Entertainment One’s animated adventure film “My Little Pony: A New Generation” gallops to debut on Netflix September 24, 2021.

The Mane 5 voice cast for the equestrian themed feature stars Vanessa Hudgens (SUNNY), Kimiko Glenn (IZZY), James Marsden (HITCH), Sofia Carson (PIPP) and Liza Koshy (ZIPP). Additional voice cast members include Ken Jeong (SPROUT), Elizabeth Perkins (PHYLLIS), Jane Krakowski (QUEEN HAVEN), Phil LaMarr (ALPHABITTLE) and Michael McKean (ARGYLE).

The film is directed by Robert Cullen, José L. Ucha, and co-directed by Mark Fattibene. The story was created by Robert Cullen & José L. Ucha, and Tim Sullivan. The screenplay was written by Tim Sullivan and Gillian Berrow. Cecil Kramer and Peter Lewis produced.

Synopsis:

The unimaginable has happened…Equestria has lost its magic! Earth Ponies, Unicorns, and Pegasi are no longer friends and now live separated by species. But idealistic Earth Pony Sunny (Vanessa Hudgens) is determined to find a way to bring enchantment and unity back to their world. Teaming up with open-hearted Unicorn Izzy (Kimiko Glenn), the pair travel to faraway lands where they encounter the likes of charismatic and brave Pegasi Pipp (Sofia Carson) and Zipp (Liza Koshy) and the ever-responsible fellow Earth Pony Hitch (James Marsden). Their mission is full of misadventures, but these new best friends each possess their own unique and special gifts that may be just what this ponyverse needs to restore magic and prove that even little ponies can make a big difference.

MY LITTLE PONY: THE NEW GENERATION arrives on Netflix September 24, 2021.

(Photo/video credit: eOne Films)

Taking place now over a 50,000 sq ft space in the North Building of the Metro Toronto Convention Centre is the long awaited BEYOND MONET Art Event.

The immersive space is comprised of three parts that showcase and celebrate Monet‘s groundbreaking innovation. Through dreamy audio and visual, the experience is crafted to take the guest right into every brushstroke of his masterpieces, very centric on water.

We’ve been to many of these immersive experiences in Toronto, and how this one stands-out is that visually it is compelling, ground-up 360° and truly you feel at one with the art with the way it all is configured. A lot of the first part of the exhibit Monet’s philosophy, but wait till you see its latter parts! Spellbinding!

Health and safety are a priority at Beyond Monet, with social distancing protocols in place with marked pods keeping guests apart.

And you must check-out some of the amazing Monet merchandise before leaving including dolls, clothing, cups, prints, masks and more!

Gallery below. Click right to navigate.

Additional titles have been announced at TIFF ’21 today in the Platform, Special Events and Short Cuts Programmes, with Riz Ahmed (Sound of Metal) being named President of the Jury for the Platform Competition this year! The Competition seeks to reward films of high artistic merit that also demonstrate a strong directorial vision. Ahmed also will be at TIFF ’21 with the film ENCOUNTER, about two brothers embarking on a journey with their father to protect the world from an alien threat.

Pablo Larrain‘s SPENCER which stars Kristen Stewart as Diana also will be coming to the Festival in the Special Events Programme.

The Festival is set to take place September 9-18, 2021.

PLATFORM PROGRAMME

Arthur Rambo Laurent Cantet | France
World Premiere

Drunken Birds (Les oiseaux ivres) Ivan Grbovic | Canada
World Premiere

Earwig Lucile Hadžihalilović | United Kingdom/France/Belgium
World Premiere

Huda’s Salon Hany Abu-Assad | Palestine/Egypt/Netherlands/Qatar
World Premiere

Mlungu Wam(Good Madam)(Mlungu Wam) Jenna Cato Bass | South Africa
World Premiere

Montana Story Scott McGehee, David Siegel | USA
World Premiere

Silent Land(Cicha Ziemia) Aga Woszczyńska | Poland/Italy/Czech Republic
World Premiere

Yuni Kamila Andini | Singapore/France/Indonesia/Australia
World Premiere

TIFF SHORT CUTS PROGRAMME

A Few Miles South Ben Pearce | United Kingdom
World Premiere

Angakusajaujuq – The Shaman’s Apprentice(Angakusajaujuq) Zacharias Kunuk | Canada
North American Premiere

Anxious Body Yoriko Mizushiri | France/Japan
North American Premiere

ASTEL Ramata-Toulaye Sy | France/Senegal
World Premiere  

Beity Isabelle Mecattaf | Lebanon/United States of America
International Premiere

Bhai Hamza Bangash | United Kingdom/Canada/Pakistan
World Premiere

Boobs Marie Valade | Canada
North American Premiere

Charlotte Zach Dorn | United States of America 
World Premiere 

DEFUND Khadijah Roberts-Abdullah, Araya Mengesha | Canada 
World Premiere

Displaced (Pa Vend) Samir Karahoda | Kosovo
North American Premiere

DUST BATH Seth A Smith | Canada 
World Premiere 

Egúngún(Masquerade) Olive Nwosu | United Kingdom/Nigeria
World Premiere

Fanmi Sandrine Brodeur-Desrosiers, Carmine Pierre-Dufour | Canada
World Premiere

Hanging On Alfie Barker | United Kingdom
International Premiere

I Gotta Look Good for the Apocalypse Ayçe Kartal | France
North American Premiere

