posted by Jen Morrison @ 6:01 AM
Welcome to Jen's Thoroughblog. This is a personal blog site with news
and some views on the Ontario thoroughbred racing industry. It is updated most mornings. I am a freelance writer and handicapper for various publications.Opinions
on this site are not those of any of my employers. Feel free to give your insights and comments. Thoroughblog has the right to refuse publication of
offensive comments.
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2008 Hot Canadian-bred Runners (based on Beyer, $, SW) |
| 1 Rahy's Attorney (107) |
| 2 Harlem Rocker (106) |
| 3 Not Bourbon (98) |
| 4 Sugar Swirl -f (100) |
| 5 *Sterwins (103) |
| 6 Ginger Brew - f (93) |
| 7 Just Rushing (101) |
| 8 Dancer's Bajan (102) |
| 9 Sealy Hill-f (92) |
| 10 Marlang (88) |
| 11 Ice Bear (95) |
| 12 Sugar Bay (91) |
| 13 Maren's Meadow -f (92) |
| 14 Are You Serious (102) |
| 15 French Beret (100) |
| 16 Legal Move (96) |
| 17 Disfunction (98) |
| 18 Spaghetti Mouse (90) |
| 19 Square Eddie (87) |
| 20 Jungle Fighter (98) |
| (best Beyer in '08) |
4 Comments:
At 8:28 PM,
Anonymous said…
Dear Jen,
On Wednesday evening we took a couple out to the Woodbine Club. Neither had ever been to the races and we like to introduce people to our sport. The 4th race was a maiden claimer and my guests asked "Where are the horses because I can here the race being called?" Embarassed Iexplained that the starting gate is invisible, blocked by a giant barn used for a completely different sport, harness racing. Of all the stupid ideas that Wilmot and company have ever come up with this takes the cake. No wonder the "Jewel of the North is mostly empty except for the casino. You have to watch the start on television with an camera angle so distorted it gives viewers a false impression of the race. If the stewards can only see this view, how can they fairly judge infractions?
Isn't there enough room at Woodbine to build a harness barn without disrupting the view of our most valuable commodity " The Horses". No, we had to sell our souls and tax incentives to developers so maybe people will come to the track. The same people who go to the casino and never make a horse wager. Who is accountable for the sheer stupidity of of putting a massive barn obstructing the view of the only people that matter, "THE FANS". Where are the new fans of the sport going to come from if they cannot see the sport. Mr. Wilmot cannot see the "Forest from the Trees" or in this case the "Horses from the barn". Shame on you!
At 8:51 AM,
Anonymous said…
i agree...watching on hpi on that off angle is pretty lame...that's some bad landscape engineering...
At 7:31 AM,
Anonymous said…
To Allen Abbott
Wilmot inherited Woodbine when it was a beautiful raw racetrack. I used to go every day. Now I prefer to stay home and watch on tv.
The last time I went, I bought a small beer in a plastic cup for $4.75. Totally overpriced for the customer and a .25 cent tip for the bartender!! Pretty cynical.
The beautiful paddock trees were cut down, people cannot spend money on food and drinks if they are out looking at the horses.
Woodbine is now like a big mall, clean and tidy but the atmosphere is not like a racetrack any more.
I am sure you are right about the new building blocking the view of the races.
The thing is THEY DONT CARE.
The company has been making a fortune and that is all they care about. And unfotunately they think that the success is DUE TO THEM, not INSPITE OF THEM.
So they have no interest in your or my opinion.
I hate losing my money to them so I have cut back on my betting,trying to beat a 25% takeout, but I still enjoy racing too much to give it up altogether.
Charles
At 2:13 PM,
Anonymous said…
"Woodbine is like a big mall"
amen brotha! just wait until the "Disneyland of Rexdale"(Rob Ford- Councillor, Etobicoke north) opens up...
it will only get better from there.
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