Okay, we initially were to take a little break, but this Princess is just too fit! That’s right – she’s back again this Wednesday night at Woodbine after a fantastic effort in her last race Friday, July 14, 2017. Purchased originally for $5k, she already has more than quadrupled her purchase price in earnings at the track.
In that last start, our girl A Pic by Mrwill went off as the post-time favourite and while she was kept-in on the rail we were plenty pleased with her performance as she was game to the finish never giving-up! Princess ran second to a deserving winner in Victorian Lass whom after trying for three seasons, broke her maiden under our friend Steven Bahen. Bahen as you remember, piloted Princess to a couple solid efforts earlier this season. The irony! But that’s Horse Racing for you!
While we will be honest that we had a bit of concern with Princess heading into her seventh start already this season, her third start in July, we place our full trust in Team John Ross. All the signs say she is ready to fight again and in this her first race in the evening, we’re excited to see how she will fare. She’s never been more driven!
Jockey Luis Contreras had nothing but praise for Princess after that last race, confident he will get her to the Winner’s Circle and he returns yet again after a fantastic ride!
Let’s watch her last race:
Team P!
See you Wednesday night, race 7, number 3 (9:39 PM EST).
(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)
Surprise! We’re back again with Princess! We know it’s short notice, but the right race popped-up and we couldn’t wait!
If you’re free after work Friday, Woodbine now has Twilight Racing on Friday nights starting at 3:45 PM. Grab a drink on the patio at Champions‘ hot new GRANDSTAND SOCIAL, come out and cheer on our sweetheart A PIC BY MRWILL! 💞
We admit it, we were all a bit baffled and disappointed by her performance on Plate Day and we know how many of you were there to cheer her on too! The plus side is she came out of the race in great shape, not in the least bit exhausted.
Worry not, it’s a new day and our girl has been training well under her new exercise rider Keith Reid. Keith says his morning gallops with Princess are his “favourite part of the day”! Aww!
Smiling again. pic.twitter.com/ENTOtmrn0y
— Princess 🍎 (@APicByMrWill) July 10, 2017
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(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)
It may have been the 158th running of the Queen’s Plate but believe me, it never gets old! While #Canada150 and long weekend were very much on people’s minds this past weekend, that didn’t stop a huge crowd from filling up the Woodbine Racetrack grandstand trackside all the way up to the fourth floor. Known as the longest-running annual horse race in North America, the race now featured in a two-day long Festival is a huge annual draw deep in history and culture. Headlining the two days of concerts this year were Canada’s Our Lady Peace on the Saturday and Goo Goo Dolls on the Sunday. Fun fact: did you known OLP frontman Raine Maida is Sovereign Award-winning Trainer Barb Minshall‘s nephew? We didn’t know that until recently when that came-up in a conversation. Cool, right?
We had the pleasure of being Woodbine‘s first ever Facebook Live Queen’s Plate Co-Host along with our new friend Jen Kirsch, influencer and relationship writer, checking-in on the fun and fashion with guests from the Hats & Horseshoes Party, presented by Stella Artois. We loved the eclectic range of outfits, many patriotic and #Canada150-themed and many nodding another era.
Cast members of The Real Housewives of Toronto, fashion icon Jeanne Beker, Goo Goo Dolls, hosts of CTV’s The Social and Rachael Ancheril of Rookie Blue were in attendance. We’re pretty sure you’ve seen the fashion spots on Woodbine‘s website leading-up to the Queen’s Plate right? Those were actually directed by the latter.
Frank Stronach and his Adena Springs team have been a major force now for many years in the sport and this was the case in the day’s marquee race, the $1-million Queen’s Plate taken in dominant fashion by his superfilly Holy Helena. Ridden by Luis Contreras and trained by U.S.-based James Jerkens, she won the race as the post-time favourite and we hear that she is being pointed to the prestigious Alabama Stakes at Saratoga where she will face the top three-year-old fillies in North America. She just may make one more start in Canada to qualify for a Sovereign Award as she has made just two starts in her native country in a brief but v. illustrious career!
Watch the race:
Other major winners Queen’s Plate Festival weekend included Russell Brand character namesake Aldous Snow (Singspiel Stakes), Financial Recovery (Ontario Damsel Stakes), Melmich (Dominion Day Stakes), Green Mask (Highlander Stakes), Yorkton (Charlie Barley Stakes), Go Bro (King Edward Stakes) and a rare dead-heat between Rainha da Bateria and Starship Jubilee (Dance Smartly Stakes).
