Page 10 - The Game August 2006

10 The Game, August 2006 Your Thoroughbred Racing Community Newspaper
Larry Dagg moves to Fort Erie
Trainer Larry Dagg with horse Chard Black
By Harlan Abbey
"I seemed to be destined to be Marquis Downs' third- leading trainer, no matter how many horses I trained," said Larry Dagg, who has moved his four-horse stable to Fort Erie this season.
"I'd have the third-most wins if I had 25 horses to train, or if I had only 15," he continued.
Dagg said he followed in the family business, “all of us were involved with Thoroughbreds in the Prairie Provinces."
Dagg moved to Fort Erie because of his partner, Valerie Anderson's, job transfer and because of the higher purses. His other owner is Carl Grguric. Dagg is a "do it all" horseman who rides his own horses in the morning and also does their shoeing.
"I'm 55," he said, "but some days, after galloping all four, I feel 80. With fewer horses, nothing slips through
'the cracks.' With 20 or 30 horses, you don't see each one three times a day when you're feeding them, for instance. "With a larger stable, you have to depend on your
grooms so much more. Some want to become trainers, and some are only on the job to get a paycheck. Their horse's ankle may be 'warm', but they don't tell you about it. Then the ankle is 'hot.''
Dagg's Fort Erie horses are a homebred 3-year-old, Private Elegance; Chard Black, eligible for non-winners of two races; Spanish Gold, a maiden; and Speedy Milan, also eligible for non-winners of two. "I don't think any of them are superstars, but I think they'll be competitive," he added.
"When it comes to predicting how good a race horse a youngster will be, they can surprise you. You look at a horse in a corral and you think 'There's no way he'll be a runner.' But after they work a couple of times you
generally know what categorythey'llfitinto.
"A lot of horses are timid until they win their
first race, then their heart builds up. But if they get beat too often, they will quit trying,; they have to be in a class where they can be competitive."
Asked to name some of his past favorites, Dagg recalled:
"TheAxeLady,afillywhowonstakesasbotha2-year- old and 3-year-old. Magic Elegance won six of ten life- time starts. Then I had a big gelding, Hawk Hogan, who won four races as a 3-year-old and eight or so career-
wise.
"Another real
character was Parson Grey. In the off-season, it'd take three of us to corner him in a paddock to catch him. Then, on Feb. 14, when we'd start training, he'd be at the paddock gate waiting for you. And he'd flip his tail when he'd pass a horse."
Woodbine Entertainment Group
is currently looking to fill the following positions:
ENTRY CLERK
We are looking for someone who is passionate about racing and understands service excellence.
As an integral member of the Race Office team, you will apply your horse racing knowledge and experience by taking entries from trainers/owners for the race card. You will also be responsible for applying and communicating applicable Ontario Racing Commission regulations; confirming and filing official foal papers; ensuring eligibility for racing and assisting with the production of race information for the horsemen.
Interested applicants must have a minimum secondary school education with one to two years previous office experience and proficiency with PC applications in a Windows environment. You must also have a general knowledge of the horse racing industry, terminology and a strong understanding of its rules and regulations. You also have demonstrated communication and interpersonal skills in order to effectively interact with all levels of staff, owners and trainers. In addition, you are extremely detailed oriented, have the ability to prioritize your workload and operate in
a fast-paced, team environment.
This is a seasonal full time, hourly rated position based at Woodbine Racetrack in the backstretch. The hours of work will vary with the racing schedule which includes days, evenings, weekends and holidays.
OUTRIDER
Your expert horsemanship skills will be valued as part of our Thoroughbred Racing Operation. As an Outrider you will maintain safety on Woodbine’s racing and training tracks. You will be relied upon to control misbehaving horses and to occasionally retrieve loose horses. You must be able to supply your own horses. The ideal Outriding horse will be physically fit, have a calm demeanor, be quick and be able to respond in a controlled manner.
We offer competitive wages as well as reimbursement of expenses related to the care of your horses.
The hours of work will vary with the racing and training schedules which include, early mornings, days, weekends and holidays.
Interested applicants can forward their resumes (noting the position you are applying for) to:
Woodbine Entertainment Group
Human Resources Services
Email: Jobs@woodbineentertainment.com
Fax: (416) 213-2129
Or visit www.woodbineentertainment.com for more opportunities.
Thank you for your interest,
only qualified applicants will be contacted for an interview.
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