Page 20 - October 2007 The Game

20 The Game, October 2007 Canada’s Thoroughbred Racing Newspaper
A Friend For Life
Le Cinquieme Essai in the paddock before the Woodbine Mile on Sept.16.
By Chris Lomon
Paul Nielsen had every reason to hang his head after watching his gutsy gelding finish near the back of the pack in one of Canada's most heralded races. But there was no look of despair on the trainer's face. Rather, it was quite the opposite.
Nielsen knew the enormity of the task that eight-year-old Le Cinquieme Essai faced even before he was saddled with the outside post 14 for the Grade 1 Woodbine Mile, a $1-million turf classic that attracted some of North America's top grass stars.
But win or lose, the man with a modest stable of horses would never question the heart of his enduring star.
Moments before the gates opened for the 11th edition of the Mile on September 16, a race that featured six Grade 1 winners, Nielsen was also keenly aware that keeping the streak of 17 consecutive races finishing in the top three alive was in jeopardy for the son of Fastness.
Still, Nielsen beamed proudly when Le Cinquieme Essai, ignored at odds of 25-1, strode by for the post parade, with regular rider Steve Bahen aboard.
Nielsen was reminded then, as he has been so many times before, of just how special the striking chestnut is.
"He's as true and honest as they come," praised Nielsen, who was born on June 17, 1957 in Barry, Wales, before coming to Canada in 1966. "He's like a true blue friend, the one or two people you meet in your life that you truly consider a friend. I'm just blessed to have him in my life. He's a part of the family."
Under a strong restraint from Bahen, Le Cinquieme Essai forced the pace at the start of the Mile, stalking three-wide on the turn.
Turning down the long E.P. Taylor Turf Course stretch, one he knew so well, Le Cinquieme Essai lacked a rally and faded to finish eleventh. It was the worst finish in the horse's 30-race career.
Nielsen felt far from defeated.
"I've always been proud of him and I always will be," said Nielsen. "When I look at him, I just can't believe it. I never expected things to have turned out the way it has."
After his first two races, it's understandable to see why Nielsen would
feel that way.
It was on October 28, 2001, at Fort
Erie Racetrack, when Le Cinquieme Essai made his career debut in a six-furlong maiden special weight race.
Sent off at odds of 6-1, Le Cinquieme Essai broke awkwardly, before he shied in the stretch. At the wire, he was 1 1/2 lengths behind the winner.
Three weeks later, he was back, this time at Woodbine in a seven furlong maiden special weight event. At 56-1, Le Cinquieme Essai showed marked improvement, finishing second.
That was the curtain closer for his two-year-old campaign.
Nielsen didn't know quite what to anticipate in Le Cinquieme Essai's sophomore season. But one thing had become apparent to the man whose first thoroughbred experiences in Canada were with Dr. Morgan Brosan, owner of Tara Farms near St. Catharines, then at Woodbine for trainers Trevor Swan and Janet Bedford, his horse had spirit and plenty of it.
"Since he was two, he's been known as 'Doug the Bug' by everyone around the barn," offered Nielsen, of the nickname bestowed on the horse by his wife, Karen. "Since he's always bugging people, it was the ideal choice."
On Le Cinquieme Essai's name (French for 'the fifth try'), owner Fred Scott explained, "I had submitted (foal) names, didn't bother phoning in or checking on the computer or anything and got rejected four times. So I said, 'Okay, let's make it 'the fifth try' and I put it in French.'"
In his three-year-old bow, Le Cinquieme Essai trounced his Fort Erie rivals by nearly eight lengths to break his maiden. That was followed by a 5 1/2 length romp at Woodbine on the grass.
Up next was the Prince of Wales Stakes, second jewel in the Canadian Triple Crown. Weeks before, T J'S Lucky Moon, ridden by Bahen, shocked the racing world by winning the Queen's Plate at 82-1. "Why can't it be us this time?" thought Nielsen.
Starting from post eleven, Le Cinquieme Essai, under Brian Bochinski, stalked the pace of the three front runners after showing four-wide speed into the
first turn.
Fourth, less than two lengths behind at
the half and fifth at the three-quarter call, Le Cinquieme Essai bid four-wide on the turn for home, took a short lead into the final furlong and held on to win the 1 3/16 mile feature by three-quarters of a length.
"He was pulling me out of the bridle at the three-eighths pole," said Bochinski. "I tried to keep him as calm as I could until the top of the stretch. I had lots of horse."
