Oil Painting will compete in the $500,000 Woodbine Oaks, presented by Budweiser, for Hill ‘N Dale Equine Holdings Inc., connections who are celebrating the 50th anniversary of their first year in operation in Canada. The homebred filly is still in search of her first lifetime victory but has a masterpiece pedigree and certainly shouldn’t be dismissed as ‘only’ a maiden in the 1 1/8-mile Polytrack event.
Arguably the best bred filly in the Oaks, Oil Painting descends from a formidable female line tracing back to the 1969 Canadian Oaks winner Cool Mood – the dam of two significant broodmares that have left in an indelible mark on Canadian racing: Passing Mood and Shy Spirit. Passing Mood produced Canadian Triple Crown winner With Approval and Belmont Stakes winner Touch Gold, while Shy Spirit is the dam of Triple Crown winner Izvestia.
How does Oil Painting fit into the family tree? Her grandmother, 1995 Selene Stakes winner Daijin, is also a daughter of Passing Mood. Daijin has also gone on to success in the breeding shed, producing a pair of multiple added-money winners at Woodbine in Serenading, the 2009 champion older female, and Ontario Debutante heroine Handpainted, the dam of Display Stakes winner Patena (her first foal) and Oil Painting.
Oil Painting debuted last May with a speedy try at 4 ½ furlongs. She led in the stretch, but couldn’t hold off Iwantobelieve. She returned, three weeks later, finishing fourth. “She came out of that second race banged up. We wanted to do the right thing. We gave her some time,” said trainer Josie Carroll.
The filly’s three-year-old debut came in a six-furlong race on dirt at Gulfstream Park. Oil Painting settled in mid-pack and finished evenly. “She didn’t run her race at all. She was shaken up on the van ride over from Palm Meadows. We decided to regroup and run next at Woodbine.”
Partnered with Patrick Husbands for the first time, the Distorted Humor filly made her local bow in an April 4 maiden event. Even though the distance was only five furlongs, the contest featured a cavalry-charge like finish with several finishers within a length at the wire. Oil Painting closed fast to be second, defeated just a head by First With Class.
Oil Painting made her stakes debut in the seven-furlong Fury Stakes on May 1. The first quarter was relatively slow (:22 4/5), and Oil Painting found herself in fifth, less than three lengths back. The middle pace quickened, which cost Oil Painting ground lost a bit of ground. In the stretch, she closed with interest and finished third, 5 ¼ lengths behind.“It was a good learning experience for her. They were tougher horses. She got a lot out of it. We learned a little bit more about her. It gave us more confidence in her,” said Carroll.
On May 20, Oil Painting tried a route for the first time. With none of her four rivals interested in setting the pace, Oil Painting wound up on the engine. She established a moderate pace of :24 2/5, :49 2/5 and 1:14-flat, before facing a bold challenge from Isabeau’s Elegance. The pair engaged in a fierce battle through the stretch and Oil Painting wound up a nose short of her elusive first victory.
“We kind of found ourselves on the lead. It wasn’t where we wanted to be. It took a little more out of her than we would have liked early. It left her with not as much finish as perhaps she could have had. She continued to dig in and try,” she said.
Owner – Hill ‘N Dale Equine Inc. and Glenn Sikura
With property in Lexington and Aurora, Hill ‘N Dale Farms is one of the leading sales agencies in North America. Hill ‘N Dale Equine Inc. is the name under which the horses they own race. The Aurora and Kentucky operations are interdependent, but operated independently.
The Lexington operation is owned and operated by Toronto native John G. Sikura, 52. The Aurora operation is owned and run by Hamilton native R. Glenn Sikura, 50. Both brothers graduated from the University of Guelph. Glenn double majored in Politics and Economics. John G. Sikura majored in Economics.
Their father, John Sikura, Jr., founded Hill ‘N Dale Farm in Aurora, Ontario, in 1960. However, the Aurora farm isn’t located on the same property as in 1960. John Sikura, Jr. was the first to purchase a yearling thoroughbred for $1 million. He also was the purchaser of Eclipse Award winner and Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame representative Glorious Song.
The Kentucky operation began with a 164-acre purchase in 1981, but grew significantly in 1987 when relocated to a 350-acred portion of North Ridge Farm they purchased. Currently, the Kentucky operation encompasses 1,300 acres.
Hill ‘N Dale began standing stallions in the 1990s. Among the studs currently on the roster are Theatrical, Mutakddim, Stormy Atlantic, Grand Reward, Roman Ruler and Closing Argument. It also offers a large boarding facility and a full-service bloodstock division, providing representation at every major North American sale. Among the top broodmares in residence at Hill ‘N Dale are Azeri, Silverbulletday, Madcap Escapade and Lady Tak.
For several years, Glenn Sikura has been active within the Canadian thoroughbred industry as a director of the CTHS Ontario and National divisions, the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame, OHRIA, and as a trustee of the Jockey Club of Canada.
Hill ‘N Dale Farm co-owns recent Woodbine winner Between Raindrops with Samuel Barnes. Last year, Hill ‘N Dale won the Repercussion Stakes with Lady Attack. It also won the Woodbine event it has sponsored for the last several years (Hill ‘N Dale Stakes) with Sovereign runner-up Smart Surprise, who also won the Ontario Matron Stakes.
Last year, the Sikuras enjoyed success with Serenading, a mare bred by Hill ‘N Dale and N.E.T.P., won the Falls City and the Maple Leaf and went on be named Canada’s Top Older Female.