I Would Never Kiran Deol | United States of America
World Premiere 

Little Bird Tim Myles | Canada 
World Premiere

Love, Dad (Milý tati) Diana Cam Van Nguyen | Czech Republic/Slovakia
Canadian Premiere

Meneath: The Hidden Island of Ethics Terril Calder | Canada
World Premiere

Motorcyclist’s Happiness Won’t Fit Into His Suit (Al motociclista no le cabe la felicidad en el traje) Gabriel Herrera | Mexico
Canadian Premiere 

NuisanceBear Jack Weisman, Gabriela Osio Vanden | Canada 
World Premiere

Ousmane Jorge Camarotti | Canada
World Premiere

Saturday Night Rosana Matecki | Canada
World Premiere

Shark Nash Edgerton | Australia
World Premiere

Soft Animals Renee Zhan | United Kingdom 
North American Premiere

Some Still Search (Algunos Siguen Buscando) Nesaru Tchaas | United States of America
World Premiere

Srikandi Andrea Nirmala Widjajanto | Indonesia/Canada
World Premiere

Successful Thawing of Mr. Moro (Lyckad upptining av herr Moro) Jerry Carlsson | Sweden 
International Premiere

Sycorax (Sycorax)Lois Patiño, Matías Piñeiro | Portugal/Spain
North American Premiere

The Future Isn’t What It Used To Be Adeyemi Michael | United Kingdom
Canadian Premiere

The Infantas (Las Infantas) Andrea Herrera Catalá | Spain
World Premiere

The Syed Family Xmas Eve Game Night Fawzia Mirza | United States of America/Canada
World Premiere

Together (Ham-Gye) Albert Shin | Canada/South Korea
World Premiere

Trumpets in the Sky Rakan Mayasi | Palestine/Lebanon/France/Belgium
World Premiere

Twelve Hours Paul Shkordoff | Canada 
World Premiere

White Devil Mariama Diallo, Benjamin Dickinson | United States of America
World Premiere

You and Me, Before and After Madeleine Gottlieb | Australia
International Premiere

Zero (Nula) Lee Filipovski | Canada/Serbia
World Premiere

SPECIAL EVENTS

Special IMAX Screenings of Dune

The film, based on Frank Herbert’s classic novel, will screen at the Cinesphere in Toronto on the following dates:

·  Saturday, September 11 – World Exclusive IMAX Special Event
·  Sunday, September 12 – Repeat IMAX Screening  
·  Saturday, September 18 – Public IMAX Screening

TIFF is also delighted to announce an additional Special IMAX screening of Dune in Montreal presented by Bell at Cinéma Banque Scotia Montréal on Sunday, September 12. 

This screening is made possible in venue partnership with Cineplex as part of TIFF’s Canadian Satellite Screening programme. An additional screening of Dune will take place in Toronto at Scotiabank Theatre on September 13.

NBA Films For Fans created with OLG

On November 1, 1946, the NBA’s first-ever game was held at Maple Leaf Gardens, where the hometown Toronto Huskies played the New York Knickerbockers. Seventy-five years later, as part of the league’s anniversary celebrations, the NBA honours its Canadian roots at TIFF 2021. 

TIFF is proud to announce the launch of NBA Films For Fans created with OLG. This can’t-miss Special Event will feature five short films from Canadian filmmakers and basketball fans: Thyrone Tommy — also at this year’s Festival with his debut feature, Learn to Swim — and fellow Torontonians and TIFF talent development alumni Romeo Candido, Shawn Gerrard, and S.M. Turrell, as well as Vancouverite Kat Jayme, also a Talent Alumni as the 2019 Pitch This winner. Learn more about the Special Event and register for updates at NBAFilmsForFans.com.

Special Event Films

A Hero (Ghahreman) Asghar Farhadi | Iran

Memoria Apichatpong Weerasethakul | Colombia/Thailand/United Kingdom/France/Germany/Mexico 

Spencer Pablo Larraín  | United Kingdom/Germany

More at tiff.net.

(Photo/video credit: Amazon Prime Video)

We’ve been really rusty on the starspotting front, but we’ve always been of the opinion that health comes first. And we weren’t about to get Covid-19 for a Selfie!

Now that our numbers have been under control again, it’s empowered me with the sense of security that I can go out and have a little fun again, while being super-careful. And as luck would have it, the stars came to me this time. We haven’t been on a Red Carpet or out spotting stars literally since the Pandemic hit us in Ontario, so it was a little gift from above that new Syfy/USA Network series CHUCKY came to film in my neck of the woods in the east end, or what star Jennifer Tilly would call “a small town just outside of Toronto”!

For many of us who grew-up in the ’80s, it was impossible to avoid the scary legacy of CHILD’S PLAY. That creepy sinister doll who took on the soul of a serial killer escaping death, going on to terrorize the world in what has become an iconic Horror franchise. While there were high hopes for the 2019 reboot starring Aubrey Plaza, fans still turn back to the nostalgia of the earlier films in the Series.

CHUCKY The TV Series is set to debut this October, created, written and directed in part by Don Mancini who has written all films in the Child’s Play franchise. Production began back in March amidst lockdown setbacks and just wrapped in the east end, with a stint all the way out in Hamilton.

This new Series continues on the events of 2017’s Cult of Chucky and Brad Dourif once again reprises his role as the voice of the titular character. Academy Award nominee and Poker player extraordinaire Jennifer Tilly also reprises her role as Tiffany Valentine, Chucky‘s love interest and murderous counterpart. It focuses on a new generation led by Zackary Arthur, Teo Briones (son of stage star Jon Jon Briones), Emmy Award nominee Alyvia Alyn Lind and Björgvin Arnarson. Devon Sawa also stars in the Series and wrapped a couple weeks back.

