Page 24 - The Game April 2006

24 The Game, April 2006 Your Thoroughbred Racing Community Newspaper
~BackinTrainingatFortErie~
Leading Rider at Fort Erie in 2005, Chad Beckon (left), with former jockey now exercise rider/trainer, John Paul (JP) Souter, and freelance exercise rider Steve O’Brien (right) on the backstretch on Mar 22. Chad finished off the 2005 meet at Fort Erie as Leading Rider with a record of 100-105-89 and $1,236,340 in purses in 622 starts.
Audrey Albu leads her 5-year-old mare, Straight Exchange, onto the track with rider Frank aboard.
A pair of grey 3-year-old fillies work for trainer Paula Loescher on March 22. Outside horse is Alittlebitofthis, by Crown Attorney, owned by Robert Roche. This filly was a winner at 2 at Fort Erie and was on the board in 4 out of 5 starts, Doug Gibbons is in the irons. Inside horse is What Was I Thinkin’ by Parisianprospector, owned by Doncaster Farms, this filly has never raced and is being ridden by Holly Dapp.
Trainer Tom County Jr. (right) is currently looking for new owners for the 2006 season. Groom Mike Huggins (left) was looking forward to beginning work.
3-year-old filly Big City Ruckus with Roy Brown aboard makes her way onto the racetrack for trainer Bancroft DeSouza. Bancroft had a successful meet in Cleveland at the end of 2005 winning three races before giving the horses some time off at the farm.
He has a total of nine horses in training for various owners for 2006.
Trainer John Sanelli (left), Pat Fernandes (middle) and her trainer husband Vern Fernandes take in morning training. John has two horses shipping in for the 2006 season while the Fernandes’ will have four of their own competing this season.
There were some renovations to the backstretch this winter at Fort Erie as well as a new roof for the grandstand and a new tote board which is scheduled to be installed before the start of the 2006 meet which begins April 29.
Bryan Belanger (left) is the third generation owner of the backstretch kitchen at Fort Erie. Now in his fifth year as owner, Bryan’s grandfather, Leo, ran the kitchen more than 50 years ago and his father, Tom took over from him. “My family has been here as long as the building has been here.” says Bryan who also mentioned that Leo ran the kitchens at Greenwood, St. Catharines, Garden City and Long Branch as well.
Zina Bateman (right) has been working in the kitchen for fourteen years. She began working for Tom shortly after moving to the area and is now the Manager as well as the cook and sometimes the cashier.
Groom Ravendra Raghunath (right) washes off the legs of one of trainer Domenic Polsinelli’s horses while Andrew Riley, regular exercise rider at Woodbine, lends a hand.
Trainer Gail Proteau (right) and her husband Guy (left) and their nephew Ray were setting up in their new barn 9A in preparation for the horses to ship in. Gail had been stabled in barn 1A for a number of years however a few changes had to be made to make room in that barn. “I like our new digs’, said the always upbeat train- er,“We have a big shade tree and we can see the track from the barn.”