Woodbine Mile Victory for Trade Storm

Having finished in third place in last year’s event, Trade Storm thundered to victory in the 2014 Woodbine Mile on Sunday, his first win for 2014 and his sixth career win. Trained by David Simcock, owned by Qatar Racing and ridden by jockey Jamie Spencer, Trade Storm won the race by a half-length, just ahead of Kaigun, with Bobby’s Kitten in third place…

In a post-race interview Simcock revealed that Trade Storm will likely go down to Santa Anita for the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series. British born Trade Storm was sired by Trade Fair out of Frisson and has notched up winnings of more than $1.4 million.

First run in 1988, when it was sponsored by Molson Breweries under the name of the Molson Export Challenge and carried a purse of $750,000, the Woodbine Mile is a Grade I stakes race for Thoroughbred racehorses three-years-old and up. It is run over a distance of eight furlongs (one mile) on turf and is currently sponsored by Bell Canada with a purse of $1 million. As part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series, the winner of the Woodbine Mile automatically qualifies for the Breeders’ Cup Mile.

The race was originally only open to three-year-olds, and between 1988 and 1990 was run over a distance of 1 ¼ miles, with the distance being modified to 1 1/8 miles from 1991 to 1996. When the distance was brought down to one mile in 1997, the race was opened up to older horses. Wise Dan is the only competitor to win the event more than once (2012, 2013), and set the current track record of 1:31.75 when winning the Woodbine Mile in 2013.

Located in Toronto, Ontario, the Woodbine Racetrack is home to the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame which honors both Thoroughbred and Standardbred horses, as well as jockeys, sulky drivers, trainers and people who have contributed to the development of the horse racing industry.