The Trailer for CHUCKY just premiered at Comic-Con@Home. Check it out!

The Series looks to maintain the elements its Franchise known for, while being darkly-comedic and bloody whimsical.

We are so delighted to have met most of the Cast, including Arthur who plays the lead role of Jake, plus his best friend in the Series Devon, played by Arnarson, and also Briones who plays his brother Junior. Emmy-nominated Actress Lind (Young & The Restless) and her real-life mother Barbara Alyn Woods (One Tree Hill) also were on-set. All of them were lovely!

Our greatest thrill was meeting Tilly, who secured a time for us to come back and say “hi” after rushing off to set, and she wowed us by how beautiful she looked in a shimmery red dress, always looking exquisite on and off camera. She was seen filming a Red Carpet scene earlier in the day. Tilly was incredibly personable, taking the time to chat about her plans to head home right after her wrap, to see boyfriend Phil Laak, also a Poker star. She tells me her sister, Academy Award-nominated Actress and Author Meg Tilly, has a dog named Anna which our beanie reminded her of. And she even complimented me on my style. High-praise! Love her. Seeing her thrive as an Actress, earning a spot in The Academy as someone of part-Chinese descent, is a feat. Tilly is a trailblazer and whether or not she knows it, she paved the way for Lesbian characters on Film through her work in BOUND, and also Asian-American Artists being included in the conversation today. She exudes class and is everything a Movie Star should be. It is little wonder why her career has spanned decades, including her latest in new Disney+ series MONSTERS AT WORK, reprising the role of Celia Mae. She is someone people are drawn to and she also embraces her celebrity, which is refreshing. And she has Canadian citizenship too to boot! She truly is one of us.

We also got to meet the very striking Mancini who also was gracious to make time to chat. Like us, he’s stoked to see House of Gucci and while this isn’t his first time filming in Toronto, we appreciate him coming back here with this production as we needed this!

See our Snaps, scroll right to navigate the carousel.

Here’s a blast from the past. Getting intimate with Chucky!

It’s been a tough run, and it was so nice to have this treat. We don’t anticipate going out much for Selfies till this Covid thing is on its way out for good, but this reminded us how much fun we used to have doing this!

CHUCKY arrives October 12, 2021.

(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong/SyFy)

By Justin Waldman

Marvel has created a cinematic universe that has dazzled audiences since 2008, and with fans clamouring for more content they’ve branched out into Television that also extends to the Cinematic Universe. With such hits as Wandavision, Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and Loki, What If…? is their newest entry into TV and with them tackling the animation forefront there is so much to be explored.

In the Comics, What If…? explored Spider-Man joining the Fantastic Four, Planet Hulk, Jane Foster finding the Mjolnir, what if certain characters didn’t die, the show has endless possibilities of what can be explored, and the first three episodes touch on some of the craziest, wildest stories. With this new show being produced as an Animated Series, the possibilities are endless, and the entertainment is boundless, join us as we dive into the world of What If…?.

Each episode of What If…? starts with The Watcher (Jeffery Wright) talking about the universe and how a small, miniscule change can change everything. What if Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell) never left the experiment room where Steve Rogers first got the serum? The world would have a different superhero, instead of Captain America the world would have Captain Carter. Captain Carter would lead America to win the war, to take down Red Skull and Arnim Zola (Toby Jones) from using the tesseract to destroy the world.

The first episode of What If…? is great in that it gives us the stories that audiences have always wanted to see, but never got to see cinematically. Peggy Carter always deserved to be the hero, in the cinematic world she lead S.H.I.E.L.D to victory after Steve froze himself, and this episodes let audiences explore the world that we never got to see. What truly brings back the fond memories of The First Avenger is the cheesy dialogue, ’50s- inspired jokes and corny one liners truly bring together the fun action packed Captain Carter vibes to this first episode of What If…? With such a strong, world changing launch to a new series, there is surely so much more excitement and intensity we can expect from What If…?

WHAT IF…? debuts on Disney+ Canada Wednesday, August 11, 2021 at 3 AM ET. New episodes arrive weekly on Wednesday.

EPISODE TWO PREVIEW

Welcome to the world of What If…? What if the Guardians of the Galaxy weren’t lead by a bumbling lovable buffoon who put love over the entire universe? What if it was a new team of misfits that were a better fit, what if the wrong person was taken away from their family?

What happens when the whistle-blowing, Yondu (Michael Rooker) known for his line “I’m Mary Poppins y’all!”, takes the wrong child? Or T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman) becomes legendary outlaw Star-Lord with his new team of bandits, still after the Infinity Stone? This time around, instead of having to fight-off Thanos and his minions, he must defend himself and his team against The Collector who is the most powerful being in the galaxy. He still possesses all the rarities throughout the galaxy, but is less quirky and more menacing than we’ve originally seen. Will the new Guardians of the Galaxy be able to stop The Collector or will he be too much for the new guardians? Lastly, the overwhelming tribute to Chadwick Boseman in his final Marvel performance is heartbreaking and beautiful.

When you change the dynamics of the Guardians of the Galaxy, you lose some of that lovableness that Chris Pratt provided the team, which makes the Guardians a little less silly, and more plausible as a threat to defeat their nemeses, but their antics still are top notch and filled with entertainment.

