New Era Of Racing Begins In Woodstock Saturday

Horse Racing New Brunswick (HRNB) will kick off a new era of racing at Connell Park in picturesque Woodstock, N.B. on Saturday, June 3. With the closing of Exhibition Park Raceway in Saint John, the harness racing spotlight will shine brightly on Woodstock for 10 race dates this season.

Saturday’s marquee event will be the Dawn Bremner Stakes for three-year-old pacers. There will be two divisions of the Bremner Stakes, with each carrying a purse of $10,700. Post time for the six-dash program is 1 p.m.

Looking at the first division of the Bremner for fillies, it appears that there are multiple definitive win threats. Gosistersoulsister comes off a winning effort in 1:58.1 in last weekend's PEI Colt Stakes at Summerside Raceway for trainer Jamie Smith. Pierre-Luc Roy will pick up the catch-drive aboard the Arthur Blue Chip filly, who will leave from post two. Her stablemate, Singing Ramona, has been consistent this year, while the Myles Heffernan-trained Woodmere Jade is another one to watch.

In the second division for the colts and geldings, Starship Art looks to be the standout after an impressive 1:58.2 win in the PEI Colt Stakes for trainer Earl Watts. Starting from post three, Patrick Shepherd will drive the Arthur Blue Chip gelding, who went unraced as a two-year-old and has two wins and a second in three starts this year.

Saturday’s matinee card will also feature last year’s Horse of the Year at Truro, American Risk, who will have New Brunswick driver Mark Haig in the race bike. Owned by Risky Bizz Group, the George Rennison trainee will leave from post four in the top event for overnight horses. American Risk has been second in his first three starts this season. He will battle Emperor, Windsong Napoleon, Bay Bries and Moonwriter.

Horse Racing New Brunswick will host live harness racing at Connell Park on the following dates: June 3, June 17, June 30, July 7, July 28, Aug. 2, Aug. 4, Sept. 2, Sept. 16 and Sept. 24.

Horse Racing New Brunswick would like to thank its sponsors, volunteers and horsemen and women for supporting the new location at Woodstock. HRNB is extremely excited to bring more thrilling racing to the community of Woodstock.

To view Saturday's harness racing entries, click one of the following links: Woodstock Raceway NB - Saturday Entries || Program Pages (courtesy TrackIT)

Horse Ownership Loan Program Launches In N.B.

May 2, 2023

Horse Racing New Brunswick (HRNB) has announced a new initiative geared towards generating horse ownership in New Brunswick.

For the 2023 season, HRNB will offer a Horse Ownership Loan Program. Ten loans will be issued on a first come first serve basis. Criteria are listed below.

Horses purchased must be 10 years of age or younger
Ten loans are available - $2,500 for horses/geldings and $3,500 for fillies/mares
Mares that are retained for breeding in New Brunswick are eligible for the Breeders Grant Program ($2,000 paid upon production of first live foal)
Horses must race nine out of 10 race dates in Woodstock.
Fifty per cent of all purse monies won in New Brunswick will be retained by HRNB until loan is paid. Horses unsuccessful in earning the full balance in 2023 can carry it forward in 2024. Such circumstances, the balance of the loan is due in 2024.
Horses missing a start or scratched cannot race within eight days of a scheduled race date in New Brunswick (Woodstock) or else the balance of the loan is due in seven days.
Horses sold from the loan program will have balance of loan due to HRNB within seven days.
Loans will be issued to all parties on June 3, the opening day of racing in Woodstock, N.B.

It is HRNB's hope to continue this program in future years to build up the horse racing population.

Interested individuals are encouraged to contact Dr. Mitchell Downey in writing by emailing downeydvm@hotmail.com.

Final Saint John Card To Go Sunday

October 13, 2022

Horse Racing New Brunswick (HRNB) will close a chapter on harness racing in the once "Giant of Maritime Racing" on Sunday, Oct. 16 at Exhibition Park Raceway.

With the Saint John Exhibition Association not entering into a new lease with for 2023, horses have been asked to be off the premises by year end. This brings an end to racing in the city that has taken place for centuries.

The Exhibition Association declined an interview request with CBC earlier this week, issuing a statement that "the [Exhibition Association] Board has made the decision to position itself to be able to explore opportunities that may have the potential to make better use of the lands and facilities, thus providing a greater service to the greater Saint John community."

Horse Racing New Brunswick's President Brock McEachern confirmed to Trot Insider that HRNB made two offers that included increased rent, but the offers were declined by the Exhibition Association.

"They've never given us a reason why other than that one small statement that they're exploring new options," said McEachern. "They're ending 150 years of racing in Saint John without a why."

The final live card of racing in the Port City of Saint John is set for Sunday with the finals of the New Brunswick Breeders Stakes and memorial races for many Saint John iconic figures. There will be more than $58,000 in purse money doled out on the seven-dash program, which is scheduled for a 1 p.m. start.

Race two of the day is the $8,640 Peter & Jeanne Gray Memorial, the N.B. Breeders Stakes three-year-old colt final. Brumby, who will be driven by David Dowling, is the morning-line choice from the inside post. The Jamie Smith trainee, who won an earlier leg of the stakes back on May 14, will take on rivals Theodore J Down and Big Time Brawler.

Race six is the richest of the day with more than $32,000 in purse money in the two-year-old filly and colt final. Nannie Bernice goes in as the odds-on choice as she is riding a win streak of five and will start from post one. She dropped her lifetime record to 1:57.1 two starts ago for her regular driver John Davidson and trainer Janice Hubbard.

The final race of the afternoon will recognize one of Exhibition Park Raceway's pioneers with the $2,500 Ingham Palmer Memorial, which has been dubbed the High Atop the Grandstand Pace. Ing "The King" was track announcer and publicity director at Exhibition Park Raceway for decades, and is affectionately known as the "Dean of Maritime track announcers." He was known for his smooth delivery and had a majestic way of calling a horse race. American Risk, a pacer who has raced the Maritimes' best all season, will ship in from Nova Scotia for trainer George Rennison and has been listed as the one to beat by the oddsmaker. He will have the services of Todd Trites from post five.

There are a number of Exhibition Park well-known horsemen and women being remembered on the final card. Besides the aforementioned, there will be races in memory of Brian Moore, the Kirkpatrick family, Mac Lawson and Ken Atkinson.

Horse Racing New Brunswick extends its gratitude to those who are sponsoring coolers and to the horsemen and women who are taking part in not only this race card, but every one of the race cards over the years. Horse Racing New Brunswick hopes to continue racing in 2023 at another location in the province.

To view the entries for the final card of harness racing at EPR, click the following link: Sunday Entries - Exhibition Park Raceway.

(With files from Horse Racing New Brunswick)