Barrow gets off to hot start

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – For a rookie trainer, Rodney Barrow has a wealth of experience, which helped him make quite a splash during the early portion of the Woodbine meet.

Barrow has won with 5 of 16 starters here in his first training stint, good for a 31 percent win average. Last Sunday, he sent out Forester’s Fortune to win his second race in a row in an Ontario-sired allowance. Last year at 2, Forester’s Fortune bolted at the top of the stretch before ending up a distant third in each of his first two starts, against maidens and in the Victoria Stakes.

Barrow won a $10,000 maiden claiming race with Munnings Beach, and won a pair of $7,500 claimers with Pierian, who finished up the track in both of her starts last fall.

Barrow, 56, said he has worked at Woodbine for 31 years, since coming to Canada from his native Barbados. His first job as an assistant was for trainer Joe Attard in 1990, and he also had a long stint as trainer John Ross’s assistant.

Barrow was the assistant to trainer Laurie Silvera last year. When Silvera died in March, Barrow inherited some of the horses owned by Archie Lee, including Forester’s Fortune and Munnings Beach.

“Archie decided to give me a chance,” Barrow said. “He’s very happy. [Forester’s Fortune] has been a different horse since we [gelded] him.”

Off some fast works, a debuting Limerick Lassie was 5-1 in a six-furlong maiden special last Saturday, and she faded after dueling for the early lead. Barrow said she needed the race and should be better for the experience.

Capsaicin positives investigated

The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario announced two more positives for the Class 2 drug capsaicin, bringing the total number this year in Ontario to 11, nine on the Thoroughbred side and two Standardbreds.

Capsaicin is the active ingredient in chili peppers that makes them hot. Trainers have used it to stop horses from chewing on things such as bandages and cross ties.

In a Monday press release, the AGCO said there have been capsaicin positives in other jurisdictions in Canada as well, and an investigation into the rash of positives is being conducted.

The HBPA of Ontario has been conducting its own investigation into the positives, while representing the trainers involved. President Sue Leslie said in a Monday release: “The HBPA board does not believe anything nefarious has been done by any of these Thoroughbred trainers . . . this is surely unusual and indicative of a contamination issue or other possible sources.”

The Canadian Pari-Mutuel Agency issued a notice to the racing industry in September 2019 that reminded veterinarians and horsemen that capsaicin is a prohibited substance due to its painkilling properties.

In an email to Daily Racing Form, CPMA representative James Watson said there have been no changes to the testing protocols for capsaicin.