON); T-Mark E. Casse;
J-Patrick Husbands. C$600,000. Lifetime Record: 6-3-2-1,
$580,871.
2–Elysian Field, 121, f, 3, Hard Spun–Elysian, by Smart Strike.
($50,000 Ylg '21 FTKOCT; $70,000 2yo '22 OBSOPN). O-Team
Valor International and Gary Barber; B-Anderson Farms Ont.
Inc. (ON); T-Mark E. Casse. C$200,000.
3–Stanley House, 126, c, 3, Army Mule–Stormy's Song, by
Unbridled's Song. ($80,000 Wlg '20 KEENOV; $110,000 RNA Ylg
'21 FTKJUL; $120,000 Ylg '21 FTKOCT). 1ST BLACK TYPE.
O-John E. and Diana L. Russell; B-Elevage II, LLC & St. Elias
Stables LLC (ON); T-Michael P. De Paulo. C$100,000.
Margins: 1HF, 1HF, 4. Odds: 8.00, 4.60, 4.40.
Also Ran: Velocitor, Touch'n Ride, Enjoythesilent, Cool Kiss, Twin City, Philip My Dear, Moon Landing, Wickenheiser, Twowaycrossing, Kalik, Morstachy's, Kaukokaipuu, Silent Miracle, Midnight in Malibu. Scratched: El Cohete, Runaway Charlie.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

O-Michael J. Langlois and Gary Barber; B-Ericka Nadine Rusnak; T-Mark Casse.

#13 Paramount Prince takes them all the way in the $1 million G1 King's Plate!!!

The 3-year-old gelding is trained by Mark Casse and piloted by Patrick Husbands.

#TwinSpiresReplay pic.twitter.com/jgRQETN2hZ

— TwinSpires Racing (@TwinSpires) August 20, 2023

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“This a great day for Ontario sports bettors and especially for the horse racing industry in the province,” said Jim Lawson, CEO, Woodbine Entertainment. “For over a year, we have been working hard with regulators, government agencies and our partners at bet365 to develop the technology and satisfy all requirements to allow players to access pari-mutuel horse racing betting products using accounts with legal gaming operators in Ontario with the customer experience at the forefront. Betting on horse racing in Ontario is now on its way to becoming more accessible than ever.”

In addition, Woodbine Entertainment and bet365 created a four-year marketing partnership, in which the latter receives naming rights for the apron winner's circle, inner turf course and paddock. Additionally, bet365 will have naming rights for stakes races throughout the year.

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Also, Mark Saunders has been re-elected to Woodbine Entertainment's Board of Directors after taking a short leave of absence to run in the recent By-Election for Mayor of the City of Toronto.

“We are very pleased to welcome Brad and Scott, and welcome back Mark, to our Board,” said Hugh Mitchell, Chair of Woodbine Entertainment's Board of Directors. “Their diverse wealth of business acumen, knowledge, leadership and experience bodes well to contribute to our complex and growing business. Our Board very much looks forward to working with each of these exceptional individuals.”

Grant has been the leading Woodbine Standardbred owner for six of the last seven seasons and currently sits atop the standings for 2023. Mitchell is currently the Managing Partner and CEO of the Hamilton Sports Group (HSG). Saunders is a retired police officer and most recently, the Chief of Police for the Toronto Police Service.

“We welcome back Mark and look forward to benefiting from his experiences and leadership, as we do with Brad and Scott,” added Lawson. “All three individuals will add a breadth of knowledge and experience that will complement and support our existing directors as we continue to build our business and industry for future growth.”

Woodbine Entertainment said that former CEO and long-time Director Nick Eaves is retiring from the Board.

“I would like to thank Nick for his countless contributions to our organization and industry over the past several decades,” said Jim Lawson, CEO, Woodbine Entertainment. “His leadership and steady hand during challenging times served Woodbine well and our organization and industry continue to benefit from his leadership through the years.”

Grant, Mitchell and Saunders's appointments to Woodbine Entertainment's Board of Directors are subject to regulatory approval.

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After horses were in the paddock for the first race, the decision was made in consultation with the New York State Equine Medical Director, NYRA management and veterinary staff in order to ensure the safety of all participants.

The indoor facilities at Belmont Park and Aqueduct Racetrack remained open for simulcasting. Live racing is scheduled to resume on Saturday at Belmont Park with a 10-race card with first post at 1:05 p.m. ET.

Earlier Friday, Woodbine Entertainment canceled their Friday card due to poor air quality, the track said in a release.

Environment Canada's air quality index for Toronto was listed as 'High Risk' and was expected to remain at that level throughout the day. Woodbine's decision to cancel came through consultation with the HBPA and was consistent with the AGCO's air quality guidelines.

Woodbine said they would continue to monitor the situation and provide updates as required. The next card of live racing, which includes five graded stakes races on Canada Day, is scheduled for Saturday afternoon at 1:10 p.m. ET.

Also, poor air quality in the Mid-Atlantic region caused by smoke from Canadian wildfires, forced the Maryland Jockey Club to cancel Friday's live program at Laurel Park, the organization said in their own release.

The entire 10-race program has been moved, as is, to Thursday, July 6 with a post time of 12:25 p.m. ET. Laurel would remain open for simulcasting and live racing is set to resume Saturday.

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