BIG DAY FOR EATONS, ROBERTSON, EIKLEBERRY
BY JIM WELLS
The curtain came down on the 25th anniversary of racing in Minnesota and the 2010 season at Canterbury Park Sunday with the 17th running of the Minnesota Festival of Racing.
It was a day of celebration and reflection for the card’s winners and the thoroughbred racing industry.
The Festival winners gathered for a toast after the races. Others were left to wonder if the industry will get the help it needs from the Minnesota legislature to keep their businesses alive and growing, the ability to compete with other tracks in the area and country.
For the most part, it was a day of celebration, though.
No one was any more pleased with the day’s results than Art and Gretchen Eaton, whose horses won two races on a Festival card for the first time in their many years of breeding and racing. Gretchen was celebrating her 60th birthday with a big party for friends, and had plenty to celebrate after Suddenly Silver dominated the Classic Championship and Bella Notte won the Minnesota Distaff.
“This is a first for us,’’ Gretchen said. “I can’t recall winning two races on Festival Day.”We’ve never had a day like this.’’
Suddenly Silver’s story was particularly special. His dam, Sudden Sensation, died moments after foaling him, and so the Eatons brought in a nurse mare from Kentucky.
“He’s always been special because of that,’’ Grechen said.
Equally pleased was jockey Ry Eilkeberry, whose ability to ride was unclear through the first couple of races. Injured in a spill on Thursday night, he was nursing a very sore left ankle and rode for the first time since the incident.
Even the pain could not keep him from winning four stakes on the card.
“It was killing me through the first couple of races,’’ he said. “Then I think it stretched out and was fine the rest of the card.’’
Eilkeberry had planned to meet his mother, Pam, in Hutchinson, Kan., on his ride home to Phoenix, where he’ll ride at Turf Paradise when that meet begins in October. She planned to be there visiting relatives. Instead she flew to Minnesota upon hearing of her son’s injury last week and was on hand Sunday to watch his stunning performance.
Trainer Mac Robertson had reason to celebrate, too, with another training championship capped by five victories on Sunday’s card, including four Festival stakes races.
The card and the season ended in spectacular fashion, with a three-horse photo finish.
The winner was ….Recording Contract, trained by Gary Scherer, owned and bred by Cam Casby and ridden by Derek Bell. Inches back were Go Doll and Tez Savitri.
NORTHERN LIGHTS FUTURITY
(Six furlongs)
The boys weren’t as quick as the girls, they didn’t have a favorite quite as clear-cut as Esprit de Bleu and they didn’t create the same kind of anticipation.
But they did produce an upset.
Black Tie Benny, trained by Bernell Rhone, ridden by Dave Cardoso and owned by Barbara Rehbein covered the distance in 1:11 1/5.
The Rhone barn finished one-two in this race, with favored Samendra, bred and owned by Kisson Thoroughbreds and ridden by Dean Butler, taking second, 7 ¼ lengths behind the surprising winner, who was sent off at 9-2.
.“They’re both very good horses, but Black Tie Benny showed his true colors today,’’ said Rhone.
Those colors were worth $11.20 on a $2 bet.
SPRINT CHAMPIONSHIP
The top two jockeys at Canterbury this summer were on the top two horses in this race and it ended just the way the jockey race did.
Defending champion Bizet, with Ry Eilkeberry up, and Nomorewineforeddie, with Dean Butler in the irons, went head to head to the wire with Nomorewineforeddie prevailing.
“He broke a little sharper than I wanted,’’ said Butler. “But I didn’t want Bizet to get away either, so I stayed with him.’’
And First Captain stayed with them until they left him in the stretch duel and made it a two-horse race.
Owned by Anthony Didier and trained by Bruce Riecken, the winner covered the distance in 1:10 flat, finishing ½ length in front.
“Eddie goes all out not matter what, in the morning or in the afternoon,’’ said Didier.
His “all-out” effort Sunday was worth a half-length victory and a championship.
TURF CHAMPIONSHIP
(One Mile)
How’s this for a swan song? Bret Favre are you listening?
Sir Tricky, in the final start of his glorious career __( at age nine is about 45 in human terms __ took over in the stretch drive, made a statement inside the 16th pole and won the Turf Championship, a race he also won in 2006.
Let’s see…Favre, now 40, quarterbacked the Packers to a 1997 Super Bowl title…
Sir Tricky, owned by Barry and Joni Butzow, trained by Mac Robertson and ridden by Seth Martinez, finished a length in front of Mack’s Blackhawk and another neck in front of Beau Named Sue. The winning time was 1:12.
“He’s been a fabulous horse, from the beginning up to now,’’ said Joni Buetzow.
Sir Tricky, the odds-on favorite, finished his career with nearly $350,000 in earnings and a record of 13-8-9 from 44 starts. .
DISTAFF SPRINT CHAMPIONSHIP
(Six Furlongs)
How’s this for a birthday present, wrapped, decorated and delivered by Bella Notte, a six-year-old daughter of Quick Cut:
Gretchen Eaton, who bred and owns the mare with her husband, Art, was celebrating her 60th birthday this weekend. Art threw a party on her behalf at the track. The proverbial frosting on this cake was applied by Bella Notte herself.
Bella Notte delivered on this special day, winning the Distaff Sprint gate to wire in 1:10 under red hot rider Ry Eilkeberry, who had already ridden the winner of the quarter horse futurity and the Distaff.
Bella Notte’s win was her second straight in this race and provided trainer Mac Robertson with his fourth victory in this race.
“We’re just blessed,’’ said Gretchen. “To have this horse, this trainer and groom. Everything about her has been wonderful.’’
The Eatons, Art added, are weighing their options with this fine mare. “She’s a very nice filly,’’ he said.”We don’t know if we should breed her next year or bring her back.’’
NORTHERN LIGHTS DEBUTANTE
(Six Furlongs)
They call her Mighty Mouse in the barn she’s such a squirt, but she can run like a jackrabbit.
Esprit de Bleu, a two-year-old daughter of Littleexpectations ( maybe that’s the diminutive gene) from Bleu’s Apparition blew away a field of seven rivals to win this six-furlong stake for two-year-olds in 1:12.
Thoroughbred riding champion Dean Butler was in the saddle aboard the odds-on favorite, bred and owned by Deb and Jeff Hilger. “She’s small but she has a long stride,’’ Jeff said.
Long enough to finish 3 ¾ lengths in front of Congrats and Roses, who was merely the best of the rest on this day.
The victory was the third straight for the Mac Robertson barn on the card and produced one of the training champ’s best comments over the years.
Robertson won his seventh consecutive (the first was in his father’s name but the stable was handled entirely by Mac) training title.
Robertson is known for his curt, colorful comments and Sunday was no exception.
Paddock analyst Kevin Gorg complimented Robertson for numerous accomplishments, buttering him up one side and down the other in the winner’s circle interview. He ended by calling Robertson the best trainer he had seen in his 10 years at Canterbury.
“I’m glad I was able to satisfy you, Mr. Gorg,’’ Robertson responded.
MINNESOTA CLASSIC
(Mile and 1/16)
Suddenly Silver went gate to wire in this one to close out a special day for the Eatons, finishing five lengths in front of Jack and Max, ridden by Seth Martinez.
Suddenly Silver was sent off the even-money favorite and was never challenged, drawing off in the lane to his convincing victory.
Third place went to Wally’s Choice, who picked up $6,000 but still trails Blair’s Cove by some $29,000 in all-time Minnesota-bred earnings.
The win capped off an exciting day for the Eatons, who had plenty of reasons to celebrate.
MINNESOTA DISTAFF CHAMPIONSHIP
(Mile 1/16)
Chick Fight, the 2009 Horse of the Year and defending Distaff champion, appeared to have things her way in the early stages. Jockey champion Dean Butler put her immediately on the lead and she cruised through the first half mile in an easy :49.
By midturn she was engaged by Sasha’s Fierce with Ry Eilkeberry up. Sasha’s Fierce, owned by Astar Lindquist Stable and trained by Gary Scherer, put her head in front at the top of the lane and then drew up to a convincing, lopsided victory in 1:45 and 1/5.
“On the backside I didn’t know how much chance I had,’’ said Eilkeberry. But I knew I couldn’t let her (Chick Fight) simply gallop, so we went after her.’’
Chick Fight couldn’t keep pace with Sasha’s Fierce, whose last two outings were at a mile or more. Chick Fight, on the other hand, hadn’t run a route of ground since July 20 when she finished third in allowance company at Prairie Meadows.
EILKEBERRY, PETERSENS WIN QH TITLES
Seis It fast started the day for the track’s champion quarter horse trainers, Bob and Julie Petersen, by winning his fifth race in five starts over the Canterbury racing strip this season.
A two-year-old gelded son of Tres Seis from Chic N Traffic, Seis It Fast covered the 350-yard Minnesota Futurity distance in :18.52.
That added one more win to the ledger of trainer Ed Ross Harding and wife Kari who won a ninth straight and 10th overall quarter horse training title.
Ry Eilkeberry, who won a third straight Quarter Horse riding title, was aboard the winner. He was still nursing a sore left ankle from Thursday night’s spill. “I loaded up on ibuprofen and put a (poltice) on it all night. But I’m riding nine straight. I’m ready to go. We’ll see….”
Next up for Seis It Fast?
“We’ll lay him up and come back with him next year,’’ Kari said.
The Minnesota Quarter Horse Derby went to another Tres Seis offspring, Six It Up, bred by E.D. Calvert, owned by Steve Pribyl and trained by Brent Clay.
On this time is was a filly who won, against colts and geldings. She finished in :20.68. Ridden by Thomas Wellington, she did not need to go all out to win this one.
“Tom said he didn’t have to ride that hard,’’ Clay said. “She’s nominated to the Distaff at Lone Star Park. We’ll see.’’
2010 Divisional Champions
· Horse of the Year- Seis It Fast (owner: Robert and Julie Petersen; trainer: Ed Ross Hardy)
· Older Filly or Mare – Bella Notte (owner: Art and Gretchen Eaton; trainer: Mac Robertson)
· Three-Year-Old Colt or Gelding –Stachys (owner: Al and Bill Ulwelling; trainer: Michael Biehler)
· Three-Year-Old Filly – Hunter’s Tiger Paw (owner: Joel and Kris Zamzow; trainer: Cory Jensen)
· Two-Year-Old – Seis It Fast (owner: Robert and Julie Petersen; trainer: Ed Ross Hardy)
· Sprinter – Moralist (owner: Miracle Logistics Inc.; trainer: Tammy Domenosky)
· Claimer – Lucky Skat (owner: Valene Farms; trainer: Gary Scherer)
· Grass Horse – Sir Tricky (owner: Joni and Barry Butzow; trainer: Mac Robertson)
· Quarter Horse – Seis It Fast (owner: Robert and Julie Petersen; trainer: Ed Ross Hardy)
· Older Horse - Moralist (owner: Miracle Logistics Inc.; trainer: Tammy Domenosky)
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Festival of Champions Closes the Meet at Canterbury Park
Canterbury Park's live racing season concluded Sunday with the 17th renewal of the Minnesota Festival of Champions, a day exclusively for horses bred in Minnesota.
Bill and Al Ulwelling of Elk River, MN won the 2010 leading thoroughbred owner title at Canterbury Park. This is the first time the father, Bill, and son, Al, have been leading owners. They concluded the season with 20 wins and $194,310 in purse money. [Pictured Below: The Ulwellings]
The leading Thoroughbred trainer for 2010 was Mac Robertson, ending the meet with 51 wins out of 137 starts. [Pictured Below: Mac Robertson]
Bill and Al Ulwelling of Elk River, MN won the 2010 leading thoroughbred owner title at Canterbury Park. This is the first time the father, Bill, and son, Al, have been leading owners. They concluded the season with 20 wins and $194,310 in purse money. [Pictured Below: The Ulwellings]
The leading Thoroughbred trainer for 2010 was Mac Robertson, ending the meet with 51 wins out of 137 starts. [Pictured Below: Mac Robertson]
Finally, the leading Quarter Horse jockey for Canterbury Park's 2010 meet, was Ry Eikleberry. He ended the meet with 18 wins. [Pictured Below: Ry Eikleberry]
Saturday, August 28, 2010
News and Notes on The Final Weekend
BUTLER CLAIMS A SECOND RIDING TITLE
By JIM WELLS
Maybe the Minnesota Vikings can pick up some tips on how to put away an opponent by observing the way Dean Butler is closing the 2010 meet at Canterbury Park.
Butler had a 10 or 11-win lead two weeks ago in the jockey standings, equivalent, say, to a 10-point lead in a football game.
He had the riding title all but locked up but unlike our beloved locals in purple, Butler
demonstrated a real killer instinct over the final couple of weeks, surging to 20-win lead heading into Saturday’s card, the next-to-last one of the meet.
Butler did not stop there. With his nearest rival, Ry Eilkeberry, sidelined after a spill on Thursday’s card, Butler continued to ride Saturday as if the title were still at stake.
His first win on Saturday’s card came in the fifth race aboard a daughter of Demidoff bred by Kisson Thoroughbreds, owned by Ann and Sunil Sachdev and trained by Francisco Bravo.
A fellow approached Butler afterward and congratulated him on his second consecutive riding title.
