By Steve Buffery Woodbine trainer Kevin Attard left the Etobicoke track last Saturday feeling pretty darn good about how the day’s proceedings went down. No, Attard didn’t win his third straight King’s Plate, but he did accomplish something almost equally as impressive, winning a record-tying five races on the program – including three Stakes triumphs. But there was something else that put a smile on the star trainer’s face. The victory in the Grade 3 $175,000 Bold Venture St

By Hayley Morrison The dust has barely settled after Luster’s dominating performance in this year’s King’s Plate. Yet, racing fans may be wondering where the Plate winner and all the Plate horses for that matter may pop up and run next. The most probable race would be the Prince of Wales Stakes on September 7. The Prince of Wales is the second leg or jewel in the Canadian Triple Crown (CTC) series. This race takes place at the historic Fort Erie Race Track where horses run a

BY: Steve Buffery Sitting at a table reserved for the connections of Fire And Wine, veteran trainer Zeljko Krcmar was asked for his thoughts heading into Saturday’s 167th running of the $1 million King’s Plate at Woodbine Racetrack. “This may be my Swan Song,” said Krcmar. “You mean you’re retiring?” he was asked. “No,” the veteran horseman replied with a smile. “What am I going to do if I retire? Sit at home and watch TV and die? I’m 84. But I don’t plan to stop. I love the

By Steve Buffery When Harold Ladouceur was a young boy growing up on a Metis settlement in northern Alberta, he raced horses in the bush for his grandparents. “I can’t remember not riding horses. I rode horses since I could walk,” said Ladouceur, during a break from his work day inside barn nine at the Woodbine backstretch. “I’d go to my uncle’s house and ride his horses when he was still sleeping early in the morning. I’d jump on them, no saddle, no bridle, just tie a rope

Brachetto prepares for the King's Plate By Steve Buffery Woodbine trainer Julia Carey invites a reporter into Brachetto’s stall in barn 33 at the Woodbine backstretch and, as she lovingly strokes his forehead, says: “He’s a very cool, very laid-back, easy-going little colt.” You can absolutely sense the love between the trainer and the three-year-old bay colt who, by winning the $150,000 Grade 3 Marine Stakes on June 27 at Woodbine, established himself as one of the favorit

By Steve Buffery Wandering into barn nine in the Woodbine backstretch this week, a reporter was asked by a blacksmith working in one of the stalls if he needed some help locating someone. “I’m looking for Dale Desruisseaux,” came the reply. After issuing directions, the blacksmith made a good-natured crack about Desruisseaux’s hairline, prompting smiles from a couple of other workers in the barn. If everyone seems to be in good spirits in barn nine these days, there’s a very

As a former fashion designer, Abraham (Eddie) Katryan has managed to ‘design’ a stellar career in thoroughbred horse racing. Now in his late 60’s, and fighting back from a serious health issue, Katryan remains optimistic that there are many good things in store for him and his barn in the future. “I would like to win the King’s Plate eventually. We’ve been working towards that,” said Katryan. “I also had a horse in the Breeders’ Cup once and that was a good experience. I enjo

By Steve Buffery For years, Woodbine trainer Kevin Attard worked diligently towards the goal of winning a King’s Plate. And when he finally broke through by capturing his first Plate in 2022 with the magnificent Moira, Attard remained laser-focussed on making sure Moira’s victory wasn’t a one-off. It certainly wasn’t. Attard won the Plate two more times since, with Caitlinhergrtness in 2024 and last year with Mansetti. And even though none of his three-year-olds this season a

By Steve Buffery Fort Erie was attacked by American troops on two occasions in 1812. Over two centuries later, there’s been a different sort of invasion going down at the border city – an onslaught of winning horses at the town’s iconic oval, Fort Erie Race Track. In Ontario thoroughbred racing circles this season, a major topic of conversation has been the success of ICON Racing Stable and trainer Anthony Adamo at Fort Erie, and, to a lesser extent, at Woodbine. The number

By Steve Buffery The Woodbine season is only about two months old, but veteran trainer Bill Tharrenos has already enjoyed a number of highlights at the track this year. For one thing, the Etobicoke native has already posted 13 victories at the Rexdale oval in 49 starts (tied for second overall in trainer wins), and 15 triumphs overall in 2026 if you add two scores at Gulfstream Park in Florida. But another highlight came this past Saturday when he had a very special visitor a

