Macdonald Benson
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Macdonald Benson
Macdonald "Mac" Benson (born June 30, 1930 in Wilmington, Delaware) is a Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame trainer. A resident of Woodbridge, Ontario, Benson came to Canada in 1978 to train for E. P. Taylor's renowned Windfields Farm. Since then, horses trained by Benson have won ten Sovereign Awards and four Canadian Classics. Mac Benson embarked on his professional training career in 1958 and began by working for prominent Delaware Thoroughbred owner, William du Pont, Jr. He later would operate a public stable, racing at tracks in Delaware, New Jersey, and Maryland. Among his clients in the early 1970s was another duPont family member, Bayard Sharp, who was a founding director of Delaware Park Racetrack and a former president of '' The Blood-Horse Inc.'' magazine. In 1976, Benson was offered a job by the head of operations for Windfields Farm who raced in Canada and the United States, and who maintained breeding operations in Maryland and Ontario. Settling in the Toronto ...
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Horse Trainer
A horse trainer is a person who tends to horses and teaches them different disciplines. Some of the responsibilities trainers have are caring for the animals' physical needs, as well as teaching them submissive behaviors and/or coaching them for events, which may include contests and other riding purposes. The level of education and the yearly salary they can earn for this profession may differ depending on where the person is employed. History Horse domestication by the Botai culture in Kazakhstan dates to about 3500 BC. Written records of horse training as a pursuit has been documented as early as 1350 BC, by Kikkuli, the Hurrian "master horse trainer" of the Hittite Empire. Another source of early recorded history of horse training as a discipline comes from the Greek writer Xenophon, in his treatise On Horsemanship. Writing circa 350 BC, Xenophon addressed starting young horses, selecting older animals, and proper grooming and bridling. He discussed different approache ...
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Victoriana Stakes
The Victoriana Stakes is a thoroughbred horse race run annually in early to mid August at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. An Ontario Sire Stakes, it is a restricted race for fillies and mares, age three and older. Contested over a distance of miles (8.5 furlongs) on turf, it currently carries a purse of $115,000. Inaugurated at Fort Erie Racetrack, it was raced there from 1975 through 1977 and again in 1994. Records Speed record: * Most wins: * 2 - Christy's Mount (1977, 1979) * 2 - Avenare (1980, 1981) * 2 - Eternal Search (1982, 1983) * 2 - Bold Ruritana (1994, 1996) * 2 - Inish Glora (2003, 2004) * 2 - Financingavailable (2006, 2007) * 2 - Impossible Time (2010, 2011) Most wins by an owner: * 2 - D. H. Bunker (1977, 1979) * 2 - Jim Dandy Stable (1982, 1983) * 2 - Minshall Farms (1994, 1996) * 2 - Robert Costigan (2003, 2004) * 2 - K. K. Sangara (2006, 2007) * 2 - Charles E. Fipke (2010, 2011) Most wins by a jockey: * 5 - Jim McAleney (1989, 199 ...
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Nassau Stakes (Canada)
The Nassau Stakes is a Canadian Thoroughbred horse race held annually at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario. A Grade II event raced in early June, it is open to horses aged three and older and run over a distance of one mile on turf. Currently, the Nassau Stakes offers a purse of $153,540. Inaugurated in 1956, it was raced on dirt until 1968 when it was shifted permanently to the turf. Over the years, it has been run at various distances both at the Woodbine Racetrack and at Fort Erie Race Track: On dirt: * 7 furlongs : 1956–1958 at Woodbine * 1 mile : 1959–1966 at Woodbine, 1967 at Fort Erie On turf: * 1 mile : beginning 2010 at Woodbine Racetrack * miles : 1968 & 1994 at Fort Erie, 1969–1993, 1995 to present at Woodbine The Nassau Stakes was run in two divisions in 1978, 1982, 1983, 1985, 1989, 1990 Records Time record: (at miles on turf) * 1:39.60 – Bold Ruritana (1996 on Woodbine Racetrack) Most wins: * 2 – Belle Geste (1971, 1972) * 2 – Momigi (1976, ...