“It feels very good but it was a lot of hard work,’’ he said.
Hard work accompanied, Butler insists, by opportunity.
“A lot of times I was simply on the best horse,’’ he said. “Bernell (Rhone), Mac (Robertson), Gary (Scherer) and others gave me a lot of good chances. And my agent (Pete Antonucci) got a lot of those mounts for me.’’
Nonetheless, Butler competed this summer in one of the finest riding colonies in track history.
“Yes, the colony was pretty deep this year,’’ Butler said. “We had a lot of good jockeys here.’’
So choice opportunities, a bit of good fortune and some solid riding throughout the summer put another trophy on Butler’s achievement shelf.
Butler got his second win on Saturday’s card in the sixth race aboard Root River Kid, a four-year-old gelding trained and owned by Donald Cheloha and bred by Edna Cheloha and Steve Zmyewski.
He added his third win on the card aboard Daring Attraction, trained by Clay Brinson, in the eighth race in a track record :55 2/5 for five furlongs.
The previous record was set by Rockhurst,. :56:01. In 2005.
Ya’ll Come Back won the final race on Saturday’s card in a breeze, finishing a dozen lengths in front. Trained by Vic Reedy, the winner was ridden by Derek Bell, who moved into a tie with Ry Eilkeberry for second place in the riding standings with 51 wins.
One jock’s loss is sometimes another’s gain. Take a maiden filly named Early Girl, for instance. The two-year-old, bred and owned by Triple AAA Ranch in Phoenix, and trained by John Johnson, made mincemeat of eight opponents in a 5 ½ furlong maiden race.
Lori Keith originally had the mount on Early Girl but was injured in a spill Thursday night. Nik Goodwin picked up the mount and his filly won at first asking, by a dozen lengths.
“Oh, that horse can run,’’ said Rhone as he gave Goodwin a leg up in the next race.
So, what instructions did Goodwin get from Johnson before the race? Did he simply tell him to give the filly her head? “Pretty much,’’ said Goodwin. “He said to give her a breather along the way.’’
It should always be so easy.
ULWELLINGS PICK UP A TROPHY EARLY
Al and Bill Ulwelling were in the winner’s circle with their families after the eighth race on Saturday to receive their trophies as the leading owners this season.
The Ulwellings have become big players in the game in the last five or six years and that investment is revealing itself.
They started 56 horses at Canterbury this summer, producing 20 wins, 13 seconds and five thirds: that’s a win percentage of 37 percent, in-the-money figure of 69 percent and total earnings of $193,010.
Miguel Silva was second on Saturday with 10 wins. Jeff and Deb Hilger of Bleu Valley Farm were third with nine wins.
INJURED JOCKS
Eilkeberry and Keith were injured in Thursday’s spill and did not ride on Saturday. Eilkeberry was at the track and got a massage and spent time in the whirlpool. He might ride on Sunday’s Festival of Racing card.
Keith was scheduled to get out of St. Francis Hospital on Saturday after suffering a compression fracture in her back in the spill.
BREAST CANCER AWARENESS PROMOTION
Fillies Race for Hope director Gary Speich had a table at the track on Saturday, soliciting support for his organization, which is sponsoring a filly who will race at Canterbury among other tracks next season.
Dance With Elegance, by Dance With Ravens from Elegance, will race in the organization’s colors next summer with her earnings earmarked for Fillies Race For Hope.
She will race at Canterbury sometime next summer in an all-filly race.
Speich says the plan is for her to tour the country racing at various tracks. The advertising company for his organization is Baker of Wayzata, which has designed the Fillies Race for Hope logo, a pink horse’s head, and has done extensive promotional work.
By JIM WELLS
Maybe the Minnesota Vikings can pick up some tips on how to put away an opponent by observing the way Dean Butler is closing the 2010 meet at Canterbury Park.
Butler had a 10 or 11-win lead two weeks ago in the jockey standings, equivalent, say, to a 10-point lead in a football game.
He had the riding title all but locked up but unlike our beloved locals in purple, Butler
demonstrated a real killer instinct over the final couple of weeks, surging to 20-win lead heading into Saturday’s card, the next-to-last one of the meet.Butler did not stop there. With his nearest rival, Ry Eilkeberry, sidelined after a spill on Thursday’s card, Butler continued to ride Saturday as if the title were still at stake.
His first win on Saturday’s card came in the fifth race aboard a daughter of Demidoff bred by Kisson Thoroughbreds, owned by Ann and Sunil Sachdev and trained by Francisco Bravo.
A fellow approached Butler afterward and congratulated him on his second consecutive riding title.
“It feels very good but it was a lot of hard work,’’ he said.
Hard work accompanied, Butler insists, by opportunity.
“A lot of times I was simply on the best horse,’’ he said. “Bernell (Rhone), Mac (Robertson), Gary (Scherer) and others gave me a lot of good chances. And my agent (Pete Antonucci) got a lot of those mounts for me.’’
Nonetheless, Butler competed this summer in one of the finest riding colonies in track history.
“Yes, the colony was pretty deep this year,’’ Butler said. “We had a lot of good jockeys here.’’
So choice opportunities, a bit of good fortune and some solid riding throughout the summer put another trophy on Butler’s achievement shelf.
Butler got his second win on Saturday’s card in the sixth race aboard Root River Kid, a four-year-old gelding trained and owned by Donald Cheloha and bred by Edna Cheloha and Steve Zmyewski.
He added his third win on the card aboard Daring Attraction, trained by Clay Brinson, in the eighth race in a track record :55 2/5 for five furlongs.
The previous record was set by Rockhurst,. :56:01. In 2005.
Ya’ll Come Back won the final race on Saturday’s card in a breeze, finishing a dozen lengths in front. Trained by Vic Reedy, the winner was ridden by Derek Bell, who moved into a tie with Ry Eilkeberry for second place in the riding standings with 51 wins.
One jock’s loss is sometimes another’s gain. Take a maiden filly named Early Girl, for instance. The two-year-old, bred and owned by Triple AAA Ranch in Phoenix, and trained by John Johnson, made mincemeat of eight opponents in a 5 ½ furlong maiden race.
Lori Keith originally had the mount on Early Girl but was injured in a spill Thursday night. Nik Goodwin picked up the mount and his filly won at first asking, by a dozen lengths.
“Oh, that horse can run,’’ said Rhone as he gave Goodwin a leg up in the next race.
So, what instructions did Goodwin get from Johnson before the race? Did he simply tell him to give the filly her head? “Pretty much,’’ said Goodwin. “He said to give her a breather along the way.’’
It should always be so easy.
ULWELLINGS PICK UP A TROPHY EARLY
Al and Bill Ulwelling were in the winner’s circle with their families after the eighth race on Saturday to receive their trophies as the leading owners this season.
The Ulwellings have become big players in the game in the last five or six years and that investment is revealing itself.
They started 56 horses at Canterbury this summer, producing 20 wins, 13 seconds and five thirds: that’s a win percentage of 37 percent, in-the-money figure of 69 percent and total earnings of $193,010.
Miguel Silva was second on Saturday with 10 wins. Jeff and Deb Hilger of Bleu Valley Farm were third with nine wins.
INJURED JOCKS
Eilkeberry and Keith were injured in Thursday’s spill and did not ride on Saturday. Eilkeberry was at the track and got a massage and spent time in the whirlpool. He might ride on Sunday’s Festival of Racing card.
Keith was scheduled to get out of St. Francis Hospital on Saturday after suffering a compression fracture in her back in the spill.
BREAST CANCER AWARENESS PROMOTION
Fillies Race for Hope director Gary Speich had a table at the track on Saturday, soliciting support for his organization, which is sponsoring a filly who will race at Canterbury among other tracks next season.
Dance With Elegance, by Dance With Ravens from Elegance, will race in the organization’s colors next summer with her earnings earmarked for Fillies Race For Hope.
She will race at Canterbury sometime next summer in an all-filly race.
Speich says the plan is for her to tour the country racing at various tracks. The advertising company for his organization is Baker of Wayzata, which has designed the Fillies Race for Hope logo, a pink horse’s head, and has done extensive promotional work.
Friday, August 27, 2010
Rider Update
Lori Keith and Ry Eikleberry were involved in a spill last night in the second race. Both were transported to St. Francis Medical Center.
Ry was released last night and was on the backside this morning. He suffered various bumps and bruises and a concussion. While not expected to ride this evening, he may return Saturday.
Lori remained in the hospital overnight. She has been diagnosed with a compressed vertebrate. She expects to be released tomorrow.
JM
Ry was released last night and was on the backside this morning. He suffered various bumps and bruises and a concussion. While not expected to ride this evening, he may return Saturday.
Lori remained in the hospital overnight. She has been diagnosed with a compressed vertebrate. She expects to be released tomorrow.
JM
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
NOTES
STEVENS’ REHAB PLANS HEATING UP
By JIM WELLS
When he arrived home in Phoenix at 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday, the temperature was 115.
But it’s a dry heat, so…
“I actually haven’t even broken a sweat,’’ Scott Stevens said Wednesday.
But he plans on working up a good sweat soon, once he begins working himself back into riding condition. Stevens was injured in a spill on July 2 at Canterbury Park and was airlifted by helicopter to the hospital.
Stevens’ goal is to be ready to ride when the Turf Paradise meet begins on Oct. 1, but he seems prepared to accept a later date if necessary.
“That’s my goal, Oct. 1,’’ he said, “but I don’t know if I will.’’
Stevens has another medical appointment on Sept. 9. He’s feeling stronger by the day, he said, but still experiences soreness throughout his body from the July 2 accident, in which he suffered broken ribs and punctured lungs among other infirmities.
He still has numbness in some of his fingers. He had a test done recently that indicated there was no damage above the elbows. “There is a nerve at the elbow that might have been damaged,’’ he said. “Doctors think six to eight weeks and that should be OK again.’’
The pinky and ring ringers on both hands are affected mostly.
“The pinky is completely numb but I can bend it,’’ Stevens said. “The fingers on the left hand are getting better, there’s more feeling every day. That gives me hope for the right hand.’’
Doctors theorized that his elbows might have made jolting contact with his knees as he lurched forward during the accident.
Stevens plans to begin working himself back into riding condition soon.
Some time ago, he constructed an exercise horse at his house, patterned after the Equisizer, which simulates riding and helps work muscles used in riding.
“I time myself on it,’’ he said. “I put my jock’s saddle on it and its head goes up and down. It’s actually harder than riding a race. There’s nothing pulling against you and you get a good workout. I’ve gotten back into shape on this thing after injures many times…too many times.’’
Other riders at Turf Paradise have stopped by from time to time in the last few years to borrow the exercise horse while they were rehabbing from injuries.
The horse has done enough for Stevens over the years that he’s even given it a name.
Its head bobs up and down during use, so…..
The horse’s name is Bob.
LEGGETT CONTINUES RECOVERY
During the return trip to Phoenix, Stevens stopped to visit Tad Leggett, 45, a four-time quarter horse riding champion at Canterbury Park and the all-time money winner.
Leggett was injured severely in a spill at Fair Meadows at Tulsa on June 30. He underwent a nine-hour spinal surgery on July 2 and has been recovering since. He is still unable to walk or function normally with his hands and arms and is undergoing therapy at Craig Hospital in Englewood, Colo., the renown center for treating people with spinal cord and traumatic brain injury.
Leggett is wheelchair bound but has made significant strides since he was admitted. “He’s able to stick his arms up and wiggle his fingers,’’ Stevens said. “But he doesn’t have a grip.’’
The most encouraging element is Leggett’s attitude. “He’s very positive,’’ Stevens said. “They ordered him a high-dollar wheelchair and he told them that he hoped they could take it back because he’s planning on walking out of the place.’’
Leggett wasn’t breathing on his own and had no movement from the shoulders down when he first arrived at the Craig center.
“They didn’t think when he left Tulsa that he’d ever breathe on his own or move his arms and he’s doing both,’’ Stevens added.
By JIM WELLS
When he arrived home in Phoenix at 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday, the temperature was 115.
But it’s a dry heat, so…
“I actually haven’t even broken a sweat,’’ Scott Stevens said Wednesday.
But he plans on working up a good sweat soon, once he begins working himself back into riding condition. Stevens was injured in a spill on July 2 at Canterbury Park and was airlifted by helicopter to the hospital.
Stevens’ goal is to be ready to ride when the Turf Paradise meet begins on Oct. 1, but he seems prepared to accept a later date if necessary.
“That’s my goal, Oct. 1,’’ he said, “but I don’t know if I will.’’
Stevens has another medical appointment on Sept. 9. He’s feeling stronger by the day, he said, but still experiences soreness throughout his body from the July 2 accident, in which he suffered broken ribs and punctured lungs among other infirmities.
He still has numbness in some of his fingers. He had a test done recently that indicated there was no damage above the elbows. “There is a nerve at the elbow that might have been damaged,’’ he said. “Doctors think six to eight weeks and that should be OK again.’’
The pinky and ring ringers on both hands are affected mostly.
“The pinky is completely numb but I can bend it,’’ Stevens said. “The fingers on the left hand are getting better, there’s more feeling every day. That gives me hope for the right hand.’’
Doctors theorized that his elbows might have made jolting contact with his knees as he lurched forward during the accident.
Stevens plans to begin working himself back into riding condition soon.
