Page 10 - December 2005 The Game

10 The Game, December 2005 Your Thoroughbred Racing Community Newspaper
One of B.C.'s most popular trainers is gone
l-r Barb (Daughter), Robbie (Son), the late Cy Anderson and his wife June.
By Tommy Wolski
Perhaps the biggest question when it comes to writing a column is, how does one put into words the many wonderful things someone has achieved, not only for themselves, but to those around him whose lives they touched.
Last month, horsemen and racing fans were shocked by news that popular local trainer R.G . (Cy) Anderson passed away as a result of an injury he sustained while working on the family farm in Aldergrove, B.C.
He had a career in horses that spanned more than forty-five years, and for the many of us who knew him, he was simply known as “Papa Cy”.
During his career, Anderson saddled 43 stake winners at Exhibition/Hastings. Among them were many fine horses including Anita Leswick, Brandy Magic, Dogwood Passport, Skovinsky and Right Chilly.
Many of those winners came from horses supplied by longtime client Russell and Lois Bennett.
"I remember in the early years, he and is wife had it tough,” said Bennett from his farm in Kelowna, B.C. “He and June (Cy's wife) both had jobs. June was working in a doctors office and Cy working for Shell Oil."
During the 1976 and 1977 racing seasons, Cy Anderson had finally worked his way up to become leading trainer at Exhibition Park. He repeated in 1984, when he finished the season in a dead-heat with legendary trainer George Cummins.
It was not until 1995, after saddling many of B.C.'s most popular horses, that he decided to go the route that many if his former racehorses traveled....back to the peace of their farm.
His reasons for giving up training were two fold. In 1985, he had begun having angina attacks which resulted in a
quadruple bypass five years later.
In 1991, Anderson received horse racings high- est honour when he and friend trainer Harold Barroby
were inducted into the B.C. Thoroughbred Hall of Fame.
Always humble,
Anderson told the
audience during the
ceremony that,
"Receiving this hon-
our shows you that
you never know what
is going to happen in
your life. A lot of the
guys who are already
in the Hall of Fame once worked for me. It's good to know that all the years you spent in racing they were not for naught."
The Hall of Fame evening became a night that co-inductee Harold Barroby will always treasure, "Despite us often claiming (buying) horses off each other, Cy always remained one of my closest and personal friends." said Barroby.
A few weeks ago while at Hastings racecourse, Anderson and some of friends began theorizing about the past and present. Among the topics of conversation were some of Anderson's achievements.
Cy’s comments were simple and to the point, "To know, first of all, that June and myself raised a family we can be proud of....but to know that all our kids, Barb,
Robbie and Michael all became good horsemen and were able to make a living doing what we all love doing....working with horses....that's plenty rewards in itself." said Anderson.
For those of us who knew him he will always be remembered as Papa Cy.
“Our dad was a person who loved life, his friends and most of all his family. We sure are going to miss him." said son and trainer Robbie Anderson.
BEAR STABLE - CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8
Return to Woodbine in 2006 on a winning team with Trainer
Scott Fairlie
Now accepting new clients for 2006
Trainer Scott Fairlie
• In the Top 5 leading trainers at Woodbine
for 3 consecutive years
• In the Top 10 leading trainers at Woodbine
for 8 consecutive years
• Leading trainer in Canada in 2003
• 20 Years Training at Woodbine
with more than 500 career wins
• Consistent Average 25% wins
• 25% wins with 2-year-olds in 2005
• Consistent Average 56% in the money
• Trainer of Stakes Winning Millionaire
Mr. Epperson & St Winner Judith’s Wild Rush
Seasons Greetings & a Happy, Successful New Year to my Clients & Staff
Call Today for stall availability 416-520-3834
.....Bear Trieste went off at 30-1, the longest shot in a $40,000 claim race at six furlongs and ran a strong race, leading briefly down the backstretch, then running evenly at the end to run third, hinting with his enthusiasm in the last quarter that he might enjoy a longer race.
Danny Dion is not a man with small dreams. Ask him his intentions in thoroughbred racing and the answer is direct and unqualified.
"My goal is within ten years to win the Kentucky Derby," he says with convic- tion, "To me it's the highest of the highest. It is so historical. It's such a high achievement."
Kentucky beckons to Bear Stable in more ways than one. This winter, Bear Character and Bear Kittycat will train on the Polytrack surfaces that horse owners in that state are growing to love. Polytrack is a blend of fibres, recycled rubber and silica sand. The Keeneland training track is made of the stuff and the main racing surface at Keeneland will soon be Polytrack.
"It makes it so much easier on the horses," explains Dion, "You get the same track every day no matter what the weather does and you get a lot of cushion. For the two-year-olds and three-year-olds, it gives them an extra chance not to get injured, a chip or something."
From a cheap claimer named In Pursuit six years ago, Danny Dion is continually in pursuit of talented young horses as his stable grows rapidly.
"I want 20 two-year-olds. I had 19 this year. Right now I'm sitting at 15 yearlings. I'm looking at maybe 4 to 5 two-year-olds in training next spring."
Of course, the business of training and running baby horses is fraught with peril and risk, but of the new horses that Bear Stable has purchased, with names still yet to be assigned, Dion makes one guarantee.
"They don't have names yet, but you can bet on it that they'll be Bears."
WOODLANDS
Sales Representation and Preparation Boarding/Layups Training/Foaling Bloodstock Consultation
GAIL WOOD
P.O. Box 164 Hillsburgh, Ont. N0B 1Z0 www.woodlandsfarm.com
Phone: (519) 855-4915 Fax: (519)855-4514
www.majeek.com
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