Woodbine Opening Day Is Finally Here!

The first day of thoroughbred racing has finally arrived and if you're planning on heading to the track today, please be sure to stop by and say hello to me at Down The Stretch's Community Day table located on Woodbine's second floor. There are going to be some excellent FREE horse racing collectibles handed out including autographed pictures of television star Chantal Sutherland.

Please see the following message which was posted for media release on Down The Stretch's Facebook page:

The 2009 thoroughbred season breaks from the gate on Saturday at Woodbine and Down The Stretch will be present as part of Community Day, partnering the track with the patrons.

Down The Stretch will have a table set up on the second floor and will be giving out various souvenirs on a first-come basis. Among the items will be Down The Stretch pens, covers of the paper signed by prominent horsemen, including jockeys Chantal Sutherland and Richard Dos Ramos, both of whom will be featured in the next issue. Printed copies of Down The Stretch’s popular cartoons will also be available.

In addition, Down The Stretch will dispense special purple ribbons signifying the ban against horse slaughter, and fans will be asked to make a minor donation. All money raised will be forwarded to a horse rescuer. Down The Stretch has made the prevention of horse slaughter, in particular retired racehorses, one of its key mandates.

There are ten races on the card including the $100,000 La Voyageuse Stakes for three year-old fillies. High Mist is the 5-2 morning line favourite with the handicapping helper connection of Jim McAleney and Reade Baker.

It will be a reunion of sorts in the jocks room as the riders return from tracks across the globe. Chantal Sutherland returns to ride this season at Woodbine and there are some new faces in the colony including Luis Contreras who will be handling all of Steve Asmussen's horses opening day.

I look forward to hearing Dan Loiselle make that first call of the year, "They're at the post...and they're off!"

Welcome back Woodbine! I'll have photos and stories later on today!