Page 28 - January 2005 The Game

28 The Game, January 2005 Your Thoroughbred Racing Community Newspaper
What a Year for Champion Apprentice Corey Fraser
HBPA Childrens Christmas Party December 6, 2004 at Woodbine
by Chris Lomon
The odds were against him that day, but it wasn't going to stop the rail-thin kid from getting the job done.
He certainly didn't fit the profile of a prototypical rugby player, but it didn't prevent him from playing like one. In a sport where brawn and bravado is a necessity, Corey Fraser was, at least physically speaking, out of his element.
Ignoring an obvious and
what appeared to be a losing proposition, a then 15-year-old Fraser narrowed his eyes and did what no one, teammates, rivals and fans included, would have ever thought was possible when the close to 250-pound opponent broke through the pack.
"There was no way I was going to let him get past me," recalled Fraser, of his David vs. Goliath moment. "I'm sure a lot of people didn't think I could do it, but I told myself I could."
Days of scrums and tries are far removed, as the 27-year-old finds himself on a different, albeit equally demanding playing field as one of Canada's most talked about apprentice riders. But as he is quick to point out, the desire to come out on top without an ounce of fear is still as strong.
In a sport where first impressions truly count, Fraser, who began his career in the saddle in 2003, has managed to make lasting ones on many horsemen at Woodbine Racetrack, including some of the most seasoned names in the game, as well as fellow up-and-comers, too.
John LeBlanc Jr., one of the Toronto oval's rising stars in the training ranks, studied Fraser for two years before giving the rider a shot on one of his horses.
It's a decision the conditioner certainly hasn't regretted.
"There are plenty of great things to say about Corey both on and off the track," said LeBlanc, of Fraser, a frequent visitor to his barn on the Woodbine backstretch, often with coffee and doughnuts in tow. "He works hard to get better and he's very patient with the horses. He's also a very genuine person."
LeBlanc's highest praise for Fraser however, came, appropriately enough moments after the rider guided the trainer's eight-year-old gelding B. Nile to an improbable win during the summer.
"You know what makes him a good apprentice rider?" offered LeBlanc, after Fraser steered his charge through traffic for a late-rallying score. "He looks like a veteran when he's on a horse. He's very calm."
Compliments aren't something Fraser takes for granted.
"It reminds you of the year you've had, but you really have to keep things grounded," said Fraser, who grew up in the Davisville area of Toronto, before he moved to Niagara Falls with his mother, Susan, when he was 12. "I'm very appreciative of all of it. It means a great to deal to me."
Competitive as they come, Fraser hasn't become complacent with all the rave reviews pouring in. He insists that isn't the case now, nor will it ever be.
But for all of the trips to the winner's circle this year, 66 to be exact, there are two stories in
particular, that perhaps offer the most insight into what type of competitor Fraser is.
On June 27, during the latter stages of the 10th race, Imaginary Image, with Fraser in the irons, fell near the rail, throwing him onto the main track. At The Office, piloted by Chantal Sutherland, fell over Imaginary Image, the two-time Sovereign Award-winning jockey also tumbling hard to the ground.
No one in the grandstand could have anticipated what transpired in
the moments following.
Fraser, who had rolled underneath the rail,
then stumbled, half-crawling, half-running, to tend to his mount after the accident, holding on to the reins of Imaginary Image until help arrived.
Though his actions drew widespread praise, the man at the centre of the attention simply shrugged his shoulders the next morning in the jockey's room.
"It wasn't a big deal at all, really," said Fraser, who breezed four horses just hours after the spill. "I wasn't hurt that badly and I just went on instinct. After everything was over, one of my first thoughts was that I wanted to get right back on a horse again."
Fast-forward to mid-August and Fraser had to contend with another on-track incident, one that would send him to the sidelines for nearly five weeks.
On August 18, once again in deep stretch, longshot Wear bobbled and threw Fraser to the E.P. Taylor Turf Course in a one-horse spill.
The end result for Fraser, who walked off under his own steam, was a cracked left finger. "I told him he's just like (cartoon character)
Mighty Mouse," said Fraser's agent, Lorne Spearman. "He's a real competitive guy and he couldn't wait to get back on a horse."
That was more than evident during Fraser's time away from Woodbine, some of it spent, ironically enough, at another racetrack.
Think of it as Fraser's own version of a New York state of mind.
"He really wants to be a good rider and going to Saratoga Racetrack was important to him," said Spearman. "This is a learning year for Corey and he decided he wanted to go watch other riders to see what he could take from it."
While he has incorporated certain aspects of other riders’ techniques into his own repertoire, Fraser has developed a style all his own, one that continues to become more polished as he looks towards bigger and better things in his career.
It's likely one of many thoughts that came to mind when Fraser accepted the 2004 Sovereign Award as Canada's top apprentice rider on December 17 in Toronto.
When the 2005 thoroughbred season opens at Woodbine, expectations, from both himself and others, not surprisingly, will be loftier than ever.
And just like Mighty Mouse, Fraser will be well equipped to tackle those demands, regardless of how big or small they happen to be.
"Hopefully, it's bigger and better this year. You look down the road to when you lose your apprentice tag and know there will be challenges. But I'm looking forward to it."
File Photo 2003
The HBPA Backstretch Christmas Party was fun for children of all ages. Each child that attended received a visit with Santa and a special gift for Christmas. They were also treated to a Christmas Dinner with all the traditional fixings. There was a large turn-out and everyone was excited to see Santa.
HappyNewYearfromStarterAlMcFee(right) and the Hastings Racecourse gate crew
Did You Know....
That European Champion, Storm Bird, (Northern Dancer-South Ocean,
by New Providence)
who sired top stallion Storm Cat,
was euthanized on December 3 at Ashford Stud in Kentucky following
a bout of colic. He was 26.
Storm Bird was originally bred by E.P. Taylor in Canada and purchased by European racing magnate Robert Sangster for $1 million at the Keeneland July sale. He was named champion 2-year-old in Ireland and England in 1980 after being undefeated in his juvenile year.
He will be buried near the stallion yard at Ashford Stud where seven of his grandsons will stand in 2005.