After a bleak winter, Opening Day at Woodbine Racetrack is upon us on Saturday and the excitement for another spring renewal for Ontario Thoroughbred racing is palpable. So much so, I am reminded of the
immortal words of weatherman Phil Connors from Groundhog Day:
“When Chekhov saw the long winter, he saw a winter bleak and dark and bereft of hope. Yet we know that winter is just another step in the cycle of life. But standing here among the people of Punxsutawney and basking in the warmth of their hearths and hearts, I couldn’t imagine a better fate than a long and lustrous winter.”
It’s a speech Larry the cameraman finds particularly emotional. As he clasps Connors’ hand, he says, “Hey man, you touched me.”
Opening Day at the Toronto racetrack provides the perfect setting to brew a heady elixir of joy and possibility by combining the power of hope and rekindled friendships with the most potent ingredient of all: a deep and shared love of horses.
In that spirit, Ontario Racing attended the 50
th Sovereign Awards on Thursday and asked 10 industry stalwarts a simple question:
What do you love most about Opening Day?
Here’s what they told us:
Ericka Rusnak (owner of Broodmare of the Year Platinum Steel):
“It’s a culmination of a hard winter's work. Everybody had their little break when the season was over. You get tired and you look forward to a little break, but then you get back gearing up again for the new season. Plus, winter sucks for pretty well everybody in Ontario.
“The whole business is built on dreams, and right now, everybody's dreaming… A lot of people have new horses, unstarted 2-year-olds, and even some unstarted 3-year-olds, or maybe maidens that they thought finished the season off in good order. And there's just so much hope.
“It’s the best time of year too. I just love spring. Winter is so dreary and gray and cold, and then spring. The days are getting longer, it's sunnier, it's warmer, and things turn green, and birds are singing.”
Woodbine CEO Michael Copeland:
“My favourite part of Opening Day is seeing people that I haven't seen for several months, seeing the expression on everyone's faces and feeling how happy everyone is to have racing back in the building.”
Tall Oaks Farm GM Colleen Dalos (whose father, Ivan Dalos, will be inducted into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame in August):
“Oh my god, We've been waiting all winter for Opening Day. I'm super excited. The anticipation is unbelievable. It's been a long drought of racing. we miss it. we're excited to get back to it. It's my routine. I come every weekend, so I'm excited to be back.”
Do you go through withdrawal a little bit when the season ends?
“One hundred per cent. Huge withdrawal. So, this is our fix.”
Breeder and owner David Anderson (part-owner of Moira):
“It's always a long, dreary winter for owners, trainers, grooms. It's just nice to get back and see a lot of familiar faces and friends and start, hopefully earning some money and winning some races again.”
Racing journalist Jennifer Morrison:
“Seeing horses in front of me again. I've been watching horses on TV all winter, and I can't wait to hear them and see them and see everybody associated with them.”
Trainer Robert Tiller (who campaigned 2024 Horse of the Year Patches O’Houlihan):
“We're all very excited. It’s a new year. We’re going to win a bunch of races and pay the bills. The game’s gotten a lot tougher, but we love it and it's in our blood. Let's go get ‘em.”
Woodbine executive vice-president of racing Bill Ford:
“It's seeing all the people back and the excitement in everybody's voice and seeing people in the building. It’s a very exciting day.”
Breeder Vicki Pappas:
“Just seeing all my friends again gathered at the track.”
Owner Frank Di Giulio, Jr. (owner and breeder of Patches O’Houlihan):
“Just getting the horses back in action and hopefully start earning some money to pay some bills. It's been a long winter and everyone's undefeated.”
Woodbine’s director of thoroughbred operations Martha Wakely:
“It is the horses. I have been seeing them in the morning. When the backstretch opens the first day it's so exciting. But the first break out of the gate that gets me. It's like the last break out of the gate at the end of the year. Those are my emotions.”
Everything you need to know about Opening Day:
Post Time: 1:05 pm
Dates: Saturday, April 26 & Sunday, April 27
Watch live stream from Woodbine:
https://woodbine.com/watch-races/
Watch in Spanish on DRF Espanol’s Live show:
https://www.youtube.com/live/MQl230u-XbU?si=bCdfDrb2v1rTTvhE
Handicapping information:
Link to Free DRF PPs for Saturday and Sunday cards: Woodbine Thoroughbred Bonus PPs
Link to Handicappers Journal: written by Doug McPherson:
https://woodbine.com/wp-content/uploads/pdfs/free_programs/Free_Program_WOT_2025-04-26.pdf
Bet and watch Woodbine in Canada here:
HPIbet.com - Welcome
Bet and watch Woodbine in the USA here: https://woodbine.com/USA/
Schedule for the Season:
https://woodbine.com/upcoming-races/
More Top Racing Headlines