TORONTO, May 21, 2025 – Once a week, throughout the Mohawk racing season, Woodbine will profile a horse who has had a life-changing impact on one of their closest connections. This week, veteran trainer Blake MacIntosh, and retired 11-year-old pacer Sports Column. Fresh off a career-best season in which he recorded personal highs in wins (103) and prize money ($3,302,210), the St. George, Ontario-based conditioner shared his thoughts on the horse who helped ignite his rise up the training ranks – read all about it. Sports Column (ON) Bio Foaled: March 4, 2013 Sire: Sportswriter Dam: Lady Leslie Wins-Seconds-Thirds: 19-21-13 Earnings: $650,750 Trainer: Blake MacIntosh Owner: Winbak Farm Breeder: Winbak Farm Sports Column – September 2, 2017 (New Image Media) Is there a human athlete you can liken Sports Column to and why? “Somebody known for their grit and determination. Let’s go with (former NHL standout) Wendel Clark. He and Sports Column shared that no-nonsense, give-it-everything-you’ve-got mentality.” Describe his personality on and off the track? “On the track, he was a very strong-willed horse. He wanted to do everything he could to help you, and he wanted to win. He wanted to be there every time he raced. You could feel it. “Off the track, he was a funny horse. He was a handful at times, but he respected you. Kind of like any other coach-athlete relationship.” When did you know Sports Column was something special? “I would say during his first or second qualifier we realized he could be something nice for us. “When we saw him the first time in Lexington in 2015, we were just hoping for a nice OSS [Ontario Sires Stakes] horse. He was a beautiful looking yearling. He was stunning. He did have a bit of an offset knee, but he was a spectacular animal. It really took one look for us to know that we liked him.” Three words to describe him? “Grit. Determination. Personality.” How has he changed your life? “Him winning the Battle of Waterloo in 2016 was something I’ll never forget. That was the first big stakes race that I won, and that one always sticks in the memory bank. I know, in the grand scheme of things, it’s not as big a stakes as others on the calendar, but it was a significant race for me at the time. “You try and win that race every year, and we were able to break through that year. It was a very special day.” Matthew Lomon, for Woodbine Share This:Share
