Page 10 - August/September 2007 The Game

10 The Game, August/September 2007 Canada’s Thoroughbred Racing Newspaper
Rennie to Retire from CTHS Alberta
Rennie Gellner - 2005 File Photo
After more than 19 years as Manager of the CTHS Alberta Division, Rennie Gellner has announced his retirement and will be leaving his position in October.
“I’m seventy-one years old and I think the time has come.” commented Rennie on his reason for retiring. “I am not going to totally leave the industry, I will be doing some consulting work.”
Rennie is committed to seeing that the construction of the new racetrack in Balzac gets underway, a project with which he has been involved with from the
start. “Construction could start very soon and I am very confident that the track will get built. We have a temporary permit and are close to getting the barns up.”
In the mean time the CTHS of Alberta has hired a new Manager to replace Rennie in October. Jean Cruz, who comes from a farm background, is changing careers from a Highschool Principal to take over the position.
“Jean has a father and a sister who are both involved in the industry and she feels comfortable about going on to a new
career.” says Rennie.
As for Rennie, he is looking forward to
his trip to Vancouver in October where he and his wife, Heather, and her two broth- ers and their wives, will all be celebrating 40th wedding anniversaries. “We all got married in the same year.” he explained, “so we’re celebrating all together.”
It has also been nearly 40 years since Rennie began working with thorough- breds.
Born on a farm in Saskatchewan
where his
father raised
cattle and
quarter horses,
Rennie began
riding at a very
young age,
“We had work-
ing horses and
quarter horses,” recalls Rennie, “We had a lot of cattle which I didn’t like, and still don’t! There were more than 60 horses
onthefarmandIrodealotof them.”
The year after he was married, Rennie came to Calgary and began his first job working with thorough- breds for Mr. Von Maffei, who had come to Alberta from Germany in 1967. Mr. Von Maffei was involved in the oil business and also established a farm in the Calgary area after importing 11 mares and one stallion to his farm. Rennie worked there until 1980 during which time they bred some high quality thoroughbreds , mentioning that they had sold the highest priced yearling to date in Alberta, a Buckpasser filly, for $108,000. Another yearling they bred was the sale topper at the Fasig-Tipton yearling sale in Lexington in 1978, an Alberta foaled filly by Graustart.
In 1980 Mr. Von Maffei returned to Germany and Rennie went to work for Borry Margolis’s Elm Brook Stable which was dispersed after six years for health reason.
During that time, Rennie became a Director on the Board for the CTHS of Alberta and an opening for the Manager position became available in the Spring of 1988. A position which he has held ever since.
“It has been a great industry for me and my family,” said Rennie about his years with the CTHS, “It was a great closing for me when I was awarded Horse Person of The Year at the CTHS annual awards this year. It was very emotional for me to get that award. I probably owe the industry a lot more than it owes me. I’ve had a great time doing this.”
MOLINARO STABLE’S PRIVATE YEARLING SALE
Yearlings by Sire TEMPOLAKE
Tempolake is a Stakes Placed son of Multiple Graded Stakes Winner, Lac Ouimet, who is a sire of 31 Stakes Winners including Bison City Stakes winner, Synchronized.
Tempolake is out of a Geiger Counter mare providing a Northern Dancer bloodline in the fourth generation. Tempolake is the sire of local winners Molinaro Beau (L.E. $300,000), Molinaro First Las, Molinaro Native,
SEASIDE JOLT
GELDING – BY TEMPOLAKE - SEASIDE JEWEL
Seaside Jewel (2001) is by Jules (by Forty Niner –L.E. $2,726,000 – by Mr. Prospector) out of Seaside Appeal. Seaside Appeal (L.E. $24,392) is by Compliance (by NorthernDancer). SheisahalfsistertoRoughSea who is a dam of 6 winners. SeasideJewelwasunraced. Thisisher2ndfoal.
MISTED LAKE
FILLY – BY TEMPOLAKE - MOLINARO’S MISSIE
Molinaro’s Missie is by Dr.Adagio (stakes winner of $153,442. Sire of 10 crops of racing age, 235 foals, 161 starters, 3 stakes winners, 103 winners of 452 races and earning$7,284,953US.). SheisoutofMissMolinaro (sister to Honoured One) a dam of 6 foals, 5 to race, including Stakes Winner Molly’s Wisdom ($184,799) and Regal Mister {$211,899 USA}.
Her second dam, Redemptive is half sister to
Lady Lonsdale {$307,468}
and Pre Emptive Strike {$338,454}.
SON OF TEMPO
GELDING – BY TEMPOLAKE - MINE’S NERVIE
Mine’s Nervie (1998) is by Miners Mark (Stakes winner of $967,170 – by Mr. Prospector out of Personal Ensign –L.E. $1,679,880.) out of Nurvie (L.E. $14,119 – by Bold Ruckus). SistertoBigRuckuswhoisthedamof4foals–2torace. 2nd Dam: Nurso had 7 wins at 2 & 3 including the MyDearS.,CinderellaS.,andOldHatS.
I’M A GREY SHADOW
GELDING – BY TEMPOLAKE - JOVIAL EXECUTIVE
Jovial Executive by Bold Executive (Stakes winner of $365,305. Leading sire 3 times, sire of 16 crops of racing age with total earnings of $27,756,628 USA).
She is from a strong female family who produces runners. This is Jovial Executive’s third foal
– herfirst2foalsarecurrentlyintraining.
Molinaro Irish & Molinaro Fantasy.
Yearling by Sire FOXTRAIL Foxtrailisastakeswinnerof$362,836(ontwosurfaces). Heisthesireofblacktypestarterswithtotalprogenyearnings
of$1,056,264. Hisaverageearningsindexis1.20whichexceedsthe comparableindexof1.13.
SWIPE THE HONOR
GELDING – BY FOXTRAIL OUT OF HONOR THE LADY
Honor the Lady is by Matter of Honor, a stakes winner of $318,186 and sire of 15 crops of racing age. Honor the Lady was a two time winner at age 3.
This is her third foal, with her first foal, I’m Feeling Foxy, currently in training.
MOLINARO STABLE
• All yearlings are nominated to Ontario Sire Stakes
• All showings by appointment only
• Inquiries to Cathy Pyman 416-726-5501 email: cpyman@rogers.com or Jo-Marie Martin 519-853-4176