Page 25 - January 2017 Thoroughbred Highlight

November 2001 issue
Trainer Dave Cotey pictured here with Stage Classic, winner of the 2001 G3 Manitoba Derby, the G2 Sky Classic Stakes, was runner up in the G3 Canadian Derby and fourth in the G2 BC Derby. “I have a great staff that make it all possible. I have had the same crew for a number
of years and they are very knowledgeable, very reliable and they do a great job.”
Owned by Dave Cotey’s
Dominion Bloodstock and
partners Derek Ball and Hugh
Galbraith, Stage Classic went
on to win the Chief Bearhart
Stakes in 2002 and after a few claims he was retired from racing in 2007 with 8 wins, 7 seconds, 6 thirds and $689,510 in earnings.
Trainer Dave Cotey has had several successful years as a trainer with more than $1 million in purse earnings each consecutive year from 2002 to 2007 and again in 2012 and 2013.
December 2001 issue
Sharon and John Simms with groom Mario Therrien (who sadly passed away a few years after this photo) with 3 year old lly Roman Romance. “Roman Romance has really put her act together and I think she’ll develop into a nice 4 year-old.” noted Trainer John Simms.
Owned by Dennis, Dean and Michael Payer and A. and E. DeLuca, Roman Romance went on to
be a multiple Stakes winner retiring to become a broodmare in 2005 with 9 wins, 6 seconds and 12 thirds in 59 starts and earnings of close to $525,000.
Sold to Hill ’N’ Dale Farms, the mare’s second
foal was multiple Stakes winner Sensational Slam, winner of the 2010 Clarendon and Vandal Stakes and the 2011 Fred Capossela Stakes before dropping
to claiming ranks after a 5th place nish in the Plate Trial Stakes. He returned to stakes company in 2014 winning the Diablo Stakes at Belmont Park.
Some of the top horses he has trained are: Graded Stakes winners Riding the River, and 2002 Champion 3 year old Lady Shari.
Dave Cotey was also the trainer of Mine That Bird, owned by Dave’s Dominion Bloodstock with Ball and Galbriath as a two- year-old.
After his win in the G3 Grey Stakes at Woodbine in 2008, his fourth consecutive win, the gelding was sold privately and shortly after was named Sovereign Award Champion 2-year-old of 2008. In 2009
Mine That BIrd went on to win the Kentucky Derby for his new owners Double Eagle Ranch and Buena Suerte Equine and the trainer Bennie Wooley Jr. at odds of 50 -1 with jockey Calvin Borel. Mine That Bird ran in the other two Triple Crown races that year nishing second in the Preakness and third in Belmont.
Photo Right Pictured here (photo by Ericka Rusnak) is Roman Romance’s 2015 foal by Violence at Hill ’N’ Dale Farm in Ontario.
Thoroughbred Highlight - Page 25 - January 2017