Woodbine’s Executive Chair Jim Lawson / HBPA’s President Sue Leslie / Standardbred Trainer Bob Young

Ponies 24-7 The Radio Magazine

Larry and Ann are joined by Woodbine’s Executive Chair Jim Lawson, who discusses the King’s Plate, including who he likes to win the $1 Million race. Jim also talks about how long he has been at Woodbine and how many King’s or Queen’s Plates he has watched over the years and whether there was a favorite one and why. He also discusses his new role at Woodbine, as Executive Chair and whether he feels that he has settled into the position now and does he miss his former position of CEO. HBPA’s President Sue Leslie, who is also a horse owner and talks about the King’s Plate today and in particular her horse Friendly Ghost, who is one of the top horses entered in the stakes event. Sue also mentions what it was like to own horses with several NHL hockey players and for our new listeners discusses the role that the HBPA plays within the Ontario Thoroughbred racing industry, which includes Woodbine. Standardbred Trainer Bob Young, who discusses his Trotter Tregaron who will be racing tonight at Woodbine Mohawk Park in an Elimination of the William Wellwood Trotting Stakes. Bob also discusses his son Scott, who is the other half of ‘Team Young’ and how by having him driving the horses, helps in running a top notch racing stable. Bob also mentions some of the better horses that he trained over the years, which many of our listeners are sure to recognize. In our feature, ‘In Case You Missed It’ A Look At The Way It Was In Horse Racing News, Larry talks about the recent announcement made by Woodbine concerning entertainment at today’s Kings Plate and also a pop-up venue in downtown Toronto that will also be offering the King’s Plate experience later today. In our new regular feature, ‘Road Trip,’ Larry talks about this afternoon’s $1 Million King’s Plate at Woodbine and mentions about some of the history behind the race itself and who he believes the race ‘goes through’ today. He also provides his ‘Ponies Picks of the Day’ selections for several North American Racetracks today, later in the show.

Key Points:

• Jim talks initially about how many King’s or Queen’s Plates he was watched while in the employ of Woodbine and which were some of his favorites. He also mentions that it was 1966 when he watched his first Plate and why he remembers the date so well and what makes Plate Day such a special event for himself and for Woodbine. He also talks about his new role as Executive Chair and what it entails and whether he feels that he has settled into this position and if he misses his former Woodbine CEO role. Jim also talks about today’s King’s Plate and who he believes the race goes through and why and from a fan’s perspective, mentions who he believes was the greatest horse that he ever watched race and was not one of his own or his father’s.

• Sue talks about today’s King’s Plate and in particular her horse Friendly Ghost that will be her first ever Plate starter. Sue also mentions when she realized that Friendly Ghost was something special and good enough to be considered a King’s Plate starter and says how she will be spending this morning prior to the King’s Plate later today. For our new listeners, Sue outlines her role as President of the HBPA and how she became involved with the Association and the role that the Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association plays within the Ontario Thoroughbred industry. She also discusses how in the past she owned horses with several now retired NHL hockey players and whether she still is in contact with any of them.

• Bob discusses his 2-year-old Trotter, Tregaron, who is one of the top contenders in one of tonight’s Elimination races at Woodbine Mohawk Park, for the William Wellwood Stakes, with the Final being raced next Saturday night. Bob also mentions why he is only racing Trotters now and discusses how he became part of the Standardbred industry and why he chose Training over Driving as a career. He also talks about his son Scott, who drives most of his horses and how having him as part of the ‘Team’ is very beneficial, when training horses up to a race. He also mentions some of the top horses he has been involved with over the years that helped account for according to ‘TrackIT from Standardbred Canada,’ career purse earnings nearing $13 Million and if he had to choose one horse, which would be the best that he ever trained and why.