Keith and Chris Do The Backstretch

My good friend Chris and I started our Breeder's Stakes day by attending Jennifer Morrison's Woodbine backstretch tour. It was a gorgeous Sunday morning and the sun was shining as a crowd of nearly 40 people enjoyed breakfast at the track side tent at the top of the stretch.

Jennifer arrived at 11AM, along with HPI rep Patrick, to lead the group to the backstretch aboard a coach expertly piloted by bus driver Gary. The first stop on the tour was Barn 3 on Overskate Avenue, home of the Gonzalez stable run by Martha Gonzalez. Martha oversees the care of 22 horses stabled at Woodbine and her husband Nick Gonzalez trains another 50 horses at Fort Erie.



Martha Gonzalez took the time to answer questions from Jennifer as well as from the group. Speaking at length regarding her hands-on approach to horse training, you could sense that the level of care she has for her animals is matched only by her passion for a job done right. Both gracious and candid, Martha told us the brilliant story of how she asked her husband - who is well renowned for his eye for young horses - to buy her a horse at the upcoming sales. Martha remarked how excited she was when Nick called her at the end of the sale to say he had found her a horse, "so, what hip number is it..." she remembers asking. After looking up the horse, Martha realized Nick had purchased her a horse for the princely sum of $1200. Undaunted, Martha went about training the new filly who matched her so perfectly in demeanor that the horse was nicknamed "Martha." This April, at the age of four, "Martha" won the six furlong Whimsical Stakes defeating Bear Now by three-quarters of a length. "Martha", of course, is the talented My List who has won nearly half a million dollars in her short career. Not bad for a $1200 purchase. Although Gonazlez sold the filly to the Tucci Stable, "Martha" has remained under the care of the Gonzalez family.






Also taking time to speak to the crowd was recent Seagram Cup winner Artie Hot. Artie was playfully calling for attention and putting on a show as Jennifer attempted to conduct her interview. Martha advised that Artie is a very sociable animal and loves what he does for a living. It sure showed. When the interview concluded, we were able to take a short stroll through the barn and actually have some face time with Artie who snorted and circled his stall in what I imagine to be his way of asking for an apple. At the far end of the barn, we were also lucky enough to meet Shilla, yet another Woodbine stakes winner, before making our way back to track side.

The day itself was a scorching one. After watching the first two races from the first level grandstand, Chris and I retired to our usual perch on the third level which offers a little more shade and shorter line ups at the wicket. The first horse that really stood out was first time starter Clearopportunity, a three year old filly by Bold Executive. Despite a poor start, Clearopportunity overcame the blistering pace to charge from the back and finish a strong third. That one will certainly be on my list for next time out.

The fifth race was a handicapper's nightmare, but also one Chris and I wisely identified as a chance to make some money. The first hurdle was sorting through 11 claimers (after three scratches) dropped in for $12,500, by piecing together which horses had been dropped in for value and which horses simply didn't have it. The second hurdle is coming to an agreement on which four horses we would box in our triactor. Normally we only box three horses, but in situations like this, there's more horses to box than money to spend. We narrowed it down to 2-4-7-11 and placed our wager. That is, Carysfort Light, Glenn Is Gold, Catsimile, and Honourable Mention. However, I could not get the 14 horse - 25-1 shot, Trading On Line - out of my head, so I decided to box it in my own exactor with the 7 and 11. As the horses hit the top of the stretch in this six furlong sprint, I knew our triactor ticket was dead even though three of our four chicklets were still onscreen. The main issue being the rousing charge from the back by Trading On Line that was not going to be denied, leaving a fight for place to save my exactor ticket. I could only watch in despair as the 13 horse, the aptly named Irate, stole the place position with the 7 running third and the 4 horse running fourth. I was irate. A 25-1 shot wasted on a failed exactor and a triactor foiled by, oh did I mention this, a 40 -1 shot lumping in for place. Trading On Line paid $52.50 to win. The 14-13 exactor paid $1004.90. The 14-13-7 triactor pipped $10,534.30 and the $1 14-13-7-4 superfecta returned a whopping $60,560.45. We hadn't even attempted a superfecta ticket, yet somehow I felt entitled to a piece it after handicapping our way to three quarters of the finish. You can read the Equibase race result here.

Fortunately for Chris, his wife Kim was on the way to bring some much needed luck. Kim's lucky number is four. For whatever reason, four works for her. It doesn't work for anyone else - just ask me how Dunraven worked out in the second race. However, Kim arrived to announce she was thinking about an exactor on the drive to Woodbine of four and eight. A $1 box of four and eight in the eighth race paid Kim half of the $645.50 exactor price, much to Chris's delight. The only person happier than Chris was this groom putting on a fierce pose with Lady Of Mystery in the winner's circle.






Just before the running of the main event, I met Ross Stanley - a photographer and sometimes track announcer from Queensland, Australia. Ross showed great interest in the Woodbine racing surface and we compared notes on the differences in racing in our two countries. Both of us have a marked love of turf racing and Ross was in for a dandy today. I hope he was able to get some good photos.

The number four would factor into the main race of the day, the feature Breeder's Stakes with a guaranteed purse of $500,000. Solitaire, my choice, went off as the 4-5 favourite but it was Marlang, the four horse at 9-1, who held off a fierce challenge down the centre of the track from Sligovitz to win. In fact, Chantal Sutherland and Sligovitz were likely closer to the grandstand than the polytrack as they crossed the wire in what was an erratic trip. Solitaire finished third as the Canadian triple crown run ended with three different winners for each jewel.





While I didn't get a winner in the Breeders, I did nail the exactor in the tenth race and that helped take some of the sting out of my wagering day. The beauty of racing though is that a week from now, I'll have forgotten all about the superfecta I didn't wager on but I'll always have a soft spot for Artie Hot. I look forward to seeing him in the winner's circle some day soon and next time I'll be sure to bring an apple.