Some time ago, he constructed an exercise horse at his house, patterned after the Equisizer, which simulates riding and helps work muscles used in riding.
“I time myself on it,’’ he said. “I put my jock’s saddle on it and its head goes up and down. It’s actually harder than riding a race. There’s nothing pulling against you and you get a good workout. I’ve gotten back into shape on this thing after injures many times…too many times.’’
Other riders at Turf Paradise have stopped by from time to time in the last few years to borrow the exercise horse while they were rehabbing from injuries.
The horse has done enough for Stevens over the years that he’s even given it a name.
Its head bobs up and down during use, so…..
The horse’s name is Bob.
LEGGETT CONTINUES RECOVERY
During the return trip to Phoenix, Stevens stopped to visit Tad Leggett, 45, a four-time quarter horse riding champion at Canterbury Park and the all-time money winner.
Leggett was injured severely in a spill at Fair Meadows at Tulsa on June 30. He underwent a nine-hour spinal surgery on July 2 and has been recovering since. He is still unable to walk or function normally with his hands and arms and is undergoing therapy at Craig Hospital in Englewood, Colo., the renown center for treating people with spinal cord and traumatic brain injury.
Leggett is wheelchair bound but has made significant strides since he was admitted. “He’s able to stick his arms up and wiggle his fingers,’’ Stevens said. “But he doesn’t have a grip.’’
The most encouraging element is Leggett’s attitude. “He’s very positive,’’ Stevens said. “They ordered him a high-dollar wheelchair and he told them that he hoped they could take it back because he’s planning on walking out of the place.’’
Leggett wasn’t breathing on his own and had no movement from the shoulders down when he first arrived at the Craig center.
“They didn’t think when he left Tulsa that he’d ever breathe on his own or move his arms and he’s doing both,’’ Stevens added.
Walczak Wins Dog Days Tournament
David Walczak of Minneapolis, MN won the 14th annual Dog Days of Summer Handicapping Tournament held Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 21 and 22 at Canterbury Park. His final tournament bankroll of $2,361.06 was just six cents greater than second place finisher Thomas Anderson of Burnsville, MN. Third with $2,304 was Joseph Perry of Hamilton, NJ.
Walczak, second in the Dog Days in 2004 and 2005, earned $2,660 in prize money and an entry to the 2011 Daily Racing Form / NTRA National Handicapping Championship (NHC). Anderson was awarded $1,995 in prize money and also will play in the NHC in January 2011. Perry received $1,345 in prize money.
The two-day contest allowed entrants to make any wagers they chose from all tracks and pools offered at Canterbury. Each player started the contest with a $400 live bankroll and also paid a $100 entry fee. The contest attracted 52 players from 13 states and two Canadian provinces. There were 80 entries total as players could have a maximum of two.
Walczak, second in the Dog Days in 2004 and 2005, earned $2,660 in prize money and an entry to the 2011 Daily Racing Form / NTRA National Handicapping Championship (NHC). Anderson was awarded $1,995 in prize money and also will play in the NHC in January 2011. Perry received $1,345 in prize money.
The two-day contest allowed entrants to make any wagers they chose from all tracks and pools offered at Canterbury. Each player started the contest with a $400 live bankroll and also paid a $100 entry fee. The contest attracted 52 players from 13 states and two Canadian provinces. There were 80 entries total as players could have a maximum of two.
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Horsemen to Voice Concerns
by JIM WELLS
Horsemen at Canterbury Park have become increasingly concerned the last few weeks about an increase in the number of positive readings on horses in their care.
The medication violations are almost exclusively for detection of therapeutic drugs. Of 71 citations this season, only two were for performance enhancing drugs.
The Minnesota Racing Commission has scheduled a special meeting on Tuesday night at the Shakopee Police Department to hear horsemen’s concerns.
Horsemen contend that the reason for so many citations has to do with the dramatically increased sensitivity of new testing procedures.
Horsemen believe that their horses are testing positive in tests that would have borne negative results in the past because of improved testing methods.
Horse owner Jack Walsh, an attorney, says testing now will detect drugs to the trillionth as opposed to the billionth.
To understand such microscopic efficiency, consider this:
A man 32 years old has lived a billion seconds.
The difference between the testing procedures, horsemen say, is similar now to finding a drop of water in a swimming pool or a grain of sand on the beach.
If medication given five days before a race was safe in the past, they say it must now be given 12 days or longer.
Horsemen insist they were not informed of the change in testing efficiency as prescribed by their contract. That is the reason, they say, that there were 54 violations this July as opposed to two in the same month last year.
Racing Commission executive director Dick Krueger said Sunday that he expects the matter to be cleared up within the next few days.
“It will all wash out by the end of next week,’’ he said.
“We hope he’s right,’’ said HBPA president Tom Metzen, who pointed out that five positives were declared on horses in the Claiming Crown.
Horsemen are concerned that many of their colleagues will not return to Canterbury Park next year without assurances the issue has been resolved.
THE $25,000 MTA STALLION AUCTION LASSIE, LADDIE STAKES
Dean Butler and his father-in-law Bernell Rhone teamed up for a riding-training double in these two races dedicated to three-year-old progeny of stallions whose service was sold at the 2006 MTA stallion auction.
She’s Better Loud, a daughter of Bravo Bull and Goldie’s Sis, beat four female opponents, finishing in 1:18 as an easy winner.
“My father-in-law told me to hang on and stay near the front. She doesn’t like anything in her face,’’ said Butler, who has wrapped up his second consecutive riding title.
The winning horse is owned by Sandra Rasmussen and River Ridge Ranch and was bred by Iowa State University.
Butler and Rhone came right back with Rustic Road, bred and owned by Curtis Sampson, in the race for the boys. Rustic Road looks like the real deal after demolishing four rivals in 1:16 and 1/5.
Russ Sampson, who has been tauting this horse as the real deal, had this to say:
“He came up from Tampa Bay and got hurt in the stall or on the track,’’ Sampson said. “He was laid up, but Bernie and his crew are the best here and got him back on his game. When Dean and Bernie like a horse, he’s usually a good one.’’
Rustic Road, by Demidoff from Quest for Prize, is a good one.
Horsemen at Canterbury Park have become increasingly concerned the last few weeks about an increase in the number of positive readings on horses in their care.
The medication violations are almost exclusively for detection of therapeutic drugs. Of 71 citations this season, only two were for performance enhancing drugs.
The Minnesota Racing Commission has scheduled a special meeting on Tuesday night at the Shakopee Police Department to hear horsemen’s concerns.
Horsemen contend that the reason for so many citations has to do with the dramatically increased sensitivity of new testing procedures.
Horsemen believe that their horses are testing positive in tests that would have borne negative results in the past because of improved testing methods.
Horse owner Jack Walsh, an attorney, says testing now will detect drugs to the trillionth as opposed to the billionth.
To understand such microscopic efficiency, consider this:
A man 32 years old has lived a billion seconds.
The difference between the testing procedures, horsemen say, is similar now to finding a drop of water in a swimming pool or a grain of sand on the beach.
If medication given five days before a race was safe in the past, they say it must now be given 12 days or longer.
Horsemen insist they were not informed of the change in testing efficiency as prescribed by their contract. That is the reason, they say, that there were 54 violations this July as opposed to two in the same month last year.
Racing Commission executive director Dick Krueger said Sunday that he expects the matter to be cleared up within the next few days.
“It will all wash out by the end of next week,’’ he said.
“We hope he’s right,’’ said HBPA president Tom Metzen, who pointed out that five positives were declared on horses in the Claiming Crown.
Horsemen are concerned that many of their colleagues will not return to Canterbury Park next year without assurances the issue has been resolved.
THE $25,000 MTA STALLION AUCTION LASSIE, LADDIE STAKES
Dean Butler and his father-in-law Bernell Rhone teamed up for a riding-training double in these two races dedicated to three-year-old progeny of stallions whose service was sold at the 2006 MTA stallion auction.
She’s Better Loud, a daughter of Bravo Bull and Goldie’s Sis, beat four female opponents, finishing in 1:18 as an easy winner.
“My father-in-law told me to hang on and stay near the front. She doesn’t like anything in her face,’’ said Butler, who has wrapped up his second consecutive riding title.
The winning horse is owned by Sandra Rasmussen and River Ridge Ranch and was bred by Iowa State University.
Butler and Rhone came right back with Rustic Road, bred and owned by Curtis Sampson, in the race for the boys. Rustic Road looks like the real deal after demolishing four rivals in 1:16 and 1/5.
Russ Sampson, who has been tauting this horse as the real deal, had this to say:
“He came up from Tampa Bay and got hurt in the stall or on the track,’’ Sampson said. “He was laid up, but Bernie and his crew are the best here and got him back on his game. When Dean and Bernie like a horse, he’s usually a good one.’’
Rustic Road, by Demidoff from Quest for Prize, is a good one.
Saturday, August 21, 2010
News & Notes
IS 16 TOO YOUNG TO BE A JOCKEY?
By JIM WELLS
A proposal will be made to the Minnesota Racing Commission in September that the age required to get a jockey’s license be raised to 18 years of age from the current 16.
If the commission accepts the proposal it could become law by the 2011 race meeting.
The proposal is being made, according to racing commission chairman Dick Krueger, in an attempt to standardize ages across the country to Racing Commissioners International guidelines.
The proposal is certain to be controversial and will find opposition among some horsemen and riders, too.
“We don ‘t have enough jockeys now,’’ said trainer Jerry Livingston. “If you change the age, we’ll have even fewer.’’
Livingston and other horsemen pointed out that Cowboy Jack Kaenel was 16 when he won the Preakness Stakes, in 1982 aboard Aloma’s Ruler.
Steve Cauthen was seasoned enough by age 18 that he won the Triple Crown aboard Affirmed in 1978.
The general feeling among horsemen and riders is that age is not the issue. Maturity is.
“Some riders are mature enough to ride at 16,’’ said Dusty Shepherd, 19. “There are some who shouldn’t ride at 30.’’
Ry Eilkeberry, 19, has been riding since he was 16 and wouldn’t be in the sport had he been held back until 18. “Absolutely not. I would have been too big,’’ he said.
Eilkeberry at 5-10 is extremely tall for a rider and would have outgrown the profession by the time he was 18. “You can keep the weight down if you start early,’’ he said. “I would have been around 140 pounds and never would have gotten down if I had waited.’’
For that reason, his father, Kevin, started him early. Ry also wrestled in high school to keep his weight down and prevent an otherwise inevitable growth spurt.
Jockeys are tested in the gate, and on the track before getting a license. “If a rider can do what’s required he should be allowed to ride,’’ said Shepherd.
Seth Martinez has similar sentiments. “If someone is ready to ride at 16, let him,’’ he said.
SATURDAY TIDBITS
Dean Butler rode four winners on Saturday’s card and has a second straight riding title all but locked up. He increased his win margin to 14 over Ry Eilkeberry and 18 over Derek Bell.
Three of Butler’s wins were aboard horses trained by Bernell Rhone who tied perennial defending champ Mac Robertson for the training lead…for a short time at least.
Boom de Ya Da, owned by Joe Novogratz, put Robertson back in front by one win, under Seth Martinez in the final race on the card.
****Some people are convinced that everything happens for a reason and you can bet the family farm that 10-year-old Scott Bethke and his six-year-old sister Olivia are among that group.
“He’s been begging to do this for two years,’’ said Scott’s father, trainer Troy Bethke. “I’ve got nothing going tomorrow (Sunday) so…’’
So, Scott will ride 12-year-old Rocky in the County Fair races in Barnum. Olivia wasn’t about to let him go alone. She’ll ride Prince. “He’s 29 or 30,’’ Troy said.
*With track announcer Paul Allen gone to fill his radio gig with the Minnesota Vikings, paddock analyst Kevin Gorg had filled in admirably at the mike in his absence.
And Angela Hermann has filled in admirably in the paddock for Gorg, actually outdoing anything he has done previously in her low-slung blue dress Saturday.
By JIM WELLS
A proposal will be made to the Minnesota Racing Commission in September that the age required to get a jockey’s license be raised to 18 years of age from the current 16.
If the commission accepts the proposal it could become law by the 2011 race meeting.
The proposal is being made, according to racing commission chairman Dick Krueger, in an attempt to standardize ages across the country to Racing Commissioners International guidelines.
The proposal is certain to be controversial and will find opposition among some horsemen and riders, too.
“We don ‘t have enough jockeys now,’’ said trainer Jerry Livingston. “If you change the age, we’ll have even fewer.’’
Livingston and other horsemen pointed out that Cowboy Jack Kaenel was 16 when he won the Preakness Stakes, in 1982 aboard Aloma’s Ruler.
Steve Cauthen was seasoned enough by age 18 that he won the Triple Crown aboard Affirmed in 1978.
The general feeling among horsemen and riders is that age is not the issue. Maturity is.
“Some riders are mature enough to ride at 16,’’ said Dusty Shepherd, 19. “There are some who shouldn’t ride at 30.’’
Ry Eilkeberry, 19, has been riding since he was 16 and wouldn’t be in the sport had he been held back until 18. “Absolutely not. I would have been too big,’’ he said.
Eilkeberry at 5-10 is extremely tall for a rider and would have outgrown the profession by the time he was 18. “You can keep the weight down if you start early,’’ he said. “I would have been around 140 pounds and never would have gotten down if I had waited.’’
