Thousands jam Woodbine for TT Day

THOUSANDS of nationals packed the Woodbine race track on Saturday for the historic staging of  Trinidad and Tobago Day.

Although top TT jockey Emile Ramsammy rode just one winner on the 12-race programme, thousands of Trinis had a great time. In fact, it was considered one big lime with the taste of true Trinbagonian flavour of Carib beer, parang, calypso, steelband, tassa and chutney. As former Marabella resident Therese Olton put it, “this is the biggest gathering of Trinidadians in any one place in Toronto that I have ever seen.” Betting Levy Board chairman Roop Chan Chadeesingh was pleased with the inaugural staging of  TT Day, which was organised jointly by the BLB, TIDCO, and the Woodbine Entertainment Group (WEG). With Saturday’s venture being a resounding success, Chadeesingh asked the Woodbine officials for the second event to be staged on the Saturday after the 2004 Caribana festival in August.

According to WEG chief operations manager Jim Ormiston, there should be no problem with the staging of this event at that time. “I am extremely pleased at what I saw here today. It was awesome. Trinidad people really know how to enjoy themselves,” Ormiston told Newsday. Added to the success of Saturday’s venture, Chadeesingh announced that Canada’s jockey Jim McAleney will be riding in Trinidad on Boxing Day, courtesy the BLB. Chadeesingh said he wanted to get top Canadian rider Todd Kabel, but he indicated he would be in Florida and unable to accept the trip to Trinidad. But McAleney who finished fourth at the Woodbine track is Canada’s number two jockey and will be in Trinidad.

Saturday’s event started with the singing of the TT national anthem in front of the main stand. Nine TT flags fluttered in the breeze next to the tote board. The day was sunny with no rain, but snow, which fell on Friday night, gathered around the ground. Ramsammy and another TT jockey Richard Dos Ramos, were on the fourth floor signing autographs for patrons. It was then to the jockeys’ room for the TT duo. The ace TT rider obliged in the fourth race aboard Chad’s Hope at 8-1 to send Trinis wild with nationals who packed all floors of the facility to celebrate their day.

Although Ramsammy rode just one winner, Barbados’ Patrick Husbands won two races to reach 154, one behind Kabel with one more day to complete the season, yesterday. But inside the Woodbine facility, thousands of nationals got the Christmas feeling from Los Picantes parang group, and tassa and dance from the Nigel Salickram group which flew in from Trinidad. Sushila Lalsingh, one of the main organisers of Saturday’s event, was delighted at the turnout and said she was looking forward to the staging of  TT Day next year.