EPISODE THREE

What If… the Avengers never assembled? What would the world come to if the world’s mightiest heroes were broken up before they could even become a team? What if Nick Fury trusted an unlikely ally, where would the world be? Welcome to What If…? episode three, the most daring, ambitious and shocking episode we’ve seen thus far.

The world’s mightiest heroes, prior to being assembled by Nick Fury (Samuel L Jackson) are being targeted so they can never assemble and take down the worlds strongest threats. With marks on their backs, Fury must find out who is behind the pursuing of such Avengers such as Hulk, Thor, Hawkeye, Iron Man, and Black Widow. With a threat this large against Fury’s initiative, he goes to extensive measures that no one would’ve thought plausible in the sacred timeline. Chaos ensues, all madness breaks out, and leaves the audience salivating for more, hopefully there is more to this storyline sooner than later.

What If…? has provided lots of joy, laughter, and even a tear or two in its first couple episodes, with more and more possibilities yet to be explored. There is an endless amount of adventure to be afoot, and the excitement cannot be contained. With the Avengers not being assembled, it provides a darkness that lures over the timelines, What If…? brings all the theories, timelines, and complete madness to the forefront and lets audiences explore the world beyond their greatest imaginations!

(Photo credit: Marvel)

We’ve been spending our time enjoying the quirky, odd and funny of late and we’re happy to share some of our streaming recommendations for you this month!

COOKING WITH PARIS (NETFLIX)

One thing’s for certain. Paris Hilton could read us a children’s book and our eyes would probably be glued to the screen. The Empire Maker from an Empire’s latest venture is six-episode Netflix series COOKING WITH PARIS where we see her team-up with friends in her kitchen, challenging herself with new themes each episode. Among those who join-in on the fun are Kim Kardashian-West, Demi Lovato, Nikki Glaser, Whitney Cummings and more. From glittery unicorn Cannoli to Holiday Turkey with glitter, part of the fun is watching her flop, but surprisingly some things still manage to turn-out fine despite her lackadaisical approach which sees eggs cracked improperly, pasta dough over-oiled, and dairy left out at room temperature. Nonetheless, Hilton knows exactly what her brand is and we keep coming back and through the candor with her friends, she does manage to reveal interesting anecdotes about herself and her guests in an intimate way. COOKING WITH PARIS streams now on Netflix.

THE WHITE LOTUS (HBOMAX/CRAVE)

Mike White has built a brand for his quirky creations and this is his latest, six-episode Limited Series THE WHITE LOTUS is exactly that. The Series centers on various hotel guests and its staff at the titular Hawaiian resort and while the backdrop is a sunny one, these characters all are on the verge of some things dark being uncovered about themselves. Shane (Jake Lacy) and Rachel (Alexandra Daddario) are a newlywed couple who married after a year together and Shane is obsessed with having been given the wrong suite at the hotel to the point it becomes a point of contention in their thus far, trouble-free relationship. Tanya (Jennifer Coolidge in a career-best performance) carries her mother’s ashes on the trip, still grieving the recent loss. Natasha Rothwell plays spa owner Belinda getting a chance to shine and show range as her character questions entitlement among White clientele. Nicole (Connie Britton) is a successful businesswoman who brings her family on vacation. Her husband Mark (Steve Zahn) is convinced he has Cancer, their daughter Olivia (Sydney Sweeney) is outright mean and son Quinn (Fred Hechinger) is awkward and in his old world playing video games. Then we have hotel manager Armond (Murray Bartlett), a recovering addict who is a bit aloof to what’s going on around him. This is an odd yet perfect storm of elements and characters which will grab your interest by intrigue and we can’t wait to see where the Series takes us on these characters’ journeys and growth as their paths cross and stories become intertwined. New episodes of THE WHITE LOTUS arrive Sunday nights on Crave in Canada 9 PM ET.

ANNETTE (AMAZON PRIME VIDEO/MK2 | MILE END)

French Filmmaker Leos Carax makes his English-language debut in ANNETTE, a quirky story of a Comedian named Henry (Adam Driver) who falls in love with famed Opera singer Ann (Marion Cotillard). Their world is turned upside-down with the birth of their daughter Annette played partly by a wooden marionette and also Devyn McDowell. Clocking-in at two hours and twenty minutes, the Film takes us a real journey as we see Henry and Ann go through a fallout as he takes care of their baby, while Ann continues to experience great success. The Film is driven by emotional extremes and lines between reality and fantasy often are blurred in this Musical where we are transfixed by Henry‘s tragic unravelling. Driver exercises some of those theatrical muscles we got glimpses of in Marriage Story, but really gets a challenge here exploring the world of someone who is complicated and flawed. We have never seen anything quite like ANNETTE, it is stylish, provocative, very strange and in ways cathartic. MK2 | MILE END release ANNETTE in select theatres now, arriving on Amazon Prime Video August 20, 2021.

We can’t wait for Amazon Prime Video‘s NINE PERFECT STRANGERS starring Nicole Kidman and Melissa McCarthy, arriving August 20th!

Check-out our Team’s latest theatrical releases here including: FREE GUY, THE SUICIDE SQUAD, STILLWATER, THE GREEN KNIGHT, Disney’s JUNGLE CRUISE and more!

(Photo/video credit: Amazon Prime Video/Netflix/HBO Max)

Canadian Track & Field Star Damian Warner made us all so proud at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo bringing home a gold medal for us in the Decathlon. This victory wasn’t his first Olympics success however as the 31-year-old brought home a bronze at the 2016 Summer Olympics, proving age has made him even better!

