Page 30 - January 2005 The Game

30 The Game, January 2005 Your Thoroughbred Racing Community Newspaper
This time of year is tough on racing writers looking for a story. Jockeys are taking that well-earned vacation or riding elsewhere in sunnier climes. Trainers have turned their horses out in the back forty many breathing a sigh of relief that the season is over while others have taken their stable
south for the winter. In short their isn’t a lot of action to write about so we’ll take the opportunity to review what has been a year of ups, downs, twists and turns, and an eventual resolution (we hope) to the business of racing in British Columbia.
It certainly was an eventful year horsemen got a late Christmas present at the beginning of the season in the form of a $2.1 million purse increase, the track was sold again, management fired, the people who fired them were fired, and slots were finally approved after a long political battle. Quite a year for a sport that doesn’t like change, so just to recap:
In March of last year the Provincial government announced a 14.5 % purse increase totaling $2.1 million advanced against future slot machine revenue at Hastings. The deal was done through the combined efforts of HBPA President Mel Snow and former Hastings CEO Phil Heard who approached the government last spring in an encouraging effort of co-operation between horsemen and management. The allotment went largely into the purses for bottom races and graduated up through the ranks to allowance races effectively increasing the value of cheaper horses in an effort to increase their number. This strategy should work in the long run, eventually leading to more horses and more race days.
"We thought it was important to keep the lower end purses up to a level where it made sense for owners to keep their horses rather than sell them or send them to other
places," said Snow.
"The dollar amount is very important to
this industry but even more important is the commitment from the government acknowledging that this is a very important industry that we supply a lot of jobs and it’s commitment from them to help us."
Another major event blind-sided horsemen early in the season when Woodbine Entertainment, thought by many to be the answer to our industry’s problems, announced their intention to sell Hastings Racecourse. Great Canadian Gaming Corp. and Vancouver developer Peter Wall quickly purchased the track. In the ensuing months confused horsemen saw Phil Heard and Racing Director Debbie Peebles depart and Garth Essary promoted to CEO. Garth who was very popular with horsemen was sacked a few months later—reportedly by Mr. Wall who was himself sacked, (I mean ‘bought out’) by GCGC for a reported $18 million dollars plus his original investment.
A collective sigh of relief was felt throughout BC’s thoroughbred industry in August as Vancouver City council voted 6-5 to allow slot machines at the track after a long and hard fought battle by track management and the Save-the Track coalition. The divided council voted 5-5 on the issue, the
deciding vote cast by Mayor Larry Campbell, a long time proponent of adding slots to the track. Six hundred slot machines will be installed over the coming year.
The thing about all of these changes is that, in an industry where uncertainty is a way of life horsemen need stability on the management side. We can only hope that current Vice-President & Chief Operating Officer Michael Brown will remain in place. That’s a tall order with a company that seems to be constantly ‘restructuring’
but we can hope that it’s all just growing pains. The most important thing GCGC can bring to the industry at this stage is consistency.
Another event saw long-time racing photographer Ralph Bower offer us a look at the marvelous colour and exciting personalities our sport has hosted over the years. Let’s bring this exhibit back in the form of a book. Fans deserve to see the history of the sport.
The trainer’s ranks produced the most exciting finish for leading trainer since George Cummins nipped Frank Barroby at the wire by winning five races on the final day a few years back. A slim in-the-money percentage kept Dino Condilinios (44%), Harold Barroby (43%) and Barbara Heads (41%) noses apart in a tight training race that wasn’t decided until the last day of racing. Dino ended up with the title finishing with 37 wins.
The jockeys are as always good for a feature story and the comeback of racing’s bad-boy Alan Cuthbertson was good for a column or two among the local racing press. Alan will hopefully answer the call again this year after an extended rest. Pedro Alvarado gave us his usual hard- knocking effort to win the leading jockey title with 130 wins. Dave Wilson finished second with 79 wins while third place went to veteran Chris Loseth with 51 wins and 36% of his mounts in the money for total earnings of $927,101. A credit to the track and his profession Chris celebrated
30 years of race riding by winning a race on the 30th anniversary to the day of his riding debut. A couple of Sovereign awards and one of the most successful riding careers in Canadian racing history almost passed unnoticed except for the sharp eye of track announcer Dan Juckich.
On a more serious note popular former jockey Jimmy Arnold was stricken with a rare form of brain cancer prompting the backstretch community to gather at a golf tournament/fundraiser put together by his friends. The response was amazing and, in raising almost $10,000, demonstrated what a tightly knit and caring family we are. The good news here is that Jim’s cancer seems to be in remission and the prognosis is good.
