Woodbine Trainer Katerina Vassilieva / Standardbred Trainer Desiree Jones / Woodbine Mohawk Park‘s Editor of the ‘Horseplayer’s Journal’ - Robert Reid Jr.

Ann and Larry are joined by Woodbine Trainer Katerina Vassilieva who is at Gulfstream Park and discusses her horse Roaring Forties who is chasing his second straight win in the Sunshine Turf Stakes tomorrow. Katerina also talks about how the 2023 season was her best yet at Woodbine and mentions some horses that we should keep an eye on this season both at Gulfstream and then later at Woodbine. She also discusses how she almost didn’t have a career as a Trainer and names a horse that she considers to be the best she ever trained and why. Standardbred Trainer Desiree Jones, who is currently a finalist for a Future Stars, O’Brien Award and is currently training at Sunshine Meadows Training Centre in Florida. Desiree discusses how she became involved as a Trainer and how many horses she currently has in training and mentions whether having a father who is a Hall of Fame Trainer, could be considered intimidating and whether she always wanted to follow in her father’s footsteps and make her career training horses. Robert Reid Jr. Editor of Woodbine Mohawk Park’s ‘Horseplayers Journal’ who also covers The Raceway at Western Fair District in London and Grand River Downs in Elora. Robert also talks about what the old Greenwood Racetrack meant to him as a fan of harness racing and one special highlight race at Woodbine Mohawk Park last season. Robert also handicaps a couple of races at Woodbine Mohawk Park tonight. In our feature, ‘In Case You Missed It’ A Look At The Way It Was In Horse Racing News, Larry mentions about how the Metro Pace  for two-year-olds at Woodbine Mohawk Park will have a purse of $1 million and the first time since 2012 and also discusses the recent return of Track Announcer Ken Middleton to the announcers booth after missing some time, the result of a training accident with one of his horses.   He also provides his ‘Ponies Picks of the Day’ selections for several North American Racetracks today. 

 

Key Points: 

Katerina talks first about here horse Roaring Forties who is racing tomorrow at Gulfstream Park in the Sunshine Turf Stakes, a race that he also won last year. Katerina talks about what Roaring Forties is like as a horse and talks about why 2023 was her best season to date as a Trainer. Katerina also talks about the upcoming 2024 race meet at Woodbine and whether she is looking forward to it’s start and discusses how she sells herself to new owners and whether she could be considered a specialist with a certain type of horse. Katerina also mentions whether there is a race that continues to allude her and who was the best horse that she has trained to date. She also mentions a career goal that she in continuing to work towards and why.

Desiree talks first about how it feels to be a finalist for the Future Stars O’Brien Award to be handed out on February 3rd and why winning the award would mean a lot to her training career. She also discusses the path to becoming a Standardbred Trainer and whether training horses was something that she always wanted to do. Desiree also discusses whether having a father who’s a Hall of Fame trainer can be intimidating and talks about how she ended up training a major string of Standardbreds. Desiree mentions too about how she had a different career path before deciding to train full time and talks about the Sunshine Meadows Training Centre in Florida where her horses are stabled for the winter and how she is surrounded by many Hall of Fame riders who are also training there. 

Robert discusses his role as Editor of the ‘Horseplayer’s Journal’ and as a Handicapping analyst at the Raceway at Western Fair District in London and talks about how the now shuttered Greenwood Racetrack made such an impression on him when he was young and increased his interest in the sport of harness racing. He also talks about what he considers to be the most impressive race last season at Woodbine Mohawk Park and why and some other major riders performances and whether there is one race that he watched over the years that still resonates with him. Robert also explains the differences in handicapping a track like Woodbine Mohawk Park and a half mile one like Western Fair and handicaps a couple of races at Woodbine Mohawk Park for tonight’s card.