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Red River Rebel Breaks Maiden In Frost King Stakes At Woodbine

Two-year-old Red River Rebel defied his odds in the featured $100,000 Frost King Stakes, scoring a maiden-breaking victory on Friday night at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Canada.

Steve Bahen worked out the winning trip aboard the homebred Reload gelding in the 6 1/2-furlong Ontario Sired Stakes event, which was rescheduled after Sunday's Thoroughbred racing program was cancelled due to extreme weather conditions.

Red River Rebel tracked a trio of early leavers in fourth-place while Forest Survivor established the lead through a :22.76 quarter-mile and was pressed by All Canadian into the turn. Red River Rebel chased along the rail into the stretch and took the inside path to victory, surging by despite Forest Survivor drifting in down the lane.

Making just his second career start, Red River Rebel was victorious in 1:16.05 for trainer Rachel Halden and owners Denny Andrews and Northern Dawn Stables. Forest Survivor finished 2 1/2 lengths behind in second, with Candy Overload overtaking All Canadian, who edged out Bull Page Stakes winner Avoman in a photo finish for fourth-place. The popular Simcoe Stakes champion, Dragon's Brew, finished sixth, followed by Souper Classy, De Only Solution and Blind Trust.

Sent postward at odds of 6-1 after finishing third in his October 23 debut, Red River Rebel returned $14.90 to win.

“He ran real good his first start, but he did get a little tired,” said Bahen. “He came back and he trained real good. I've been galloping him and he's been training really well so I knew he was good today.

“I think he can be any kind of horse; he's just learning now,” added the veteran reinsman. “He was kind of a little silly guy and he's learned a lot since we've had him and he's doing well. He's moving forwardly and hopefully he gets even better.”

In other Friday night action, favorite The Boss Factor ($5.70) was no match for his grey rivals, winning the 2020 edition of the $50,000 Grey Handicap in rein to Patrick Husbands, and giving trainer Martin Drexler back-to-back victories in the event.

Owned by Bruno Schickedanz, the four-year-old gelded son of The Factor opened up an insurmountable 10-length lead down the backstretch in the 1 1/16-mile main track race and cruised home to score in 1:44.26. His leading margin diminished to one length near the wire with Coleyville closing from the backfield in second. Suitedconnected checked in third, another 3-1/4 lengths behind.

The Grey Handicap is for registered grey and roan horses, 3-year-olds and up, that have started for a claiming price of $25,000 or less in 2019-20.

Live Thoroughbred racing continues at Woodbine Racetrack with a super Saturday stakes program, featuring the $175,000 Kennedy Road Stakes (Grade 2), $175,000 Bessarabian Stakes (Grade 2), $125,000 Ontario Derby (Grade 3) and $150,000 Ontario Damsel Stakes. All the action begins at 1:25 p.m.

The post Red River Rebel Breaks Maiden In Frost King Stakes At Woodbine appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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COVID-19: Woodbine Seeks Clarification On Ontario Premier’s Lockdown Order

Woodbine Entertainment issued a statement Friday saying it was “working to understand the implications” of an order issued by Ontario Premier Doug Ford that put the Toronto and Peel Regions of the province in a strict lockdown under the government's color-coded system developed to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Woodbine is located in the Toronto Region in the city of Etobicoke.

According to Ontario's COVID-19 response system – with five colors ranging from green for prevent to grey for lockdown – horse racing will not be permitted (though training can continue) when the “grey” lockdown goes into effect on Monday, Nov. 23. The new measures are expected to last a minimum of 28 days, through Dec. 21. The Woodbine meet is scheduled to close Dec. 13.

“The situation is extremely serious and further action is required to avoid the worst-case scenario,” Ford said when announcing the measures. The order also closes restaurants, non-essential retail stores, meeting and event spaces, and indoor sports and fitness centers. Outdoor gatherings are limited to 10 people.

Woodbine issued the following statement after the lockdown order: “Since the beginning of our province's fight against the COVID-19 pandemic earlier this year, our commitment to public safety has not wavered. We are extremely supportive of the Government's efforts to reduce the spread of COVID-19 throughout our community. Furthermore, we are very proud of our safety record at Woodbine Racetrack and Woodbine Mohawk Park in this regard.