For that reason, his father, Kevin, started him early. Ry also wrestled in high school to keep his weight down and prevent an otherwise inevitable growth spurt.
Jockeys are tested in the gate, and on the track before getting a license. “If a rider can do what’s required he should be allowed to ride,’’ said Shepherd.
Seth Martinez has similar sentiments. “If someone is ready to ride at 16, let him,’’ he said.
SATURDAY TIDBITS
Dean Butler rode four winners on Saturday’s card and has a second straight riding title all but locked up. He increased his win margin to 14 over Ry Eilkeberry and 18 over Derek Bell.
Three of Butler’s wins were aboard horses trained by Bernell Rhone who tied perennial defending champ Mac Robertson for the training lead…for a short time at least.
Boom de Ya Da, owned by Joe Novogratz, put Robertson back in front by one win, under Seth Martinez in the final race on the card.
****Some people are convinced that everything happens for a reason and you can bet the family farm that 10-year-old Scott Bethke and his six-year-old sister Olivia are among that group.
“He’s been begging to do this for two years,’’ said Scott’s father, trainer Troy Bethke. “I’ve got nothing going tomorrow (Sunday) so…’’
So, Scott will ride 12-year-old Rocky in the County Fair races in Barnum. Olivia wasn’t about to let him go alone. She’ll ride Prince. “He’s 29 or 30,’’ Troy said.
*With track announcer Paul Allen gone to fill his radio gig with the Minnesota Vikings, paddock analyst Kevin Gorg had filled in admirably at the mike in his absence.
And Angela Hermann has filled in admirably in the paddock for Gorg, actually outdoing anything he has done previously in her low-slung blue dress Saturday.
Friday, August 20, 2010
Want A Retired Racehorse For The Barn?
BY JIM WELLS
Annie Ringwelski found the horse wasting away in a pasture about four or five months removed from the racetrack. He was a tall animal, 16 hands or more, but gaunt looking and strikingly malnourished. She estimated that he was about 400 pounds underweight. "He looked to be starving to death,'' she said.
She understood that he had been a very good racehorse but now he was scrawny and scruffy looking. "He looked eight days older than God,'' she said. "His hindquarters were sunken; he had suffered substantial nerve damage and been given a block.''
Ringwelski took him home with her to die. "I was going to have him euthanized, but the clinic was closed that weekend,'' she said. She had no choice but to make the horse as comfortable as possible, feed him and provide shelter until the clinic reopened.
"I took him home,'' she said. "In those two days his appetite perked up and the light started to come back into his eyes.''
His name is Scottie. He has two knee chips and some atrophy in his hind quarters, but now, two years later, he has become a dependable riding horse for Ringwelski's daughter, Daria, 11.
Scottie, unwanted and left to wither, is one of several horses rehabilitated and trained to a new life by Ringwelski and the Minnesota Retired Racehorse Project.
The nonprofit organization _ formed by Ringwelski and Dr. Jennifer Selvig _ finds homes for horses retiring from racing. Coleen Foley is secretary and publicity agent for the organization, frequently mistaken for a rescue group.
Scottie's story might promote that very idea, but Ringwelski says "we are not a rescue organization. We're a placement program. We do rehabilitation and promotion for retired racehorses.''
Many horses simply need a home. Others take only a short time to adjust, physically and otherwise.
Selvig and Ringwelski will put on an educational seminar Saturday morning in the grandstand after a tour of the backside. They expect to accommodate 50 persons or more. What they try to do is educate would-be horse owners on the issues associated with adopting a retired racehorse. They are also trying to get the word out to trainers about their group and how they help find homes for horses being retired from the racetrack.
"It's a seminar on retraining racehorses,'' Selvig explained, "how to deal with them, what to look for, potential problems with their training and behavior.''
Retired racehorses go through a transitional period after quitting racing. They lose muscle and weight. "It's a normal response for an athletic horse,'' Selvig said. "It takes a while for them to get back to their glossy, beautiful selves. They lose muscle but need time to get some of their fat back.''
MRRP generally investigates potential owners before placing horses with them. "We try to do an on-site check of their facility or at least get pictures of it. We want to make sure they know what they're getting into,'' Selvig said.
Some horses make an easy transition to "civilian" life. Others take time.
"We've had horses that were trail-riding a week after they left the track,'' said Ringwelski. "Granted, that's not always the case. Some have to be placed with people who have experience with horses.''
Ringwelski has been placing horses on her own for a decade or more.
With MRRP now in place at Canterbury, she hopes to place even more. She has four horses at her farm in Webster ready for adoption. MRRP has been given two stalls at Canterbury, with the possibility of more as the meet winds down, where they can keep horses donated by trainers during the transition period.
"We try to help trainers and owners find new owners for their retired racehorses,'' Selvig said. Sometimes trainers donate the horses. Other times MRRP facilitates a sale. "The horses we get generally will cost a buyer $1,000 or less,'' Selvig added.
Many of the costs incurred during the transition period, feed, medicine etc, are borne by Selvig and Ringwelski themselves. MRRP is in constant need of donations, monetary or otherwise _ feed etc.
Selvig frequently assists in the transition process by taking x-rays when necessary and evaluating the animals for potential medical problems. She then tries to educate a new owner on the best way to rehabilitate the horse.
Not every horse winds up in Scottie's condition. In fact, the MRRP tries to prevent such
occurrences, to find retired horses a home before they fall through the cracks as Scottie did.
(Additonal information is available on the organization's website at www.mnrrp.com.)
Annie Ringwelski found the horse wasting away in a pasture about four or five months removed from the racetrack. He was a tall animal, 16 hands or more, but gaunt looking and strikingly malnourished. She estimated that he was about 400 pounds underweight. "He looked to be starving to death,'' she said.
She understood that he had been a very good racehorse but now he was scrawny and scruffy looking. "He looked eight days older than God,'' she said. "His hindquarters were sunken; he had suffered substantial nerve damage and been given a block.''
Ringwelski took him home with her to die. "I was going to have him euthanized, but the clinic was closed that weekend,'' she said. She had no choice but to make the horse as comfortable as possible, feed him and provide shelter until the clinic reopened.
"I took him home,'' she said. "In those two days his appetite perked up and the light started to come back into his eyes.''
His name is Scottie. He has two knee chips and some atrophy in his hind quarters, but now, two years later, he has become a dependable riding horse for Ringwelski's daughter, Daria, 11.
Scottie, unwanted and left to wither, is one of several horses rehabilitated and trained to a new life by Ringwelski and the Minnesota Retired Racehorse Project.
The nonprofit organization _ formed by Ringwelski and Dr. Jennifer Selvig _ finds homes for horses retiring from racing. Coleen Foley is secretary and publicity agent for the organization, frequently mistaken for a rescue group.
Scottie's story might promote that very idea, but Ringwelski says "we are not a rescue organization. We're a placement program. We do rehabilitation and promotion for retired racehorses.''
Many horses simply need a home. Others take only a short time to adjust, physically and otherwise.
Selvig and Ringwelski will put on an educational seminar Saturday morning in the grandstand after a tour of the backside. They expect to accommodate 50 persons or more. What they try to do is educate would-be horse owners on the issues associated with adopting a retired racehorse. They are also trying to get the word out to trainers about their group and how they help find homes for horses being retired from the racetrack.
"It's a seminar on retraining racehorses,'' Selvig explained, "how to deal with them, what to look for, potential problems with their training and behavior.''
Retired racehorses go through a transitional period after quitting racing. They lose muscle and weight. "It's a normal response for an athletic horse,'' Selvig said. "It takes a while for them to get back to their glossy, beautiful selves. They lose muscle but need time to get some of their fat back.''
MRRP generally investigates potential owners before placing horses with them. "We try to do an on-site check of their facility or at least get pictures of it. We want to make sure they know what they're getting into,'' Selvig said.
Some horses make an easy transition to "civilian" life. Others take time.
"We've had horses that were trail-riding a week after they left the track,'' said Ringwelski. "Granted, that's not always the case. Some have to be placed with people who have experience with horses.''
Ringwelski has been placing horses on her own for a decade or more.
With MRRP now in place at Canterbury, she hopes to place even more. She has four horses at her farm in Webster ready for adoption. MRRP has been given two stalls at Canterbury, with the possibility of more as the meet winds down, where they can keep horses donated by trainers during the transition period.
"We try to help trainers and owners find new owners for their retired racehorses,'' Selvig said. Sometimes trainers donate the horses. Other times MRRP facilitates a sale. "The horses we get generally will cost a buyer $1,000 or less,'' Selvig added.
Many of the costs incurred during the transition period, feed, medicine etc, are borne by Selvig and Ringwelski themselves. MRRP is in constant need of donations, monetary or otherwise _ feed etc.
Selvig frequently assists in the transition process by taking x-rays when necessary and evaluating the animals for potential medical problems. She then tries to educate a new owner on the best way to rehabilitate the horse.
Not every horse winds up in Scottie's condition. In fact, the MRRP tries to prevent such
occurrences, to find retired horses a home before they fall through the cracks as Scottie did.
(Additonal information is available on the organization's website at www.mnrrp.com.)
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Gleason Makes A Stopover At Canterbury
by JIM WELLS
A stranger walked into Tim Gleason’s barn Wednesday morning and, within two or three minutes, had a fresh cup of coffee in his hands.
Gleason’s from the old school of horsemanship. A native of Dodge City, Kan., he’s been training horses for four decades. He started out in the Kansas bushes and then worked his way to New Mexico, Colorado and, of course, Nebraska. Gleason,64, spent several seasons at Aksarben Race Track, the jewel of Nebraska at one time. He’s raced in Oklahoma and Arkansas, too.
He’s been a regular at Prairie Meadows in Iowa the last several seasons,and occasionally ventured to Shakopee to run horses in various races but had never brought his stable here _ until now.
He’s been at Canterbury Park for several days with 20 horses. A bit late in the season to be switching sites with so little time left in the Canterbury meet, one might conclude.
There is an explanation.
Prairie Meadows shooed out its thoroughbred trainers to make room for arriving horses for the track’s quarter horse meet. Gleason plans to move his stable to Turf Paradise in Phoenix for its upcoming meet, but he can’t get in there until Sept. 7.
Canterbury offered the perfect solution, a place to hang out for August and run his horses at the same time.
Perfect solution?
Well, something south, rather than north, of Altoona, Iowa, might have worked better since he’s headed to the Southwest in the next couple of weeks.
But Gleason plans to make do while he’s here. He’s already run a couple of horses and has one entered on Friday and two on Saturday’s card.
ANOTHER CANCHARI LOOKS TO RIDE
The stable area is nothing new to 19-year-old Patrick Canchari. He’s worked off and on in Troy Bethke’s barn for the last four or five years.
At one time, he visited the area as a youngster, with his dad, who was a familiar figure in Canterbury’s early years, a rider known as Louie the Glove.
Louie came to the U.S. from Peru and in the last few years has imported some good riders from his native country. But Louie is a Minnesotan and has been for many years. He married a Minnesota girl. Patrick attended Shakopee High School. His brother Alex,16, is there now. They have a sister working on her masters degree at Minnesota State University Mankato.
Patrick is Minnesotan enough that he played hockey for Shakopee’s Sabres.
“They always thought I was too skinny,’’ he said. Patrick was on the Sabres varsity as a senior but broke an ankle. Besides, the call of the racetrack was always right there.
Louie sent Patrick to Lima, Peru, last year to work for trainer Arturo Morales. Now, Patrick is about to test his mettle in another aspect of racing.
He hopes to get his apprentice license and ride his first race on Canterbury’s final weekend.
Sunday, August 15, 2010
News and Notes
RIVERA CLOSING IN ON GOAL
BY JIM WELLS
Take your pick for the hottest horseman at Canterbury this weekend. It ended on an upbeat note for Seth Martinez, Juan Rivera and Ry Eilkeberry among the riders.
Trainers Clay Brinson and Red Rarick did all right for themselves, too.
Rivera, who rode two winners on Thursday’s card and one on Friday’s, added two more wins on Sunday, with Luvin Geroge in the second race and Nokomis, who paid $24,20, in the eighth.
“I had a good weekend and I’m having a good meet,’’ said Rivera.
Rivera won at least 40 races his first four seasons at Canterbury and then slipped to 33 last year.
“Now I have a chance to reach 40 again,’’ he said.
Indeed.
He has 35 wins with eight days of racing remaining.
Martinez, who won three races on Saturday’s card, won the first race on Sunday’s card aboard No Baggage, a three-year-old filly trained by Megan Miller. All three of his wins Saturday came on Brinson-trained horses. Brinson added another win on Sunday’s card in the fifth race with Carnera, a seven-year-old gelding by Old Trieste.
Red Rarick saddled two winners, Luvin George and Academy of Music in the sixth
Eilkeberry rode Carnera and Academy of Music for two thoroughbred wins and also won the only quarter horse race on the card aboard Elegant N Royal, trained by Ed Ross Hardy.
Hot or not hot, however, the rider to catch is still defending champion Dean Butler, who has 58 wins, 12 more than Eilkeberry and 13 more than Derek Bell.