See our Snaps:
Jen Kirsch + I
Holy Helena, her groom Denzil + Frank Stronach
Queen’s Plate heroine Holy Helena + I
A Holy Helena cupcake (courtesy of Hayley Morrison)
The adorable Contreras Family (family of Queen’s Plate-winning jockey Luis)
Ontario’s Lieutenant Governor Elizabeth Dowdeswell + Woodbine CEO Jim Lawson
Rainha da Bateria + Starship Jubilee, your Dance Smartly Stakes victresses
Catherine Day Phillips (and family), winning Trainer of Ontario Damsel Stakes victress Financial Recovery
Yorkton, winner of the Charlie Barley Stakes
Woodbine‘s Dawn Lupul
Aldous Snow, winner of the Singspiel Stakes… a third time!
Green Mask, winner of the Highlander Stakes
Melmich, winner of the Dominion Day Handicap. His co-owner Cory Hoffman (front right) is the father of fellow Film Writer Matt Hoffman.
Our Lady Peace frontman Raine Maida
We loved meeting our VIP Paddock Party winners Maria + Brett (fourth down). Some Queen’s Plate Fashion 👒🎩:
Woodbine Handicapper Jim Bannon and former Woodbine announcer Dan Loiselle. Legends.
The official Queen’s Plate cocktail, the Blue Diamond 💎
Full House 🏠
The rain would not prevail!
While we were pretty much everywhere on Queen’s Plate Day, we loved seeing the faces of friends, new and old. If you couldn’t make it out this year, we hope to see you at the races this season as it goes till December! Beginning Friday nights in July, Woodbine will host a patio party called the Grandstand Social on the third floor at Champions.
All I Do is Win ✔
Everyone needs a selfie with the soon-to-be-iconic “ALL I DO IS WIN” neon sign which will be there!
See you there! 🖐
(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)
Victory is so close, we can almost taste it! After a smashing effort from Princess on June 11th on Woodbine Oaks Day, our girl is back again of all days, Queen’s Plate Day! What a dream! We know this much, our girl sure loves an audience. We’re so excited we can’t even function!
What are we going to wear?!
In her previous race, Princess was paired for the first time ever with Woodbine‘s leading rider Eurico Rosa Da Silva and despite traffic issues in the stretch resulting in a lengthy claim of foul, our darling ran a game third, losing only by a length to Kentucky-bred Lady Brie. That one since has stepped-up to Allowance-level company, a narrow second last weekend!
What thrilled us most is that Princess never gave up and kept fighting to the finish in that return to the main track after an okay effort on the wet turf the time before. She heard your cheers! This last effort very much is reminiscent of her second 2017 start where she showed that same fire. 🔥
Eurico adores Princess and tells us that she was perfect that day, doing everything right. He knew right away he wanted to be on her again for this next start. He’s confident Princess is on her way to a win. We’re so honoured and what better validation than that?
Grab some popcorn, let’s watch the race again!🍿
If we could compare Princess mentally to where she was last year, she still is the same sweet girl but we love that she’s so much more vocal and confident.
Her effortless workout this week under Joshua Scott speaks volumes! This girl is ready.
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KJ Apa (Riverdale):
Happy Pride! 🌈 #Pride #PrideToronto
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Got my #QueensPlate outfit ready. Will I see you Sunday? 👑 Race 11, #7 (6:25 PM EST) #QP17
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See you all Queen’s Plate weekend and good luck!
(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong)
It’s our favourite event of the summer! The Queen’s Plate is back and bigger than ever, expanded now to a two-day festival taking place Saturday, July 1–Sunday, June 2, 2017 at Woodbine Racetrack!
Tickets for the festival Sunday grant you access to concerts by this year’s headliners, Our Lady Peace (Saturday) and Goo Goo Dolls (Sunday).
In addition to being North America’s most historic horse race, now in its 158th edition, featuring the finest three-year-old horses in Canada, the Queen’s Plate Festival features plenty of fun, fashion, food and drink. You must experience its signature cocktail, the Blue Diamond!
Courtesy of Vaughan Mills, the best-dressed will have a chance to win a $1,000 gift card at the Fashion at the Races contest.
There also will be lots of fun giveaways throughout the weekend… but only if you are there!
Attendees also will get their first bet free! Don’t forget to download Woodbine‘s official app to qualify! More here.
You must not forget to walk the Red Carpet for a photo op.
Stay connected with the hashtag #QP17!
How about some fashion inspiration?
We want to give our Toronto readers a special opportunity to win special VIP Paddock Party passes, which include access to a private trackside viewing area, light snacks, drinks and access to a premium viewing area of the concerts! You must be 19 years of age to enter.
To enter to win, we need you to do the following.
