Page 8 - December 2008 The Game

8 The Game, December 2008
Krazy Koffee -Continued from page 7
to drop him in class for the next race. His trainer, Cindy Krasner, advised caution, and Butch listened. Koffee remained his and went on to win seven out of ten starts, his most recent race being the Premiers, in which he came a close second to Rosberg. Along the way, the colt has earned over $350,000.
Canada’s Thoroughbred Racing Newspaper
“Unfortunately I didn’t see the victory, as I was out hunting. I arrived home to nd that the horse has been claimed.” This established a pattern. Over the past twenty years, all but two of Butch’s horses have been claimed from him.
“Three-year-olds have the strangest imaginations. She was watching the foal prancing about in the paddock and suddenly blurted out ‘Coffee! But we need something crazy ... How about Krazy Koffee?’”
Krazy Koffee, too, could have been claimed. In his début, the gelding came forth, and Butch intended
In the family room we watched a replay of Koffee’s victory in the 63rd BC Derby. “My
Koffee appeared on the television screen. When he charged out of the gate, Butch could hardly contain himself. “See how he holds back! He’s saving it all for that nal turn! Did you know he was the only BC-bred in the race?” Then the DVD started to skip.
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“Strange,” he said. “It played ne last night!” Perhaps the fty-odd replays have worn the disc out.
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That a man like Butch could muster
a plane load of friends to join him in Kentucky is no surprise. That a horse like Krazy Koffee could be competitive would be no surprise either. In the off chance it happens, I asked Butch to save me a seat on the ight. “You might need a scribe for such an occasion.”
He laughed and folded his big hands together. “Oh boy, now the pressure is on.”
The Game December 2008.indd
8
11/27/08
2:57:25 AM
Wishing Everyone a Wonderful Holiday Season with
Much Success in 2009!
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Stables
Jennifer Brooker 905-859-7884
Next year, Krazy Koffee will return as a four-year-old to Hastings. Butch is con dent about his future there,
but he’s also considering running his horse at bigger tracks. “If Cindy and I feel he’s up for it, we may ship him to Woodbine.” He paused. “Who knows, maybe we’ll even race him on the Kentucky Derby card! Wouldn’t that be something? I’ve got a plane load of friends who say they’d come along.”
Butch unbolted the stable door and
a huge dark brown colt raced past us into the paddock. “Koffee’s got a lot of attitude,” Butch chuckled. “He hates
to be saddled before a race and refuses to give urine after the race. They have to take blood samples in order to test him.” We watched Koffee romp about in the fall mud. “Look at that chest. See how wide it is? The muscles are so perfectly developed!” Conformation is something Butch takes very seriously. “I’ve been around livestock my entire life. I’ve developed an eye for a good animal. Size and power is what I look for.”
When Koffee returned to his stall, Butch fed him some peppermints. “He’s a lady’s horse now,” he grinned. “The girls at the track have spoiled him. He didn’t like coming back to the farm.”
It’s obvious, however, that Butch likes to have his prize horse at home. He could hardly peel his eyes off of him. “Some guys chase the Derby their entire lives,” he said. “They spend
tons of time and money and never get a horse like Koffee. What happened to me is truly a blessing.”