BROWNER TACKLES ILLITERACY
Former Minnesota Vikings strong safety Joey Browner hosted a get-together in the track’s presidential suite on Sunday to help launch his foundation, dedicated to helping youngsters who might be left behind get a head start.
Browner’s foundation will purchase software and donate it to camps for youngsters around the state. The software is designed to help preschoolers learn to read before kindergarten and K 1-12 students hone their math and reading skills.
Browner was pleased with Sunday’s turnout of 50 people, who got lunch as part of a donation to the foundation.
*************************
Each of Sunday’s eight thoroughbred races bore the name of a former Minnesota Viking, a reference to the team or the National Football League. The card opened with the John Randle Dash, a timely tip of the hat to the team’s newest member of the NFL Hall of Fame.
Race two was called the Viking Alumni Mile. Then came the No Moe Single. Throw that one around the dinner table as part of a trivia discussion.
Race four was named after another Viking Hall of Famer _ The Randall McDaniel Derby, and race five honored a “classic” former coach with The Jerry Burns Classic.
Race six was The NFL Players Association Mile. Race seven was the 50th Anniversary Dash, a reference, of course, to the anniversary this year of the arrival of pro football in Minnesota.
The thoroughbred card wound up with the Joey Browner Foundation Sprint.
AN OLD GAME WITH A NEW TWIST
Ever played the quarter horse game?
Well, the bulky game is a thing of the past. Scott Meyer had a newer version of the “old” game on display near the gift shop during Sunday’s races.
The game is made entirely in Minnesota and is constructed of Minnesota ash. The board itself is hinged and folds, enclosing the deck of cards, dice and horses that are used.
There is a laser design of horses on the board. “All of the laser etching is done by Tim Pawelk of Buffalo,’’ Scott said. “He did the laser etching at Target Field.’’
Meyer and his brother, Dave, assemble the product in Inver Grove Heights. They sell for $50 in the Canterbury gift shop. More information is available at http://www.quarterhorseracinggame.com/.
BY JIM WELLS
Take your pick for the hottest horseman at Canterbury this weekend. It ended on an upbeat note for Seth Martinez, Juan Rivera and Ry Eilkeberry among the riders.
Trainers Clay Brinson and Red Rarick did all right for themselves, too.
Rivera, who rode two winners on Thursday’s card and one on Friday’s, added two more wins on Sunday, with Luvin Geroge in the second race and Nokomis, who paid $24,20, in the eighth.
“I had a good weekend and I’m having a good meet,’’ said Rivera.
Rivera won at least 40 races his first four seasons at Canterbury and then slipped to 33 last year.
“Now I have a chance to reach 40 again,’’ he said.
Indeed.
He has 35 wins with eight days of racing remaining.
Martinez, who won three races on Saturday’s card, won the first race on Sunday’s card aboard No Baggage, a three-year-old filly trained by Megan Miller. All three of his wins Saturday came on Brinson-trained horses. Brinson added another win on Sunday’s card in the fifth race with Carnera, a seven-year-old gelding by Old Trieste.
Red Rarick saddled two winners, Luvin George and Academy of Music in the sixth
Eilkeberry rode Carnera and Academy of Music for two thoroughbred wins and also won the only quarter horse race on the card aboard Elegant N Royal, trained by Ed Ross Hardy.
Hot or not hot, however, the rider to catch is still defending champion Dean Butler, who has 58 wins, 12 more than Eilkeberry and 13 more than Derek Bell.
BROWNER TACKLES ILLITERACY
Former Minnesota Vikings strong safety Joey Browner hosted a get-together in the track’s presidential suite on Sunday to help launch his foundation, dedicated to helping youngsters who might be left behind get a head start.
Browner’s foundation will purchase software and donate it to camps for youngsters around the state. The software is designed to help preschoolers learn to read before kindergarten and K 1-12 students hone their math and reading skills.
Browner was pleased with Sunday’s turnout of 50 people, who got lunch as part of a donation to the foundation.
*************************
Each of Sunday’s eight thoroughbred races bore the name of a former Minnesota Viking, a reference to the team or the National Football League. The card opened with the John Randle Dash, a timely tip of the hat to the team’s newest member of the NFL Hall of Fame.
Race two was called the Viking Alumni Mile. Then came the No Moe Single. Throw that one around the dinner table as part of a trivia discussion.
Race four was named after another Viking Hall of Famer _ The Randall McDaniel Derby, and race five honored a “classic” former coach with The Jerry Burns Classic.
Race six was The NFL Players Association Mile. Race seven was the 50th Anniversary Dash, a reference, of course, to the anniversary this year of the arrival of pro football in Minnesota.
The thoroughbred card wound up with the Joey Browner Foundation Sprint.
AN OLD GAME WITH A NEW TWIST
Ever played the quarter horse game?
Well, the bulky game is a thing of the past. Scott Meyer had a newer version of the “old” game on display near the gift shop during Sunday’s races.
The game is made entirely in Minnesota and is constructed of Minnesota ash. The board itself is hinged and folds, enclosing the deck of cards, dice and horses that are used.
There is a laser design of horses on the board. “All of the laser etching is done by Tim Pawelk of Buffalo,’’ Scott said. “He did the laser etching at Target Field.’’
Meyer and his brother, Dave, assemble the product in Inver Grove Heights. They sell for $50 in the Canterbury gift shop. More information is available at http://www.quarterhorseracinggame.com/.
Elegant N Royal wins $22,650 Northern Plains Futurity with Eikleberry aboard.
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Racino Now Hot Issue of the Day
By JIM WELLS
Former state senator Dick Day referred to a legislature replete with representatives of the people who are “on the take.’’
The reference, of course, was to elected officials more responsive to lobbyists for the state’s Indian casinos than to the individuals who elected them.Day also stressed the importance of the $200 million a Racino at Canterbury Park will generate each year, money for education, a new stadium for the Minnesota Vikings, the creation of jobs, income and revenu
e for the state.
It was Racino Day at Canterbury Park on Saturday, and there was evidence of the topic anywhere one cared to look.Day, representatives Mike Beard of District 35A and Mark Buesgens of 35B and state senator Claire Robling of District 35 also spoke briefly on the subject after Day’s introduction.
“Ask candidates in your area where they stand on this issue,’’ said Robling. “This is something we must have for people engaged in racing, to help this industry grow. We need people to support this.’’The general theme of the day was that “Good ideas take time to happen, and that the time for a racino at Canterbury has come.’’
“Jobs, jobs and more jobs,’’ said Day. “That’s what this means.’’Throughout the grandstand t-shirts were given out bearing the logo “Racino Now’’ in exchange for a pledge to support the issue.Day, as he has at various times this summer, was present at a stand at the grandstand entrance offering information on the issue. Day resigned from the state senate to lead Racino Now, a project dedicated to passage of racino legislation.Brochures were available providing details on racino legislation, what it has done for job creation and tax revenues in states where it is part of the racing scene.
The horse industry, breeding and sales, would benefit throughout the state as a result of enhanced purses.Here’s what the a racino would offer, as outlined in Racino Now’s brochure:
*It would generate $200 million every budget cycle in tax revenue for Minnesota.
*The state would benefit from tax revenue on casino gaming at Canterbury, unlike the situation with Indian casinos where none is generated.
*Racinos in 12 states contributed $2.59 billion to state and local governments in communities where they operate.
*A casino at Canterbury would require no state investment.
*80 percent of Minnesotans favor a racino at Canterbury.
BIG DAY FOR MARTINEZ, ROBERTSON
Class E Holiday, a two-year-old filly by Harlan’s Holiday started it off, winning the second race on the card, a 5 ½ furlong affair for two-year-old maidens.
Then, Taconite, a five-year-old gelding by Devil His Due, came through in race four, a six-furlong dash for Minnesota-bred three-year-olds and older.Sandys Shineyshoes was next, in race five, a 5 ½ furlong dash for maiden claimers three to five years old. All three horses were ridden by Seth Martinez and trained by Mac Robertson, who retook the lead in the trainer’s race. He has 35 wins to Bernell Rhone’s 33.
*Trainer Clay Brinson saddled the winners of the late daily double. Dean Butler, the jockey leader, rode Green Secret, winner of a 7 ½ furlong sprint on the grass in race seven.Adolfo Morales was on Counter Acting, a three-year-old filly by Regent Act, in the last race, for maiden claimers three-to-five years old, at 5 ½ furlongs.
Former state senator Dick Day referred to a legislature replete with representatives of the people who are “on the take.’’
The reference, of course, was to elected officials more responsive to lobbyists for the state’s Indian casinos than to the individuals who elected them.Day also stressed the importance of the $200 million a Racino at Canterbury Park will generate each year, money for education, a new stadium for the Minnesota Vikings, the creation of jobs, income and revenu
e for the state.It was Racino Day at Canterbury Park on Saturday, and there was evidence of the topic anywhere one cared to look.Day, representatives Mike Beard of District 35A and Mark Buesgens of 35B and state senator Claire Robling of District 35 also spoke briefly on the subject after Day’s introduction.
“Ask candidates in your area where they stand on this issue,’’ said Robling. “This is something we must have for people engaged in racing, to help this industry grow. We need people to support this.’’The general theme of the day was that “Good ideas take time to happen, and that the time for a racino at Canterbury has come.’’
“Jobs, jobs and more jobs,’’ said Day. “That’s what this means.’’Throughout the grandstand t-shirts were given out bearing the logo “Racino Now’’ in exchange for a pledge to support the issue.Day, as he has at various times this summer, was present at a stand at the grandstand entrance offering information on the issue. Day resigned from the state senate to lead Racino Now, a project dedicated to passage of racino legislation.Brochures were available providing details on racino legislation, what it has done for job creation and tax revenues in states where it is part of the racing scene.
The horse industry, breeding and sales, would benefit throughout the state as a result of enhanced purses.Here’s what the a racino would offer, as outlined in Racino Now’s brochure:
*It would generate $200 million every budget cycle in tax revenue for Minnesota.
*The state would benefit from tax revenue on casino gaming at Canterbury, unlike the situation with Indian casinos where none is generated.
*Racinos in 12 states contributed $2.59 billion to state and local governments in communities where they operate.
*A casino at Canterbury would require no state investment.
*80 percent of Minnesotans favor a racino at Canterbury.
BIG DAY FOR MARTINEZ, ROBERTSON
Class E Holiday, a two-year-old filly by Harlan’s Holiday started it off, winning the second race on the card, a 5 ½ furlong affair for two-year-old maidens.
Then, Taconite, a five-year-old gelding by Devil His Due, came through in race four, a six-furlong dash for Minnesota-bred three-year-olds and older.Sandys Shineyshoes was next, in race five, a 5 ½ furlong dash for maiden claimers three to five years old. All three horses were ridden by Seth Martinez and trained by Mac Robertson, who retook the lead in the trainer’s race. He has 35 wins to Bernell Rhone’s 33.
*Trainer Clay Brinson saddled the winners of the late daily double. Dean Butler, the jockey leader, rode Green Secret, winner of a 7 ½ furlong sprint on the grass in race seven.Adolfo Morales was on Counter Acting, a three-year-old filly by Regent Act, in the last race, for maiden claimers three-to-five years old, at 5 ½ furlongs.
Baze Nears 11,000 Wins
Jockey Russell A. Baze is approaching a personal milestone of 11,000 all time wins. Through racing yesterday, August 13, Baze was at 10,999 wins. He has six scheduled mounts for today at Santa Rosa.
Bet Santa Rosa todat at Canterbury Park.
Bet Santa Rosa todat at Canterbury Park.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Shepherd Puts HIs Best Foot Forward
by JIM WELLS
Dusty Shepherd had to work a horse Wednesday morning so he borrowed a pair of boots a couple sizes larger than he normally wears.
He's still healing from a staph infection that left the upper front part of one foot raw and painful, so Mike Luark's loose-fitting boots were a lifesaver.
"I told him he looked like Ichabod Crane,'' said Barb Noll, Shepherd's agent.
Shepherd has been limping around the racetrack for the last couple of weeks. He assumed originally that he had a broken bone in his foot but later discovered it was an infection. He had broken the blood vessels on the top of the foot and the wound became infected.
Shepherd was injured in a gate accident on July 29 when his horse flipped. . He felt just fine once in the saddle afterwards, but walking any distance was painful. His boot rubbed against the top of the foot, where it was injured, and grew more painful with each passing day.
"I'm OK once I'm on a horse,'' he said last weekend. "It's that walk from the jocks' room that is so painful.''
He suggested at one point that someone take him to the paddock in a wheelchair because he'd be just fine once mounted. A paddock official, upon hearing the suggestion, remarked: "Can't you just see a trainer or owner seeing the rider of their horse pull up in a wheelchair.''
Shepherd tried off and on to ride, with limited success, after the accident. But he was determined to ride in Canada on Aug. 2.
He drove all night to reach Assiniboia Downs Sunday night, promising trainer Nevada Liftin he would be there.
"I ran into him early that morning in the track kitchen. He was dressed in a sport coat and said he had driven 7 1/2 hours to get there,'' said Liftin. "I assume he went right to the jocks' room and went to sleep, but he's a real professional.''
Shepherd's hip was out of place after the gate incident as well, but it apparently popped back into place while he was riding a couple of days later.
"Can't you just imagine. The little so-and-so drove up to Canada all by himself,'' Noll added.
