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Horse Racing in Toronto

Willie the Kid

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Willie the Kid

Willie the Kid was a chestnut, male Thoroughbred racehorse born in 1937. He was owned by Mildred Kane and bred by Willie Morrissey; he was officially trained by Gordon McCann.[1] His dam was Mintwina and his sire was Roselyon, making him the half-brother of Bunty Lawless.[2]

The horse did not race as a two-year-old because of an injury. However, Morrissey was still confident that Willie the Kid would win the King’s Plate. He stated in the Globe and Mail that the horse “has the speed and the endurance to win [...] he’s as fit as any horse at the track, and I’ll again repeat that barring accidents, he’ll win. I want to pay tribute to Dr. R. K. Hodgson for the skillful manner in which he cared for both Willie the Kid and his older stable brother, Bunty Lawless. I don’t think Bunty would have won the Plate but for Dr. Hodgson’s skill and attention, and he has played the same part in bringing Willie the Kid to his present fit condition.”[3] According to the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame, Hodgson was a veterinarian who “managed Morrissey’s stable for years and was [the] unofficial trainer" of both Bunty Lawless and Willie the Kid.[4]

Morissey’s prediction was correct, as Willie the Kid did go on to be victorious in his very first race by winning the 1940 King’s Plate. In fact, he made history by being the first Plate winner to have a female owner.[5] He was also entered in the Prince of Wales, but finished second to Hood who beat him by a length and a half at Thorncliffe Park.[6] The horse came out of the race injured and did not race again for the rest of the season.[7]

Willie the Kid returned to racing in 1941. In June, he finished second in both the Victory Loan Handicap (Cease Fire was third) and the Orpen Memorial at Long Branch (Budpath was third) being defeated in both races to Silvos.[8] However, he did win the Toronto allowance on Dominion Day (now known as Canada Day).[9]

His final racing season was 1942. He won the Hamilton Plate in May and was second in the Bryan & O’Hara Memorial Handicap in June at Thorncliffe Park, being defeated, again, by Silvos who had a ground saving trip.[10] In the Hamilton Handicap at the end of June, Willie the Kid was disqualified for interfering with other horses during the race, during which he bowed his tendon; this ended his racing career.[11]

According the Equibase, Willie the Kid started in ten races, finishing first three times, second four times and earned $9,765.[12]

[1] Vern DeGeer, “King’s Plate won by Willie the Kid,” The Globe and Mail, May 20, 1940, page 20.
[2] “Forty-four Remain Eligible for Cup and Saucer Classic,” The Globe and Mail, April 22, 1939, page 20.
[3] Douglas Eppes, “Hoof Beats,” The Globe and Mail, May 16, 1940, page 18.
[4] “Dr. R.K. (Doc) Hodgson,” Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame, accessed May 14, 2019. URL: https://www.canadianhorseracinghalloffame.com/2001/01/02/dr-r-k-doc-hodgson/.
[5] “Notes and Comments,” The Globe and Mail, May 20, 1940, page 6.
[6] Vern DeGeer, “Prince of Wales Feature to Hood,” The Globe and Mail, June 3, 1940, page 17.
[7] Douglas Eppes, “Hoof Beats,” The Globe and Mail, June 4, 1940, page 16.
[8] Appas Tappas, “Thundering Hoofs,” The Globe and Mail, June 5, 1941, page 20; Appas Tappas, “Thundering Hoofs,” The Globe and Mail, June 9, 1941, page 20.
[9] Appas Tappas, “Thundering Hoofs,” The Globe and Mail, July 1, 1941, page 16.
[10] Appas Tappas, “Thundering Hoofs,” The Globe and Mail, May 26, 1942, page 16; Appas Tappas, “Thundering Hoofs,” The Globe and Mail, June 8, 1942, page 19.
[11] Appas Tappas, “Thundering Hoofs,” The Globe and Mail, June 29, 1942, page 20; Appas Tappas, “Thundering Hoofs,” The Globe and Mail, November 12, 1942, page 18.
[12] “Willie the Kid,” Equibase, accessed May 14, 2019. URL: http://www.equibase.com/profiles/Results.cfm?type=Horse&refno=546155&registry=T&rbt=TB.