Page 28 - May 2005 The Game

Your Thoroughbred Racing Community Newspaper The Game, May 2005 29
Kentucky Happenings: Sam Son Farm in the Bluegrass State
By Kelsey Riley
When I first began to pursue my passion of race horses just three years ago, I was quick to learn one thing: When the stakes are high, Sam Son Farm is there.
And more often than not, they are on top. Sam Son Farm has bred and raced countless stakes winners and champions in a terrific run that has continued to smash records and rewrite history books for more than three decades. Founded by the late Ernie Samuel, Sam Son Farm is widely known for it's stellar breeding program, which has produced an unprecedented number of champions, such as Sky Classic, Classy n' Smart, Dance Smartly, and Chief Bearhart.
With those names, among others, already secured in Canadian history, Sam Son Farm looks to add to it's star studded resume with both familiar names and some new blood from it's elite breeding program. With Sovereign Award winning trainer Mark Frostad and Tammy Samuel- Balaz, daughter of Ernie Samuel, at the controls, Sam Son Farm is emerging from a winter of training in Florida and racing at the Fair Grounds in Louisiana. Now, at Keeneland Race Course in the heart of horse country in Lexington, Kentucky, the all Canadian operation is succeeding with flying colours.
Throughout the opening weekend of one of horse racing's most celebrated race meets, I was fortunate enough to spend some time with the cream of the Sam Son crop. One of my first loves of the equine world was easy to spot. Large in every way, from height to heart, this turf champi- on is as kind as he is fast. Soaring Free, Canada's defending Horse Of
The Year, was always looking for attention and pats of admiration, play- fully nudging me as I stroked his silky coat. However, don't be fooled by this six year old's passive nature. On the track, Soaring Free, affectionately known around the barn as Muffin, is a fierce competitor. The gelded son of Smart Strike has tallied stakes wins in Canada and the United States, and he appears on the right track to continue his streak of dominance after a bullet five furlong work on April 9.
Editor’s Note: Soaring Free, Canada’s 2004 Horse of the Year, made his 2005 debut at Keeneland on April 16. He recorded an impressive win in the $113,300 Gr.3, Shakertown Stakes. Soaring Free took the lead early and wouldn’t let any horses go by despite heavy pressure from Mighty Beau in the final stretch run. We look forward to his return to Woodbine.
Just one stall away you will find a young colt of an entirely different demeanor. Dance With Ravens, perhaps the most highly anticipated three year old of the Sam Son string, may not have the gentle personality of his highly regarded neighbour, but in the mind's of many, he has similar abilities. The 3-1 Queen's Plate Winterbook favourite, Dance With Ravens not only looks to live up to the expectations of his fan base, but the legacy of his family. A son of American Horse of the Year and leading sire A.P Indy, Dance With Ravens is out of the Canadian Triple Crown winning mare Dance Smartly. Dance Smartly has in turn already produced two Queen's Plate winners, taking consecutive editions of the Canadian classic in 2000 and 2001 with full siblings Scatter the Gold and
Dancethruthedawn.
These heights may seem
impossible to some, but
the crafty young colt
appears to be well
within his scope.
Already a Grade 2
winner, Dance With
Ravens captured last
fall's Grey Breeder's
Cup Stakes at 1 1/16th
miles, prevailing in a
gritty finish which gave
us a preview of both his
heart and his potential.
Following in the
footsteps of his highly
touted stable mate,
Dance With Ravens also recorded a bullet work on the 9th, moving the fastest of three at the distance of six furlongs.
