MacPherson heads to Woodbine for rest of season

Trainer Craig MacPherson has wrapped up his second straight training title, and after Monday, he’ll be heading to Woodbine, where he’ll have seven horses in training. Six are owned by Chad Joe, who races under the stable name Copper Water Thoroughbred Co.

MacPherson will be reunited with Miss Derek and Far Niente, who are currently being trained by Pat Parente. Far Niente figures to be a longshot in a $40,000 optional-claiming race Sunday at Woodbine. Miss Derek, with whom MacPherson won three stakes at Hastings, was scratched at the gate the only time she was entered at Woodbine. The star of the Joe stable, Reporting Star, will remain with Parente.

Reporting Star has won three races at Woodbine this year and is coming off a huge effort in the Grade 1 Northern Dancer, in which he finished third after leading for most of the 1 1/2-mile race on turf.

The only horse MacPherson will have in Ontario not owned by Joe is Fair Command, who is coming off a front-running win in the $50,000 Champion Distaff Starter Handicap.

“Fair Command is pretty fast, and if she can handle the Polytrack, she could do pretty well there running in claiming races going 5 1/2 or six furlongs,” said MacPherson.

MacPherson said he was planning to return to Vancouver next spring.

“Vancouver is home, and it is where I want to race,” he said. “I think it’s a great opportunity for me to see how things are done in Woodbine, though.”

The Woodbine meet ends Dec. 7.

MacPherson said he was leaving six or seven horses at Hastings with assistant trainer Mel Beveridge for the final two weeks of the meet.