Page 13 - May 2009 The Game

Canada’s Thoroughbred Racing Newspaper
Its Never Too Late for Devon Johnson
The Game, May 2009 13
Devon Johnson only started working with horses 10 years ago. Today at the age of 42, he is doing what he feels he was meant to do. And that is being a jockey.
began getting on horses at the farm of Siobhan Deverell and eventually at the racetrack and Paul Buttigieg’s Farm.
Growing up in Jamaica, Devon and his brother Dermot Dakkins, would visit the local racetrack on the weekends. As a youngster, he loved being around the horses
and wanted to become a jockey, but he never got the opportunity.
“I was meant to do this job,” said Devon, who received his Jockey license in November 2007, “This is what I wanted to do.”
Devon immigrated to Canada with his parents in 1991 and would visit the track as often as he could.
Devon rode mainly at Fort Erie for the 2008 meet, and his combined wins at the Fort and Woodbine was 4 with 3 seconds and 4 thirds in 105 starts. He will ride at both tracks again this year.
Eventually, he began working on the backstretch part- time on weekends and holidays while working full-time at Plastic Kote in Mississauga.
“I didn’t get the opportunity to do this as I kid. But now I can, so why not give it a shot!”
Jockey Devon Johnson (Right) with mentor Joe Buchanan, a former Champion Jockey in Jamaica.
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He went to Florida with trainer Greg deGannes for
a one month stint which
was extended to 3 months.
“I ended up in Florida for three months,” said the soft-spoken jockey, “I thought that I would get red from Plastic Kote, which
I wouldn’t have minded because I had a job at the racetrack. But they didn’t re me because they said I was such a good worker.
“After I while I wanted to quit so I could return to the racetrack. The day before I was going to give my notice, the company announced that it was closing down. I called Greg and he told me I could start back right away.”
It was then that Devon
Tracy at Hastings and Northlands
One of the top trainers
at Northlands Park, Greg Tracy, is operating two stables in Western Canada with 15 stalls at Hastings Park and approximately
40 stalls at Northlands. After wintering in the Southern US, Greg was quoted as saying that he wanted an earlier start (than Edmonton). Hastings opening day was April 18 while Northlands opened May 1.
Omission
Correction
The Game would like to apologize for the omission of one of the award categories in the article on the 2008 Alberta Awards in the April issue:
The Paddockhurst Stables Trophy for Champion 3-year-old lly went to Bear’s Artiste, who won her last three races in Edmonton in 2008, including 2 stakes.
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