Liftin had other riders available if Shepherd wasn't able to ride. Eddie Martin, Jr. and Ry Eilkeberry were there with mounts in other races. Both were available.
Shepherd put off getting his foot x-rayed, as recommended by Canterbury medics, until after the race in Canada, a $30,000 stakes for two-year-old fillies. He won the race on Paris By Night, who had broken her maiden at Canterbury and is now two-for-two, and then returned to Shakopee.
WATER, WATER EVERYWHERE
You had to be able to walk on water to reach the chapel Wednesday morning.
Or, have a pair of waders.
The deluge that hit Canterbury Park on Tuesday morning and again that night left standing water at various locations around the track. The drainage tanks throughout the grounds were filled to capacity so they simply backed up into surrounding areas.
That left standing water on the north and west sides of the general parking area outside the racing office, water that reached all the way up the walk area to the chapel front door.
The drainage pond immediately to the north of the Dean Kutz Memorial Chapel and the racing office was full. You had to walk around standing water to reach the horsemen's viewing stand next to the track.
The thunderstorm hit so hard on Tuesday morning that water penetrated the stalls in some barns, driven through the doorways by the wind. "It was driving so hard you couldn't see the grandstand,'' said trainer Troy Bethke.
"This has been a terrible summer. My papers all curl and my hair goes straight,'' said Peggy Davis, clerk of course and placing judge.''
Davis had a suggestion for dealing with the recent deluge.
"We need seahorses around here,'' she said.
The grandstand was hit hard in certain areas, too. Water had to be mopped up throughout the turf club and in certain other areas on the third floor, keeping maintenance crew _ even some of the electricians were recruited to bail water _ busy throughout the day.
"It was impossible to get a toilet fixed on the backside yesterday,'' said stall superintendent Mark Stancato.
Dusty Shepherd had to work a horse Wednesday morning so he borrowed a pair of boots a couple sizes larger than he normally wears.
He's still healing from a staph infection that left the upper front part of one foot raw and painful, so Mike Luark's loose-fitting boots were a lifesaver.
"I told him he looked like Ichabod Crane,'' said Barb Noll, Shepherd's agent.
Shepherd has been limping around the racetrack for the last couple of weeks. He assumed originally that he had a broken bone in his foot but later discovered it was an infection. He had broken the blood vessels on the top of the foot and the wound became infected.
Shepherd was injured in a gate accident on July 29 when his horse flipped. . He felt just fine once in the saddle afterwards, but walking any distance was painful. His boot rubbed against the top of the foot, where it was injured, and grew more painful with each passing day.
"I'm OK once I'm on a horse,'' he said last weekend. "It's that walk from the jocks' room that is so painful.''
He suggested at one point that someone take him to the paddock in a wheelchair because he'd be just fine once mounted. A paddock official, upon hearing the suggestion, remarked: "Can't you just see a trainer or owner seeing the rider of their horse pull up in a wheelchair.''
Shepherd tried off and on to ride, with limited success, after the accident. But he was determined to ride in Canada on Aug. 2.
He drove all night to reach Assiniboia Downs Sunday night, promising trainer Nevada Liftin he would be there.
"I ran into him early that morning in the track kitchen. He was dressed in a sport coat and said he had driven 7 1/2 hours to get there,'' said Liftin. "I assume he went right to the jocks' room and went to sleep, but he's a real professional.''
Shepherd's hip was out of place after the gate incident as well, but it apparently popped back into place while he was riding a couple of days later.
"Can't you just imagine. The little so-and-so drove up to Canada all by himself,'' Noll added.
Liftin had other riders available if Shepherd wasn't able to ride. Eddie Martin, Jr. and Ry Eilkeberry were there with mounts in other races. Both were available.
Shepherd put off getting his foot x-rayed, as recommended by Canterbury medics, until after the race in Canada, a $30,000 stakes for two-year-old fillies. He won the race on Paris By Night, who had broken her maiden at Canterbury and is now two-for-two, and then returned to Shakopee.
WATER, WATER EVERYWHERE
You had to be able to walk on water to reach the chapel Wednesday morning.
Or, have a pair of waders.
The deluge that hit Canterbury Park on Tuesday morning and again that night left standing water at various locations around the track. The drainage tanks throughout the grounds were filled to capacity so they simply backed up into surrounding areas.
That left standing water on the north and west sides of the general parking area outside the racing office, water that reached all the way up the walk area to the chapel front door.
The drainage pond immediately to the north of the Dean Kutz Memorial Chapel and the racing office was full. You had to walk around standing water to reach the horsemen's viewing stand next to the track.
The thunderstorm hit so hard on Tuesday morning that water penetrated the stalls in some barns, driven through the doorways by the wind. "It was driving so hard you couldn't see the grandstand,'' said trainer Troy Bethke.
"This has been a terrible summer. My papers all curl and my hair goes straight,'' said Peggy Davis, clerk of course and placing judge.''
Davis had a suggestion for dealing with the recent deluge.
"We need seahorses around here,'' she said.
The grandstand was hit hard in certain areas, too. Water had to be mopped up throughout the turf club and in certain other areas on the third floor, keeping maintenance crew _ even some of the electricians were recruited to bail water _ busy throughout the day.
"It was impossible to get a toilet fixed on the backside yesterday,'' said stall superintendent Mark Stancato.
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Heza Wild Guy A Triumphant Old Guy
by JIM WELLS
Strike one up for the geriatric set, the pensioners, the old-timers in racing stables everywhere. Some of them refuse to give in to age and just keep running despite their years.
At an age when most of his contemporaries are rollicking in pastures, providing a ride for the local police department or waiting for the van with the mares to arrive, Heza Wild Guy is still showing the youngsters how to get it done.
On the racetrack.
Take Sunday in the $50,000 John Bullit Stakes, a turf event at about a mile and 1/16, for the latest evidence, before the largest crowd of the season, 17,257, on hand for Extreme Day, featuring racing camels and ostriches.
Heza Wild Guy, the old guy with the youngster Ry Eilkeberry in the irons, showed the young competition that age is not a factor in his case. This demonstration was gate to wire.
The nine-year-old gelded son of Wild Event got the fractions he wanted, the ride he needed and the wire at the right time for a half-length victory over Kaddish and Derek Bell, who were trying to force the issue in the final strides.
But as Kaddish dug in, Heza Wild Guy dug deep and got there first. “I was on a game one all right,’’ said Eilkeberry.
Trainer Bernell Rhone saddled three horses for the race, but it was the oldest horse in the field who got it done. “He’s a darn nice old horse,’’ said Rhone.
“We had the closers if someone wanted to run with him, but no one did.’’
Nope. Look at the fractions: :50, 1:14 3/5, 1:38 and 1:44 and 1/5. Heza Wild Guy won for the 28th time in 69 career starts and pushed his career earnings to near $550,000.
He is owned by Will Carlson of St. Paul and Jerry Pint of New Prague.
Kaddish is trained by Shannon Ritter, a graduate of Tartan High School who used to ride at Canterbury but has been in the training end of the game for some time. She arrived from Chicago, where her horse ran most recently.
Kaddish finished a length in front of Purse a Dream, ridden by Lori Keith, trained by Mike Biehler and owned by Eric Olson and Emerald Bay Stables.
*A shipper from Arlington Park took on some of the local two-year-olds in the $35,000 Brian Barenscheer Stakes and proved too much for them to handle.
Ridden by Julio E. Felix and trained by Rafael Flores, Thewayitusedtobe had a commanding 9 ½ lengths on Mondovi at the wire, 10 ½ on the third-place horse, Spunkette, who set the early pace.
“He slipped a little coming out of the gate so we didn’t get the lead,’’ said Felix. “So we went to plan B.’’
Which proved more than adequate.
Thewayitusedtobe became Thewayitis at the top of the lane, moving in front by two lengths and adding to the margin with every stride.
MTA YEARLING SALE
There were 14 trailers in the main parking lot around 6:30 p.m. on Saturday. All but three of them bore Minnesota license plates. One was licensed in Iowa, another in South Dakota and the third was from Turtle Mound on the Chippewa Reservation.
Assuming each one had the purchase of a single horse at the MTA Yearling Sale in mind, three additional trailers would have been necessary to accommodate the 17 horses that sold Saturday night.
Although it wasn’t completely unexpected and reflects the general atmosphere in the horse industry right now, the result was sobering.
The 17 horses sold for $84,300 about half of last year’s total. The sale topper was hip no. 33, a colt by Werblin out of Bush Landslide, purchased for $17,000 by Wayne Simon.
“Saratoga was down 37 percent (at a recent sale),’’ said Kay King of the MTA.
There are other factors, too, related directly to the Minnesota market. “Our purse structure is not keeping up with other states that have slots,’’ King said. “There are just a lot of factors.’’
The MTA had a small incentive to help attract buyers.
“We’re trying to be innovative,’’ King added. Next year the first colt and filly to break their maidens at Canterbury in June, July and August will be awarded a $500 bonus.
CHAPEL BENEFIT
Patrons were in a buying mood at the silent auction Friday and Saturday to help pay down the remaining debt on the Dean Kutz Memorial Chapel.
Chaplain Ed Underwood said that of the approximately 80 items for sale, only four were not purchased.
“We feel it went really well,’’ he said. “The help from management was incredible. Mark Erickson and several employees came by several times to make sure we had everything we needed. They had tables set up for us with table cloths (on which to display the merchandise). One of the plumbers even stopped by to see if we needed anything. It made it an easy and pleasurable experience.’’
The auction raised approximately $5,800. Another cash donation of $2,000 earlier this month increased the totalto nearly $8,000 to apply toward the remaining debt of $32,500.
Among the items auctioned:
There was a Polaroid camera, a horse lamp, an autographed Joe Mauer bat, braided lead ropes in your choice of colors _ pink, purple or red, white and blue.
For early Christmas shoppers, there were even items for the kids, Play Doh, Mr. Potato Head, a Tonka truck.
There was a Painted Pony for collectors, this one the five-card stud horse displaying a straight flush _ in spades.
There was a picture of Grindstone in the winner’s circle after the 122nd Kentucky Derby, with rider Jerry Bailey and trainer D. Wayne Lukas clearly visible.
There were also Peb drawings of Mike Smith, Lukas, Ron Turcotte and Secretariat and Laffit Pincay, Jr.
There were even several copies of a book from Sid Hartman, written by Joel Rippel, on Greatest Minnesota Sports Moments.
A copy sold for $15. For an mere $15 additional, a buyer was entitled to a copy autographed by the man himself.
Strike one up for the geriatric set, the pensioners, the old-timers in racing stables everywhere. Some of them refuse to give in to age and just keep running despite their years.
At an age when most of his contemporaries are rollicking in pastures, providing a ride for the local police department or waiting for the van with the mares to arrive, Heza Wild Guy is still showing the youngsters how to get it done.
On the racetrack.
Take Sunday in the $50,000 John Bullit Stakes, a turf event at about a mile and 1/16, for the latest evidence, before the largest crowd of the season, 17,257, on hand for Extreme Day, featuring racing camels and ostriches.
Heza Wild Guy, the old guy with the youngster Ry Eilkeberry in the irons, showed the young competition that age is not a factor in his case. This demonstration was gate to wire.
The nine-year-old gelded son of Wild Event got the fractions he wanted, the ride he needed and the wire at the right time for a half-length victory over Kaddish and Derek Bell, who were trying to force the issue in the final strides.
But as Kaddish dug in, Heza Wild Guy dug deep and got there first. “I was on a game one all right,’’ said Eilkeberry.
Trainer Bernell Rhone saddled three horses for the race, but it was the oldest horse in the field who got it done. “He’s a darn nice old horse,’’ said Rhone.
“We had the closers if someone wanted to run with him, but no one did.’’
Nope. Look at the fractions: :50, 1:14 3/5, 1:38 and 1:44 and 1/5. Heza Wild Guy won for the 28th time in 69 career starts and pushed his career earnings to near $550,000.
He is owned by Will Carlson of St. Paul and Jerry Pint of New Prague.
Kaddish is trained by Shannon Ritter, a graduate of Tartan High School who used to ride at Canterbury but has been in the training end of the game for some time. She arrived from Chicago, where her horse ran most recently.
Kaddish finished a length in front of Purse a Dream, ridden by Lori Keith, trained by Mike Biehler and owned by Eric Olson and Emerald Bay Stables.
*A shipper from Arlington Park took on some of the local two-year-olds in the $35,000 Brian Barenscheer Stakes and proved too much for them to handle.
Ridden by Julio E. Felix and trained by Rafael Flores, Thewayitusedtobe had a commanding 9 ½ lengths on Mondovi at the wire, 10 ½ on the third-place horse, Spunkette, who set the early pace.
“He slipped a little coming out of the gate so we didn’t get the lead,’’ said Felix. “So we went to plan B.’’
Which proved more than adequate.
Thewayitusedtobe became Thewayitis at the top of the lane, moving in front by two lengths and adding to the margin with every stride.
MTA YEARLING SALE
There were 14 trailers in the main parking lot around 6:30 p.m. on Saturday. All but three of them bore Minnesota license plates. One was licensed in Iowa, another in South Dakota and the third was from Turtle Mound on the Chippewa Reservation.