The London, Ontario native who trains out of the University of Western Ontario normally faced some obstacles with that facility being shut-down during the Pandemic, making Farquharson Arena his home base in preparation for the Olympics and whatever changes that brought, it worked!

Warner has the distinction of becoming only the fourth athlete ever to score score over 9000 points with an impeccable score of 9018, setting a new Olympic record! Canadians are making their mark on every front and we couldn’t be prouder to have him bear our flag at the closing ceremonies!

We were so lucky to cross paths with Warner with his Coach Dennis Nielsen en route to a drive back to London, Ontario tonight. Warner, in great spirits with his medal stowed away in his bags was so gracious to stop for a snap and sign some autographs. A class act!

Hoping all goes smoothly in his preparations for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, which is where he has his sights set.

See our Snaps:

(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong)

Searchlight Pictures x Mr. Will want to give Readers in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver a chance to win Advance Screening Passes to see THE NIGHT HOUSE starring Rebecca Hall. Screenings take place August 18, 2021.

Synopsis:

Reeling from the unexpected death of her husband, Beth (Rebecca Hall) is left alone in the lakeside home he built for her. She tries as best she can to keep it together – but then nightmares come. Disturbing visions of a presence in the house calling to her, beckoning her with a ghostly allure. Against the advice of her friends, she begins digging into her husband’s belongings, yearning for answers. What she finds are secrets both strange and disturbing – a mystery she’s determined to unravel.  THE NIGHT HOUSE stars Rebecca Hall (GODZILLA VS. KONG), Sarah Goldberg (Barry, Elementary), Vondie Curtis Hall (DIE HARD 2, EVE’S BAYOU), Evan Jonigkeit (Togetherish, Sweetbitter), and Stacy Martin (VOX LUX, NYMPHOMANIAC).

To enter to win, click “like” on this Post at MR. WILL ON FACEBOOK. Re-Tweet this Contest Tweet below for an extra chance.

You must be following. Rules and regulations here.

Searchlight Pictures release THE NIGHT HOUSE August 20, 2021.

Stay tuned for our chat with Hall and our review.

(Photo/video credit: Searchlight Pictures)

Check-out the new Teaser for MIDNIGHT MASS starring Hamish Linklater and Zach Gilford coming this September to Netflix.

Synopsis:

From The Haunting of Hill House creator Mike Flanagan, MIDNIGHT MASS tells the tale of a small, isolated island community whose existing divisions are amplified by the return of a disgraced young man (Zach Gilford) and the arrival of a charismatic priest (Hamish Linklater). When Father Paul’s appearance on Crockett Island coincides with unexplained and seemingly miraculous events, a renewed religious fervor takes hold of the community – but do these miracles come at a price?

MIDNIGHT MASS arrives September 24, 2021 on Netflix!

(Photo/video credit: Netflix)

Words and Photos by Mr. Will Wong

It was an overcast day September 12, 2015 at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto. Making only his third start was a promising two-year-old colt by prolific stallion Scat Daddy (sire of 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify) for popular owners Conquest Stables LLC. The charismatic duo Ernie Semersky and Dory Newell were just emerging in Horse Racing as a major force to be reckoned with, after a short time in the business already winning a Sovereign Award as Outstanding Owners in Canada. Sent-off at sleepy odds of 15-1 by the betting public in the prestigious Grade II Summer Stakes, CONQUEST DADDYO didn’t look like he had a chance breaking slowly out of the gate. Saving the best for late, he powered past the field down Woodbine’s lush turf course under ship-in rider Joe Bravo with a late drive which took him to the wire first. The race, which later got upgraded to Grade I status, earned the handsome dark bay colt a berth among the world’s best at Keeneland in Lexington, Kentucky at the $1-million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf. For it all, he was two lengths from glory, placing a solid fourth on the big day.

Exactly one year after this, the bright lights that were Conquest Stables had dimmed as they shocked the industry with news of their decision to exit the business. Conquest Daddyo would find himself among 115 impeccably-bred horses to be dispersed at Keeneland’s 2016 November Breeding Stock Sale, the same exact place he found himself 12 months prior at the Breeders’ Cup. With the auction gavel dropping at $120,000 US, Conquest Daddyo was sold to Martin Anthony and he would begin the next phase of his racing career for new owners Hronis Racing LLC, in California, the same connections as 2018 Breeders’ Cup Classic champion Accelerate.

Scroll ahead four years later. A six-year-old Conquest Daddyo finds himself running second July 27, 2019 for a claiming tag of $3,200 and a purse of $3,700 at Great Falls’ State Fair Meet in Montana. It was his first top three finish in a race since winning the Toronto Cup August 21, 2016 at Woodbine during his sophomore campaign. Since being auctioned at Keeneland, he had posted eleven consecutive Also-Ran performances.

Following his timeline, we saw him log-in workouts from Southeast Idaho at Pocatello Downs, a racetrack not without its share of troubles. Its future was considered in jeopardy after cases of animal cruelty involving 15 horses and a mule were exposed in May 2016. To frame the bigger picture, Boise’s Les Bois Park, once the only commercial racetrack to operate in Idaho, closed also in 2016 after Instant Racing machines (allowing bettors to bet on previously-run horse races) were ruled illegal in the state and remains closed still to this day.  Horse Racing still is accessible there at various State and County Fairs.

Circumstances for the $324,000-earning multiple stakes winner had taken a downward spiral and some in the Horse Racing community were concerned.

