Page 8 - The Game June 2006

8 The Game, June 2006 Your Thoroughbred Racing Community Newspaper
Assiniboia Downs 2006 Season Underway Saturday, May 6
By Ernie Nairn
The 2006 thoroughbred season opened on Saturday May 6 & Sunday, May 7, and saw close to 6000 fans attend the 2-day opening weekend at Assiniboia Downs. Saturday approximately 4000 race fans were in attendance and wagered $105,114.30. Sunday, the attendance was not as large, but the total handle for Sunday’s races was $95,339.13.
The first race out of the starting gate Saturday was the annual “Don Gray Memorial Purse”, named in memory of the former late all-time career wins trainer at Assiniboia Downs. Seven-year-old California bred gelding Branford, owned by veteran Portland, Oregon trainer Mel Davis, won the feature for the 5th time since 1986. HBPA President Harry Kube presented owner/trainer Mel Davis with the Don Gray Memorial Trophy in the Winners’ Circle following the race.
With jockey Keveh Nicholls on board, Branford rallied twice to beat John William with jockey Tim Gardiner by a half-length in the $5,000 five furlong claiming feature for a purse of $6,000. Ezepart with jockey Kirk Johnson came third.
Keveh Nicholls came back to win his second race of the card in the 4th race. This time he rode Ardell Sayler’s Made In American to victory in a $7,700 five furling $4,500 claiming race.
Tim Gardiner and Renaldo Cumberbatch also rode two winners Saturday. Gardiner, who is now the second best jockey “all-time” at Assiniboia Downs with1,365 career wins as the season starts, rode veteran trainer Gary Danelson’s
Photo Above - Branford and Keveh Nicholls in Winner Circle receiving Gray Memorial Trophy from Harry Kube
Photo Left - Mel Davis, owner of Branford with Don Gray Memorial Trophy
Sunday’s 8 race card featured a $20,000 five furlong allowance feature for 3-year- olds & up and saw 4-year-old Manitoba- bred Resurgent with jockey Larry Munoz rally in the stretch drive to win by two- lengths over last season’s top older mare Ericka’s Lass with jockey Travis Hightower. The running time for the feature was 59.10.seconds. The win was worth $12,000.
Owned and bred by Peter Burchuk, and trained by Carl Anderson, this was Resurgent’s first win of the season after posting a 4-1-2 record in 9 starts last year with 2005 season earnings of over $58,000.
The only jockey to score 2 wins on Sunday was Travis Hightower. He won the first race on the card on board Quick Witted, a new 3-year-old New York-bred colt recently acquired by trainer Emile Corbel and owned by Sharon Campbell and Amie and Emile Corbel. Quick Witted won the $12,000 maiden feature over five furlongs with an 8 –horse field and covered the distance in one minute flat.
Hightower’s second win of the day came in the 6th race. This time he rode Dancing Liver, a 5-year-old Kentucky- bred to a 1-1/2-lengths victory over Too The Target and Alan Cuthbertson, with a late rally on the outside. Supreme Sam with apprentice ride Kirk Johnson was third. The running time for the feature was one of best times for the day at 59.20 seconds.
Tavacat to victory in the second race. Mr Pop’s Andreas with Renaldo Cumberbatch was second while Alesia Gold Boy and Leonard Frazzitta Jr. finished third. This was trainer Gary Danelson’s 1,037th career win at Assiniboia Downs and the first time in two years that Gary has won a race on opening day.Gardiner also won the fourth race on board K 5 Stable’s Dream Step for the stable’s new trainer this season Jared Brown.
Renaldo Cumberbatch scored his first win of opening day in the 5th race. This was a $3,000 five furlong claimer offering
Photo Left - Resurgent Owner, Peter Burhcuk with winning Jockey larry Munoz and trainer Carl Anderson Photo Below - Resurgent in Winners Circle after winning $20,000 allowance race, Sunday, May 7
a $6,000 purse. Cumberbatch rode longer shot Post Position, a 5 –year-old Saskatchewan-bred gelding to his first win of the season for owner Larry Wilson and trainer Tom Gardipy Jr.
