Latest news with #RafaelHernandez
National Post
25-04-2025
- Business
- National Post
Woodbine's 70th thoroughbred racing season ready to get off and running
Article content With all the logistics having been worked out, it's now time for the horses to begin the show at Woodbine. Article content Article content The track's 70th thoroughbred racing season begins with a nine-race card on Saturday after the track and horsemen agreed in late March to a new two-year agreement which will see an additional $5.7 million in purse money distributed over 128 days, just one day less than what was run previously. This agreement ended a months-long stalemate but the industry still faces challenges. Article content Adding to issues the sport has faced over the past several years — such as dwindling horse population and the competition from sports betting — is the effect the Canada-U.S. tariff war could have on the horse racing industry. Article content But those issues haven't stopped the show entirely and local fans are in for some entertainment between now and mid-December. Article content There are two significant changes to the stakes calendar. The E.P. Taylor Stakes will be run on the King's Plate undercard and is now a Breeders' Cup Challenge qualifier for the Filly and Mare Turf. Also, the Canadian International is back after a one-year absence. Article content Leading the jockey colony is Sahin Civaci. The Vancouver native won 170 races in 2024 for his first Woodbine riding title and first Sovereign Award. He was followed by Rafael Hernandez with 140. Article content They will be joined by Patrick Husbands, Fraser Aebly and Sofia Vives, who was named Canada's outstanding apprentice jockey on Thursday. Article content Fans also are looking forward to the returns of two riders from serious injuries. Article content Pietro Moran, the 19-year-old son of fellow rider David Moran was enjoying a very good campaign before a spill in the final race on Prince of Wales day at Fort Erie ended it. Article content Article content Emma-Jayne Wilson, who became the career leading money-earner amongst North American female jockeys last year, is recovering from an injury suffered on Oct. 25 when her mount suffered cardiac arrest, sending her crashing into the rail resulting in severe neck and pelvic injuries. Article content Article content Mark Casse again will have a strong local contingent, looking for his 17th Woodbine training title. He will be prominent on Kentucky Derby weekend as well. He looks to win the Kentucky Oaks with La Cara on May 2 and a day later, will enter Sandman in the Run for the Roses itself. Both runners are among the top contenders in their races. Article content Kevin Attard, who won the King's Plate with Caitlinhergrtness and later in the year had the biggest win of his career when Moira won the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf, will hold a strong hand, as will veterans Martin Drexler, Josie Carroll and Bob Tiller. Article content 'You always want to set the bar higher and chase those big wins,' Attard, who was honoured Thursday with his first Sovereign Award as Canada's outstanding trainer, told Woodbine Entertainment. 'Whether it's young horses just starting out or others that are a year older and a year wiser, there's always a feeling of excitement whenever you walk into a barn.'
Fox News
01-04-2025
- Fox News
Tesla owner in Dallas sues vandal after Model X slashed in airport parking lot
A Dallas man whose Tesla Model X was vandalized in the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport parking lot is suing the vandal for more than $1 million. The suspect, Rafael Hernandez, was arrested March 22 on a criminal mischief charge by the Tarrant County District Attorney's Office after he was recorded by the Tesla's built-in cameras striking the left side of the electric-powered vehicle. The victim, who is choosing to remain anonymous, was traveling when his Tesla was damaged in the airport parking lot. In the footage obtained by Fox, Hernandez can be seen pulling an object out of his pocket and forcing it into the side of the Model X. The Tesla owner told Fox News Digital in an exclusive interview that the "motives were wrong, and [Hernandez's] acts were intentional — it is for a judge and jury to decide, based on the facts, what his punishment should be. I believe strongly that I was targeted because my car is a Tesla. I didn't even realize that this nationwide Tesla attack was even a thing — until I was thrown into that world. What's important to me is that it happened, it was intentional, and it was wrong. As a result, I've been thrown into a nightmare, and I don't want this to happen to anyone else." Fox News Digital reached out to the attorney representing Hernandez, but he could not be reached for comment. The lawsuit filed by the victim outlines "Individual owners of Tesla vehicles, like Plaintiff, are being targeted and victimized by ongoing criminal conduct and action. This has culminated in the 'Tesla Takedown' movement, where certain activists are urging consumers to divest from Tesla products and are organizing protests and other activities that are explicitly or implicitly urging physical damage and/or violence against Tesla owners and/or their Tesla vehicles. Plaintiff recently became a target and victim of this criminal conduct and action." One outspoken voice of the "Tesla Takedown" movement, Democratic Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, told attendees at a virtual rally earlier this month that the Department of Government Efficiency head and Tesla founder Elon Musk must be "taken down." On Saturday, demonstrators gathered at more than 500 Tesla locations worldwide in a "Global Day of Action" to protest the Musk-founded car company. In an interview, Majed Nachawati, the attorney representing the Dallas-based Tesla owner in the lawsuit, told Fox News Digital that owning a car shouldn't be political. "Whether you're a Republican or a Democrat, this is a free country. You're entitled to drive whatever you want, as long as it's legal and within the confines of the law, and you should feel safe and secure in doing so, which, in my opinion, is why the authorities on the law enforcement side are taking these cases very seriously." WATCH THE INTERVIEW WITH THE ATTORNEY: Nachawati went on to explain the importance of consequences for those vandalizing the vehicles, saying "It's a slippery slope, where does it end? Right? Fortunately, you know, my client's car was keyed. He wasn't injured himself, and he wasn't in the vehicle. But others haven't been so lucky, and so if this continues, you know, it's a fine line between having a civil society and chaos." FBI Director Kash Patel, who recently launched a task force to crack down on violent attacks against the car brand, warned Tesla dealerships and owners to "exercise vigilance and look out for suspicious activity" ahead of this past weekend's widespread protests. Fox News Digital reached out to the Tarrant County District Attorney's office, but they could not be reached for comment.