Among the most significant horses to don the Hill ‘N Dale silks were Grade 1 Swaps Stakes winner Lively One, who amassed earnings of over $1.5 million, Gay Style, winner of the 1976 Santa Monica and Santa Maria Handicaps, and Anguilla ($541,564), who won the Grade 3 Nassau and Grade 3 Canadian at Woodbine, as well as the Grade 2 Black Helen at Hialeah, and Seattle Sangue, winner of the Grade 1 Prix Marcel Boussac. Hill ‘N Dale was co-breeder of Belmont Stakes winner Touch Gold, the full brother of Daijin, Oil Painting’s second dam.
Trainer - Josie Carroll
Born December 8, 1957, in Toronto, Carroll took Equine Studies at Humber College in 1975, then entered a field placement with trainer Samuel Dixon. Carroll’s next employer was Mac Benson, who was then private trainer for Windfields. One of the best horses she groomed was Bridle Path, who won the 1979 Breeders’ Stakes. After a few years, Carroll moved on to work for John Tammaro, eventually becoming his barn foreman in Calder.
Carroll then joined trainer Mike Doyle and spent nine years as his assistant before going out on her own in 1994. Her first win came with Lilac Charm. In 1995, she won four stakes, including three with sophomore Tethra.
Carroll has steadily moved into the upper echelon of the Woodbine training ranks. In addition to Edenwold’s triumph in the 2006 Queen’s Plate, other major stakes winners for Carroll include Swingin On Ice, Brushed Halory, Dream About, Handpainted, Vibank and Bachelor Blues.
She reached the pinnacle of her profession in Canada by winning the 2006 Queen’s Plate with Edenwold. It was also the first time a female trainer had accomplished a victory in Canada’s most famous horse race. When the 2006 season was over, she was 10th in the standings in wins (25) and her purse earnings has swelled to $2.3 million, the first time she’d reached that mark.
In 2008, she also finished 10th in the standings with 30 victories and banked over $2.3 million in earnings. She won the Marine, Manitoba Derby and Canadian Derby with Matt’s Broken Vow. She also captured the Display with Patena, who is Oil Painting’s older brother.
In 2009, Carroll’s stable earned $2,380,680, which is a career-best. In total at Woodbine and abroad, she captured 14 stakes wins, also a career-high. Her stable star was the speedy three-year-old filly Careless Jewel, who finished the season with a 5-for-7 record, winning the Grade 1 Alabama and two other stakes. Serenading won the Maple Leaf and Falls City Handicap and a Sovereign as Canada’s Top Older Female.
Jockey – Patrick Husbands
Born in Bridgetown, Barbados, on May 22, 1973, Husbands comes from a riding family. His father was a rider, his brother Anthony is a Woodbine trainer and another brother, Simon, also rides here. Before arriving at Woodbine in 1994, Husbands rode in Barbados. In 1990, at age 16, he became the youngest rider to win the Cockspur Cup with Vardar. He won the riding title there in 1993.
Husbands has continued to build on the success he first enjoyed here in 1998, a breakthrough season when he finished third in wins (131). In 10 seasons since, Husbands hasn’t failed to hit the top three in the standings. He won Woodbine riding titles in 1999, 2000 and 2007.
In 2001, he won the Atto Mile (Numerous Times) and the Gr. 1 Metropolitan Mile (Exciting Story).
Husbands enjoyed his best season in 2002, racking up 167 tallies, earning him his third Toronto-oval riding title. The year also featured an undefeated season from two-year-old Added Edge, who won a Sovereign Award as Canada’s top two-year-old. Husbands won his fourth consecutive Sovereign as the country’s outstanding jockey.
In 2003, Husbands recorded career bests in total stakes wins (17) and purse earnings ($10,540,416). The figure was 10th best among North America’s riding elite. The season featured the fabled Triple Crown sweep by Gus Schickedanz homebred Wando, who provided Husbands with his first Queen’s Plate score.
Husbands was inducted into the Brampton Sports Hall of Fame in 2005, a season during which he recorded 118 Woodbine victories, accumulated $6,680,865 and surpassed $60 million in purses.
In 2006, Husbands won 124 races from 666 starts, including the Labatt Woodbine Oaks with Kimchi. Among his other stakes tallies were the Eclipse, Sir Barton and Bunty Lawless (all with Arch Hall), the Grey Breeders’ Cup (Skip Code) and the Breeders’ (Royal Challenger). He also rode in his first Kentucky Oaks (Top Notch Lady) and Kentucky Derby (Seaside Retreat).
Husbands was once again at the top of his game in 2007. He won the rider’s title with 149 wins, including a colony-leading 21 stakes triumphs. He led the colony with purse earnings of over $9 million. He piloted champion Sealy Hill to victory in the Woodbine Oaks, Bison City and Wonder Where Stakes, making the Eugene Melnyk colour-bearer the first filly to sweep the Triple Tiara Series. Husbands was awarded his fifth Sovereign Award as champion rider.
In 2008, he rallied from well off the pace to lead all Woodbine jockeys in wins with 166 tallies. He led the colony in purse earnings ($9,433,918), second-place finishes (140) and route wins (61). Husbands captured nine Woodbine stakes with nine different horses, including the Cup & Saucer with Utterly Cool and the King Edward with Royal Oath. He won his sixth Sovereign as Canada’s champion rider.
In 2009, Husbands led all riders at Woodbine with 188 wins, which is the fourth-highest total ever recorded by a jockey and stakes scores (20). He won his third consecutive Sovereign. In total, he’s now won a record seven Sovereign Awards as Canada’s Most Outstanding Jockey. Husbands also notched his 2,000th win with Grazettes Landing.