Page 18 - December 2008 The Game

18 The Game, December 2008
Bold N Flashy to T.C. Westmeath
a stallion.
A son of Bold Ruckus, Bold N Flashy’s top progeny
Canada’s Thoroughbred Racing Newspaper
The Search for By Tim Cheatin’ Charlie Yatcak
Longtime successful stallion Bold N Flashy has moved for the 2009 breeding season to John Carey’s T.C. Westmeath Stud Farm after standing for many years at Park Stud.
include Graded Stakes winner, Marco Be Good; and multiple stakes winners Miss Crissy, Devastating, Bold N Fancy (each earning more than $500,000) as well as the talented multiple winner Flashy Anna.
“If you can’t nd an interesting story at a race track, your vital signs have
at lined and you have no pulse.” Doug Abraham, track historian Stampede Park.
Legal problems kept Bold N Flashy out of the spotlight for breeding the past couple of years and despite his limited crops the past few seasons, he still remains one of the top stallions in Canada for progeny earnings.
“He has settled in to his new home and is fertile and healthy and ready to go.” said John Carey, owner of T.C. Westmeath Stud Farm in Shelburne.
I was an outsider. Already retired
from a career, neither being born to,
nor brought up in the racing culture,
here I was in my rst season as the
gate cameraman at Hastings Park in Vancouver. Since duties required moving with the starting gate, I slowly began to befriend the capable and nimble footed assistant starters who climb into
Owned by Dom Romeo of Terra Racing Stables, Bold
N Flashy was second leading sire in 2007 with earnings of more than $2.2 million behind Bold Executive. In 2008 his progeny have added another $1,462,953 to his earnings which now exceed more than $12.5 million in his career as
Bold N Flashy will be standing for $3500 Canadian in 2009, live foal guaranteed.
that gate every 20 minutes to assure a fair beginning. They were a bit distant at rst, but as the season marched on, we became friends. They soon learned that horse racing was my life’s passion, but mostly observed that at arm’s length from the grandstands. We would swap racing stories all the time, but it was when I heard one of the senior crew mention the handle, “Cheatin’ Charlie,” that I simply had to know more.
What A Sparkling Year We Have Enjoyed
Thank You for another Season of Great Memories!
~ Wishing you a Holiday filled with Joy and a New Year of Peace & Prosperity
Jockey Emma-Jayne Wilson & Agent Mike Luider
A name like that engenders the memory of Hot Horse Herbie, Gloomy Willie, Harry the Horse, or Nellie Thursday who were all creations of the great newspaperman, Damon Runyon. A product of a bygone era, these supporting characters in the sports
life of newspaper readers seemed to have more texture and distinctiveness. These “personalities” have vanished in today’s media. Instead,
the sterile, multi-millionaire sports idols have taken their place, most of whom have little difference among them outside the record books. These “larger than life” nicknames gave people individuality independent
of their success. We all remember those other names for Babe Ruth (The Bambino or the Sultan of Swat etc.). They are as unique as the people they honor and bestow on the recipient a simple truth: “you don’t remind me of anyone else. You are an original.”
I began asking everyone
I met how I would nd the story behind this nickname. How did it come to pass, what did it mean? A steward remembered him as the former clerk of scales; an
old program listed him as
an of cial at Sandown near Victoria. The mutuels manger recalled his being a lm analyst. Much like searching a corn maze near Halloween: numerous avenues opened, but quickly closed. I discovered he passed away in the year 2000.
Cont. Pg 24 See Cheatin’
The Game December 2008.indd
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