Conquest Daddyo, 2015 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf

____________________________

Sarah Volpe is a single mother, employed full-time, who worked as a groom for the barn of Mark Casse in the time Conquest Daddyo was based at Woodbine. She was an integral part of the horse’s success when he was at his best, responsible for his daily care over two seasons. She owns one pony named Ollie whom she has raised since birth, also having owned his mother. She also has a half-interest in a retired thoroughbred named Seven.

“The first time I met Conquest Daddyo, I thought he was going to be a lot of work. He was high-strung, a little pushy and hard to handle. Being assigned to my section of stalls at the barn, I had no choice but to put-up with him”, she says. “It didn’t take long before I fell in love with him. With a little patience and some love, we would navigate his quirks.”. “While days often started early in my job, coming in every morning to the greeting of his loud nicker made it all worthwhile. He was spoiled, but worked so hard and deserved it.”.

Conquest Daddyo & Sarah Volpe

Daddyo had left an indelible mark on Volpe. Seeing him spiral down the claiming ranks to State Fairs had been worrisome for fans who have followed the once-promising horse’s career. She thinks about the horse daily and still remembers the day he stepped onto the truck Lexington-bound for the sales at Keeneland, tearful she’d lost a friend and uncertain what his future might hold. “It was a sad day. It has been even sadder watching him struggle on the track and to see him get claimed. My heart was breaking not being able to help him.”.

Volpe has been unwavering in her intentions to provide aftercare to Conquest Daddyo should he no longer serve purpose as a racehorse. She reached out to trainer Ryan Hanson, son of owners Jim Hanson and Robin Dunn, who claimed the horse February 24, 2018 at Santa Anita for $20,000 after a few lackluster performances for Hronis Racing LLC and trainer John Sadler.  She received the following reply after contacting  Ryan Hanson via Facebook April 21, 2018:

____________________________

Daddyo would continue to deliver sub-par efforts under Hanson. One Facebook post on April 28, 2018, before he was about to race from Hanson’s wife Michelle Yu Hanson (Simulcast Host at Santa Anita Racetrack) indicates dwindling patience with Daddyo’s form, attributing it to a need for him to be gelded (castrated):

Daddyo wound-up placing last in a field of 12 that day, defeated by 17 1/4 lengths and then was laid-off.

We asked Yu Hanson about this via e-mail and she reveals to us that Conquest Daddyo had a procedure done not too long after the above post. “He has been gelded – and in fact, his testicles were so bruised when removed there is no question that was causing him serious discomfort when running.”. This procedure however didn’t result in any significant improvement in form.

He then transitioned to Pocatello Downs in Idaho for a duration, posting workouts which showed none the more inspired on his part, accounting for among the slowest workouts at his distances with actual effort from the rider, as denoted “handily“:

After a long stretch of no recorded workouts, Daddyo then posted one official workout at Sandy Downs in Idaho before last weekend’s re-surfacing for a $3,200 tag at Great Falls:

Daddyo between February 2017 to July 2019 had lost by a combined margin of 152 lengths. He went from California-based Ryan Hanson‘s guidance subsequently to his Idaho-based brother Mark Hanson‘s care, racing under the latter’s name in his debut at Great Falls in Montana. Daddyo‘s race charts have been littered with comments like “weakened” and “eased” time and again, patterns which suggest perhaps some type of an underlying concern that might be physiological, or quite simply, he no longer desires competition. It is right and humane to be concerned, knowing how far he has fallen from grace as a competitive racehorse.

We weren’t the only ones watching. Twitter accounts like @NotCloudyAllDay track racehorses which might be at risk and Daddyo had been on their radar:

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Several questions have mounted in all of this and we asked Yu Hanson the burning question about Daddyo surfacing in Idaho. She explains, “We do not have an abundance of stalls at Santa Anita, so we utilize our Idaho string as a place to give breaks and keep conditioning up in a low-key environment. It is unfortunate that so many people look upon the intermix twin region with disdain, but it is a very special place to our family, our owners and is our home.”. “He is not pointing for the fair circuit, but our family trains there and has some land for turnout.”.

Yu Hanson also is adamant that Conquest Daddyo is sound physically, posting short video clips of him on Facebook, galloping leisurely as evidence of good health.

In a Facebook message sent to Yu Hanson April 2018 by four-time Sovereign Award-winning Turf Writer Jennifer Morrison, the question of Conquest Daddyo’s wellness was raised. Yu Hanson replies to Morrison, “Neither ‘Chips’ nor ‘Daddyo’ is lame or hurt. They are mid-level claimers that need a change. And we are giving them their best chance to succeed as racehorses.”.

She tells me, “While we appreciate a horse that has back class, I stress people remember that we claimed him as a mid-level claimer, we didn’t buy him as a stakes horse. So the fact that he isn’t running in stakes doesn’t mean that he needs a home.”. She is adamant that the horse never was mistreated.

“Chips” to clarify, is 2013 Breeders’ Cup entrant Chips All In, whom her family acquired as a “mid-level claimer”, like Conquest Daddyo, both once under the care of her husband. The former failed to finish a race September 30, 2017 at Sandy Downs, after surfacing on the State Fair circuit there for a purse of $1,750 (a winner’s share of $1,050). At nine-years-old, the once-thriving earner of $620,000 ran his final race November 2018 after changing hands to trainer Wesley Giles, likewise turning-in Also-Ran finishes again.

