Celebration of the End of the Woodbine Season

The final day of the 2024 Woodbine season, held on December 15, offered a mild respite from the December chill, featuring an engaging 13-race card. Throughout the final week, which capped off a total of 127 racing days, fans experienced thrilling finishes, with several smaller stables achieving significant victories. During this closing period, a remarkable 26 horses were claimed, including six by trainer Phil Hall and five by Bruno Schickedanz through various trainers.

The highlights included two exhilarating sprints on Sunday, both won by horses trained by Martin Drexler for Schickedanz. OLD CHESTNUT broke a winless streak with a 95 Beyer Speed Figure, completing a 6 1/2 furlongs race in 1:15.90, guided by Eswan Flores who emerged victorious in three races that day. GIANT TEDDY achieved another milestone with a career-best 95 Beyer Figure at 1:09.48 for six furlongs, ridden by Sahin Civaci, who also secured nine wins that week.

Trainer John Mattine celebrated two victories, including with the newly victorious MAGIC POWER in a maiden 2-year-old race. Don MacRae also made an impression, aggressively claiming horses and winning with TAKEMYBOURBONNEAT.

Despite the celebratory atmosphere, the day was marred by the tragic loss of first-time starter Laurenette. Overall, Schickedanz dominated the season with 63 wins compared to Gary Barber’s 26, demonstrating his stable’s impressive performance.