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From the journal...
Ten years ago leading rider at Exhibition Park (now Hastings) was Chris Loseth with 145 wins including 6 wins on one card on September 14...leading apprentice Dave Wilson with a record 123 wins...leading trainer was Lance Giesbrecht with 50 wins
Twenty years ago...leading jockey was Chris Loseth with 166 wins breaking a record set by Basil Frasier (141 wins) and on April 9 Chris equalled a North American record winning 8 races on a ten race card...leading trainer was George Cummins with 34 wins.
Railbird
Railbird
A Look at Racing in British Columbia
By Jim Reynolds
Canadian Connections Out of Town
The Game will attempt to record the progress of all the Canadian Connections who are currently racing out of town. However if we have missed your win please call 1-866-886-5827 toll free and let us know.
Information from Nov. 28 to Dec.19, 2004:
Aqueduct:
Synergistic Effex was a winner at $16,000 for owner Mark Casse. She raced under trainer Gary Contessa and was claimed.
Calder Racecourse:
Trainer Eric Coatrieux and owner Chiefswood had two wins this month, Classic Piper ($21,000) and Alleged Ruler ($23,000).
Trainer Roger Attfield also had a win with Excellent Cut (IRE) breaking his maiden for $20,500. Trainer/Jockey couple Barbara and Jerry Baird
teamed up for a win with Boldest Angel for $9,000.
Charles Town:
Trainer Anthony Adamo continues to do well for owner Michael Gill tallying up another 5 wins this month with purse earnings of $112,000.
Trainer Timothy Kreiser had a win for owner Bruno Schickedanz with Time to be Sassy for $29,000.
Delta Downs:
December 4, trainer Josie Carroll won the $75,000Treasure Chest Stakes with So Much More
for owner William Schettine.
Trainer Layne Giliforte had a win with Garrison
Hill ($14,935) for owner Eugene & Laura Melnyk.
Fair Grounds:
The Josie Carroll trained Mr. Sulu was coming off of a win for $38,500 on November 28 when he scored again winning the $100,000 Louisiana Champions Day Turf Stakes on December 11 for Josie and partner A.L. McMurray. Josie also had a win for $28,000 with 2-yr-old Kalyptic for Donver Stable and another win for William Schettine for $28,000 with Signature Sunday(AUS).
Trainer Malcolm Pierce had a win with Captain George for $14,000.
Mountaineer:
Trainer Justin Nixon had two wins for owner Stronach Stable for $57,400 in purse money.
Trainer Wray Lawrence also had a couple of wins, both with Dodie Duys in the irons for $35,500 in purse earnings.
Jockey Patricia Trimble had a win aboard Quickdancin’ Roger for $21,400 for trainer Jennifer Johnson.
Portland Meadows:
Jockey Felipe Valdez had a win for $3400 for trainer Jim Fergason.
Tampa Bay Downs:
Trainer Bruce Alexander was the first and only Canadian Connection to have a win at Tampa which opened for the season mid-December. River Power won for $8500 for owner James Travers.
Thistledown:
Cleveland was a beehive of activity for Canadian Connections with owner Bruno Schickedanz and trainer Jefferey Radosevich scoring the most this month with 4 wins and $29,200 in purse earnings.
Mike Newell and Dale Hemsley hooked up for three wins and $23,100 in purse earnings.
Trainer Alexander Patykewich also had three wins for $20,100 and jockey Dale Hemsley was aboard for two of those wins.
Trainer Anthony Alderson, whom The Game is just catching up with, had two wins with horse Have No Fear for owner Malcolm Alderson for $14,400 plus an additional win with Sandspit for $8500.
Trainer Rodney Cone had two wins for $18,000. Dale Hemsley was aboard for one of those wins. Dale had eight wins all together this month.
Jockey Clint Magera had a couple of wins for purse earnings of $13,800.
The following each had a win this month at Thistledown:
Jockey Gilbert Searchwell - $14,000 for trainer Jamie Buhrow and owner Dean Buhrow.
Jockey Pierre Mailhot - $8100 for trainer Joseph Martin and owner Martin Brothers.
Jockey Dale Hemsley - $6900 for trainer Mark Joseph Racanelli & another win for trainer Earl Lancaster for $7200.
Trainer and owner Debra Rombis had a win with Dale Hemsley aboard for $7200.
CONT. PG. 36 CANADIAN CONNECTIONS