May 2019 we follow-up again and she has given us her word that Daddyo was in excellent hands with her in-laws:

Owning and caring for a horse comes at great expense and responsibility.  The question never was whether Conquest Daddyo was being cared for adequately, it more is whether or not he should still be racing.  We are empathetic that a $20,000 investment from owners Jim Hanson and Robin Dunn was rather substantial, plus the costs of caring for him. We can’t help but think he had become a burden financially and the horse was long overdue for a return on investment, hence a sudden class drop and then his surfacing on the fair circuit we once were told Daddyo wasn’t being “pointed for”.

And while some of the excerpts lifted from Facebook might have been posted in humour, it is important to note that many in the Horse Racing industry respect Yu Hanson‘s opinion. One unnamed authority in the industry tells us, “Michelle Yu Hanson is someone perceived as very credible.”.  Her husband Ryan despite failing to find success with Daddyo, in recent years has seen some results with over $1 million in earnings combined in 2019 and 2020.

We had kept the lines of communication open with Yu Hanson and Daddyo’s then owners (her in-laws), making an offer May 2019, although it was done just after he had shipped from California back to Idaho. The amount offered also didn’t appease them. As he was offered for a tag of $3,200 that weekend, still unable to win, we felt the timing was right now to revisit this again.

Sadly after this race, we learned that Daddyo was claimed by new interests, owner Lydia Tatsey and trainer Nathaniel Birdrattler. Yu Hanson was kind enough to manufacture a point of contact for a Harlan Birdrattler, from her brother-in-law.  The actual trainer who claimed him however, was Nathaniel Birdrattler. Upon reaching Harlan, he denies having any contact information for Nathaniel.

We knew then that we were in for a ride.

I reach out and offer to help arrange Daddyo’s return to Canada after his racing career is finished and hope that phone call comes one day.

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Our intentions always were simple. We were not out to vilify Conquest Daddyo’s recent connections, but more were seeking clarity in a conversation clouded in gray.

Animal Welfare is everybody’s business. Questions should be posed to those whose opinions are respected, as long as they are the right ones. Questions should be asked about who obtains possession of a horse and how.  While many would expect Daddyo’s previous connections to foot the bill of his aftercare and claim, attempts to reach-out for help went unanswered.

Yu Hanson and her husband have received a significant amount of backlash online, resulting in her having taken a hiatus from Facebook. “There have been some cruel, aggressive and point blank unfair statements made about our racing operation”, she tells me.

It is important to do what is right when a horse has been more than clear they no longer are interested in being a racehorse. Yu Hanson adds, “If Daddyo comes back and shows a lack of competitive drive, we are always open to finding good homes for our former racers.”.

This day and realization sadly never came in good timing. We tried.

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After a sub-par effort at Black Foot in Idaho Monday, September 2, 2019, the moment came finally and we were contacted by Nathaniel Birdrattler.

In a phone conversation with Volpe the following morning, we were assured of Daddyo‘s soundness.  An agreement had been met for Volpe to purchase Conquest Daddyo, with arrangements to ship him back to Canada shortly after one final race that following weekend, which (unfortunately) saw him finish first in a $2,000 Allowance race. Winning that race however proved to be our loss, awakening hope in his connections that he could bank them some more purse money.

Birdrattler told Volpe that his grandson wanted very much to keep him to ride, however he told him, “There’s a girl out there who wants him much more than you.”.

Following the win, we had reached out to Birdrattler who passed Volpe off to his daughter Lashonda Tatsey, to make shipment arrangements. Calls and messages went unreturned.

I personally had followed-up with Birdrattler again on September 17, 2019 and again failed to hear back:

September 24, 2019 we reach out to Lashonda Tatsey on Facebook and fail to hear back again.

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We then were shocked to see Daddyo surface at Lethbridge in Alberta October 6, 2019 despite getting verbal reassurance from Birdrattler that his race September 7, 2019 at Blackfoot would be his last. He was entered under the interests of owner Rosetta Birdrattler and trainer Jenny Jo Tailfeathers, whom we understand are his family. Turning in a fifth-place finish, we couldn’t believe he quickly again would return in entries October 13, 2019 at Lethbridge (Alberta), this time for a $4,000 claiming tag.

We were disheartened that Birdrattler failed to deliver on his promise to us. Prematurely we delivered good news to all our supporters and donors, which sadly turned out to be a false promise. Having raised enough money to claim Daddyo at the inflated price of $4,000, we were set to put in a claim on him, only once again to face a roadblock.  We were advised that Rocky Mountain Turf Club and Tailfeathers had caught wind of all the fundraising chatter on Social Media, resulting in her scratching Daddyo from the race. Hence, while we received so much support out West and from the racing community in order to seal the deal, a rule which disallows the claiming of a horse for the purpose of retirement, would have voided our claim. The system in its regulations has a mechanism in place preventing horses from being for the lack of a better word, “saved”.

And once again we had lost what seemed like a surefire way to claim him, losing a convenient opportunity to route him home via a domestic carrier from Alberta to Ontario. We were no further ahead. Lessons learned. If you are claiming a horse, be secretive.

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A winter had passed and Volpe made a few attempts to reach Birdrattler and his family without success, although she did hear back from a grandson of his once, who told her that the intent was to have Daddyo run once again on the fair circuit. The world was forced to navigate the Pandemic and horse racing at smaller race tracks would see entire meet cancellations, including those on the fair circuit at which Daddyo would race.  We had wondered about Daddyo and whether he had been retired for good and if we’d lost our chance to get him back entirely. How would we answer to those who entrusted us with their generosity in our fundraising efforts?

