Woodbine Entertainment’s Docuseries Finalist in Two Categories for Hashtag Sports Awards

25/05/2026

TORONTO, May 25, 2026— Woodbine Entertainment’s docuseries, “Woodbine: Free Rein”, has been named a finalist in two categories for the prestigious 8th Annual Hashtag Sports Awards, presented by The Engagement Academy of Sports Entertainment (EASE), which recognizes excellence in engagement across the sports, media, and entertainment industries, celebrating endeavors that establish a benchmark for fan experiences.

“Woodbine: Free Rein” brings viewers behind-the-scenes for an inside look at the life of jockeys, trainers, and owners competing at Canada’s premier racing show place. The series, which airs exclusively on YouTube, has amassed over 700,000 views across 16 total episodes, each around 10 minutes long.

The team behind “Woodbine: Free Rein” were honoured earlier this year with a Sovereign award, an elite distinction in the Canadian Thoroughbred racing industry. The series also won a Hashtag Sports award in 2024 in the category of Best Women’s Sports Content for episode 4 of Season One, “The World-Class Women of Woodbine”.

This year, Woodbine Entertainment is a finalist in the categories of Best Longform Documentary for the second season of “Woodbine: Free Rein”, and Best Athlete Storytelling for the first episode of the series' third season, titled “Never A Doubt”, chronicling jockey Emma-Jayne Wilson’s rehabilitation from her severe injury.

Best Athlete Storytelling – S3, Ep1, ‘Never A Doubt’
- Click to read about the episode and vote.
- Click here to watch the episode.
- Other nominees include Omaha Productions, The Players Tribune, US Figure Skating, Atlanta Falcons, Washington Mystics, Detroit Lions, U.S. Figure Skating
Best Longform Documentary - Free Rein, Season 2
- Click here to read about the season and vote.
- Click here to watch the season.
- Other nominees include ESPN, Detroit Lions, Monumental Sports, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Memphis Grizzlies

“It is a tremendous honour to be recognized by the Hashtag Sports Awards alongside some of the sports industry’s largest publishers and creators,” said Jonathan Rubinoff, Director of Social Media and Content at Woodbine Entertainment. “Telling the compelling stories behind Woodbine’s top competitors has been both a privilege and a central part of our mission to connect new audiences with the excitement of horse racing.”

Fans of Woodbine: Free Rein can vote for the Fan’s Voice Award for Best Athlete Storytelling and Best Longform Documentary on the Hashtag Sports Awards website at www.hashtagsports.com/awards/vote.

This year’s award winners will be announced live on June 2 at Terminal 5 in New York City, where industry leaders, athletes, on-air talent, and creators will come together to benchmark effective engagement and showcase the return of investing in the fan experience.

About the Hashtag Sports Awards

The Hashtag Sports Awards, presented by the Engagement Academy of Sports Entertainment, are peer-based awards that establish the benchmark for excellence in sports content, media, marketing, and experiences. The Engagement Academy aims to serve the sports entertainment community through year-round events and education, celebrating, inspiring and advocating for content creators, creatives, and marketers globally.

For more information about the Hashtag Sports Awards and the Engagement Academy of Sports Entertainment, visit www.hashtagsports.com/awards and www.engagement.academy.

About Woodbine Entertainment

Woodbine Entertainment is the largest horse racing operator in Canada, with Thoroughbred horse racing at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, and Standardbred horse racing at Woodbine Mohawk Park in Milton. Woodbine Entertainment also owns and operates HPIbet, Canada’s only betting platform dedicated to horse racing. Woodbine and Mohawk Park are host to several world-class racing events including The King’s Plate, four Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series races, and the Pepsi North America Cup. Run without share capital, Woodbine Entertainment has a mandate to financially invest all profit back into the horse racing industry and the 25,000 jobs it supports across Ontario.