Page 22 - February 2007 The Game

22 The Game, February 2007 Canada’s Thoroughbred Racing Newspaper
Red Oak Training Centre
• Consideration given to Multiple Bookings
• Customized Programs • Trainer Les Baker -
Over 40 Years of Experience
Located One Hour from Woodbine
Call Today for More Information
905-473-6584
Training Rate $40/day Lay-Up Rate $20/day
Many Thoroughbreds Looking for A Good Home
Janet Harris: A Passion for Caring
Holding onto a dream, Janet Harris, worked tirelessly as a pharmaceutical sales rep to accumulate enough wealth to buy her own horse farm.
“This is what I have wanted since I was 4 years old,” said the passionate horse lover who is now the owner of 100 acres of possibility.
Originally from Montreal, Janet moved to Orangeville seventeen years ago, transferring to Ontario for her career with Abbott Laboratories.
Janet started riding horses when she was twelve after saving up enough money for lessons. She was trained to ride and care for her equine performers by French and British coaches including ex-British Steeplechase jockey, David Hughes and the renowned Primrose Hayes, who left Canada to work for the Rockefellers of New York.
Manjrekar has been with LongRun for over a year now, looking for a permanent, loving home. This is a big, strong, sound, almost black gelding standing 16H. He has great legs and moves like a dream – the extension on this horse is breathtaking. Manjrekar really enjoys one-on-one time with people and is really looking for someone special to love.
This gelding loves to be brushed and fussed over so much that you don’t have to tie him up to groom him. Manjrekar is dominant in a herd and likes to stake claim on the “ladies”, even though he was gelded a long time ago.
The only thing that has stopped people from considering Manjrekar for adoption is his swayback, which is non-detectable under saddle and didn’t prevent him from winning at the racetrack. With his athletic talent and personality, there’s no telling what Manjrekar would be willing and able to do for the right adopter.
Manjrekar is one of over 30 horses currently being fostered by LongRun Thoroughbred Retirement Society. Last year, LongRun spent well over $210,000 ($190,000 fostering expense, $15,000 in veterinary fees and supplies, $7,500 for shoeing and trimming, and $2,500 for supplements, blankets, tack and equipment) just caring for its horses. This is
MANJREKAR
2001 dark bay/brown gelding by Storm Creek-Maragin
13 starts, 1 win, $33,926
prior to any salaries and administrative expense, which is fortunately kept to a minimum thanks to the help we receive from Woodbine Entertainment and the H.B.P.A., the fund raising efforts of the C.T.H.S and the Woodbine jockey colony, and the generosity of our many volunteers and individual sponsors.
“I trained with mostly European horses,” said Janet of her background, “I always had an interest in thoroughbreds. I’ve always loved the thoroughbreds.”
This would explain why Janet has opened her barn doors to the thoroughbred racing industry offering full board and lay-up care away from the racetrack.
“I believe that
full board does
not mean that horses go into ‘cold storage’,” Janet emphasized when describing the type of care she is intent on providing her boarders. “In order for a horse to give good performance, you need good care. All around care. They need to be happy.”
Janet mentions that she is also well equipped to deal with post-operative care and injuries, crediting her years of working in the pharmaceutical industry for her know-how.
“As a pharmaceutical sales rep I took seven post graduate courses and I have a college diploma in Health Sciences.” says Janet, who also has a bachelor of science in Animal Science from McGill University, a study which she found useful while managing a horse farm for 10-years, “I worked both jobs to help save enough for my own farm.”
Janet took possession of her farm in 2000 and named it Stonespring. A skilled handiperson, she has constructed eleven spacious stalls with an equal number of paddocks. Janet has planted close to 400 trees over the years and in 2006 constructed an indoor arena to provide a year-round facility for exercising horses. An outdoor turf track, which outlines the paddocks, is used during pleasant weather.
The farm, which is located just North of Hillsburgh, is also fruitful for harvesting Janet’s own, quality hay and straw.
“I am focused totally on the horses. It’s my passion.” declares Janet, who never found time to marry because of her dedication to horses, “I have a very calming influence on horses in general. They need really good care if you want them to perform really well...and that is what I give them.”
Breeders’ Cup Winners Dominate Eclipse Awards
Photo Above: Stonespring Farm owner Janet Harris with her thoroughbred, 1/16th Clydesdale cross, Carillon Coast.
There seems to be no surer path to an Eclipse Award than winning on Breeders’ Cup Day. The Argentinian four year old Invasor was an overwhelming selection as Horse of the Year by the Eclipse voters who put him first on 228 of 271 ballots. Invasor won all four of his races in America in 2006, punctuating his brilliant season with a powerful win in the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Churchill Downs on November 4.
Of the ten horses (not including McDynamo who won in the Steeplechase Division) six were 2006 Breeders’ Cup winners. Invasor was also named the Older Male Horse of the Year, scoring 262 first-place votes to only 8 for Lava Man.
Street Sense, winner of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, was the Two Year Old Male Horse of the Year. Dreaming of Anna, first in the BC Juvenile fillies, was Champion Two Year Old Filly. Thor’s Echo, who took the BC Sprint
at odds of 15-1, was a popular pick as Sprinter of the Year. Miesque’s Approval left the others behind in both the Breeders’ Cup Mile and the voting for Male Turf Horse, and Ouija Board parlayed her victory in the Filly and Mare Turf race into the Eclipse for Female Turf Horse.
Bernardini was the runner-up to Invasor in the mile and a quarter at Churchill on BC Day, but he was named the Three Year Old Colt of the Year by a wide margin over Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro.
Fleet Indian, unfortunately, was pulled up in the BC Distaff, but her six straight wins coming into that race were more than enough to give her the edge in the Older Female Category. Wait a While won the Eclipse as Three Year Old Filly after winning the American Oaks, the Lake Placid Stakes and the Yellow Ribbon before a disappoint- ing fourth place finish in the BC Filly and Mare Turf.
In other Eclipse Awards, Edgar Prado beat out Garrett Gomez as Outstanding Jockey. Julien Leparoux was named the Apprentice Jockey of the year. Todd Pletcher’s 0 for 17 day at the Breeders’ Cup did not stop him from winning as Outstanding Trainer, and Frank Stronach’s Adena Springs was the runaway winner as Outstanding Breeder.
There was a tie for Outstanding Owner as both the Darley Stable and Lael Stables earned 110 votes.
Photo Left: New stalls in the New Indoor Arena
Bridles
Reins
Girths
Martingales
Side Reins
Lead Shanks
Stud Shanks Newmarket Shanks
Manufacturers of quality tack including:
Exercise Saddles Belly Pads Jumping Boots Ankle Boots Breaking Surcingles Anti-Cast Surcingles Chambons
Halters: Foal, Weanling, Yearling, 2-Year-Old, Mare, Stallion
Custom Work, Repairs, Chaps, Nameplates, Horse Supplies, Gifts
Box 459, Nobleton, ON L0G 1N0 905-859-4052 Fax: 905-939-8096 Email: info@finchamsharness.com
Did You Know....
That during the Welfare and Safety of the Racehorse Summitt in October at Keeneland, a group of about 40 experts discussed thoroughbred
safety with the main topic being the trend of shorter racing careers. Statistics presented showed that horses born in 1965 raced an average of 34.76 times during 3.37 years of racing while horses born in 2000 raced an average of 16.85 starts over 2.64 years of racing.
www.finchamsharness.com