Page 37 - December 2006 The Game

Canada’s Thoroughbred Racing Newspaper The Game, December 2006 37
By Jackie Humber
Born in an era when there were more horses on the roads than automobiles, retired agent Johnny Lawrence and his familiar grey fedora have been gracing the backstretch of Hastings racetrack for more than 50 years. Vancouver born and raised, going to the races was a weekly routine for Lawrence as a youngster.
"Well,whenIwasakidof15orso,me and my friends would be stoopin’ duckets (retrieving old tickets) looking for a winner. That’s a thing of the past now, but every now and then, we would get lucky andthenI'dgetaguytobuyusabottleof whiskey," Lawrence said with a grin.
In the 1940s Lawrence did what a lot of young Canadian males did. He became one of the boys that answered Canada's call. "I joined the Navy because it was the right thing to do," he said. "I was in the North Atlantic for 2 1/2 years. We were all over the place."
When the war ended Lawrence returned to B.C. where he first spent a year in Victoria. "Well, I wanted to return to Vancouver. So I did. It was my home," he said.
Although Lawrence had visited B.C. racetracks as a youngster, he had never worked in the backstretch.
"I never walked a hot in my life. I first started at the Lansdowne track in '53 as an agent," recalled Lawrence.
Then in 1954 Lawrence met and married Miki, with whom he would spend the next 50 years until her passing last month.
"Miki was the greatest. I first met her
at the Alcazar cafe and I knew she was the girl for me," said Lawrence.
Lawrence still chats with his racetrack buddies about his former jockeys. He doesn't remember every jockey that he worked for but he does remember some of the best ones.
"My first jockey was Al Ventrella at Lansdowne. He was okay but he wasn't the best. I had all the best jocks that ever rode here at Hastings, though. I had Frazier(Bazil) Loseth, Johnson, Krasner and Brock. You know, one time me and Frankie (Barroby) counted 65 jocks I had. That's a lot of jocks," he said shaking his head in disbelief.
When the meet would end at Hastings, Lawrence always made sure that there was work for his jockeys at other tracks.
"Well, I took a few to Arizona, Bay Meadows, Golden Gate and even old Tanforan," he said.
As an agent, Lawrence had many winners including the prestigious Longacres Mile. "Frazier won the Mile on old Doc Foxwell’s horse, Times Rush. ThatwasabigwinbutIhadalotofbig wins because I had a lot of good jocks. I remember Jim Dailey also won a lot of races in Longacres for me," said Lawrence.
His aged face brightens when he recalls some of his wins. "I won my first Futurity in '58 with Zippon for Nappy Gaudreau. I remember winning the B.C. Derby in '56 for Diamond and I've won the Futurity 13 times over all," he said with a smile.
Through all the years of stakes and
other top races, Lawrence has never attended one Derby dinner.
"I don't like Derby dinners because I don't need the glory. You can't eat glory," he insisted. "The jocks are the ones who deserve all the glory.”
It has been five years since Lawrence hung up his agent book but he still remains close to all his former jockeys.
"Chris (Loseth) and I are very close. We always have been and always will be. He is one good guy. His wife Tracy is a hell of a gal. He is a very hard worker and their stable does very well. Whenever I see a former jock, we always talk. I've remained friends with all of them," insisted Lawrence.
When asked what he believes are the biggest changes in racing today Lawrence is quick to answer.
"When I was first here there were no women in the backstretch. It was the same at Lansdowne and everywhere. Now they’re training and doing good. I never would have dreamt it," he said.
He credits the late Heather Clyde for some of trainer Terry Clyde’s great accomplishments.
“Heather was the best woman trainer I ever knew. Whenever I did business with her she was great. I'll tell you something, Heather’s horsemanship must have rubbed off on Terry because she's great too," insisted Lawrence.
He also remembers Hastings as a smaller track with its infamous old dirt surface.
"Guys used to pick up the rocks all the time. I remember all the rocks, big rocks.
I never picked any rocks, but if I had owned any horses, I might have," he chuckled.
According to Lawrence, the first job that former racing secretary, Aubrey Davis had was picking up rocks at Hastings racetrack. As for former jockeys turning to training, Lawrence has only compliments.
"Well I remember Demorest (Gary). He tried real hard as a rider, but he's a helluva lot better as a trainer. Frankie Barroby, I knew him as a bugboy. He was a pretty good one too. He's turned out to be a pretty good trainer too," said Lawrence.
For over 50 years, Johnny Lawrence began his days in the pre-dawn hours at Hastings racetrack. Now he still spends his weekends at Hastings, but he arrives a little later. He enjoys chatting about old times with his racetrack buddies and occasionally he can be seen at the wicket placing a wager. As for his future, he says he will continue to grace the backstretch at Hastings because that’s where he feels most at home.
At Home At The Racetrack
Mr. Johnny Lawrence, on the right, is seen with his racetrack buddy Jim Jacoboni.
Continued from Previous Page ........hitting the ground. It was very quiet.”
Secretariat’s last race was the Canadian International at Woodbine October 28, 1973. Penny Chenery chose Woodbine to honour her Canadian trainer and jockey and also to respect the great influence E.P.Taylor had on horse racing around the world. Big Red, emphasized in bold letters on every betting ticket that day, galloped home a winner by eight lengths. Woodbine offi- cials estimated that close to $100,000 in tickets on the horse were never cashed; taken
home and saved, one assumes, as souvenirs. Like many great horseracing stories,
this one is framed in tragedy. Turcotte was paralyzed after a racing fall in July 1978. Secretariat was euthanized in 1989 after suffering from laminitis. He was 19, young for a stallion. Eddie Sweat, we’re told, cried for days after Big Red departed. Less than nine years later, Sweat too passed away. Only 59, he died penniless; none of the souvenirs from his Secretariat days - plaques, tro- phies, medallions - were ever found.
The Horse God Built is published by HarperCollins and retails for $34.95.
Wish is Alive and Well at Woodbine
Wendy McLaren of Woodbine’s Property Services is once again spearheading the Christmas Wish campaign at Woodbine to raise money for a “mountain of toys” for the Chum City Christmas Wish Campaign.
This is the eleventh season for Woodbine’s “mountain of toys” Christmas Campaign which continues to grow every year.
“We’re going to need a big effort to beat last year’s total of $17,000.” said Wendy comment- ing on the challenge of matching
the total from their record year in 2005.
Monetary donations as well as new, unwrapped toys can be dropped off at the lobby of the administration offices at the employee’s entrance at Woodbine Racetrack.
A Raffle and Cookie Bake Sale on December 14 will also be held in the lobby to raise funds for the Campaign.
The toys are scheduled to be delivered to the children on Tuesday, December 19.
Pictured here from left to right are: Christopher Willicombe; Wendy McLaren; Stacey Squires; and Rodney Murphy; all from Property Services at Woodbine.
Season’s Greetings
Thank you to our clients, suppliers, riders & agents and a special thank you to Frank Russo and the rest of our team for a fantastic effort this year.
We also want to thank our horses.
Without their courage and commitment, where would we be?
HORSEPOWER RACING MANAGEMENT
Tim Orlando Beverley Chubb 416-806-0527 • 647-220-0527 timmyo@sympatico.ca
Boarding • Layups Broodmare Care • Foaling Training
Sales Prep/Representation Bloodstock Consultation
GAIL WOOD
Co-Breeder of Champion Edenwold
P.O.Box164,Hillsburgh,ON N0B1Z0
519-855-4915 Fax:519-855-4514 www.woodlandsfarm.com