1. Click “like” on this Post at MR. WILL ON FACEBOOK.
2. Click “like” this Post on our Instagram account too and tell us which #QP17 Contender you think will win at: @mrwillwong
3. Tag as many friends as you wish on this Instagram Post in the comments section whom you wish you could bring to the Queen’s Plate Festival!
To qualify, you must be following Woodbine on
Instagram.
View this year’s Queen’s Plate Contenders, including race favourite and Woodbine Oaks presented by Budweiser winner HOLY HELENA, a filly facing the boys! Hover cursor over left and right to navigate the slideshow:
Who’s your Queen’s Plate pick?
We hear another special filly will be racing Queen’s Plate weekend. We wonder who…. 😉
Learn more about the Queen’s Plate Festival here.
(Photo credit: Woodbine Entertainment Group/Mr. Will Wong)
There have been many successful experiments in history. Some things pair better than others.
Coffee and cream. Pizza and wings. Peanut butter and jelly. Beyoncé and Jay-Z.
Princess and the turf? Well… our A Pic by Mrwill‘s turf pairing on Victoria Day wasn’t at that level of magical, but it also wasn’t all too bad either finishing just four lengths behind the winner on the damp grass! We congratulate our friend Rachel Halden and Chiefswood Stables who were behind the race winner, Niigon’s Bay. Facing older horses for the first time, Princess did her best and at one point looked like she was gonna take the lead at the top of the stretch, although ultimately we think her forté still is the main track at Woodbine. We appreciate so much the support of the fans and betting public who bet her down from 24 to 1 all the way down to 5 to 1 odds!
We cannot thank enough also the amazing Steven Bahen for the wonderful work he’s done with Princess in her three 2017 starts to date. She has improved leaps and bounds and we credit him so much for all his expertise.
An opportunity has surfaced for Princess to be paired in her next start with Woodbine‘s leading rider Eurico Rosa da Silva and we are incredibly honoured that he has accepted the mission! He has been the pilot on two out of three of the fillies who’ve beat us this year, Gertie T and Fresh Princess, and hopefully he will have that magic touch that gets Princess her much-deserved first win! Wishful thinking right? We can’t wait to see Princess learn under Eurico (below) whom we love both as a person and an athlete! If Princess can repeat her last superb effort on the Tapeta, these girls better look out!
Princess makes her next start on Sunday’s marquee Woodbine Oaks card, cutting back to six furlongs in a Maiden Special Weight on the Tapeta surface. We expect her to move forward as many times is the case with horses who are coming off a grass race and back over to the main track.
In the meantime, our big girl has been applying herself in the mornings including a superb work under her exercise rider Joshua Scott in 48.8 seconds breezing four furlongs June 1st. She also has been making time for her fans being the wonderful ambassador she is. Her big fans Goki and Keisha had the chance to meet her last week finally and she was delighted, chomping away on her fave Fuji apples, while coming up for a breath now and then to greet them. Special thanks to Tony and Sat at Woodbine who made it all possible. You guys are amazing!
See some Snaps including moments with one of Princess’ Hotwalkers Elena and Aunties Suzie & Linda:
We are so eager for Princess‘ next start and hope you are too! It is one of the best cards of the season with Queen’s Plate contenders solidifying their spots for North American horse racing’s most historic day Sunday, July 2, 2017.
Princess and I just did an interview with Alex Campbell for Canadian Thoroughbred magazine and can’t wait for you to see it…
Stay tuned.
See you Sunday! In the words of Eurico, “good luck to everybody!”. Race 5, #6.
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(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong)
Grammy-winning Reggae artist Shaggy returned once again to Toronto tonight for a sold-out show at Woodbine Concert Hall tonight. Zipping through his catalog of hits spanning 1993 when he first debuted with Oh Carolina to his new single Seasons with fellow Jamaican crossover artist Omi.
Known best for his smash hits Boombastic, That Girl, Angel and It Wasn’t Me, he still has got it certainly flying his native Jamaican flag high and proud before a crowd which just couldn’t help but stay on their feet the entire show. Shaggy even schooled the crowd how to do a ‘Caucasian wine’ versus a baby-making ‘Jamaican wine’, which drew enthusiastic laughter from the crowd.
Watch a clip below:
See more Snaps. Hover mouse over left and right of album to navigate slideshow:
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Shaggy was last in town last summer for the Joe Carter Classic and hopefully will be back sooner than later! He brings his tour next to Ohio this weekend.
(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong)
She continues to rule our world and are we ever proud of our Princess (A PIC BY MRWILL)! In case you need a reminder how awesome she did in her last race April 29th at Woodbine, here it is!