Assuming each one had the purchase of a single horse at the MTA Yearling Sale in mind, three additional trailers would have been necessary to accommodate the 17 horses that sold Saturday night.
Although it wasn’t completely unexpected and reflects the general atmosphere in the horse industry right now, the result was sobering.
The 17 horses sold for $84,300 about half of last year’s total. The sale topper was hip no. 33, a colt by Werblin out of Bush Landslide, purchased for $17,000 by Wayne Simon.
“Saratoga was down 37 percent (at a recent sale),’’ said Kay King of the MTA.
There are other factors, too, related directly to the Minnesota market. “Our purse structure is not keeping up with other states that have slots,’’ King said. “There are just a lot of factors.’’
The MTA had a small incentive to help attract buyers.
“We’re trying to be innovative,’’ King added. Next year the first colt and filly to break their maidens at Canterbury in June, July and August will be awarded a $500 bonus.
CHAPEL BENEFIT
Patrons were in a buying mood at the silent auction Friday and Saturday to help pay down the remaining debt on the Dean Kutz Memorial Chapel.
Chaplain Ed Underwood said that of the approximately 80 items for sale, only four were not purchased.
“We feel it went really well,’’ he said. “The help from management was incredible. Mark Erickson and several employees came by several times to make sure we had everything we needed. They had tables set up for us with table cloths (on which to display the merchandise). One of the plumbers even stopped by to see if we needed anything. It made it an easy and pleasurable experience.’’
The auction raised approximately $5,800. Another cash donation of $2,000 earlier this month increased the totalto nearly $8,000 to apply toward the remaining debt of $32,500.
Among the items auctioned:
There was a Polaroid camera, a horse lamp, an autographed Joe Mauer bat, braided lead ropes in your choice of colors _ pink, purple or red, white and blue.
For early Christmas shoppers, there were even items for the kids, Play Doh, Mr. Potato Head, a Tonka truck.
There was a Painted Pony for collectors, this one the five-card stud horse displaying a straight flush _ in spades.
There was a picture of Grindstone in the winner’s circle after the 122nd Kentucky Derby, with rider Jerry Bailey and trainer D. Wayne Lukas clearly visible.
There were also Peb drawings of Mike Smith, Lukas, Ron Turcotte and Secretariat and Laffit Pincay, Jr.
There were even several copies of a book from Sid Hartman, written by Joel Rippel, on Greatest Minnesota Sports Moments.
A copy sold for $15. For an mere $15 additional, a buyer was entitled to a copy autographed by the man himself.
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Stevens Two Months Away?
By JIM WELLS
Shortly before the riders headed to the paddock for the first race on July 2, they sat in on a safety seminar.
Part of what was discussed included Canterbury Park’s ability to respond to a major accident, a life-threatening situation on the track.
Later that evening, Scott Stevens, Paul Nolan and Don Proctor were injured in the worst spill in track history. Stevens was hurt badly enough that a helicopter was used to airlift him to a hospital. That was a first at Canterbury, but the quick reaction and decision to use a helicopter were credited with saving his life.
He had broken ribs, punctured lungs, a spleen injury in addition to other contusions and possible breaks.
Saturday, Stevens said that if all goes well, doctors have told him he can get back on a horse in two months.
“That would be just about the time that Turf Paradise (in Phoenix) starts its meet,’’ Stevens said.
Indeed it would. Turf’s meet runs from Oct. 1 to May 8.
Stevens does have additional doctor visits and checkups scheduled before a definitive decision can be made.
Meanwhile, he can be found around the track or backside most days,
Saturday ‘s fourth race presented a unique viewing opportunity for Stevens. The lineup included three grays _ Silver Wilbur, Quintons Speedy and Arena Negra _ that he had won races on at one time or another.
None of the three made it to the winner’s circle on Saturday, though. A P Dreamer, ridden by Seth Martinez, finished in front of The Quinnster and Arena Negra.
SATURDAY TIDBITS
Longshots spiced up the proceedings for a light fan turnout.
Bauble Boy, trained by Bernell Rhone, owned and bred by Jim Sterriker and ridden by Gus Rincon, upset the field in race three at 12-1.
The longpriced winner of the day came in race five when Case in Point, ridden by Adolfo Morales and trained and owned by David Applebee, upset a field of eight $7,500 claimers at about 7 ½ furlongs on the grass and, at 18-1, paid a whopping $39.60.
Juan Rivera made another trip to the winner’s circle aboard a four-year-old filly named Minnetonka Melody, trained by David Van Winkle and owned by Susan Nicol and Bona Fortuna, Ltd. The Pleasant Tap filly upset the field in race seven at 12-1.
Shortly before the riders headed to the paddock for the first race on July 2, they sat in on a safety seminar.
Part of what was discussed included Canterbury Park’s ability to respond to a major accident, a life-threatening situation on the track.
Later that evening, Scott Stevens, Paul Nolan and Don Proctor were injured in the worst spill in track history. Stevens was hurt badly enough that a helicopter was used to airlift him to a hospital. That was a first at Canterbury, but the quick reaction and decision to use a helicopter were credited with saving his life.
He had broken ribs, punctured lungs, a spleen injury in addition to other contusions and possible breaks.
Saturday, Stevens said that if all goes well, doctors have told him he can get back on a horse in two months.
“That would be just about the time that Turf Paradise (in Phoenix) starts its meet,’’ Stevens said.
Indeed it would. Turf’s meet runs from Oct. 1 to May 8.
Stevens does have additional doctor visits and checkups scheduled before a definitive decision can be made.
Meanwhile, he can be found around the track or backside most days,
Saturday ‘s fourth race presented a unique viewing opportunity for Stevens. The lineup included three grays _ Silver Wilbur, Quintons Speedy and Arena Negra _ that he had won races on at one time or another.
None of the three made it to the winner’s circle on Saturday, though. A P Dreamer, ridden by Seth Martinez, finished in front of The Quinnster and Arena Negra.
SATURDAY TIDBITS
Longshots spiced up the proceedings for a light fan turnout.
Bauble Boy, trained by Bernell Rhone, owned and bred by Jim Sterriker and ridden by Gus Rincon, upset the field in race three at 12-1.
The longpriced winner of the day came in race five when Case in Point, ridden by Adolfo Morales and trained and owned by David Applebee, upset a field of eight $7,500 claimers at about 7 ½ furlongs on the grass and, at 18-1, paid a whopping $39.60.
Juan Rivera made another trip to the winner’s circle aboard a four-year-old filly named Minnetonka Melody, trained by David Van Winkle and owned by Susan Nicol and Bona Fortuna, Ltd. The Pleasant Tap filly upset the field in race seven at 12-1.
Friday, August 6, 2010
Jockeys Express Their Gratitude
There was a $5 check from a 10-year-old girl in Ohio, everything she could spare for a donation to the benefit fund.
There were the priceless hand-made miniature tack boxes, decorated with pictures of horses and various other wildlife made in their grandfather's woodworking shop by Olivia, 7, and Scottie Bethke, 10, one for each of the injured jockeys, Don Proctor, Paul Nolan and Scott Stevens.
Of course, none of it might have happened without the brainstorm from Kendall Van Winkle, 10, who came up with the idea of a benefit and got it rolling with the help of sister Taylor, 12, and their friend, Courtney Padilla, 12.
Jockey agent Richard Grunder picked up the idea and ran with it, arranging a spaghetti benefit and silent auction. The annual Don MacBeth Jockey Fund benefited from local publicity about the plight of the three Canterbury riders at the time and attracted record giving. Other events followed.
Stevens, Nolan and Proctor each expressed his heartfelt thanks in different ways to the track personnel, management, riders, trainers, fans and everyone else who participated in the drive to raise funds for them in their time of need.
"Fans, people we've never met, stop us in the stands and ask how we're doing. I still start to tear up when I talk about some of these things,'' Nolan said.
Proctor was overwhelmed at the notion that it was Kendall who came up with the idea. She babysits his twin toddlers. "She's very special,'' he said. "This was her idea.''
Stevens was hurt worst of all in the spill but is up and around and even making daily appearances at the track or the backside.
"We just want to thank all the trainers, riders, fans and everyone,'' Stevens said. "There's so many people that we don't want to forget someone. "So, we thank anyone who was part of all this.''
There were the priceless hand-made miniature tack boxes, decorated with pictures of horses and various other wildlife made in their grandfather's woodworking shop by Olivia, 7, and Scottie Bethke, 10, one for each of the injured jockeys, Don Proctor, Paul Nolan and Scott Stevens.
Of course, none of it might have happened without the brainstorm from Kendall Van Winkle, 10, who came up with the idea of a benefit and got it rolling with the help of sister Taylor, 12, and their friend, Courtney Padilla, 12.
Jockey agent Richard Grunder picked up the idea and ran with it, arranging a spaghetti benefit and silent auction. The annual Don MacBeth Jockey Fund benefited from local publicity about the plight of the three Canterbury riders at the time and attracted record giving. Other events followed.
Stevens, Nolan and Proctor each expressed his heartfelt thanks in different ways to the track personnel, management, riders, trainers, fans and everyone else who participated in the drive to raise funds for them in their time of need.
"Fans, people we've never met, stop us in the stands and ask how we're doing. I still start to tear up when I talk about some of these things,'' Nolan said.
Proctor was overwhelmed at the notion that it was Kendall who came up with the idea. She babysits his twin toddlers. "She's very special,'' he said. "This was her idea.''
Stevens was hurt worst of all in the spill but is up and around and even making daily appearances at the track or the backside.
"We just want to thank all the trainers, riders, fans and everyone,'' Stevens said. "There's so many people that we don't want to forget someone. "So, we thank anyone who was part of all this.''
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Leggett Benefit To Include Live Music
by JIM WELLS
Tad Leggett was scheduled off his ventilator for 10 hours on Wednesday, one more step in the rehabilitation process he is undergoing at Craig Hospital in Englewood, Colo., the renown center for treating people with spinal cord and traumatic brain injury.
Leggett, 45, a four-time quarter horse riding champion at Canterbury Park and the all-time money winner, was injured severely in a spill at Fair Meadows at Tulsa on June 30. He underwent a nine-hour spinal surgery on July 2 and has been recovering since. He is still unable to walk or function normally with his hands and arms and is still learning to breathe on his own.
"He's on a ventilation weaning program,'' said Leggett's daughter, Tiffany, who works in the horsemen's book-keeping office at Canterbury. "They were taking him off for an hour three times a day and now they'll try with 10 hours.''
Tiffany said that she talked to her father by phone a week ago during one of his ventilator-free hours. "He sounded pretty much like himself,'' she said. "You would have almost thought everything was normal.''
Tiffany said that during the conversation her father referred to a a gray horse he had recently acquired that his son Travis, 16, has taken a liking to. "Tell Travis not to get too attached to that gray horse,'' her father told her. "He's mine.''
The Craig center has specific programs for people with spinal cord injury. Tiffany said that the plan eventually is for her father to work on regaining his ability to walk.
In the meantime, the bills and expenses continue to accumulate. Sunday, Arizona's at the Canterbury Inn will sponsor a benefit and fundraiser on Leggett's behalf. Tickets at $10 apiece entitle a patron to a barbecue pork sandwich plate from 6:30 to 8 p.m. The Fanatics band will play from 8 p.m. to closing.
Tickets are available from trainer Jerry Livingston, in the horsemen's book-keeping office and from various other trainers at Canterbury.
The Leggetts are from Bandera, Texas, a small town an hour from San Antonio. Tiffany plans to return to college at Adams State in Alamosa, Colo., after the Canterbury meet ends. Her brothers Travis and Trevor, 11, are staying with their dad's brother, Mark, in Logan, Kan.
"They've already hauled their horses up there,'' Tiffany said, "so they can do their roping while they go to school there this year.''
Meanwhile, Tad's wife, Tina, is staying near the rehabilitation center in Colorado.
"Sometimes people ask me how my mom is doing,'' Tiffany said, "and I don't know what to say. She's very strong, just rock solid.''
CHAPEL BENEFIT
A silent auction is planned for Friday night and Saturday during the races with proceeds earmarked to help reduce remaining debt on the Dean Kutz Memorial Chapel in the stable area.
The auction will take place at the usual location, just inside the main doors to the grandstand. Among the items up for bid are signed drawings by renown Daily Racing Form artist Peb in addition to other framed artwork.
Chaplain Ed Underwood said other items include some Claiming Crown polo-style shirts, braided lead ropes, wine baskets and Pat Day t-shirts. Anyone who makes a $10 donation will get a t-shirt.
A number of books and a donated watch will be auctioned as well.
NEW STABLES BEGIN ARRIVING
Stall superintendent Mark Stancato began welcoming new arrivals, all from Iowa, on Wednesday. Cecil Stewart was due to arrive with five horses on Wednesday. Stancato is expecting the first of 25 horses from the Tim Gleason stable to begin arriving as early as this week with the bulk of them next Sunday and Monday.
Norm Ashauer, who has raced at Canterbury previously, was due to arrive as early as Wednesday with four horses.
HBPA ELECTION BALLOTS DUE SOON
Election ballots for the trainer and two owners who will be named to the HBPA board are due in the mail by Aug. 16, according to HBPA executive director Patrice Underwood.
