By STEVE BUFFERY Audrey Cheung’s first year as a head trainer at Woodbine has sort of mirrored that of a boxer in a championship bout. She suffered a knockdown, climbed back on to her feet and is back in the fight, winning. “I’m very grateful for the opportunities and experiences that I’ve had this year,” said Cheung. “There’s been a lot of firsts in a lot of good ways - our first wins, first as an owner too. I’m just really grateful for the opportunities the owners have give

By HBPA Ontario There are few races on the Canadian racing calendar that carry the history and international importance of the Canadian International. This Saturday, October 3, Woodbine will once again host the $750,000 Grade 1 Canadian International, with a field of seven turf horses set to compete over 1½ miles on the E.P. Taylor Turf Course. The 86th running of the Canadian International brings together a mixture of international experience, European Group winners and hors

By Steve Buffery With the energy of a man half his age, 85-year-old trainer Zeljko Krcmar marches through his barn at the Woodbine backstretch and says: “Where is the big boy?” The “big boy” is Krcmar’s three-year-old colt Fire and Wine, who will be one of the favorites in this Sunday’s Breeders’ Stakes at Woodbine, the third and final jewel of the Canadian Triple Crown. The Croatian-born Krcmar is hoping that Fire and Wine can return to the form he demonstrated in the King’s

By Steve Buffery They say being a thoroughbred horse trainer is like being on a roller coaster ride, with thrilling ups and terrifying downs. And sometimes when the ride ends, you can feel your stomach churning. That was sort of the feeling veteran John Charalambous had a couple of days after his four-year-old colt Scorching won the Elgin Stakes at Woodbine on Aug. 30. Scorching (Mo Town-Samsal by Consolidator) won the seven-furlongs, $200,000 stakes for four-year-old colts a

BY: Steve Buffery Woodbine’s leading trainer Mark Casse recently checked out the entries for this Saturday’s Turf Champions Day at Woodbine Racetrack and was blown away. Turf Champions Day will feature a quartet of Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series ‘Win and You’re In’ events, headlined by the $1 million Woodbine Mile on the renowned E.P. Taylor Turf course. “This is quite a day of racing,” said Casse, speaking over the phone on Thursday afternoon. “You’ve got the E.P Tay

By Steve Buffery Woodbine trainer Don MacRae is a guy who seems to laugh easily and often, but it’s a visiting reporter who can’t help but laugh when MacRae is asked what he thinks his chances are with his colt Keepmypowderdry in Monday’s Prince of Wales Stakes at Fort Erie. “He’s an inexperienced horse that I’m throwing to the wolves,” said MacRae. That response – straight and to the point - elicited a chuckle, which is not to say that MacRae doesn’t believe the son of Omaha

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