Preseason with - Catherine Day Phillips
- HBPA
- Mar 31
- 4 min read
What did CDP get up to this winter break?
We have had a great winter, we had 25 horses at our farm in Maple Ontario and a couple of horses in Florida. We went down to Payson Park several times to see them train. We also made a trip to Barbados for the Gold Cup. Barbados is a lovely country to visit.
How would you describe your 2024 season at Woodbine?
We had a solid year but not outstanding. Looking forward to a stronger 2025.
How many horses will you have in training this season and who are a few you’re looking forward to?
We have 34 stalls at Woodbine and to be honest I am most excited about our two year olds! We have a pretty solid group including both Canadian breds and Kentucky breds. Harlan Estate joined our stable in January. He is in good order and I am looking forward to his 2025 campaign.
I would be doing our readers a disservice if I didn’t ask about A Bit O’Gold and his 3yo season leading up to the Queen’s Plate and beyond it.
A Bit O’ Gold was such a special horse. He was so talented and so easy going. He would gallop around like a pony but when it came to breezing, he sprouted wings. He would lower his head and fly. It was so easy for him, his times were always fast and he would come back to the barn barely blowing.
Another home town hero Jambalaya. After winning Canada’s 3rd leg of the triple crown did you imagine he would go on to even bigger and better career wins.
I remember Jambalaya being compared to A Bit O’ Gold after the Breeders Stakes, and I thought that he would have a lot to live up to. He lived up to that and more. Jambalaya would go on to win the GIII Saranac at Saratoga, the GI Gulfstream Park Turf and the GI Arlington Million!
What advice would you give someone who is looking to become a trainer one day?
Be prepared to work hard, and then work even harder. Read, watch and absorb as much about horse racing as you can. Remember that there is something to learn from each horse and something to learn from each person that you encounter. Put it all together and make it your own. Keep learning and keep working hard.
If you weren’t training race horses what do you think you would be doing?
I would definitely be involved horses. If not for horse racing, I am sure I would be immersed in some other horse discipline.
Can you tell us about how important family support has been for you over your career.
I could not have spent the time that I have without the support of my husband, Todd. He is always at my side, always encouraging me. We have had many great adventures together, don’t forget Todd drove Jambalaya to all of his races in our own truck and trailer. We are Blessed to have two great sons, they are both finishing up University these days and making their own paths.
If there was one race you could have a redo at what race would that be and what would you have done differently?
Queen’s Plate 2004. A Bit O’Gold was 2nd, by a diminishing neck. He broke out of the gate flat footed and lost all position early. To this day, I will always wonder if it was due to the tight girths. A Bit O’Gold hated tight girths and the ones that came out that day were new and they had little stretch. Since then, if I am not happy with the girths, I will send the valets back for a different set. I don’t want to make that mistake again.
Your impact on Canadian racing has been enormous - what would you say you’re most proud of?
You are very generous in your comment with this question. There are more women involved in horse racing today, that when I started thirty years ago, If I have helped to open up some doors, that that is a great thing.
Is there any trainer that you watched or asked advice to when you first started training?
Given that it is the spring time and we have a barn full of babies, Gord Huntley immediately comes to mind. I was fortunate to spend time with Gord at the Yearling Sales and to also learn from his training of two year olds. Many things that we do today came directly from Gord’s handling of two year olds. I would be remiss to think that my Father, Jim Day, didn’t have a huge influence on me as well. I worked for him in the summers during my university years. His barn was immaculate and the horses were all top notch. What a time that was! Interestingly, we are stabled in the same barn, Barn 28, that my Father trained out of with Sam-Son Farms.
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