“To that end, we are currently working to understand the implications this recent news will have on Thoroughbred racing at Woodbine Racetrack and the thousands of people it supports throughout the province.

“We will provide further updates at the appropriate time.”

Racing will be conducted on Saturday and Sunday. Saturday's “super Saturday stakes program” features three graded stakes and kicks off at 1:25 p.m. ET.

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Immediate Future of Racing at Woodbine Unclear Following Lockdown Declaration

During a Friday afternoon briefing, Doug Ford, the Premier of Ontario, Canada, announced a mandatory 28-day lockdown in the city of Toronto and the suburb of Peel, beginning at 12:01 a.m. Monday, Nov. 23. It was not immediately clear how the decision would impact racing operations at Woodbine Racetrack, though the Toronto Star reported that while training can continue, racing will cease.

“With the numbers rising rapidly in certain regions, we have to make the tough, but necessary decisions now to protect our hospitals, long-term care and retirement homes, and every person in this province,” said Premier Ford. “We cannot afford a province-wide lockdown, so we are taking preventative action today by moving Toronto and Peel into Lockdown level restrictions and other regions into higher levels of restrictions. We need to take decisive action to stop the spread of this deadly virus.”

Late Friday, Jamie Dykstra, Director of Communications and Content for Woodbine Entertainment, issued a statement that read: “Since the beginning of our province’s fight against the COVID-19 pandemic earlier this year, our commitment to public safety has not wavered. We are extremely supportive of the Government’s efforts to reduce the spread of COVID-19 throughout our community.

“Furthermore, we are very proud of our safety record at Woodbine Racetrack and Woodbine Mohawk Park in this regard. To that end, we are currently working to understand the implications this recent news will have on Thoroughbred racing at Woodbine Racetrack and the thousands of people it supports throughout the province.

“We will provide further updates at the appropriate time.”

The racing season at Woodbine was delayed from its usual mid-April start to June 6 owing to the COVID-19 pandemic. As recently as Nov. 19, track officials announced that they were managing a COVID positive in an active jockey, but that live racing would be able to proceed. Woodbine was scheduled to conclude its 2020 season Sunday, Dec. 13.

The post Immediate Future of Racing at Woodbine Unclear Following Lockdown Declaration appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Weekend Lineup: Five Graded Stakes On Tap At Woodbine

Throughout the year, the NTRA will provide a guide to the best stakes races in North America and beyond. Races are listed in chronological order (all times Eastern). Full previews when available can be found through the link for each race.

Woodbine plays host to five graded stakes this weekend highlighted by Canadian Triple Crown standouts Mighty Heart and Belichick meeting again in the $125,000 Ontario Derby Stakes.

Racing from Aqueduct and Churchill Downs is televised on “America's Day at the Races.” The NYRA-produced show runs through Sunday this week on FS1 and FS2.

Racing from Del Mar and other tracks will be shown on TVG as part of its coast-to-coast coverage.

Saturday November 21

3:45 p.m.—$100,000 Grade 3 Red Smith Handicap at Aqueduct on FS2

Woodslane Farm's Sadler's Joy will face fellow 7-year-old Grade 1 winner Aquaphobia in pursuit of a second straight triumph in the 60th running of the Red Smith Handicap going 1 3/8 miles over the inner turf. Trained by Tom Albertrani, Sadler's Joy has amassed the highest amount of lifetime earnings in the field with $2,648,160 through a record of 33-7-4-11 consisting of four graded stakes triumphs. The veteran son of Kitten's Joy notched graded wins during his 4, 5 and 6-year-old campaigns. In addition to last year's Red Smith, Sadler's Joy boasts triumphs in the G1 Sword Dancer Invitational in August 2017 at Saratoga and Gulfstream Park's G2 Pan American in April 2017 and the G2 Mac Diarmida in March 2018.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/AQU112120USA9-EQB.html

4 p.m.—$100,000 Grade 3 Native Diver Stakes at Del Mar on TVG

C R K Stable's Midcourt, the defending champion in Saturday's $100,000 Native Diver Stakes, looms as the one to catch and the one to beat in the 42nd edition of the nine-panel headliner. Midcourt, a gelded 5-year-old by Midnight Lute, has won five of his 14 starts, including his five and three-quarter length triumph in last year's Native Diver. The John Shirreffs-trained runner – a winner of $546,695 in purses — has been handled by Victor Espinoza in most of his career starts and will have the Hall of Fame rider in the tack again Saturday.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/DMR112120USA2-EQB.html

