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Purchased on July 1st by multiple eclipse award winning owner John A. Franks, Synchronized was immediately sent out to defeat Canadian Oaks winner Touch Dial in the Bison City Stakes on July 4th. Her next start was in the grade 1 Coaching Club Stake at Belmont which resulted in a fourth. Her next stakes win, came in the Algoma Stake at Woodbine on September 6th, followed by a second place in the Wonder Where Stake on October 2nd. Since being purchased by John Franks her earnings total more than $211,000. Synchronized is one of 8 horses that Reade has the privilege of training for John Franks.

The following Canadian-bred Yearlings were purchased in 1999 for our clients for the 2000 Woodbine race season.

We are aiming to have the Woodbine slot facility functional by the end of this year. It is an aggressive goal but attainable if all the parties pull together. Some basic facts are:

1. 1700 Slot machines to be installed
2. The entire first floor of the Woodbine grandstand has been dedicated to the initial allocation and any future expansion.
3. There will be a trackside bar/teletheatre with views of the racetrack where customers can take in and wager on live and simulcast horse racing.
4. If the early results from Mohawk are any indication, impact on purses will be substantial. As you are no doubt aware, a 10% increase to the TB purse account was announced as a result of Mohawk slots. This trend is sure to continue.
5. At Mohawk, we are seeing an encouraging amount of cross over traffic between slots and horse racing, due in large part to the modern, high end presentation in the Mohawk teletheatre which we are calling The Race Book.
6. We are also seeing new customers coming in couples and groups, some for horse racing, some for slots. It is apparent that Mohawk is now a destination where the customer has choice. Imagine what this will mean for Woodbine.

• Bucked Shins - by Denise Steffanus, Thoroughbred Times
  Almost everyone with a young horse in training faces bucked shin problems. Bucked shins are caused by small, horizontal fractures in the lattice-like structure of new bone cells that form on the outer layer of the shin bone. Simply put, the constant flexing of the immature cannon bone causes stress cracks at a rate greater than the horse's ability to repair them. Although bucked shins are not career-threatening unless complicated by a saucer fracture, they are extremely painful and will typically require an extended layoff while the bone repairs.

• Shipping In and Out
  Frequently we are asked about charges for the day a horse is shipped in or out of the track. We charge a 1/2 day rate when a horse ships in or out. Some farms charge a full day rate the day a horse arrives or leaves. This results in the owner being charged for 1 1/2 days for a horse that should only be charged one day in total. If we look at the cost on the farm vs at the track, the day rate is 1/3 - 1/2 of the track rate. Obviously, the preferred scenario for an owner is to accept the one day rate from the farm and question a charge from the trainer at the track. This leads to the discussion which follows; on the day that a horse ships in or out, a stall is cleaned out, sanitized and bedded with two bales of straw. The horse would be fed at least once sometimes twice depending on the time of arrival/departure. The horse may have be handled by three individuals if he was exercised, he would have been groomed and walked to cool out. Now not every horse shipping in or out would necessarily require all services and that is why we have reduced the day rate charge in half. Perhaps it is time to raise the question of half day rates with the farm where your horses are boarded. - Janis

• Everyone Shares in Success!
  The major expense for a trainer every month is the cost of staff. At the race track, every horse requires handling by a minimum of three different individuals in one morning. The rider, groom and horse walker each apply their skill towards the daily training program. In the Toronto area where Woodbine is located, working with horses is not an average position. As you can well imagine it is not always easy to find people with the level of skills required to be a rider or groom for thoroughbreds. The industry needs to constantly look at training new people. In the meantime the trainer, must have an incentive plan to attract and keep good staff. In addition to long days, grooms and horse walkers are required to work six days a week, with one day off. Exercise riders are required to work seven days a week. In addition to their weekly pay, all regular staff receive a bonus/stake on the horses earnings. This is a standard practice in the industry. In some US Stables, owners are charged 10% of horses earnings for the trainer, and 3% for the stable staff. In Ontario, it is common to charge 10% for the trainer and 1% for the stable staff, which usually goes to the grooms. Over the past four years, we have supplemented an additional 1% to the stable staff, out of the trainer's commission reducing his share to 9%. By paying an additional 1% to the stable staff, it ensures that not only the grooms are rewarded for their efforts, but each and everyone who works with the horse including the assistant trainer, exercise rider , and the horse walker, share in the success of the horse. - Reade

• Winners' Words
  Interviewed in the Blood-Horse following Lemon Drop Kid's Belmont victory, owners Jeanne Vance and Laddie Dance express in words, their love of their horse and the sport. "We've been to every one of his races, and we'd probably move into the stall with him if he'd permit it," Vance laughed. "We love the pageantry of this sport and the courage of these animals. It's a wonderful way of life, and a day like this is worth a lifetime of waiting."

• Glossary of Terms
  Isn't it about time to update a couple of industry terms to make them more friendly? Two examples come to mind, Hot Walker to Horse Walker and Back Stretch to Stable Area.

• Why Scope Horses At Sales?
  I am frequently asked by clients about the veterinary charges for horses not purchased but scoped at a horse sale on their behalf. The practice of viewing the throat is extremely important and a small price to pay. You see, most horses have good throats but of the ones that don't, some of these horses are non-returnable under sales conditions. You could get stuck with a horse that does not pass the throat examination and these horses are less likely, to have a successful race career than those with a good throat. -Reade

For an owner this is great news! Why you ask? Location! Location! Location! Owning a Canadian-bred thoroughbred yearling of 1999 provides you with the greatest opportunity to compete in small fields and to have a chance at the lucrative stakes program for Canadian-breds at Woodbine. In 1999 there were 46 Stakes restricted to Canadian-breds and or Ontario sired horses for a total of 4.8 million in purses.

The statistics in the table below only represent numbers, but we suspect that the level of competition will be greatly reduced as well. You see, in Canada and Ontario in particular there are breeders who sell what they consider to be their best horses south of the border where the market of buyers and the value of the dollar is the greatest. In addition the further depletion of the yearling crop occurred as buyers from outside the country purchased yearlings of 1999 for re-sale and/or transport to outside of Canada. Yes, these horses are eligible to compete in stakes races at Woodbine if they continue to nominate, but the reality is, that they seldom do.

This means that now more than at any other time, an owner of a Canadian-Bred yearling in Ontario has the best opportunity to win a race in 2000 and 2001. For owners in the United States who have purchased Canadian-breds, consider sending them to me at Woodbine to race. If you do not own Canadian-breds and you wish to compete for the huge purses in 2000 at Woodbine, put them on a van! The fields are sure to be small.

REGISTRATIONS ISSUED FOR FOALS BORN IN CANADA

PROVINCE	1998	1997	1996	1995	1994	1993	1992	1991	1990	1989	1988
ALTA	449	506	555	566	552	591	568	579	588	608	661
B.C.	645	643	648	663	660	701	689	718	744	778	850
MAN.	133	131	156	158	219	182	224	204	253	260	290
ONT.	848	862	925	929	1018	1109	1166	1338	1431	1490	1396
QUE.	16	25	20	30	34	38	43	65	66	68	59
SASK.	73	88	77	80	94	88	82	117	110	132	250
N.B.	0	0	1	1	2	1	2	1	0	3	3
N.S.	4	2	3	1	1	1	3	2	1	1	3
P.E.I.	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	1	2	0
YUKON	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
TOTALS	2168	2257	2385	2428	2580	2711	2777	3026	3194	3342	3512