CANADA'S QUEEN OF HORSE RACING "INGLORIOUS"

Inglorious

Already considered one of the greatest Canadian Race Horses of all time, Inglorious couldn't have a name more unfitting. Not only did win she win North America's most historic race The Queen's Plate on June 26th at Woodbine in Toronto, she did it as the lone filly up against a field of male competitors under Jockey Luis Contreras. Inglorious became only the 34th filly in the Race's 152-year history to have won, pushing her earnings past the $1.2 million mark in only seven starts.  Her Trainer Josie Carroll also has the distinction of becoming the first-ever female in the country to have won the prestigious race back in 2006 with Edenwold. A victory twice-over for the Ladies if you will.

Some could say that greatness is written Inglorious' bloodlines.  Her Dam-Sire (Maternal Grandfather for ease of understanding) Smart Strike is a Half-Brother to Dance Smartly - regarded widely as the greatest Canadian filly of all time in sweeping the Canadian Triple Crown in 1991.  As is the case with kids nowadays, they just love to rebel and Inglorious decidedly won't be following in her Family footsteps.  Instead of continuing on the Triple Crown trail, she will be headed south to New York State on August 20, 2011 for the Alabama Stakes.  That race will pit her up against some of the best three year-old fillies in North America for a purse of $500k and above this, Carroll already has won that same race back in 2009 with highly-regarded Careless Jewel.

And could you hold it against Carroll?  Many feel that Inglorious already is a likely candidate for Canadian Horse of the Year having won two of the Country's most important races, the Woodbine Oaks and Queen's Plate back-to-back in June.  What else is there to prove locally?  Why not establish that she also is the best in North America? Of course, we north of the Border already know this is fact - not opinion.

Mr. Will-W. & Inglorious

Courtesy of Woodbine Entertainment, I got to fulfill a lifelong dream of mine and visit the Backstretch area of Woodbine where thousands of Horses are stabled and trained.  Sitting in the Grandstand at the break of dawn, we saw Inglorious go for a light gallop in the blistering heat under Exercise Rider Moses Guce.  Afterward, we drove over to her Stable after she had a chance to cool down, doing a bit of grazing  dressed in her blanket. There she was - slightly darker than I'd imagined - looking regal, focused and elegant.

My new friend Keith at Woodbine tells me interestingly that many Horses actually have a Sweet Tooth and that some of them "love those Peppermints old ladies carry in their purses".  It is highly unlikely though that Inglorious has any room for such indulgences as she must remain in fighting form.  So instead of candies, I gave our National Heroine my most heartfelt moral support as she gears up for her next big race. 

See some Photos of the beautiful Inglorious below:

See a Video of Inglorious going for a Gallop below:

See a Video of Inglorious in a candid moment back at her Stable:

Keith McCalmont has a brilliant Blog about Horse Racing, named Triple Dead Heat with lots of amazing Photos and you can also follow him on Twitter here.

Carolyn Costigan

I also had the pleasure of meeting the lovely and talented Trainer Carolyn Costigan who saddled 2010 Woodbine Oaks winner Roan Inish.  Despite being busy, Costigan was glowing from a victory the night prior with famed Sam-Son Farms' Empire Rising, who in his prior race had lost by 50 lengths, turning his fortunes right around!

(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will-W.)