TORONTO, November 20, 2025 – Reload Raleigh, trained by Barb Minshall for Kevin Drew, takes on eight rivals in the $150,000 Clarendon Stakes, for Ontario-bred or Ontario-sired 2-year-olds, Sunday at Woodbine. A son of Reload out of the Awesome Again mare Ice Mint, Reload Raleigh heads into his second straight stakes test, at six furlongs over the main track, off a mettlesome score in the Frost King on October 19 at Woodbine. Under Ryan Munger, in the irons again on Sunday, the chestnut settled after an awkward break in the seven-furlong main track event and held a three-length advantage at the stretch call before holding on gamely for a head victory in 1:24.99. “I thought he would [hold on],” said Munger, in the post-race interview. “I’ll be honest – he felt like he was looking for company. From the top of the lane, he was running on the wrong lead, he was running towards the rail – he just needed company to join him. Once that horse (Silver Is Best) joined him, he was probably going to fight on again. “You know in high school, you get the jock, the good-looking sportsman, but damn, he’s not smart in class – that is him,” he added. “I was pretty confident he would run well,” said Minshall, Canada’s champion trainer of 1996. “There are always other horses who can win, but let me put it this way, I thought he was going to run a really good race and we had a good shot. I didn’t go in thinking, ‘Geez, maybe we shouldn’t be here.’” Minshall has seen signs the “slow learner,” who finished eighth in his career bow, a 5 ½-furlong sprint over the Woodbine main track on July 6, is beginning to connect the dots. “He’s really matured a lot and he’s doing very well,” said the multiple graded stakes winning conditioner, who watched Reload Raleigh break his maiden second time out, courtesy of a half-length win at six furlongs over the main track on September 14. “He’s run very well except for that first race. Maybe he wasn’t mentally ready for it, but I like to get a race into my 2-year-olds and he has continued to grow from there. “He had always shown some talent early. He was just always on that slow-learning side, where he couldn’t seem to focus. With racing, he’s learning. The last couple of times he’s worked, I worked him with older, more seasoned horses, who helped show him the way around, and he’s done very well with that – he’s maturing into a nice horse.” Reload Raleigh and jockey Ryan Munger winning the Frost King Stakes on October 19, 2025 at Woodbine (Michael Burns Photo) Bred by Jon Hyka, the chestnut was a $14,000 (CDN) purchase at the 2024 CTHS Ontario Premier Yearling Sale. “We have kind of been sitting in a holding pattern between this race and his last one, but this is a logical spot for him,” said Minshall. Edwin “Rocket” Weekes is the groom. Other starters include Bill Tharrenos trainees, Simcoe Stakes winner Big Bold and First and Bull Page Stakes winner Silver Is Best. “Big Bold and First, he is a speed horse,” said Tharrenos. “If it is a speed-biased track, that would suit him. We are hoping that he can run a big one. “Silver Is Best lost by a head in the last race (Frost King Stakes) that he ran in. It was unfortunate, a little bit of a tough trip, but he’s doing well and we are looking for a big race from him.” Troutlet won the inaugural edition of the race in 1926. Seagram Stable won four of the first six runnings, including in 1927 with Young Kitty and in 1931 with Shady Well. The wagering menu for the race includes Rolling Double, Exacta, 0.20 Trifecta, .20 Superfecta, 0.20 Pick 3 (Races 9-10-11) and $1 Swinger. First post is 1:05 p.m. Fans can wager on all the action with HPIbet and bet365. Field for the Clarendon Stakes – Race 9 Post – Horse – Jockey – Trainer 1 – Big Bold and First – Jose Campos – Bill Tharrenos 2 – Mister Blue – Fraser Aebly – Josie Carroll 3 – Princecrest – Patrick Husbands – Mark Casse 4 – Big Time Boss – Rafael Hernandez – Josie Carroll 5 – Silver Is Best – David Moran – Bill Tharrenos 6 – Streetshavenoname – Jeffrey Alderson – Devon Gittens 7– Duckduckduck – Emma-Jayne Wilson – Evette Chartrand-Hoek 8 – Reload Raleigh – Ryan Munger – Barb Minshall 9 – Fleet of Foot – Pietro Moran – Mark Casse Chris Lomon, Woodbine Share This:Share
