#HORSERACING: THE 155th EDITION OF THE QUEEN’S PLATE AT WOODBINE RACETRACK

The Queen’s Plate always is a huge deal for me and I was thrilled this year once again to be a part of it all!  For those unaware, the 155th edition of North America’s most historic horse race was held at Woodbine Racetrack, drawing a huge crowd of Racing Fans and Fashionable types.  The celebrations wouldn’t quit with the Hats & Horseshoes Party going-on into the evening even after the races were over.  Live Music, Food Trucks, some high-profile Media Types like CTV‘s The Social Host Melissa Grelo and a partnership with Rogers Media, including Flare Magazine,  helped the Queen’s Plate reach a new audience, going even deeper into the Canadian consciousness.

Fans of my Blog sometimes are confused about my love for the Sport, but it truly runs deep in my blood.  I grew-up with Horse Racing and my Family is extremely passionate about it.  It  always will hold a dear place in my heart and I am happy to do anything I can to spread awareness to an important Industry which employs over 20k people in Ontario, generating millions in revenue for our province.  Hosting a group of new racing fans in the exclusive Flare Lounge yesterday and seeing their enthusiasm confirmed exactly what I’ve known all along. This is the greatest sport on Earth and all it takes is one afternoon at the races to see it.

It made me so happy to see the Grandstand and Walking Ring filled with people who normally don’t come out to the races, igniting Woodbine with smiles, hats and colourful fascinators.  The thunderous cheer from the Crowd as our hometown girl LEXIE LOU thundered past the boys in the stretch to win the $1-million race is something I will never forget.  The great sense of pride I felt for jockey Patrick Husbands – being just a few feet from him and Lexie Lou in the Winner’s Circle –  as he tore flowers from his victory flower blanket, throwing petals into the air like confetti, is a feeling so magical I wish I could make you experience it just once.

I love this Sport so much and hope it’ll be here to stay forever.

See some Snaps from the Festivities I took yesterday:

(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong)