Kettleson's Head East, Horses to Watch

Kettleson's Head East,  Horses to Watch

by Jennifer Morrison

“It's a big leap”.

Alivia Kettleson and her husband Todd have moved their racing business from Alberta to Woodbine this year and while the surroundings might be a bit daunting, the couple are excited to try their horses at Canada's biggest track.

Alivia Kettleson and husband Todd at Woodbine

They start their first horse on Saturday, May 24 as their stakes winning filly No Rejoyce competed in race seven, an allowance optional claiming sprint.

“She's in against some bears,” said Alivia. “But we'll see where she fits in.”

It's a big leap indeed for the Kettleson family who packed up two young children, a dog, a pony and a miniature donkey. Not to mention eight horses in training.

Alivia has trained horses for seven years and comes off her best season with 15 victories from just 77 starters, a hefty 19 percent win rate. Originally from Manitoba, Alivia comes from a background in Standardbreds before she moved to Thoroughbreds and became assistant to renowned trainer Dale Saunders.

When Saunders retired, Alivia took over a few of his horses including Decoy, whom she sent out to win stakes races. In 2022, Alivia and Todd, who rides, ponies and is a blacksmith, made headlines when their $1,000 purchase Stevie Wonder Girl won the Alberta Oaks at Century Mile.

The decision to head east for this year was based on, in part, where their horses were bred.

“We tend to buy our horses in Kentucky or Florida,” said Alivia. “Alberta has a great [provincial] program but there are no extra perks for horses bred elsewhere.”

No Rejoyce, a Kentucky bred by young sire Instagrand, was a $5,000 purchase by the Kettleson's Coldfront Racing from the 2023 Keeneland September Sale. No Rejoyce broke her maiden despite a rough trip in the Princess Margaret Stakes at Century Mile in her third career start.

In addition to training their eight horses Alivia freelance exercises while Todd is doing some blacksmith work.

And while they are a bit unsure how their horses will take to the Tapeta surface (since all of western Canada racing is on dirt) the prospect of grass racing is exciting.

“I have never seen a grass race in person,” said Alivia. “I can't wait for that. Woodbine has great facilities, it's pretty awesome.”

Weekend horses to watch

The second 2-year-old race of the young, Woodbine season is Saturday, race three, and one to consider is #6 Miss Maxine, an Ontario bred from the first crop of Godolphin's brilliant racehorse Maxfield. Owned by John Menary and Gail Cox, who also trains, Miss Maxine is from a fast mare, Grace and Dignity, who won first time out as a 2-year-old. Oh, and Grace and Dignity's 3-year-old of this year is the stakes placed Love and Poetry, who is a contender for the Woodbine Oaks in July.

In an oddity, the #2 horse in the juvenile race is Seeking Magic, a daughter of Seeking the Soul from the winning mare Tale of Houdini. Seeking Magic, who finished fourth in her career, is one of three offspring of Tale of Houdini racing at Woodbine on Saturday.

In race 5, Little Thonio, also by Seeking the Soul from Tale of Houdini, makes his third career start in the maiden special weight sprint.

In race 9, Magical Trick, by Danish Dynaformer out of Tale of Houdini, will be a strong factor off her latest, second-place finish. All three siblings were bred by Charles Fipke.