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 Jose Campos aboard Big Bold and First after winning the Simcoe Stakes |
On Sunday, Woodbine hosted its annual Yearling Sales Stakes day with four stakes races, all Tapeta main track sprints, restricted to Canadian-breds who went through Woodbine's sales ring as yearlings or weanlings. Conditions were typical for late August in Southern Ontario, with partly cloudy skies and a race time temperature of 25 C (77 F). The 2025 CTHS Ontario Canadian Premier Yearling Sale takes place this Wednesday, August 27 starting at noon in the Woodbine sales pavilion.
 Big Bold and First wins the Simcoe Stakes |
Left: Big Bold and First in the winner's circle. Winning jockey Jose Campos said, "We worked the horse last week, the horse worked hard, so, in my opinion, I thought the horse was going to have a chance. The horse ran hard and gave me everything in the race. Good horses make good jockeys."
Right: Big Bold and First gets hosed off after the race. Winning trainer Bill Tharrenos, who had 3 entered said, "I know this horse is really quick and I said, 'David (Moran aboard 6th place finisher Silver Is Best), be ready at the quarter-pole and try to pick them all up,' And I thought Bank On Big Winner (ninth) was going to give a good run today and they all proved me wrong."
 Speedy Freeze wins the Algoma Stakes |
Left: Speedy Freeze in the winner's circle. Winning jockey Ryan Munger said, "She makes your life easy. From the one-hole, obviously you are concerned because you don't want to get stuck in a pocket, especially with a filly that comes from off the speed. She doesn't have initial gate speed, but then I managed to quickly get her out. I just kind of followed them around. I said, 'Okay, she is only going to start finding her feet the last eighth and she is going to run them down.' And you know what? That's what she did."
right: Speedy Freeze gets hosed off after the race. Winning trainer Ron Sadler said, "I have so much confidence in this filly. I was terrified when she broke poorly. I have all the confidence in the world in Ryan. He just settled her in and bided his time, and when it was time to pull the trigger, they both pulled the trigger."
 Friendly Ghost wins the Elgin Stakes |
Left: Friendly Ghost in the winner's circle. Winning owner Sue Leslie said, "There was some screaming going on up in the (owner's box) area, I'll tell you that. It kind of set up for him and Civaci did a great job. We will be patient with him this year. We got a little overly rambunctious with him last year – that won't happen this year. He will get the time he needs now and hopefully he can do some nice things in the fall for us."
Right: Friendly Ghost gets hosed off after the race. Leslie added, "(Trainer Evette Chartrand-Hoek) is tremendously excited, believe me. She is a terrific, terrific trainer. I wish more people would send her horses."
 Souper Diva wins the Muskoka Stakes |
Left: Souper Diva in the winner's circle. Winning jockey Jose Campos said, "In my mind, I have a lot of confidence in the filly. The filly, she broke so easily on the lead, so I just let the filly go. At the quarter-pole, when no one was coming, I said, 'It's time to run' and the filly gave me everything she had."
Right: Souper Diva gets hosed off after the race. Winning trainer Steve Chircop said, "I wouldn't say totally surprised [about the win]. I think you can throw out her last race – she had a good excuse, and the horse was breezing really, really good coming up into this race." Co-owner Dave Delellis added, "We were all at the sales last year and we said let's pool some money together. Steve has done a wonderful job picking them. I was in the game maybe 30 years ago with Molinaro Stables. I met Steve, and it's been amazing. I didn't expect this, but we'll take it. I'm sure we will be shopping."
On Friday, August 22, racing lost a true legend when Hall of Fame jockey Ron Turcotte passed away from natural causes at the age of 84 at his home in Drummond, New Brunswick. He won over 3000 races but will always be best known as the regular rider of Secretariat, in the saddle for all but 2 of Big Red's starts. He was one of 14 children and among 5 brothers who left New Brunswick to find work and eventually ended up as jockeys. Originally a lumberjack like his father, he got his start in racing at Woodbine Racetrack working for E.P. Taylor, and was the first rider of Northern Dancer, before trainer Horacio Luro replaced him with Bill Shoemaker and later Bill Hartack. Turcotte was aboard for Northern Dancer's debut, a win over the turf at Fort Erie. Turcotte's riding career came to an end in July 1978 when he was paralyzed from the waist down after a fall at Belmont Park. Turcotte later said, "As much as I loved Riva Ridge, Northern Dancer is the second-best horse I rode. He was a heck of a horse. I loved him from the first time I rode him."
Left: The new statue of Ron Turcotte in the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame, which was unveiled on his 84th birthday, July 22. In 2023, the 50th anniversary of Secretariat's Triple Crown, Turcotte said, "I only looked back for the other horses at the quarter pole and I couldn't see anything under my arm. The picture you see of me looking in was when I was looking at the (infield teletimer) because we'd run the first mile and a quarter faster than we did when we won the Derby."
Right: Turcotte's plaque in the Hall of Fame. Jim Lawson, Executive Chair of Woodbine Entertainment Group said, "Ron Turcotte was a true Canadian icon whose impact on horse racing is immeasurable. From his incredible journey aboard Secretariat to his lifelong commitment to the sport, Ron carried himself with humility, strength, and dignity. His legacy in racing, both here at Woodbine and around the world, will live forever. We mourn his loss and celebrate a life that inspired many."
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