4:58 p.m.—$125,000 Grade 3 Ontario Derby at Woodbine on TVG

Queen's Plate and Prince of Wales Stakes winner Mighty Heart will meet up with stablemate and Breeders' Stakes victor Belichick in the Ontario Derby, set for 1 1/8 miles on the Woodbine Tapeta. After Mighty Heart took the first two legs of the Canadian Triple Crown series, Belichick turned the tables on the bay colt in the 1 ½-mile Breeders' Stakes on Oct. 24, putting an end to Mighty Heart's quest to become the country's first horse to sweep all three races since Wando achieved the feat in 2003. The Ontario Derby, for 3-year-olds, will mark the first race for both since the Breeders'.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/WO112120CAN8-EQB.html

5:06 p.m.—$100,000 Grade 3 Chilukki Stakes at Churchill Downs on FS2

Multiple graded stakes winner Finite tops the 35th running of the Chilukki Stakes run at one mile. Finite, a 3-year-old filly by Munnings, was the narrow runner-up finisher behind Venetian Harbor in last month's G2 Raven Run at Keeneland. Previously, the Steve Asmussen-trained Finite was on the Kentucky Oaks trail after victories in the G2 Golden Rod and G2 Rachel Alexandra Stakes. Following her fourth-place effort in the G2 Fair Grounds Oaks, Finite underwent minor ankle surgery but returned to Asmussen's stable a few months later.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/CD112120USA9-EQB.html

5:28 p.m.—$175,000 Grade 2 Kennedy Road Stakes at Woodbine on TVG

Multiple stakes winner and 2017 Canadian Horse of the Year, Pink Lloyd, looks to add to his black-type bonanza with a win in the Kennedy Road Stakes. Pink Lloyd will seek to top the Kennedy Road charts for the third time, having won the event in 2017 and 2019. Trained by Robert Tiller for Entourage Stable, the 8-year-old gelded son of Old Forester is unbeaten in four starts – all stakes – this year. His latest tour de force was a victory in the Gr3 Vigil Stakes on Sept. 5, an effort that pushed Pink Lloyd's career earnings over $2 million (CDN). It was also his fourth straight Vigil Crown.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/WO112120CAN9-EQB.html

5:58 p.m.—$175,000 Grade 2 Bessarabian Stakes at Woodbine on TVG

The $175,000 Bessarabian Stakes for fillies and mares contested at seven furlongs on the Tapeta features defending race winner Amalfi Coast. The chestnut filly won last year's edition of the race to earn her first graded stakes score and enters off a victory last time out in the Oct. 23 Sweet Briar Too Stakes.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/WO112120CAN10-EQB.html

Sunday November 22

5:58 p.m.—$125,000 Grade 3 Grey Stakes at Woodbine on TVG

Nine 2-year-olds, including impressive first-time winner Haddassah, are set to contest Sunday's Grey Stakes. Haddassah, a bay son of Air Force Blue, didn't fly under the radar in his curtain-raising effort on Nov. 1. Trained by Kevin Attard, the Ontario-bred went off as the 9-5 choice in the 1 mile and 70-yard main track maiden special weight event, a race that was originally scheduled for the turf.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/WO112220CAN10-EQB.html

6:28 p.m.—$125,000 Grade 3 Mazarine Stakes at Woodbine on TVG

Mark Casse, who has seven Mazarine titles, has two opportunities to add to that impressive total, Sunday. The 1 1/16-mile Mazarine has attracted a field of seven 2-year-old fillies, including Casse charges Souper Sensational and Sleek Lynx. Owned by Live Oak Plantation, Souper Sensational has lived up to her name over two starts, including a fantastic four-length display in the Glorious Song Stakes on Oct. 17 at Woodbine. Sent on her way as the 3-5 choice, the chestnut daughter of Curlin widened her advantage down the lane, going on for the easy score in a time of 1:21.84 over seven furlongs on the Woodbine Tapeta.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/WO112220CAN11-EQB.html

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