Page 18 - The Game May 2006

18 The Game, May 2006 Your Thoroughbred Racing Community Newspaper
John Calleja “Coffee John”, new agent for Jockey Patrick Husbands
Why is it...Amazing riding feats often get overlooked
Why is it that when it comes to recognizing remarkable achievements in sports, many members of mainstream media can usually find a way to ignore outstanding accomplishments by professional jockeys.
It is for this reason that yours truly decided to write about Spud Uyeyama and Mark Walker, two jockeys who accomplished the near impossible.
Uyeyama and Walker's stories are about commitment to succeed against all odds.
And if you have ever ridden horses, either professionally or pleasure, there is a good chance you will understand what this pair achieved.
On August 6, 2005 racing fans attending the card at Sagebrush Downs in Kamloops. B.C witnessed one of the most amazing feats recorded in North American thoroughbred racing history.
The occasion was popular, longtime Hastings Park horseman Spud Uyeyama winning two races that day.
A former rider who won his first race at Woodbine in 1950, Uyeyama has spent the last 15 years as a trainer.
At age 68, his name goes into the horse racing history books, not as a trainer, but as a jockey, a profession he gave up full time many years ago.
How he accomplished this amazing feat can be partially attributed to both Lady Luck and determination.
The purpose of his trip to Sagebrush Downs that day was to race his own horse, Cool Striker, in the $12,500 B.C. Lottery Mile.
Three races before running Cool Striker, Uyeyama was asked if he would ride Bob Kat.
The last time he had been in a racing saddle and worn racing silks was two years ago at Sunflower Downs in Princeton.
With a well-timed and heady ride, he
guided Bob Kat into the winner's circle. For Uyeyama, it was a victory worth
savoring.
The race was so draining for the the
rider that he wisely took himself off Cool Striker. The horse then won with a woman rider, Brooke Melish, aboard.
Ironically, this wasn't the first time Uyeyama had accomplished the near impossible.
Two years ago, following a 15-year hiatus from riding, Uyeyama won with Satellite Heart at Sunflower Downs.
His feat is truly amazing when you
Jockey Mark Walker and Trainer Jim Brown in the paddock before the sixth race on April 22
consider that Uyeyama was competing against much younger jockeys, as much as 50 years his junior.
Uyeyama's prowess at age 68 can be attributed to his maintaining a strict fitness program -- something that's vital for the rigorous task of exercising several horses every morning.
All in all, ol' Spud's accomplishment is
definitely deserving of the record books. Now lets fast-forward to April 14, 2006. After a six-year layoff to heal from numerous ailments associated with wear and tear, Mark Walker returns to Hastings
Park to resume his career as a jockey.
For the 49-year-old Walker, it was not a decision he took lightly. Five months earlier, Walker began working out at a local fitness gym and visiting a local physiotherapist to see if a return to riding
was possible.
“Because I had to leave riding, not on
my own terms, this was something I had thought about for a while. People do not understand, I did not announce my retirement. My being away was simply a case of being healthy enough to ride." said Walker.
After receiving the go ahead to resume riding, he contacted trainers Jim Brown and Steve Henson about exercising some of their horses at Hastings Racecourse.
It was not long before Walker began feeling fit and ready to begin his launch back to his favourite passion of riding horses in races.
On opening day at Hastings, Walker was named on only two horses, Sindi's Success for his friend Brown and Knotty Ash for Barb Heads, who he had been successful years earlier.
His ride on Sindi's Success was vintage Walker. While patiently positioning his horse on the rail, just off the pace, he moved his horse at the first opening that became available.
That move gave him his first win in six years on his first ride back.
It also got him the typical bucket wash which is usually reserved for apprentice jockeys after riding their first ever win.
He immediately notched his second consecutive winner with Knotty Ash.
As for his winning steak remaining alive? Through no fault if his own it ended.
While appearing to cruise to an easy win aboard Not Just Dreaming, the horse bolted to the outside rail, erasing any chance of keeping the victory streak alive.
For horse racing fans and horsemen at Hastings, it was a moment long to be remembered.
Tommy Wolski
Backstretch Briefs
Woodbine Is My Home Away From Home!
By Brian R. Johnston
Some say, “Life is a gamble” and others believe that “Life is what you make of it!” It just happens that both are right when it comes to John Calleja (Coffee John), agent extraordinaire, who has made Woodbine his home away from home for
35 plus years.
John came to Woodbine Racetrack in
the late 60’s leaving behind a solid business of Coffee Trucks that netted him between $700.00 and $800.00 per week in pursuit of a dream. He did so with a plan in mind and now looking back he loves the fact that his best-laid plans had come together.
For many that don’t know the full story, John took a shot and a major hit in the pocket book as he positioned himself for the new career he had chosen.
John went to work for a meagre $75.00 per week as a hot walker first and then as a groom for four years, working for the likes of seasoned veterans Patsy Santos, Danny Cardella and Mike Kennedy.
His apprenticeship served him well as he gained first hand knowledge of what it was like for everyone on the backstretch, which is a community onto itself. He gained friends and the respect of horseman as he worked side by side, doing the daily chores of maintaining and care giving to the most majestic and elite Thoroughbreds in the equine family.
There were many long days and many long nights filled with both hills and valleys during this tenure and Coffee John met all the challenges that were presented head-on prior to becoming an agent, which was the career he had chosen from the beginning.
His first forage into the business as an agent saw him take rider Gary Melanson who he was with for a couple of years. One of the first prominent horses that he was involved with was Momigi whom was trained by John Morahan and was named best Three-Year-Old Filly in 1975 and Top Older Filly and Mare in 1976.
With that experience now under his belt, he made a decision to take over the book of new journeyman Larry Attard. That decision was one that lasted for over 25 years and would still be going strong had it not been for Larry’s decision to finally retire from competitive race riding.
To this day, Larry still refers to Coffee John as his agent and good friend. Yes, those 25 years provided tremendous rewards and memories that cannot be forgotten. Larry was a multiple leading rider in Ontario and Canada, won the 1983 Queen’s Plate with Bompago, 2 Sovereign Awards (1983, 1986) and more than 2400 races. John played an intricate role in securing, maintaining and booking these mounts and the only major stakes race that Larry didn’t win at Woodbine was the Canadian Oaks.
Along with his time spent as Larry’s agent, Coffee John had just over five glorious years as part of the team that featured Lloyd Duffy as one of his riders.
CONT. PAGE 20 - SEE COFFEE JOHN
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