A (James E.) Day In My Woodbine History

Like so many horse racing fans, I was introduced to the game by my father. My family moved back to Toronto from Northern Ireland in the early 1980s, just in time for me to watch Key To The Moon win the Queen's Plate commencing what has been a lifelong relationship with Woodbine. A story I wrote about that first Queen's Plate was published in Woodbine's 50th Anniversary Commemorative Magazine.

Over the years I've watched numerous trainers stake their claim to Woodbine dominance including Mac Benson (Windfields Farms), Roger Attfield (Kinghaven Farms) and Gord Huntley with most any two year-old he saddled. As the 1990s approached, Woodbine was the stage for numerous memorable performances of horses trained for Sam-Son Farms by the brilliant James E. Day.

Day made his first headlines at the 1967 Pan American Games, winning gold in the individual equestrian event. The following year, Day would win gold at the summer Olympics in Mexico as part of Canada's equestrian squad. In 1972, a 22 year-old Day was the youngest member of Canada's Munich Olympic team finishing fourth narrowly missing out on a bronze medal. It was through his work in show jumping that Day met Ernie Samuel forging a relationship in the 1970s to head up Sam-Son Farms resulting in the powerhouse that would dominate Woodbine's top races of my childhood throughout the late 1980s and 1990s. The stable reached it's pinnacle in 1991, when Sam-Son Farms won the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Owner while setting record race earnings in the process.


As I read through old programs I've stashed away from those glory years, I can clearly remember the red and gold silks of such Grade 1 stalwarts as Dance Smartly, Sky Classic, Regal Classic, Regal Intention and Hangin on a Star. Of this group Dance Smartly and Sky Classic conjure up the greatest memories.




In 1991, the filly Dance Smartly ran away with the Canadian Triple Crown under the guidance of jockey Pat Day. The filly would go on to win the Breeders' Cup Distaff that year in a proud moment for Canadian racing fans.

Dance Smartly - Class of the field in the 1991 Queen's Plate



Sky Classic was a different type of horse from Dance Smartly and their equally impressive performances demonstrated the dexterity of Day's abilities. Whether working with a filly or an older turf male, Day had the tools and patience to develop a horse to their peak in time for the races that mattered. Sky Classic missed much of his three year-old season in 1990 to injury but returned to a glorious 1991 campaign winning the Dixie Stakes, Connaught Cup, King Edward Gold Cup, Canadian Maturity and on a glorious fall afternoon the Rothman's International. To sit in the grandstand watching a Canadian horse win my favourite race of the meet against international competition was simply second to none.


A short, and by no means comprehensive list, of honours garnered by horses trained by Day include two American Eclipse Awards, Canadian Horse of the Year honours five times and two Queen's Plate winners. As a result, Day was voted Canada's Outstanding Trainer four times.

Perhaps the greatest sign of Day's Woodbine dominance is his 10 lifetime wins in the Cup & Saucer Stakes, a race held annually for Canadian bred two year-old horses run at a mile and sixteenth on the turf. Day saddled seven consecutive winners between 1984 and 1990 including Sky Classic, Regal Classic and a couple of my favourite Woodbine runners Grey Classic and Dauphin Fabuleux.

My Dad and I would be at Woodbine most Sundays during these glory years and I lived to thumb the program and find a first-time Sam-Son runner to wager upon. Each Sunday, it seemed yet another well-bred Sam-Son sophmore would make a stunning pre-race appearance before dominating the field at even money. So strong was the quality of Sam-Son horses that it was not uncommon for them to have multiple entrants in stakes races. They were brilliant and you loved them for it. I miss the battles between Sam-Son and Kinghaven Farms the way Toronto hockey fans speak of 1960s Leafs hockey.

Sam-Son entered three in the 1989 Queen's Plate but could not catch the great With Approval


In 1995, Day left the employ of Sam-Son Farm but continues training for others. The Day name will continue to be associated with Woodbine folklore as Day's daughter, Catherine Day-Phillips, now a renowned trainer in her own right, has proved to be as talented as her father winning stakes races such as the Arlington Million and Breeders' Cup Turf.

My young life as a racing fan has witnessed Woodbine spin and change from rustic raceway to resplendent racino but the Sam-Son horses trained by Jim Day will always hold a special spot in my heart. Each time I venture under the willows of the walking ring there will be ghosts of race days past standing tall in the shadows radiating majestic colours of red and gold.