Cumberbatch scored his second win of the afternoon on board Woodbine Willie; a 6-year-old Ohio-bred gelding, also owned by Larry Wilson and trained by Tom Gardipy Jr. Woodbine Willie rallied in the late stages of the five furlong $4,500 claimer offering a $7.700 purse, and nipped trainer Emile Corbel’s Ilya Balos with rider Travis Hightower by a head in a photo finish.
A Typical Day?
Sometimes I'm asked by the people I meet what exactly it is that I do. Sometimes I ask myself the same question. My first response is that I just get to hang out with race trackers. That's not all I do, but it's my favorite part. A job description for a Chaplain isn't that easy. For instance, writing this column is one of the things I do, yet it's not mandatory - I consider it a bonus and a blessing. There is a definite check list that race track Chaplains are to uphold and there are also things that Revenue Canada wants us to uphold to be considered a charity: "to preach and advance the teachings of the Christian faith and the religious tenets, doctrines, observances and culture associated with that faith."
For me and for the Race Track Chaplaincy of Canada - Ontario, holding a weekly worship service and bible study (Soul Survivors) is a must. So is walking the barn area, conducting weddings, funerals and memorials. Counseling and praying with individuals as well as referring people for counseling is a priority, as is praying with jockeys, valets and other front side personnel before the races. Visiting those who have been hospitalized is a must. I like to give out birthday and get-well cards, as well as cards that recognize acts of achievement. That's not "required" but I really like doing it. On Mondays I go to Fort Erie to do as much on that day that I can.
Last Saturday, May 20, was by far my most unusual day since my start here in
August 2004. As I arrived at the track, I was greeted by the sight of the ambulance leaving the track. After making a few quick rounds and inquiries I discovered that our outrider Natalie was involved in an accident and taken to Etobicoke General. Since Etobicoke General is the first hospital of choice for Woodbine, I've gotten lots of frequent flyer points and have come to know many health workers there on a first name basis. After checking in on Natalie, it was back to the track.
By 10 o'clock I had left our Clothing Depot in Erica's capable hands and set out for Sunnybrook to see Doug, a valet injured a few weeks ago in a paddock acci- dent. Sunnybrook is not always an easy trip as construction and traffic can make it slow and frustrating. I also want to be back for noon to be in the jock's room. Driving
down Bayview, I hit every green light. I couldn't believe the time I was making, I couldn't believe that I was not in bumper to bumper traffic, I couldn't.....what's that guy doing standing in the middle of the road.....waving me over.holding a radar gun? "What's the matter officer?"
"You were speeding."
"What!!" (I knew making great time was too good to be true!). To top it off, even though I had renewed my insurance, I still had my old copy with me. Crap! OK, so it's not all bad. Doug was out of Critical Care and conscious and in great shape. After visiting I called Erica and let her
know I'd be late. (See if I buy tickets to the next policeman's ball!)
"How's it going?" "One per- son thought it was tack for sale, one person came looking for you and one person came in and left"
CONT. PAGE 11 - SEE CHAPLAIN SHAWN
Get Tied On
with Chaplain Shawn
TRAILER Sales & Service
Cimarron
* O.A.C., interest rates subject to change 465 Bloor Street West, Oshawa, ON L1J 5Y5 (1/2 hour East of Toronto - just off Hwy. 401) Call toll free: 1-866-479-1744 www.jensentrailers.com
• 3 Horse Slant with Dressing Room $163/mth+tax*
Trainer Henry Reid
Ambitious new trainer
has limited stalls available for racing at Fort Erie & Woodbine
• 25 years working with thoroughbreds • Past 6 years as Assistant Trainer
at Woodbine -
winning 10 out of 50 races in 2005
Personal Care & Experience A Winning Combination
Call Today: 905-992-0305
ALL ALUMINUM