"At the time it (Fort Erie) was our home track," recalled Nielsen. I lived in Niagara Falls. That was a huge thrill."
So, too, was hearing Le Cinquieme Essai's name called at the year-end Sovereign Awards ceremony, when he was feted as Canada's champion three- year-old male.
Those have been far from the only highlights in a career that is still going strong.
But there have been tough times, too.
Injuries have played a major role in the limited action Le Cinquieme Essai has seen over the years. Prior to 2007, the Ontario-bred has averaged just over four starts in each racing campaign.
After a half-length score in the Grade 2 turf Play the King Stakes on August 26, 2006, Le Cinquieme Essai was put on the shelf. He would miss 11 months with a tear in his left suspensory.
With little left to prove - he already had a slew of stakes wins on his resume - Nielsen took his time with Le Cinquieme Essai.
He had always run well fresh. But Nielsen, who wanted to be patient, saw the same fight in Le Cinquieme Essai's eyes leading up to his comeback race.
"As he's got older, he's kind of come full circle," said Nielsen. "But he's still got a mind of his own. He's quite pushy and rammy. He's good in the stall, but in the shed and in his training, he's very aggressive. He trains quite forwardly. You've almost got to watch that you don't over-train him, but he's always been that way."
On July 21, Le Cinquieme Essai returned to action. He finished third in the seven furlong Ontario Jockey Club Stakes, only 2 1/2 lengths back at the wire.
One month later, he faced seven foes in
the Play the King Stakes. Aggressive early, Le Cinquieme Essai assumed command and despite being under steady pressure, he prevailed, a three-quarter length victor.
"He's as good as he's ever been," said Bahen, in the aftermath of the victory. "He was still running strong at the finish. I knew they'd have to do a lot to catch him today.
"Before I rode him, I knew that he had won the Prince of Wales and that he looked like a horse that could win some nice races. He won the third time I rode him. He's just an honest, true horse. He gives you everything he's got. You can't ask for more than that."
It was an emotional victory for Nielsen.
"It showed he still had the desire. It also showed that he could still compete at a high level. I was so proud of him."
The same pride Nielsen had on a picture-perfect day in mid-September when the end result wasn't anywhere near as satisfying as the dozen races Le Cinquieme Essai had crossed the wire first.
But in many ways, he was the same horse Nielsen always has time to speak of.
"He's a pain in the ass," laughed Nielsen. "He hasn't changed much that way. But that's just fine with me. He's someone you can't help but admire."
And just the type of friend, win or lose, anyone would be proud to know.
A look back in time: George Royal Canada’s First Turf Star By Gary Poole
1961 is remembered as the year Canada’s greatest horse, Northern Dancer, was born. There was also foaled in this country that year another outstanding runner, George Royal. The two never met, as the Dancer was retired before George Royal’s main accomplishments occurred. They were far apart in background. Northern Dancer was a blueblooded product of Oshawa’s National Stud. George Royal was born on a small B.C. farm, in Cloverdale, thousands of miles west of the center of the nation’s thoroughbred industry. His owners, Ernie Hammond and Bob Hall, bought him from his breeder for a mere $1,500.
His career had a humble beginning at Vancouver’s Exhibition Park. At age two he banked $7,795 with four wins from eight starts. Campaigning mostly at home at age three, he won an amazing nine straight Exhibition starts, went ten for twelve, including a B.C. Derby win and earned $44,822
George Royal began his four year old season at the prestigious Santa Anita winter meeting. It didn’t take long until he proved he belonged with America’s best runners.
He finished third, a neck out of second, in the hallowed Santa Anita Handicap, behind Northern Dancer’s Derby foe, Hill Rise and Preakness champion, Candy Spots.
His new rider for his California campaign was Johnny Longden, at the time the world’s leading jockey in number of wins, famous as the pilot of Triple Crown winner, Count Fleet. In his late fifties, Longden was in the twilight of his career.
The pair’s next assignment was Santa Anita’s most demanding race, the 1-3/4 mile San Juan Capistrano. It was George Royal’s grass debut. There he again met Hill Rise and west coast turf ace Cedar Key. Coming from thirteenth place in the early going, he wore down the field and drew off to a two length win. The colt had found his calling: long runs over the lawn.
After a summer holiday, the owners, being true British Columbians, decided on a little east-west rivalry and shipped the colt to Woodbine for the Canadian Championship. Despite a fifth place finish in a prep, the public sent Longden and Royal away as favorites and they did not disappoint. Continued Next Page