Woodbine Diaries: Fabulous Friday

I spent my first full morning at Woodbine in the best way possible: walking around the track’s stable area checking in on the contenders running in the big races this weekend. It’s the best way that I can imagine to start off my day, and I had an absolute blast going from barn to barn with Woodbine’s Media Coordinator Keith McCalmont to meet these amazing horses.
We started out the day by just taking in the scene at the track. It was a chilly morning (but then again it’s also Canada, so I guess that’s to be expected once September rolls around), but the horses were out in full force, taking their morning exercise with the beautiful backdrop of the Woodbine grandstand behind them. 

After watching the workers on the main track, Keith took me to an area known as “Baker’s Acres”. This is a meandering, dirt jogging path that gives horses the chance to trot, canter or gallop in a natural setting. The Thoroughbreds and their riders seemed so at home while exercising through this pastoral setting, and it was a place of serenity in the midst of the bustling activity of the stable area. 

After that, it was time to visit some horses!
Because I was lucky to see so many runners this morning, I’ll start with the Saturday contenders and I’ll group the horses according to the races in which they plan to compete.
Bold Venture Stakes (Saturday, Sept. 13, 4th Race)
OK, I’m not off to a great start since I only got photos of one of the Bold Venture runners, but I’m pretty darn pleased with the pictures! Here’s Sensational Slam, who will be #11 in the Bold Venture, a race for horses 3 years old and older going 6 1/2 furlongs (a furlong is an eighth of a mile) on Woodbine’s main track.

When I told Sensational Slam that he was the only horse I was taking a photo of from his race, he pretty much just laughed off the rest of the competition anyway.

Natalma Stakes (Saturday, Sept. 13, 6th Race)
The only Natama Stakes contender I saw this morning was Callisto, but to me that was like meeting horse-racing royalty.

That’s because Callisto’s mother is none other than Doremifasollatido, star of one of the great race calls of all time: 

I freaked out and fangirled over Callisto as soon as I found out who her mother was. I think her trainer thought I have a screw loose. In all fairness, she’s probably right. 
Northern Dancer Turf Stakes (Sunday, Sept. 14, 6th Race)
So the good news is that I was able to visit a ton of the Northern Dancer contenders! The Northern Dancer is a 1 ½-mile race on the grass for horses 3 years of age and older, and it’s named for one of the greatest Canadian-bred racehorses and one of the most influential stallions of all time in North America. The horse is so revered that a sculpture of him presides over Woodbine’s paddock.

The first Northern Dancer contender I saw was Aldous Snow. He’s a very cool horse who has a very poofy forelock that gives him a very jaunty look. When we saw him, he was digging into some food and wasn’t particularly interested in hanging out. 

But once he heard the cameras clicking, Aldous Snow’s curiosity got the better of him and he came over to see what I was up to.

Gotta love that kind of personality!
Next, we went to go see Northern Dancer runner Perfect Timber. This horse is a longtime favorite of mine; not only is he a tremendous athlete, but he’s also a total lovebug who’s as friendly as any racehorse you’ll ever meet. Plus, he’s huge!

He also has a fantastic bond with Woodbine’s Keith McCalmont, and the two were very clearly happy to see each other.

Keith mentioned that he took the opportunity to let Perfect Timber know that his Pick 4 ticket depended on him finishing well. I hope Perfect Timber took that to heart!
Of course, there’s no shame in the horse-snuggle game, so I got right in there with Perfect Timber and gave him a carrot. He took it like the perfect gentleman that he is: 

Photo courtesy of Keith McCalmont
The next Northern Dancer runner I saw was Chicago fan favorite The Pizza Man. This horse is another big guy, and he has the personality to match his size. His name is one that has inspired many a pun, and my friend Brian Zipse of Horse Racing Nation came up with a doozey of one the other day:

I was a little surprised to see The Pizza Man heading north for the Northern Dancer on #WoMile day, but then I remembered he needs the dough
— Brian Zipse (@Zipseatthetrack) September 10, 2014
I read that out loud to The Pizza Man, and this was his reaction: 

But in all seriousness, The Pizza Man looks fantastic, and his team reported that he had an easy eight-hour van ride to Woodbine and had settled in to his temporary Toronto digs very nicely.

Up next was Forte Dei Marmi. This distinguished, elder statesman has raced all over the globe, including starts in Great Britain, Florida, Kentucky, Canada, Maryland and Virginia. He seemed delighted to take a moment and get his photo taken – always a good quality in a racehorse trying to get to the winner’s circle! 

The final Northern Dancer runner we checked in on was Sheikhzayedroad. Another world traveller, Sheikhzayedroad has run in Great Britain, Dubai and now is here in Toronto to try his hand (hoof?) in the fist major race on Sunday’s card at Woodbine.