With the sun beginning to break up the dark Kentucky horizon, I was able to catch a glimpse of turf performer Colorful Judgement on the track. The five year old chestnut, who had been passively napping in his stall the previous morning, was all business on the track, prancing in high spirits as he executed his routine. Seeing the son of Diesis in action brought back memories of his hard fought performance to capture last year's Sky Classic stakes. Now turning to the future, I was anxious to see the two time stakes winner's half brother, the three year old Kingmambo colt Colorful King. Despite his young age, Colorful King is a picture of composure and confidence at the shedrow. After just a few moments with the chestnut colt, I found myself reluctant to leave. His sweet and loving nature overcoming me, I can't help but stroke his velvety soft coat
over and over, tracing my fingers over the pattern of the thin white stripe that runs the length of his face. Like fellow three year old Dance With Ravens, Colorful King has been nominated to the Queen's Plate, currently listed at an honest 20-1. However, after finishing a courageous second on the turf in his lone start, this colt out of Colorful Vices may just follow the path blazed by his older brother to turf stardom.
With my weekend in horse country coming to a close, I was left to reflect on the experiences and excitement, and more than anything, the puzzle pieces of hard work and unprecedent- ed tradition that come together to compose one of Canada's most longtime successful breeding and racing
outfits. With the champions of yesterday still burning in our memories, we can count on seeing the famed red and yellow of Sam Son Farm being carried across the finish line for many years to come.
Sam-Son Farm’s Colorful King at Keeneland. Photo by Kelsey Riley
Looking Back and Looking Ahead
On March 10 I led the funeral for Scotty McCullough in Fort Erie. I didn't know Scotty, or any of his family, but as I prepared for this day, I learned more about him through friends who knew him well. It wasn't his career as an exercise rider, (although he was acknowledged as a pretty good hand on a
horse), nor his training career, (the fact that he trained stakes winners as late as 2003), that intrigued me. It was the impact that he had on people as someone who would do any- thing for anyone.
Today in racing it seems that an attitude like that is slowly becoming non-existent. In these days of heady purses, human nature seems to become more conservative when it has a lot more to conserve and the more you have to conserve, the more you focus on self. Not so for Scotty, according to those who spoke at his funeral. You see, we didn't have a formal eulogy- something more like an open mike. This could be a risky thing: people were invited to share memories from the podium or from where they were seated and if no one spoke, that invited a large amount of uncomfortable quiet. Not so with this crowd. One by one, people shared fond memories of days gone by. It was a moving experience, filled with love and tears. It brought closure to some and a smile to others. I was grateful to be a part of it, as many looked back.
Looking Ahead
The day before, March 9, I enjoyed an opportunity to look ahead. Our Chaplaincy has encouraged those looking for a church close to the track to consider Islington Evangel Centre, a 5-minute walk as the crow flies from the East Gate, on Queen's Plate Drive. I have made it my home church for Sunday services. They are non-denominational (like us), energetic (also like us), and have a mission statement that reads "Love God, Love People, Make Disciples"- nice and simple.
Pastor Dave Connolly has been to our backstretch in 2004 and liked what he saw. They pray for us on a regular basis and want to support our ministry. One of the programs they encourage is the Alpha Ministry; something designed to intro- duce everyday people like us to Christianity in a relevant way.
Pastor Dave joined us for our Wednesday Soul Survivor get together to eat lunch, help present an introductory video and present a check from their Missions Fund. We are grate- ful for their support and confidence in us. They consider us a good investment- we plan to be worthy of their trust, as we look ahead.
Get Tied On
with Chaplain Shawn
Did You Know....
That 5-year-old gelding, Silent Witness made history on April 24, 2005, when he won the
Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup at Sha Tin Racecourse in Hong
Kong with jockey Felix Coetzee aboard for the ride.
It was Silent Witness’ 17th straight win which topped the
North American and European Records previously held at
16 consecutive wins shared by Citation (1948-50),
Cigar (1994-96) and Hallowed Dreams (1999-00) in
North America.
In Europe, Ribot (1954-56) was
retired undefeated 16 for 16. Trained by Tony Cruz and
owned by Arthur Antonio and Betty da Silva,
Silent Witness is undefeated in his career and earned Horse of the Year honours in
Hong Kong in 2004.