BY: Steve Buffery Paul Seymour may hail from coal country – Cape Breton, Nova Scotia - but to Woodbine trainer Mike Mattine, he’s worth his weight in gold. The same can be said for Mattine’s other key groom, Hardeo Bhupaul. “I’m lucky to have two good workers like that,” said Mattine on a pleasant spring morning at the Woodbine backstretch. “They’re really good workers, they’re really dedicated to their job and you won’t find much better grooms than they are.” Seymour and Bhu

By Steve Buffery - Photo Mike Burns Fresh blood is a good thing in any business, but there’s also something to be said for tradition and longevity. Especially in thoroughbred horse racing. John Mattine is an example of a family that lives and breathes horse racing - a clan that, over the years, has helped keep the sport alive in Ontario, through good times and bad. A trainer at Woodbine since 2009, John hails from a family who started in the business in the 1960’s when his gr

From an internment camp in the B.C. interior, to a stakes winner at Woodbine, Rick Okihiro has lived an incredible life By Steve Buffery To a great many hockey families in the Mississauga area, Rick Okihiro is the friendly guy who operates the pro shop at the Paramount Fine Foods Centre, formerly known as the Hershey Centre. Ask any hockey mom or dad: Who is one of the best skate sharpeners in all of the GTHA? And the answer, quite frequently, is: “Rick Okihiro.” Okihiro

Debra Rombis takes a visitor on a quick tour of her barn in the Woodbine Backstretch, pointing out her various horses by their gender and age. “I’m running a senior’s home here,” Rombis said, with a laugh, alluding to the fact that there are a few older horses in her stable. There are a few older horses, but many of them, including a couple of mares - eight-year-old Chromeplated Heart and seven-year-old Thatsitthatsall – are still doing quite well. In fact, Chromeplated Heart

By Steve Buffery Miss Vyvyanne is a mare on a tear. And that has her trainer, Gail Cox, extremely excited. Cox is thrilled about Miss Vyvyanne’s outstanding performances of late, and is also pumped about the 2026 Woodbine season getting underway on Sat., April 18. Miss Vyvyanne, the daughter of Rainbow Heir-Caribean Beat, heads to home to Woodbine after recording four straight victories, including a dominating 1 ¼ length triumph in the $75,000 (US) Golden Beach Handicap at Gu

Rebecca Gullett - A New Dawn By Steve Buffery If there was anyone destined to become involved in The Sport of Kings, it was veteran Woodbine trainer Steve Owens. You might say it was in the stars. “I was born over a betting shop in England,” Owens said recently, while chatting inside his office in barn 15 at the Woodbine backstretch. “My grandmother used to put me on the kitchen table with a pen, and I’d pick the winners (in horse races). I was very lucky.” A self-described “

By Steve Buffery Exercise rider Romon Dominguez pulls up beside barn No. 30 in the Woodbine backstretch one recent morning - dapper in a white cowboy hat, blue shirt and jeans - climbs out of his truck and immediately starts lugging equipment out of the back. Asked how he’s feeling, Dominguez replied. “Good, I’ve already galloped 10 horses this morning.” Which, in itself, is no big deal. Ramon is one of the top exercise riders at Woodbine and is a busy man. But what’s truly

By: Steve Buffery Barb Minshall is known for her fantastic success on the track, not in the swimming pool. But when asked what her goals might be this season, the Woodbine training legend replied: “To keep my head above water.” Which is probably the goal of a great many thoroughbred trainers these days. “I’d like to break even,” the winner of 18 races and $1,139.421 in earnings in 2025 at Woodbine said from her Ocala, Florida home. “But it’s tough. I’ve got a large staff that

What inspired you to capture that particular moment during the breeze? Raceday Ristretto Photography is a new venture of mine, so I had come out to Palm Meadows hoping to take some shots for my portfolio. I was excited to see trainer Riley Mott’s horses Argos, Grade 1 winner at Woodbine, and Coburg paired to breeze on the turf that morning. I briefly worked for Mott as a hot-walker last winter, then taking videos for owners this fall. I stuck around hoping to catch them at th

CHAUFFEUR TO THE (EQUINE) STARS IVAN VANDERBURGH BY JENNIFER MORRISON He's one of the most recognizable faces in Ontario racing and a friend to all horses and horsepeople. Ivan Vanderburgh, who began shipping horses some 70 years ago, is retiring at the end of 2025 and the HBPA and the Ontario horseracing community want to thank him. From Woodbine to Kentucky and Florida and across Canada, Ivan shipped horsepeople's most precious cargo from track to farm and back. If anyone