Page 16 - November 2005 The Game

16 The Game, November 2005 Your Thoroughbred Racing Community Newspaper
Northlands Thoroughbreds Season Ends for 2005
With only two racing days left at press time for The Game, the Northlands thoroughbred meet is all but wrapped up for 2005. Final stats won’t be available until next month’s issue however it could be safe to say that the top positions are unlikely to change at this point.
Trainer Ron Smith will likely take the Leading Trainer title. He currently has 36 wins and $506,628 in earnings as of October 24. Trainer Ron Grieves was close behind in second with 30 wins and more money in the bank at $552,246 in purse earnings this season. Pam McDougall (25 wins), Greg Tracy (23 wins) and Dale Saunders (21 wins) will likely round out the top five positions.
Jockeys Quincy Welch and Rickey Walcott reversed positions from the Calgary meet, with Rickey the decided winner of the Northlands meet with 92 wins over Quincy’s 75 wins as of October 24. Rickey had $1,409,305 in purse earnings. Quincy will likely break the $1 million mark in the last two days with current earnings at $985,553. Stephan Heiler (68 wins), Real Simard (48 wins) and Perry Winters (42 wins) round out the top five.
Mikey and Merk
It happens, especially with two-year-olds. They see the starting gate, panic, and rearing up, drop their rider to the ground and bolt up the track.
At this point there are many, often-tragic things that could happen, but situated back from the gate is the outrider. He places himself strategically in the center of the track cutting off the path of the young horse and angling him towards the fence on the backstretch where the young horse will often stop or at least slow down to where he can be caught easily. Sometimes they bolt down the inside and circle the track trying to find a path back to the barn and away from what they are afraid of. At this point the outrider will again position himself in front of the horse’s path and, when the timing is right, (and this is the trick of a good out- rider) spur his pony into a fast break. As he comes quickly alongside the frightened horse he will reach and take the reins. And, when both horses are at a synchronized gait pull up his mount, and the young horse, and lead him back to the gate crew and waiting rider or to the paddock for an equipment fix.
At Hastings for the past 5 years the outrider has been Mike Anderson, a big man who, sits erect and tall in the saddle. Mike was literally born into the business of racing. His father Cy Anderson, a three time leading trainer inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2001, trained horses for over 50 years at
Exhibition Park (now Hastings). Mike’s brother Robbie and sister Barbara Anderson-Heads both operate successful racing stables at Hastings.
Mike at age 44 has done many jobs around the track.
"I’ve been around here and old Landsdown since I could walk." he says. "I’ve ponied and trained and worked the gate but I like this job and the way things are going around here it looks like a job with a good
future. I enjoy it. I like riding. "Basically you’re out there to keep everybody safe, horses and riders. It’s pretty quiet most
of the time but you have to be awake and keep your eyes open for the whole race in case a rider blows a pedal or a stirrup breaks. Things like that."
Often taciturn, keeping his thoughts to himself, when it comes to the subject of his pony a smile spreads across Mike’s face.
"Merk? He’s good. He has his days when he can get on your nerves especially when he doesn’t get enough riding," Mike says affectionately. "I got him off [trainer] Tom Longstaff when I first got this job and he’s turned out to be a real good horse. We get along pretty good."
"The hardest part of the job is when a horse gets loose and you have to catch him. Most of it’s timing. With a pony you’ve only got a hundred yards or so where you can go all out. You’re not going to outrun a thoroughbred and if one gets by, you can forget it and wait for him to come around again.
Merk’s got the speed when you need it and when you think he’s done he’s got a little more. I think he’s got a little thoroughbred in him because it doesn’t take much grain to get him sharp and on the muscle. And he enjoys it. Gets right into it when the job comes up.
"He watches the job as much as I do. As soon as he hears the walkie-talkie (the call to the gate from the stewards on the roof) he’s on the move. Its amazing how smart horses are as they pick up on stuff like that. If horses are acting up he seems to pay attention. If one gets loose he gets himself
into position pretty good so you don’t have to do much steering on him which makes my job a little easier," Mike says with a hint of pride in his voice.
Mikey and Merk are a good match for the job.
A Look at Racing in British Columbia
By Jim Reynolds
Paul Johnson passes away
Paul Johnson, who was the owner of Beechwood Farm, before it became Adena Springs Farm, passed away peacefully on October 23, 2005 after a long illness, with his wife Betty at his side.
Visitation was held at the Thompson Funeral Home in Aurora on October 26 with a service held the following day in the chapel. As Expressions of sympathy, donations to the Southlake Regional Health Care, Palliative Care, would be appreciated by the family.
Effective Solution for Foot Pain
Two Fillies Euthanized at Woodbine
ANTIFLAM
Two fillies had to be euthanized within days of each other after break- ing down on the track at Woodbine at the beginning of October. 4-year-old Bay Sweetie Babe, owned by Raymond Kong and trained by Danny
O’Callaghan broke down during a morning prep work for the Classy ‘n Smart Stakes. She was a multiple stakes-placed winner of 5 of 13 starts and had earnings of $315,811.
The Irish-bred 4-year-old filly, Saint Etienne, who was winning allowance races at Woodbine after relocating from England, had to be euthanized after breaking down during her race on October 2. Owned by Gary Chong, the filly who won 4 of 14 starts including a close second place fin- ish in the Gr3 Royal North Handicap at Woodbine, was based with trainer Ed Freeman at Fort Erie.
Are Sore Feet Limiting Your Horse’s Performance?
In reality most horses suffer foot pain,
the same “on fire”, aching sensation we humans feel.
Considering roughly 1200 pounds is landing on a surface the size of a saucer, how could they not hurt. When in full flight one landing foot usually bares all the weight
and the shock of each stride.
Even standing at rest we see horses shifting their body weight or creating a hole or a hill to ease the pressure.
Many just lie down when the discomfort gets intolerable.
ANTIFLAM is a real solution for foot pain with a noticeable improvement being seen in as little as 7 to 10 days
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