Canadian Stakes (Sunday, Sept. 14, 9th Race)
The Canadian Stakes is a 1 1/8-mile race for female horses 3 years of age and older; it’s not only a major event on the Canadian racing calendar, but it’s also a Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” race. That means that the winner will get an all-expenses paid trip to the Breeders’ Cup World Championships to compete in the Filly and Mare Turf on Nov. 1. The Canadian is a major race, and this year’s field is very competitive.
The first contender we caught up with was Deceptive Vision. Not only is she a talented racehorse, but she’s very sweet as well. She gave me a huge nuzzle when we met, and I was still getting some bran mash out of my ears a few hours after we hung out. I think I’m in love.

Lower image courtesy of Keith McCalmont
Stabled near Deceptive Vision is fellow Canadian Stakes contender Dance Again. Her trainer calls her the barn pet, and she’s very clearly loved. She also knows a camera when she sees one, since she stopped and posed for us as soon as we were spotted. 

Up next we saw Meri Shika. A very feminine, delicate filly, she was attentive but relaxed in the stall.

Somehow the two of us got into a staring contest during our visit. She won, in case you’re curious.

Photo courtesy of Keith McCalmont
The last Canadian Stakes runner we visited was Lexie Lou. This filly is a hometown favorite: two races ago, she won the Queen’s Plate here at Woodbine, besting the boys to take home a landmark victory in her career. She’s an absolute beauty – and a very outgoing girl – and I think she’s my pick for Sunday’s race. 

Lower image courtesy of Keith McCalmont
Woodbine Mile Stakes (Sunday, Sept. 14, 11th Race)
The Woodbine Mile is one of the most celebrated races in Canada, and this year’s edition looks to be one of the better betting races of the day. The horses are evenly matched and I can’t wait to see the action on Sunday afternoon.
The Woodbine Mile is another Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” race, so the victor will get a free ride to the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Santa Anita Park in Los Angeles on Nov. 1.
The first Mile runner we saw was Trade Storm. He’s a horse who has some serious stamps in his passport, having run in Great Britain, Dubai and now in Canada. He looked happy and at home in his stall in the barn designated for European shippers at Woodbine. 

The next horse we say was His Race to Win. A sweet guy, His Race to Win is owned by historic Sam-Son Farm, which has been a powerhouse in Canadian breeding for decades.

He has such a kind face, and I couldn’t stop myself from giving him an encouraging face scratch for good luck on Sunday.

Our next stop was to go see Bobby’s Kitten, one of the American Woodbine Mile runners. He was much more interested in his hay than he was with posing for a photo, and when he finally deigned to be interrupted from his snack, he let me know just how he felt about my presence:

I seem to have more photos in my archive of horses sticking their tongues out at me than I have regular pictures! Thankfully, after a moment Bobby’s Kitten decided to be agreeable and struck a pose and showed us all just how good-looking he is.

The last Woodbine Mile contender we saw was Jack Milton. While I haven’t seen all of the runners for Sunday’s main event yet, I was very impressed with Jack Milton’s presence. He just looks and acts like a classy horse, and so far he’s my pick to take home the lion’s share of the Mile’s million-dollar purse.

One last bonus photo: While I was in trainer Roger Attfield’s barn, his assistant handed me some carrots to give out to the horses. I blissfully went from stall to stall like some sort of equine version of Santa Claus, distributing treats to all of the racehorses.
There was one filly who wasn’t totally sure about the carrot, but sampled it very delicately and then all of a sudden just put her head in my arms. I was instantly in love with her, and spent a good 10 minutes petting her and making friends. Attfield’s assistant told me that the filly’s name is Pengally Bay, and that she’s 2 years old. She had just arrived from the farm a few days ago, and the barn has high hopes for her. I can’t wait to follow her career and see how she does; she’s definitely a new obsession of mine!

Photo courtesy of Keith McCalmont
Oh, did I mention that she has a heart-shaped mark on her forehead? That’s why I have totally crazy eyes in that photo: I am officially a woman obsessed.
After that, it was time for me to head to the Woodbine press box and get some work done; but, I had one mission that’s I’d been dreaming of for almost a year: I was going to get one of Woodbine’s unforgettable roast beef sandwiches. They’re unreal: hand-carved, real roast beef, piping hot gravy, horseradish all on a fresh onion roll and served with a million dill pickle slices. It’s one of my favorite racetrack meals anywhere, and it’s less than $6 – seriously. It’s amazing. 

Sadly, it didn’t last very long. I fully plan on having another one tomorrow. I think about these sandwiches way more often than is normal.

Whatever. I have no regrets. That sandwich made catching up on my morning’s emails much more pleasant.
Thank you so much for stopping by and checking out the contenders for this weekend’s big races at Woodbine, and please let me know your picks in the comments below!