Page 22 - February 2009 The Game

22 The Game, February 2009
Better than She imagined By Chris Lomon
Canada’s Thoroughbred Racing Newspaper
two 2-year-old Champions to ascot Stud for 2009
Aljabr, Champion 2 year old in Europe and three time G1 winner, course record setter, by Storm Cat, out of the multiple G1 winner mare Sierra Madre, is relocating from Shadwell Farm, to Ascot Stud. Aljabr is the 2nd leading turf sire in Canada in 2008 and was represented by nine stakes horses, ve of them graded, including Canadian Classic winner Northern Kraze, and Woodbine polytrack record holder Wollemi Pine. Aljabr’’s foals should excel in the Ontario Sire program with his proven success on the polytrack and turf. 2009 fee $3500
Clifton Park, will be standing his rst year at Ascot Stud, Port Colborne, Ontario. A Champion 2 year old colt
in Maryland from the last crop of leading sire Allen’’s Prospect, out of Cat Nap by Storm Cat. He was beaten a 1⁄2 length rst time out at Saratoga defeating Multiple Graded winner Cowtown Cat, he broke his maiden in his next start, the Oliver’s Twist Stakes and concluded his 2 year campaign with a win in the Maryland Million Nursery Stakes. His owner will be offering a breeding incentive program to breeders with cash incentive for live foals $1000, $3000, and $5000 for approved mares. 2009 fee private
Tejano Run was represented by another strong year statistically, he was the leading Ontario Sire by winners per starters 57%, 4th by overall earnings and was represented by 7 Stakes horses including G3 winner at Hollywood Park Million Dollar Run. 2009 will showcase his rst crop of Ontario Sired foals. 2009 fee $5000 with a spacial rate for repeat breeders and approved mares.
Impeachment has been relocated to Rockin River Ranch in Iowa for the 2009 season
Her intuition suggested she could be in for a rough ride, but Krista Carignan’s rst year riding at Woodbine was quite the opposite.
“I could mention anyone, really,” offered Carignan. “Martin Ramirez, Garry Cruise, Emma-Jayne Wilson, Jim McAleney – they all made me feel so comfortable.
Apprentice Krista Carignan
Michael Burns Photo courtesy of WEG
Before she arrived at Canada’s most famous racetrack in the latter stages of 2008, Carignan, 20, wasn’t quite sure what to expect in terms of how she’d be received or if she would be able to hold her own.
“Jim has been in the sport a long time and Emma has enjoyed a lot of success in such a short time. They gave me great advice. I think if you are willing to listen and learn they are more than happy to support you.”
Another apprentice looking to make her mark is Beth Wyard.
Turns out, she didn’t have to worry about that either.
It wasn’t only the jockeys who made Carignan feel at ease in her new surroundings.
Hailing from Cambridge, Ontario, the 23-year-old won two races and had nine top-three nishes last year at the Toronto oval.
“It was de nitely quite different than what I had expected,” said the native of Hinton, Alberta, who plied her trade out West before coming to Woodbine. “I wondered if the jockeys would be stuck-up or if I would do well. But the moment I got here, it was better than I could have imagined.”
“(Agent) Mike Luider introduced me to (fellow agent) Al Raymond and we hit it off. Al let me stay with him and his family until I found a place of my own. That alone had a big impact on me.”
Like Carignan, Wyard was pleasantly surprised at the reception she was afforded from her fellow riders.
Her rst impressions?
Carignan even took good-natured ribbing from her new agent in stride.
“Everyone was so nice,” said Wyard, who is currently working for trainer Brian Lynch out of Palm Meadows in Florida. “They all want to help you. (Former rider) Tyler Gaskin was a big help to me, Jim McAleney would go over videos with me and I’m so glad Emma Wilson is in the room. She helped me with so many things.”
“The jockeys were very welcoming,” said Carignan. “It was a good atmosphere to learn in. It exceeded any of my expectations.”
“He called me a vagrant,” laughed Carignan. “I had no car and no house. But I couldn’t have asked for a better agent.”
Carignan points to a number of Toronto oval riders who helped her feel comfortable competing in one of North America’s most contentious colonies.
And Carignan couldn’t have asked for a better introduction to what it’s like to ride at Canada’s Showplace of Racing.
Wyard, who has worked for Jim Day, Cliff Hopmans Jr., Catherine Day Phillips and Mike Doyle, is looking to build upon what she learned in 2008.
“I came to Woodbine when I was 18 and galloped horses and I was blown away then. Things are done right here. The atmosphere, the facility and the people are all rst-class. It’s professional everywhere you look.”
“The one thing I came to understand is to not get too far ahead of yourself,” she offered. “I got more and more comfortable as the season went along, but I also know I can get better, too.”
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Carignan, who won four races and had 15 top-three nishes at Woodbine in 2008, also got to experience the world-renowned E.P. Taylor Turf Course, thanks to her agent.
When it comes to the Sovereign Award for top apprentice, Carignan and Wyard could continue the trend of girl power in the category.
“Al told me that he was going to
get me on the turf at least once,” recalled Carignan. “I came here late in the year, so there weren’t too many opportunities to ride on the grass.”
Since 1998, female jockeys have copped the award on eight occasions, including two well-known faces to Woodbine: Chantal Sutherland (2001 and 2002) and Emma-Jayne Wilson (2005 and 2006).
Was it everything she had anticipated?
“Absolutely. The track is so big and beautiful. Everywhere you look, you see green. All of the riders rave about the turf and you can see why they would feel that way.”
Last year, it was Janine Stianson who took home the honours. The other two nalists were Woodbine-based riders Catherine O’Brien and Melanie Pinto.
Stakes Recap
bred Speightstown colt won by 1/2 a length in the 6 1/2 furlong race. This was his rst stakes win coming off a third-place nish in the Eddie Logan Stakes at Santa Anita on December 27 after consecutive wins at Woodbine at the start of his career.
Three year-old Congor Bay, a homebred of Melnyk Racing Stables, won the $78,750 San Pedro Stakes at Santa Anita on Monday, January 19. Trained by Mark Casse
and ridden by Jockey Patrick Husbands, the Kentucky-
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