Page 16 - November 2008 The Game

16 The Game, November 2008 J.R. Betts-Robinson; A Rising StarCanada’s Thoroughbred Racing Newspaper
By Jackie Humber
said Mathieson.
Justin continued on to play ball at Hobbs College
Justin Betts-Robinson grew up knowing what hard work meant. He spent his early childhood helping his mother, Hastings trainer, Nancy Betts at her stable. “I helped cleaning stalls when I was younger and then when I was a little older I worked with my Dad at the farm,” said Justin.
in New Mexico. “I decided on New Mexico because you can either play for a Junior College or a four year school. I gured being as young as I was that I’d like to have the choice to go to College and have a chance to be drafted every year,” explained Justin who in his second year was the statistical leading pitcher in the nation, “In a four year school you can’t be drafted the rst 3 years, and also New Mexico was the best in the nation.”
It was at the family farm, with his Dad, Domenic, that Justin, the boy would develop into Justin, the young man.
Anyone who has ever worked at a farm knows that it is not for the weak hearted and his father had a strategy to get the most out of his son, “I told Justin that Nolan Ryan grew up on a farm and Justin was a fan of Nolan Ryan and I told him that all the work he was doing was helping him improve.” he said.
Nancy Betts and her son Justin Betts-Robinson
In 2007 Justin also added National Team player
to his resume. “When I made the Canadian National Team for I year, we traveled to Mexico, The Domini- can and Florida. I really enjoyed that.”
On the weekends when Justin wasn’t busy playing soccer, volleyball, basketball or hockey, he would be at Hastings with his Dad and younger sister, Jessica watching and cheering on his mother’s horses.
needed a catchers glove because my hand was sting- ing from Justin’s pitching.”
Justin graduated from college with an Associates Art Degree and this year Justin was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 31st round, ranking 939th overall. However after speaking with his parents, close friends and former coaches, he decided to continue his education instead, “I was happy to be drafted but I wanted to look at all my options. Now that I have my Associates Arts Degree I can pick my major at University, for example Health and Sports Science might be interesting,” said Justin.
Trainer, Nancy Betts has been working at Hast- ings Racecourse for 22 years and for the past 10 years as a trainer. “I remember Justin coming down here when he was young. He helped out quite a bit, mucking stalls and cleaning water buckets. He really enjoyed the horses and helping me,” said Betts.
At the age of 15, Justin became a pitcher for the Langley Blaze baseball team. At this young age scouts were already recognizing him as a potential college pitcher. “I remember getting calls a few times a week when I played with the Langley Blaze,” said Justin.
The days Justin used to spend at the racetrack are now spent on a different sports eld. Justin is an avid athlete and is a natural at baseball. “I remember when Justin was only 13 and we would play catch,” said Domenic, “I had to tell my wife, Nancy, that I
The coach of the Langley Blaze, Doug Mathieson, is someone Justin still calls a friend, “When I’m home I visit Doug and go to some of the games. Even when I’m down in the U.S. I call him and we talk baseball.”
Justin can indeed choose his own path now. He is a well spoken, articulate young gentleman and a young man that makes his parents proud not because of his athletics, but because he is a caring, kind individual. “We’re so proud of him, he’s a great kid,” said Do- menic.
And Doug is proud of his former star, “Justin is a real great young man. He deserves to make it to the Big Leagues and I really hope he gets the chance,”
By Peter Valing
After The Races With David Wilson
“You get the gravy with Davie,” goes a Hastings Racecourse maxim. “A real down-to-earth guy” is how I’ve heard him described by more than one horseman. The statistics con rm his abilities. Over $1.5 million in purse money makes David Wilson the top earning jockey of the 2008 meet. That he of- fers to buy you a beer even though he hardly knows you and is, in fact, indulging your questions after racing all day in chilly October winds attests to his character.
the offer of a beer not so much to maintain my exact- ing journalistic standards, but because I had the feel- ing that sitting down to a beer with a personable guy like Dave might require more disci-
the start, and ‘Uncle’ Frank -” he laughed, “I call him Uncle because he’s helped me so much - Uncle Frank showed me the ropes.”
pline than I could muster. The vision of round four arriving, us being only halfway through his rolodex of track tales and my story deadline being hours past due was sobering enough to keep me with tea. I wrote as he sipped away at his beer and talked.
He earned back-to-back Sovereign Awards for best apprentice jockey
in 92/93. Since then, he’s remained in the ranks of the top three riders
I met Dave after the races in Jerome’s, a bar located above Hastings’ new slots oor. I declined
Dave grew up around motorbikes - not horses. “When we were boys,
at Hastings and has managed to do so with relative ease. “I enjoy my beer, yet my weight doesn’t uctu- ate much. And I’ve been pretty darn lucky having only one real accident over my entire career.” This was the low point in Dave’s life as a jockey. A broken ankle cost him some great mounts. “I lost Arctic Sun and Mike K that year. Losing those horses hurt more than the injury itself.”
we’d hop on our bikes and
tear into the bushes,” he said.
“I was really competitive as
a kid. If I had to, I’d get right
up close to the next guy and
squeeze past him down a narrow lane, our foot pegs grinding. It didn’t bother me a bit; from an early age I loved to be close to the action, and I loved speed.” Though he became quite good at riding motorbikes, it wasn’t something he could turn into a career. And he had to slow down considerably while driving trucks for Diamond Delivery.
Contact Nancy Berman for more information 416-994-6940
“It was while I was taking an airbrake course that I got turned onto horses. My instructor asked me how much I weighed and whether I had ever considered being a jockey. At rst, I thought he was joking, but he was persistent. He owned horses and suggested that I come down to the track one morning to see if I liked it.”
Though he’ll be the rst to tell you that you can’t win all the great races and ride all the top horses, Dave’s had his share of both. Three years ago he was atop Spaghetti Mouse when the brown geld- ing won the BC Derby, and this year was a repeat Derby-winning performance atop Krazy Koffee. He rode Monashee to eleven stakes victories in a row and now recalls with some tenderness the fact that the mare has recently become a rst-time mother. “Monashee was some horse. I can’t wait to see what talent she passes on to her offspring.”
Jockey David Wilson. Jim Reynolds Photo
2 Locations
GAIL WOOD
P.O. Box 164, Hillsburgh, ON N0B 1Z0 519-855-4915 www.woodlandsfarm.com
Broodmare Farm: • Boarding
• Lay-Ups
• Broodmare Care
• Foaling
Training Farm: • Sales Prep/
Representation • Bloodstock
Consultation • Training
On his rst day at Hastings, a 21-year old Dave was introduced to trainer Frank Barroby. Though Frank didn’t need another rider at the time, especially one with no experience, he did need an extra hand around the barn. Dave be- gan to come down to groom horses and muck out stalls. After two years of this, he began to get on a few horses. “It felt pretty natural from
At 40, Dave isn’t yet contemplating life after the track. “I’ve hit a nice plateau over the past few years. I may still improve and I may not, but I feel pretty comfortable where I am.” He anticipates racing for another ve to ten years. He doesn’t foresee himself pushing his muscles and joints too far beyond that. “You have to admire a guy like Alan Cuthbertson
for racing as long as he has. I don’t think I could be doing this in my 60s.” Dave’s future plans seem to conform more to those of his mentor, Chris Loseth, who opted to leave the sport while still in his racing prime. “No need to press my luck,” he smiled, taking a deep gulp of his beer.
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