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My Dear Stakes
The My Dear Stakes is a Canadian Thoroughbred horse race run annually in late June at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario. Open to two-year-old fillies, it is contested over a distance of five furlongs on Polytrack and currently carries a purse of approximately $101,000 +. The race was named for the retrospective American Champion Older Female Horse of 1923, My Dear, whose greatest performances came at the Old Woodbine Race Course. Inaugurated at the now defunct Thorncliffe Park Raceway in Toronto, in 1956 the race was moved to the Old Woodbine Race Course then the following year to the newly constructed Woodbine Racetrack. Contested at five furlongs from 1949 through 1968, it was raced at six furlongs from 1969 through 1975. Since 1976 it has been run at its original five furlong distance. The My Dear Stakes was contested in two divisions in 1953, 1955, 1969, 1979, 1986. There was no race in 1947. Records Speed record: * 0:56.73 - Midst (2009) (at current 5 furlong dista ...
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Canadian Stakes
The Canadian Stakes is a Grade II Thoroughbred horse race run annually at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Run in mid September, it is a Grade II event open to fillies and mares, three years of age and older. It is raced on turf over a distance of "about" miles. Known as the Canadian Handicap until 2006, it was inaugurated at the now defunct Greenwood Raceway in 1955 as a mile race on dirt and was open to horses of either sex, aged three and older. In 1964, the event was transferred to Woodbine Racetrack where in 1970 it became a race on the grass for fillies and mares only. In 1996, the race was run on dirt and was split into two divisions in 1982 through 1985 and again in 1989. Records Most wins: * 2 - Classic Stamp (2004, 2005) * 2 - Starship Jubilee (2018, 2019) Most wins by an owner: * 5 - Sam-Son Farm (1989, 1991, 1998, 2014, 2020) Most wins by a jockey: * 5 - Robin Platts (1975, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1986) Most wins by a trainer: * 2 - Ted Mann (1965, ...
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Nijinsky Stakes (Canada)
The Nijinsky Stakes is a Canadian Thoroughbred horse race held annually at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto. Since 2009, it has been run in late July. The Grade II race is open to horses aged three years and up and is run on Woodbine Racetrack's E. P. Taylor Turf Course at a distance of one and one eight miles. The race currently offers a purse of CAD$175,000 added. Inaugurated as the Hong Kong Jockey Club Trophy Stakes in 1998, it was raced during the third week of July on turf at a distance of miles. In 2002, the Chinese Cultural Centre sponsored the race and it was renamed the Chinese Cultural Centre Stakes. In 2006, the race was renamed the Nijinsky Stakes and the Chinese Cultural Centre assumed sponsorship for the Seagram Cup Stakes . The race honors the Canadian-born Nijinsky, the 1970 English Triple Crown champion and a son of Canada's most famous horse and most important sire of the 20th century, Northern Dancer. Records Time record: * 2:24.45 @ 1 1/2 miles : Tiz A Sl ...
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Sir Barton Stakes
The Sir Barton Stakes is a Thoroughbred horse race run annually in early December at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. An Ontario Sire Stakes, it is a restricted race for horses age three and older. Raced over a distance of miles on Polytrack, the Sir Barton Stakes currently carries a purse of $93,938. Originally restricted to three-year-olds, it is now open to older horses. Inaugurated in 1975 at Greenwood Raceway Greenwood Raceway (originally Woodbine Race Course) was a horse racing facility in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. History Woodbine Race Course Inaugurated in 1874 as Woodbine Race Course at the foot of Woodbine Avenue and Lake Ontario, it was owne ... and moved to Woodbine Racetrack in 1994, the race is named for the U.S. Racing Hall of Fame colt Sir Barton, who was the 1st U.S. Triple Crown Champion. Since inception, the Sir Barton Stakes has been raced at a variety of distances: * 7 furlongs - 1975 * 1 mile - 1976-1993 * miles - 1994 to present ...
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Seaway Stakes
The Seaway Stakes is a Thoroughbred horse race run annually in late August or early September at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. A Grade III race since 2004, it is open to dillies and mares aged three and older. Contested over a distance of 7 furlongs on Tapeta synthetic dirt, it carries a purse of Can$150,000. There was no race run in 1965 and 1966. In 1984 it was run in two divisions. Inaugurated in 1956, over the years the race has been contested at various distances: * 6 furlongs : 1958-1964 * furlongs : 2006 * 7 furlongs : 1956–1957, 1967–2005, 2007 Records Speed record: (Through 1998, times were recorded in fifths of a second . Since 1999 they are in hundredths of a second) * 1:21.51 - Akronism (2008) Most wins: * 3 - Prospective Dolly (1991, 1992, 1994) Most wins by an owner: * 4 - Conn Smythe (1970, 1971, 1975, 1976) Most wins by a jockey: * 6 - Robin Platts (1968, 1972, 1979, 1981, 1984, 1985) Most wins by a trainer: * 4 - Arthur H. Warn ...