Tad Leggett was scheduled off his ventilator for 10 hours on Wednesday, one more step in the rehabilitation process he is undergoing at Craig Hospital in Englewood, Colo., the renown center for treating people with spinal cord and traumatic brain injury.
Leggett, 45, a four-time quarter horse riding champion at Canterbury Park and the all-time money winner, was injured severely in a spill at Fair Meadows at Tulsa on June 30. He underwent a nine-hour spinal surgery on July 2 and has been recovering since. He is still unable to walk or function normally with his hands and arms and is still learning to breathe on his own.
"He's on a ventilation weaning program,'' said Leggett's daughter, Tiffany, who works in the horsemen's book-keeping office at Canterbury. "They were taking him off for an hour three times a day and now they'll try with 10 hours.''
Tiffany said that she talked to her father by phone a week ago during one of his ventilator-free hours. "He sounded pretty much like himself,'' she said. "You would have almost thought everything was normal.''
Tiffany said that during the conversation her father referred to a a gray horse he had recently acquired that his son Travis, 16, has taken a liking to. "Tell Travis not to get too attached to that gray horse,'' her father told her. "He's mine.''
The Craig center has specific programs for people with spinal cord injury. Tiffany said that the plan eventually is for her father to work on regaining his ability to walk.
In the meantime, the bills and expenses continue to accumulate. Sunday, Arizona's at the Canterbury Inn will sponsor a benefit and fundraiser on Leggett's behalf. Tickets at $10 apiece entitle a patron to a barbecue pork sandwich plate from 6:30 to 8 p.m. The Fanatics band will play from 8 p.m. to closing.
Tickets are available from trainer Jerry Livingston, in the horsemen's book-keeping office and from various other trainers at Canterbury.
The Leggetts are from Bandera, Texas, a small town an hour from San Antonio. Tiffany plans to return to college at Adams State in Alamosa, Colo., after the Canterbury meet ends. Her brothers Travis and Trevor, 11, are staying with their dad's brother, Mark, in Logan, Kan.
"They've already hauled their horses up there,'' Tiffany said, "so they can do their roping while they go to school there this year.''
Meanwhile, Tad's wife, Tina, is staying near the rehabilitation center in Colorado.
"Sometimes people ask me how my mom is doing,'' Tiffany said, "and I don't know what to say. She's very strong, just rock solid.''
CHAPEL BENEFIT
A silent auction is planned for Friday night and Saturday during the races with proceeds earmarked to help reduce remaining debt on the Dean Kutz Memorial Chapel in the stable area.
The auction will take place at the usual location, just inside the main doors to the grandstand. Among the items up for bid are signed drawings by renown Daily Racing Form artist Peb in addition to other framed artwork.
Chaplain Ed Underwood said other items include some Claiming Crown polo-style shirts, braided lead ropes, wine baskets and Pat Day t-shirts. Anyone who makes a $10 donation will get a t-shirt.
A number of books and a donated watch will be auctioned as well.
NEW STABLES BEGIN ARRIVING
Stall superintendent Mark Stancato began welcoming new arrivals, all from Iowa, on Wednesday. Cecil Stewart was due to arrive with five horses on Wednesday. Stancato is expecting the first of 25 horses from the Tim Gleason stable to begin arriving as early as this week with the bulk of them next Sunday and Monday.
Norm Ashauer, who has raced at Canterbury previously, was due to arrive as early as Wednesday with four horses.
HBPA ELECTION BALLOTS DUE SOON
Election ballots for the trainer and two owners who will be named to the HBPA board are due in the mail by Aug. 16, according to HBPA executive director Patrice Underwood.
Monday, August 2, 2010
Canterbury Invades Canada
It was a big day for Canterbury connections at Assiniboia. Locals swept the three stakes series in Winnipeg today. The $50,000 Manitoba Derby went to Stachys, trained by Mike Biehler. Eddie Martin Jr. rode for Al and Bill Ulwelling.
Trainer Charlie Smith won the $50,000 Assiniboia Oaks with Ruby's Big Band.
The $30,000 Graduation for 2-year-olds went to Paris by Night and trainer Nevada Litfin. Dusty Shepherd rode for TDD Partners, who also won the Minnesota Derby on Saturday.
That makes three wins in four days for Nevada, two being stakes. This blog leaves trainer of the week designations to the HBPA but Nevada's accomplisments stamp him as the first ever Straight From The Horses Mouth Trainer of the Week. Well done, young man.
JM
Trainer Charlie Smith won the $50,000 Assiniboia Oaks with Ruby's Big Band.
The $30,000 Graduation for 2-year-olds went to Paris by Night and trainer Nevada Litfin. Dusty Shepherd rode for TDD Partners, who also won the Minnesota Derby on Saturday.
That makes three wins in four days for Nevada, two being stakes. This blog leaves trainer of the week designations to the HBPA but Nevada's accomplisments stamp him as the first ever Straight From The Horses Mouth Trainer of the Week. Well done, young man.
JM
Brian Chenvert wins Del Mar Handicapping Challenge
Brian Chenvert from Rogers, MN took home first place in the Del Mar Handicapping Challenge held at the southern California track on July 31 & August 1. For his efforts, Brian receives $40,000 in addition to turning a starting bankroll of $5,000 into $10,160.
Damian Roncevich of of Honolulu, HI, made a late rally to take second place at $9,557. Second place was worth an additional $20,000 in prize money.
Five spots in the DRF/NTRA National Handicapping Championship were at stake in the field of 44. Joining Chenvert and Roncevich are the third through fifth finishers, Corey Johnsen, Toby Turrell, and Duke Matties.
Final Standings:1- Brian Chenvert -- $10,1602- Damian Roncevich --$9,5573- Corey Johnsen --$9,1884- Toby Turrell --$8,1085- Duke Matties--$7,896
--- provided by Del Mar Turf Club
Damian Roncevich of of Honolulu, HI, made a late rally to take second place at $9,557. Second place was worth an additional $20,000 in prize money.
Five spots in the DRF/NTRA National Handicapping Championship were at stake in the field of 44. Joining Chenvert and Roncevich are the third through fifth finishers, Corey Johnsen, Toby Turrell, and Duke Matties.
Final Standings:1- Brian Chenvert -- $10,1602- Damian Roncevich --$9,5573- Corey Johnsen --$9,1884- Toby Turrell --$8,1085- Duke Matties--$7,896
--- provided by Del Mar Turf Club
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Ulwellings Zero In On Title, More Horses
BY JIM WELLS
The Ulwellings set two goals for themselves approaching the 2010 racing season in Shakopee:
1. They wanted to run a horse in a Claiming Crown race.
2. They wanted to finish the year as the leading owners at Canterbury Park.
Scratch No. 1. That didn’t happen. Bill and Al had 10 nominees to the annual extravaganza for claimers. For a variety of reasons, none of them made it. Some of those nominees were claimed, and Richland Creek, who was right on track, developed an abscess on a foot. “Our first goal wasn’t realized,’’ Bill said.
The second goal is still on track.
Heading into Sunday’s card, the first day of the last month of racing in Shakopee, the Ulwellings had a solid lead in wins among Canterbury owners.
With 17 wins, they had 10 more than Miguel Silva. Their overall numbers are quite impressive as well. Their win percentage was 40 percent; their in-the-money figure was 72 percent, with total earnings of $169,260.
They had hoped to pick up another win in Sunday’s third race from Highflyertotheline, but the two-year-old chestnut colt _ picked by nearly every handicapper alive to smoke the field, including Bill himself _ didn’t even place.
On the contrary, it was the Mac Robertson-trained Picko’s Pride, owned by Joni and Barry Butzow, who had the distinction of laying waste to six rivals.
Bill Ulwelling has been a fan of horse racing since its inception in Shakopee, but an owner only the last six years. He and his son, Al, own a crane company based in Elk River that has grown steadily the last 15 years.
So, too, has their stable.
The Ulwellings own and lease a number of cranes in addition to building power plants and garbage burners.
Their stable consists at the moment of 24 horses in training and two broodmares. Mike Biehler has 10 Ulwelling-owned horses in his barn, but the total number was due to grow as early as the next couple of days.
Al is at Sartoga, planning to claim as many as five horses while watching the stable’s Backtrack run in the $150,000 Grade II Amsterdam on Monday. Backtrack is trained by Merrill Scherer and will be ridden on Monday by Julien Leparoux.
“He’s in tough. We know that,’’ Bill said.
Backtrack is 20-1 in the morning line. The favorite, at 8-5, is Discreetly Mine.
Meanwhile, Bill Ulwelling and Biehler are at Assiniboia Downs where Stachys will run as the 3-1 morning line second choice in today’s $75,000 Manitoba Derby. Also running in that race is 15-1 Mankato Strike, trained by Charlie Smith.
Some of the Ulwellings’ horses are at Presque Isle Downs, others are with Scherer in New York.
Once the meet in Shakopee ends, the Ulwellings will round out the year at Hawthorne, Remington Park and the Fair Grounds.
PROCTOR BACK IN SADDLE, WINNER’S CIRCLE.
Don Proctor, of the three riders injured in the spill at Canterbury Park on July 2, has been back in the saddle since last Tuesday, when he rode one race at Prairie Meadows.
He has been at Canterbury all weekend, and Sunday afternoon brought in a three-year-old filly named Gents Suprem Lady for owners Dennis Strohkirch and Tom Hauge.
The owners had wondered if Proctor was truly ready, but trainer Troy Bethke had no doubts.
Proctor proved him right, riding the filly to a maiden-breaking effort in race seven for $10,000 maiden claimers.
The win was Proctor’s first since returning to the saddle.
“I’m okay if I keep moving and riding,’’ Proctor said. “I gallop in the morning. But once I stop, everything starts to stiffen up.’’
Proctor hurt his back in the spill, injuring a vertebra.
He, like Scott Stevens and Paul Nolan, also injured in the spill, is overwhelmed by the response from fans, agents and other riders to their situation.
The Ulwellings set two goals for themselves approaching the 2010 racing season in Shakopee:
1. They wanted to run a horse in a Claiming Crown race.
2. They wanted to finish the year as the leading owners at Canterbury Park.
Scratch No. 1. That didn’t happen. Bill and Al had 10 nominees to the annual extravaganza for claimers. For a variety of reasons, none of them made it. Some of those nominees were claimed, and Richland Creek, who was right on track, developed an abscess on a foot. “Our first goal wasn’t realized,’’ Bill said.
The second goal is still on track.
Heading into Sunday’s card, the first day of the last month of racing in Shakopee, the Ulwellings had a solid lead in wins among Canterbury owners.
With 17 wins, they had 10 more than Miguel Silva. Their overall numbers are quite impressive as well. Their win percentage was 40 percent; their in-the-money figure was 72 percent, with total earnings of $169,260.
They had hoped to pick up another win in Sunday’s third race from Highflyertotheline, but the two-year-old chestnut colt _ picked by nearly every handicapper alive to smoke the field, including Bill himself _ didn’t even place.
On the contrary, it was the Mac Robertson-trained Picko’s Pride, owned by Joni and Barry Butzow, who had the distinction of laying waste to six rivals.
Bill Ulwelling has been a fan of horse racing since its inception in Shakopee, but an owner only the last six years. He and his son, Al, own a crane company based in Elk River that has grown steadily the last 15 years.
So, too, has their stable.
The Ulwellings own and lease a number of cranes in addition to building power plants and garbage burners.
Their stable consists at the moment of 24 horses in training and two broodmares. Mike Biehler has 10 Ulwelling-owned horses in his barn, but the total number was due to grow as early as the next couple of days.
Al is at Sartoga, planning to claim as many as five horses while watching the stable’s Backtrack run in the $150,000 Grade II Amsterdam on Monday. Backtrack is trained by Merrill Scherer and will be ridden on Monday by Julien Leparoux.
“He’s in tough. We know that,’’ Bill said.
Backtrack is 20-1 in the morning line. The favorite, at 8-5, is Discreetly Mine.
Meanwhile, Bill Ulwelling and Biehler are at Assiniboia Downs where Stachys will run as the 3-1 morning line second choice in today’s $75,000 Manitoba Derby. Also running in that race is 15-1 Mankato Strike, trained by Charlie Smith.
Some of the Ulwellings’ horses are at Presque Isle Downs, others are with Scherer in New York.
Once the meet in Shakopee ends, the Ulwellings will round out the year at Hawthorne, Remington Park and the Fair Grounds.
PROCTOR BACK IN SADDLE, WINNER’S CIRCLE.
Don Proctor, of the three riders injured in the spill at Canterbury Park on July 2, has been back in the saddle since last Tuesday, when he rode one race at Prairie Meadows.
He has been at Canterbury all weekend, and Sunday afternoon brought in a three-year-old filly named Gents Suprem Lady for owners Dennis Strohkirch and Tom Hauge.
The owners had wondered if Proctor was truly ready, but trainer Troy Bethke had no doubts.
Proctor proved him right, riding the filly to a maiden-breaking effort in race seven for $10,000 maiden claimers.
The win was Proctor’s first since returning to the saddle.
“I’m okay if I keep moving and riding,’’ Proctor said. “I gallop in the morning. But once I stop, everything starts to stiffen up.’’
Proctor hurt his back in the spill, injuring a vertebra.
He, like Scott Stevens and Paul Nolan, also injured in the spill, is overwhelmed by the response from fans, agents and other riders to their situation.
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