We congratulate the winner, Fresh Princess, who is regarded as we were reminded many humbling times, as one with stakes potential and she was just too good that day in a field which included a few ‘Princesses’. Our Princess however, was well ahead of the rest and never quit trying. Her pilot Steven Bahen did a superb job keeping her at task and we feel her big day is coming real soon. Will she be ‘victoryesssss‘ in her next start on Woodbine‘s Monday Victoria Day card? What could be more fitting than a Princess winning on the day honouring a Queen?
We’re of the belief that we would rather see Princess face tougher competition, which in turn provides her a better education, rather than breaking her maiden quickly. We are proud of her progress and it is a joy seeing her come into her own as an athlete.
Princess is set to go to post this coming Monday, May 22, 2017 Race 4 (2:33 PM EST) in her first ever test on the turf. We’re beyond thrilled to see the grass races back and even more curious to see how she takes to it. With her beautiful stride, long, lean composition and turf feet, she could well enjoy it. Even if the race for any reason comes off the grass, she will be just fine on the standard Tapeta surface.
As a sidenote, Gertie T who won Princess’ first race on April 15th at Woodbine, already has stepped-up to Allowance company and won again, if that is any indicator.
In the meantime, Princess continues to be in a great place mentally and trains as well as we could hope.
Some recent Snaps of our girl:
OMG! Thanks so much Sienna!! See you guys in an hour trackside!
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See you Victoria Day!
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(Photo/video credit: Woodbine Entertainment Group/Mr. Will Wong/Julie Wright)
It’s a busy time at the barn! It feels just like yesterday that Princess (A Pic by Mrwill) thrilled us with her amazing 2017 debut and after continuing to train v. well and show us all the right signs, she treats us with another race this month! She’s never looked better and is in the best place mentally. We can’t help but thank everyone at Team Ross for keeping her there, from her handler Errol to exercise rider Joshua Scott to John himself.
Hey look @mrwillw it’s the loveliest @APicByMrWill pic.twitter.com/YLnQXWvLLJ
— Emily Shields (@ZenyattaMafia) April 25, 2017
My day is made! Miss Emily came all the way from America to see me with Aunt Julie!
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Morning honeys. Enjoy your Sunday! 🐝pic.twitter.com/UPbyDfj5dx
— Princess 🍎 (@APicByMrWill) April 23, 2017
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(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong/Woodbine Entertainment Group)
The 2016 Sovereign Awards took place for the first time ever at Palais Royale, situated on Toronto’s Lakeshore. Honouring the best in Canadian Thoroughbred Racing for 42 years now, the annual fixture brought out a who’s-who in the industry. Winning Horse of the Year honours this year was Robert Marzilli‘s Caren, who also took home Champion Three-Year-Old Female honours. The tough filly last year was thrown all obstacles including a true stamina test on the turf to win the mile-and-a-quarter Wonder Where Stakes in August, defying all expectations. Trained by Michael De Paulo and his team, Caren‘s stablemate Noholdingback Bear also took home Champion Sprinter.
After shocking the racing world with an announcement of their exit from the industry with a complete dispersal of their horses last fall, Conquest Stables (Ernie Semersky and Dory Newell) were honoured as Outstanding Owner, an award which they took home also in 2014. I, along with Woodbine personality Dawn Lupul had the honour of accepting on behalf of Semersky and Newell. I also had the honour of being nominated for Outstanding Photograph, which was awarded to Alberta’s Cody Gregory. We congratulate him on his amazing win!
Mark Casse and his team continued their domination, taking home their ninth Outstanding Trainer title at the awards tonight, his daughter Camille accepting on his behalf. A few of his trainees – current and former – took home hardware this evening including Conquest Enforcer (Champion Turf Male), Lexie Lou (Champion Turf Female – a former Horse of the Year also), King and his Court (Champion Two-Year-Old Male) and Victory to Victory (Champion Two-Year-Old Female).
Jockey Eurico Rosa Da Silva won his third Outstanding Jockey title and just when we thought he was going to exit the stage without doing so, Emcee Jason Portuondo queued him to exclaim his signature line, “Get luck to everybody!”, drawing loud cheers from the crowd.
For the first time ever, Outstanding Groom was awarded to Dexter Brathwaite, a member of Barb Minshall‘s team. The award was presented by the OLG.
Hot off the announcement that he has upped the purse of the 2018 Pegasus World Cup to a whopping $16 million, Frank Stronach was honoured for his industry contributions with the E.P. Taylor Award. His daughter Belinda, who is still getting acclimated with the industry her father is so passionate about, joining him on-stage and she told the audience “I’m still learning and one day I”ll graduate”. Stronach’s Adena Springs operation took home Outstanding Breeder.
See our Instagram Story:
#SovereignAwards 2016 Gallery 2.
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(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong)
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