Without a workout registered on his tab in over 21 months, you can imagine our surprise seeing Daddyo surface again in the entries at Great Falls in Montana for July 26, 2021.  He was up for a claiming tag of $2,000, which was actually less than what Volpe had offered Birdrattler prior. Perusing the entries below, you get a sense of the Birdrattlers‘ place as a fixture in these parts, with seven out of eight horses affiliated with the name. Volpe was determined not be denied this time, but not having any contacts in Montana posed a great issue. Who would claim the horse and hold him while shipping arrangements to Ontario were ironed-out?

Volpe and I once again took to Facebook early in the morning of July 25, 2021 to ask our friends in the racing community for their help. She managed on Facebook to connect with Nikki Greene, the wife of trainer David Greene, who would prove to be the guardian angel to move this along.  The couple also are known in those parts among some as trusted horsepeople.

Once we were confident we had a solid connection, we deleted any trace of our pleas for help. We would not let Social Media chatter get in the way of our goal again. Volpe had coordinated the transfer of funds to the U.S. overnight, but transactional limits posed a bit of concern, though fortunately the payment went through without a hitch.

The race was set to go off at 5:05 PM ET. Volpe, unable to get much sleep the night before, had checked the entries at Great Falls repeatedly to ensure Daddyo wasn’t scratched out of the race.  We couldn’t bear to get this close again only to lose out. 5:05 came and we wondered why there were no updates. We were then made aware that there had been a 30-minute delay on the race card, which really should have come as no surprise considering how many obstacles we had faced already.  Of course, there was another delay! It only made sense.

5:50 arrived finally.  A message came through that not only had Daddyo run third in the race – unharmed – but also that we were able successfully to claim him under Nikki and David Greene. We were finally able to let out a loud collective sigh of relief over our phones.

The finish earned Jenny Jo Tailfeathers and Nathaniel Birdrattler $360. A cut of that to go to jockey Holly Gervais. Birdrattler congratulated the Greenes on their claim and wished them all the best, likely unaware the horse would be going to “the girl out there who wanted him much more”.

Coincidentally, this Daddyo‘s final race ever would come six years shy a day his win first time out at Woodbine July 26, 2015.

Nikki Greene sent over the above photo after the mission accomplished, entrusting him with a friend, Buck Nelson who took wonderful care of him, and we are so appreciative. He was so kind even to gift Daddyo with a new lead and halter, insisting he deserved only the best, appreciative he got to take care of horse with so much back class.

Greene tells us, “He’s an amazing horse and so lucky to be headed where he is! We were happy to help! I am so glad it turned out that we were in the right place at the right time, and our paths crossed so random. People are in the right place at the right time, not by chance, it’s planned by something bigger than us.”.

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While more than ever transparency and ethics have come up in Horse Racing in response to recent controversies, it is the spirit of humanity and the love of horses which would prevail, leading strangers to help one another for the welfare of a horse. It didn’t matter if we were Democrats, Republicans, Conservative or Liberal or where we stood on which side of the divide. We had developed our own preconceived notions about the fair circuit and the ethics of its horsepeople, but the kindness and generosity of David and Nikki Greene, and Buck opened our eyes that good exists everywhere and even after you’ve felt there wasn’t much left to hope for. Persistence, kindness and support of the community helped us overcome the jarring litany of hurdles installed in this four-year-long steeplechase race.

May we all learn from Daddyo‘s example that horses no matter how loved and accomplished they are, still can fall through the cracks.  In his case, he was competing at the top level on the continent, ultimately being discarded for $2,000 six years later.  While often the industry celebrates excellence and achievement, unflattering stories won’t see the light of day.

We had pitched our story to multiple credible industry websites and time and again we were told, they were afraid to publish stories in which certain individuals and the industry at large are seen in a negative light. Some saw this is a personal dispute that didn’t warrant a story. While Aftercare of horses is growingly negotiating its way into discussion in the industry, stories like this still are occurring in 2021. Daddyo gets his happy ending, but not every other horse will. How can we move forward if we are avoiding the uncomfortable conversations?

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Daddyo after a quick hold in Montana, made his way to Kentucky on the morning of July 30, 2021 for a layover before finally making his way home to Ontario.  After some delays, he would arrive at his new home just after 11:00 PM August 7, 2021, a 15-hour trailer ride.

Volpe says, “When the trailer pulled-up last night, the reality that he actually is here, hit me. It’s a relief that this is finally over and I don’t have to worry about where he is and if he’s okay anymore.”.

A bit taller, his mane as thick as ever and noticeably leaner than she remembered him, he was sporting a bit of a bump on his lower back, which we learned can be corrected with some adjustments to his nutrition. Daddyo thankfully is sound. “The Birdrattlers did take care of him. And for that I’m grateful”, she adds.

Daddyo settling-in with Seven and Ollie

Sarah Volpe & Conquest Daddyo, 2015 & 2021

Another coincidence in this tale of stars aligning, is that the last time I saw Volpe in-person was two years ago when I ran into her at Saratoga where we were both venting our frustrations about our ordeal. Exactly two years later the day, who’d have known we would be celebrating over Cotton Candy ice cream that Daddyo came home?

From the bottom of our hearts, we thank you all so much. Combing through Social Media we know many of you had questions and doubts, but we assure you we never forgot about Daddyo.  It was always our intention to find a way to get him home to Volpe and with your support, we did.  All the donations and emotional support you gave us empowered us see this through to the finish and you equally are a part of this journey.

(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)