International Acclaim: The Race That Brings All The Stars to Woodbine

Woodbine thoroughbred racing may be on winter break but behind the scenes the wheels are turning and churning out plenty of nostalgia for those in need of a pick me up.

Over the past few days the Woodbine Entertainment Group Youtube Channel ~ imaginatively named WEGReplays ~ has been updated with video of the previous ten editions of the Woodbine Mile and Canadian International.

2000 Canadian International won by Mutafaweq with Lonfranco Dettori in the irons

One hopes that this is only the beginning of what could be an immense video library of racing history. Above you can watch footage of Mutafaweq fighting back deep in the stretch to beat Williams News by a nose. I've replayed the final yards of this stretch battle repeatedly and it still appears to me that Patrick Husbands got the long shot home in front. I couldn't believe it when I watched it live and I'm still not sure now.

The International is undoubtedly one of the most prestigious horse races in the world. At its inception in 1938, the race was contested on dirt at a distance of 1 1/6M with the honours going to Bunty Lawless who won the King's Plate in that same year.

By 1958 the race moved to the turf and has seen an unprecedented post parade of stars take the test. Secretariat's last race came against older horses at Woodbine in the Canadian International. "Big Red" did not disappoint coasting to victory by 6 1/2 lengths.

A year later the super filly Dahlia would win the International. This past year, racing fans raved about Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta taking on the boys but they have a ways to go to match the star power of the Nelson Bunker Hunt owned legend. Dahlia won major races in France, England, Ireland and the United States but the International was a race with the drawing power to bring Dahlia to Canada.

What a set of races that must have been for Woodbine patrons. The legend that is Secretariat in 1973 followed by one of the greatest female race horses of all time in 1974. And that's not hyperbole, this is a filly that knocked off Roberto to win the K. George VI & Q. Elizabeth Stakes - a race she won twice in succession.

Dahlia - Super Filly of the 1970s made her mark at Woodbine


You can reel off the names of countless star winners of the International: Youth (1976), All Along (1983) Sky Classic (1991) and just this year we watched the regally bred Champs Elysees retire in style.

As a kid growing up with N. Irish parents, the International was the race my family looked forward to the most. In the days leading up to the event, my dad would check the forecast for rain and crow about the decided edge it would provide the latest Irish shipper.

While we took turns on a Saturday night reading an advance copy of the Daily Racing Form, my dad would regale me with stories of the jockeys from, "back home".

Lurching forward into a crouch and waving his right arm like a windmill in a hurricane, he would extol the virtues of the British jockey who could never lose a photo finish.

Lester Piggot, Walter Swinburn and Pat Eddery all had their picture taken at Woodbine much to my father's delight.

But that's not to say the Brits didn't get their comeuppance either. Sneak a peak at my program below from the 1986 Rothman's International which lists an impressive field of turfers. The favoured Shardari, with Walter Swinburn Jr wailing away, tried in vain but could not get the best of Jose Santos and Southjet.

(*Left-click on the image to see the full-size photo. Use your "Back" button to return to the blog post.)

Southjet beat the odds to win the 1986 International


Many of the great jockeys who made their living in North America have won the International. Jorge Velazquez (Snow Knight), Angel Cordero (Exceller) and Laffit Pincay (Majesty's Prince) had their turn in the spotlight. Canadian jockeys such as Sandy Hawley and Robin Platts, who made a name piling up Queen's Plate victories, have their name in the International record book.

While the race is a spectacle for even the most casual fan, it can also be a rewarding experience for the plucky punter. Below is my program from the 1989 International won by Jean Cruguet aboard Hodges Bay. The four year-old was listed at 10-1 in the program which demonstrates what a tough race this can be to handicap. The favoured Saint Andrews came into the event off a third place finish in the Arc De Triomphe but couldn't catch the horse who prepped locally when losing the Niagara Stakes by a nose.

The field for the 1989 International


The race is not without its controversies either.

1991 brought a difficult race for Canadian racing fans as the brilliant Sam-Son Farms colt Sky Classic would take the spoils, but only after we watched the illustrious Izvestia break down in front of the grandstand. An arm in the air and a tear down the cheek as the crowd came to terms with the loss of a much-loved horse.

The race has also seen two disqualifications knock winners off the board. In 1969, Tradesman won but was disqualified and placed last.
In 1992, Wiorno (12-1 morning line) won the race but was set down by the stewards and the Irish horse Snurge (5-1) was elevated to top spot to the dismay of many a punter.

The colourful program from the 1992 Rothmans International


The colourful program from the 1992 Rothmans International (Page 2)


To this day, the International remains my favourite racing day of the year at any track. My dad is back home in Belfast now and can't watch the races anymore but I've inherited most of his traits so our tradition continues. I still pray for rain, I still bet the Irish horse and as soon as its over I start counting the days until next year.

Relaxed Gesture graced the 2006 Cover but would lose the race to Collier Hill


It would be impossible to cover all the highs and lows of this historic race in one blog post, but as a racing writer - and fan - with a little too much time on my hands until March it would be great to relive all of the wonderful moments again on video.

Perhaps right now someone is sifting through boxes of old tapes in the Woodbine archives digging up footage of a young Robin Platts winning aboard Frenetico (1968) or gathering grainy proof of back-to-back wins by the pride of B.C, George Royal (1965-66).

I hope racing fans will soon have full access to this impressive archive of racing history. I'm even willing to roll up my sleeves and start lifting boxes if that's what it takes. After all, the International is only nine months away and we can't have that Dahlia footage getting dusty if we're going to entice Zenyatta to Toronto.

2008 International Program signed by Garrett Gomez, Javier Castellano, Jimmy Fortune, Jim McAleney and Richard Dos Ramos.



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Did you know Woodbine's Richard Dos Ramos won the International in 1999? You can read the veteran's humble retelling of his victory with Thornfield in my post entitled Remembering Woodbine Legends Benburb and Thornfield.

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Those of you who are just now noticing the new tabs underneath the Triple Dead Heat banner at the top of the screen might want to take a peak at the Woodbine News tab and take a gander at the important Ray Paulick piece regarding owner Michael Gill, currently at the centre of controversy, after Penn National jockeys voted last Saturday night not to ride in races if Gill’s horses are entered.

If you're curious about what your Woodbine trainers and horses are up to, then double click on the SnowBirds tab for the latest entries and results.
Of note, Malcolm Pierce sends out both No Use Denying and Silver Sands in the Marie G. Krantz Memorial Handicap at Fair Grounds on Saturday.

On Saturday, jockey Chantal Sutherland will get another shot at a big prize when Pretty Unusual goes to post in the $300,000 Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Turf at Santa Anita. Woodbine double stakes winning Roger Attfield charge Palladio will try the $500,000 Classic over 1 1/8M on the ProRide but has a tough test against The Usual Q.T.

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Thank you to everyone who emailed and commented regarding the new look of this site. I'm hoping to add a few more features over the coming weeks. KBM.

Getting A Jump On The Cheltenham Festival

My Dad was born in Belfast in 1933 and grew up cheering for and wagering upon the golden age of horse racing. Over his 76 years and counting, he's bellowed at triple crown winners in the UK, the US and his adopted home of Canada. Each year at this time, my Dad's thoughts turned to "The Jumps", which was his way of describing the races leading up to the Aintree Grand National. The Grand National is arguably the most exciting horse racing event in the world.


Kellsboro Jack - American Owned winner of the 1933 Grand National.

Dad passed along many great sporting traits to me. This afternoon, I left work in the middle of the day to watch Liverpool take on Real Madrid in Champions League football. Going AWOL didn't strike me as strange at all. How could it? At the age of 11, I very clearly remember Dad signing me out of school to come home and watch Liverpool play Juventus in a fateful European Cup Final. Some things are just more important than work.

Today, my Dad is back home in Belfast and not quite healthy enough to chat about the horses anymore. However, each year at this time I can't help but sneak a peak at the upcoming Cheltenham Festival and Aintree Grand National.


Best Mate, Chives and Valley Henry make the leap in the 2003 Cheltenham Gold Cup

The Cheltenham Festival is the jumps equivalent of the Breeders' Cup. If you thought two days of championship racing at Santa Anita was exhausting, I dare you to handicap the 26 races run over four days spanning a variety of age groups run at a distance usually starting at no less that two miles. The feature event of the festival is the Cheltenham Gold Cup, which is run at a distance of three miles and two and one half furlongs. The winning horse not only has to make the distance but also complete 22 fences for the grand prize of over CDN$1,000,000.

Check out this video of Whiteoak, at 20-1, bravely fighting back to win the Mares Hurdle in a last gasp lunge for the wire. The sheer stamina of the horses is exhilarating.



The Cheltenham Festival provides some serious opportunities for a risk-taking handicapper to make money. "Across the nation, well over £500 million will be wagered on the outcome of the 26 races, with total prize money of £3.67 million," boasts the Cheltenham Festival homepage.

Growing up, the only way for my Dad to wager on the spectacle was in the backroom of a local pub. Fast forward two decades and the opportunities for wagering are endless, though one option stands up above the rest - Betfair. This upstart site has grown to become the largest online wagering company in the UK offering a variety of unique betting opportunities with a model that engages two punters with opposing views, removing the need for a bookmaker's mark-up. I'm sure Dad would be thrilled at that. And the best part, is that wagering on Betfair is perfectly legal in Canada.

While it may take some reading to get up to speed on how to wager through Betfair, the end result is well worth the effort. Why not take a run at this years 2009 Cheltenham Gold Cup?