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Ontario Matron Stakes
The Ontario Matron Stakes is a Canadian Thoroughbred horse race run annually at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario. Held during the third week of July, it is open to fillies and mares, age three and older. Once an ungraded stakes, it is now a Grade III and raced over a distance of miles on Polytrack synthetic dirt, the race currently offers a purse of $115,635 with an addition $50,000 for Ontario bred horses from the Ontario Thoroughbred Improvement Program (T.I.P.). The Ontario Matron Stakes was first run in 1979. Until 2006 it was known as the Ontario Matron Handicap. Records Speed record: * 1:42.70 - La Tia (2014) Most wins: * 2 - La Voyageuse (1979, 1980) * 2 - Spanish Play (1990, 1991) * 2 - Santa Amelia (1997, 1998) * 2 - One For Rose (2004, 2005) Most wins by an owner: * 3 - Tucci Stables (2004, 2005, 2006) Most wins by a jockey: * 6 - Todd Kabel (1995, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2003) Most wins by a trainer: * 5 - Roger Attfield (1987, 1992, 1994, 2002, 201 ...
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Display Stakes
The Display Stakes is a Thoroughbred horse race run annually at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Contested on a synthetic "all weather" surface over a distance of miles (8.5 furlongs), it is open to two-year-old horses. Raced during the latter part of November or early December, the ungraded stakes race offers a purse of Can$125,000. Inaugurated in 1956 at Toronto's Old Woodbine Race Course as a sprint race, it was named for American Walter J. Salmon's colt Display, winner of the 1926 Preakness Stakes and who frequently raced in Canada where he won a number of important races. The Display stakes was run in two divisions in 1959. There was no race in 1993. Since inception, it has been contested at various distances: *6 furlongs: 1956 at Old Woodbine Race Course *7 furlongs: 1957–1958 at Old Woodbine Race Course *8 furlongs (1 mile): 1959-1960 Old Woodbine Race Course, 1977–1992 at Greenwood Raceway *8.5 furlongs ( miles): 1969–1976 at Greenwood Raceway, ...
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Coronation Futurity Stakes
The Coronation Futurity Stakes is a Thoroughbred horse race for 2-year-old horses foaled in Canada. It is run annually in mid-November at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario, Canada at a distance of miles. Along with its turf counterpart, the Cup and Saucer Stakes, the Coronation Futurity is the richest race for two-year-olds foaled in Canada. Inaugurated in 1902 at Toronto's Old Woodbine Racetrack, it was created in celebration of the August 9, 1902 coronation of Edward VII of the United Kingdom. The winner of the race often becomes the early favorite for next year's Queen's Plate, though the last horse to win both races was Norcliffe in 1975. The 1963 winner was Northern Dancer who would go on to win the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes and become the most important sire of the 20th century. Of note, his young jockey that day was future Canadian and U.S. Hall of Fame jockey Ron Turcotte who, ten years later, would ride Secretariat to victory in the U.S. Triple Crown ...
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Bessarabian Stakes
The Bessarabian Stakes is a Canadian Thoroughbred horse race run annually since 1985 at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario. Raced at a distance of seven furlongs, it is held during the latter part of November and is open to fillies and mares, age three and older. It has been a Grade II event since 2013. Inaugurated in 1985 as the Etobicoke Handicap, in 1996 it was renamed in honor of Eaton Hall Farm's Champion filly, Bessarabian. Through 1990 the race was contested at six furlongs on dirt. In 2006 the track surface was replaced with a Polytrack synthetic dirt which would be changed again in 2016 to Tapeta synthetic dirt. (both referred to as an "all weather track" in official charts). The purse for the Bessarabian was increased to $200,000 in 2014, plus up to $23,265 for Ontario-bred horses. Records Speed record: * 1:21.44 - Hillaby (2014) at current distance of 7 furlongs Most wins: * 2 - Count On A Change (1991, 1992) * 2 - Early Blaze (1994, 1995) * 2 - Moonlit Prom ...
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