The 2008 Cheltenham Gold Cup featured a battle between stable mate rivals Denman and Kauto Star which was won by Denman on a courageous front end jaunt at odds of 9/4. The two combatants are amongst the entrants in the 2009 edition, though the in-form Kauto Star is favoured this time around. Earlier this week in the Levy Board Steeplechase, Denman raced for the first time since his Cheltenham Gold Cup win and finished second, some 23 lengths behind Madison Du Berlais.

Going into the Levy Board, you could have wagered on Madison Du Berlais at odds of 66-1 to win the Gold Cup, but the impressive dusting of the 2008 Cheltenham champ cut that one's odds all the way down to 8-1. While it's clear that Denman surely needed a race, it was disconcerting to hear his trainer Paul Nicholls say after the race that Kauto Star, "will now be the one to beat."

Not a confident statement to say the least and one that has this punter looking for a price. The best option if you're looking at odds of 20-1 or over would appear to be Albertas Run, who finished second to Kauto Star in the King George on Boxing Day. My Dad, who loved to bet on the Irish horses, would likely be looking at Notre Pere, though that one took a bit of a beating to fellow contender Neptunes Collognes in the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup on the 15th of February. Neptunes Collognes, a big grey also trained by Nicholls finished third in last year's Cheltenham Gold Cup. If you can get generous odds, this one will surely improve off of this recent tilt.

The Cheltenham Festival runs from March 10th - 13th. Start studying now!

In a future post, I will preview the Grand National and take a look at everyones favourite steeple chase jockey turned mystery writer, Dick Francis. Till then, you can click here to keep track of the latest Grand National news.

In The Beginning...

I am posting this first blog with much excitement and more than a few butterflies in my stomach. It's pre-race jitters, I know, but I'm hoping this blog will maintain the stamina required of a mile and a half turf race and not spin out of contention after a too hot first quarter.
As mentioned in the "About Me" section, I'm currently writing a column for Down The Stretch newspaper that goes by the name of Night Moves. It's a brilliant paper run by editor and sports media personality extraordinaire Peter Gross. This blog hopes to extend my writing into more personal areas and hopefully feature everything from, but not limited to:
- race recaps
- book/film reviews
- essays
- random thoughts
- videos
To begin, I am posting a story I wrote for a contest run by Woodbine Entertainment in honour of their 50th anniversary in 2006. My intention was simply to write something that would put the names of my dad and his friend Ted into print. The story did not end up a contest winner, however it was published on page three of the souvenir magazine and even garnered a mention in the editor's opening comments.


Till the next post time...-KBM



First published June 2006:

Woodbine is the location for many of my fondest memories of my Dad. Through the late 1980s and early 1990s, my Dad took me to Woodbine nearly every Sunday to see what he called, "The Big Races." I was privy to see such stars as With Approval being ridden by Hall of Fame jockey Don Seymour and La Lorgnette by the brilliant David Clark.

Arriving back in Canada from Northern Ireland in 1983, my Dad's favourite events were the turf races. We'd get the Daily Racing Form the night before the Rothman's International and take turns reading through the entries. I still have the program from 1986 - I was 12 at the time. I have an old soccer kit bag full of racing programs, many of them autographed.

My Dad would sit in the grandstand with his friend Ted and handicap the races while I watched intently and placed "bets" against them. As the race finished, I'd race to the old clubhouse area with my pristine program awaiting the jockeys who hadn't taken the ride back in the old trolley, pulled by a golf cart. Looking back, I've discovered programs autographed by Sandy Hawley, Robin Platts, Laffit Pincay Jr., Pat Day and Chris Antley. A Beautiful drawing of With Approval features Don Seymour's neat ballpoint scrawl.

As the races got richer, more jockeys would arrive from the U.S. and Europe. I was lucky to meet more than a few legends. I equally treasure those of locals Richard Dos Ramos, Larry Attard and Dave Penna whose names are etched in my memory from the many times Dad roared their names during an intense stretch run.
One favourite memory truly stands out. The year we came back to Canada, I picked Key To The Moon to win the Queen's Plate. I stood pressed against the fence at the finish line, watching as Ten Gold Pots gave up the lead at the top of the stretch. The neck and neck duel between Platts and Attard began with Key To The Moon and Let's Go Blue bumping each other for the last 40 yards. The crowd was in a frenzy. As I strained to see over the green metal fence mere yards from the action, the two hard charging horses matched each other stride for stride. Somehow, Key To The Moon nosed out a win, confirmed after a lengthy inquiry. I was ecstatic. "My horse" had won, Platts became "my jockey" and the moment has never left me. A great photo of the race appears in the Louis Cauz book on The Queen's Plate. With a magnifying glass I can spot a splotch of brown hair along the fence that I know is mine. I've been a racing fan ever since.

My Dad is home in Belfast now living through the late stages of Alzheimer's. We can't talk about the races anymore, though I like to think that a part of him is still replaying the close finishes and glorious memories of the long shots that won. The Queen's Plate of 1984 launched two decades full of memories for me and I can close my eyes and take myself back to them anytime I want. Just me, my Dad and a warm summer day at the track.