Page 33 - April 2005 The Game

Your Thoroughbred Racing Community Newspaper The Game, April 2005 33
Darwin goes Private in 2005
Darwin Banach was five years old when his father arrived home with a Shetland Pony and it was from that moment on that Darwin’s life began to revolve around horses.
Every weekend growing up in Wilkie, Saskatchewan Darwin’s parents would pack up the camper and haul the horse trailer to horse shows, where Darwin would com- pete in barrel racing, pole bending and other 4H events. Darwin was also involved in roping events and was an occasional outrider for chuck wagon races.
In 2005 Trainer Darwin Banach has gone private for William Sorokolit Sr. & William Sorokolit Jr.
By the age of fifteen, he began
race riding on the B circuit in Saskatoon as well as B tracks in Alberta. However by age seventeen he was too big to continue and focused his sights on training thoroughbreds and quarter horses. At that time, Darwin says that working with the horses wasn’t a business, it was just fun, however that eventually had to change as he was looking to marry and start a family with his soon to be wife, Mae.
Together the couple moved to Ontario where they could continue working with horses and make a living.
In 1989 Darwin got a job as the assistant manager at Pedigree Farms in Schomberg, where Jim Jedlica, another westerner, was the farm manager at the time. Mae also got a job galloping horses at Pedigree.
Darwin’s goal was to become a trainer at Woodbine and after one year at Pedigree, he moved “up the hill” to Schonberg Farm where he was also employed for one year while Mae continued to gallop at Pedigree. The couple then ventured to Woodbine to work for trainer John Ross. Darwin began as a groom and the following year he was barn foreman.
When Darwin received his Assistant Trainer’s license he spent the next six years with Trainer Phil England, who was training for Steve Stavro’s Knob Hill Stable.
In 1999 Darwin claimed his first horse and struck out on his own with his newly acquired Trainer’s license. The horse, Uncle Woger, was a $16,000 claim and was owned in partnership with his father, Walter. In three short months, Uncle Woger made $100,000 before being claimed for $32,000.
“From there it has been forward march.” said Darwin mentioning that he continues to train one or two horses for his father.
The last few years Darwin has trained for various owners and the number of horses in his care has fluctuated along the way.
The 2005 season however has begun quite differently for Darwin as he is now training privately for owners William Sorokolit, and his son William Sorokolit Jr.
The past few years the Sorokolits had their horses training with Phil England and Cliff Hopmans however in 2005 Phil is training privately for Molinaro Stables and Darwin says that Phil must have been behind the phone call he received from the Sorokolits.
While Cliff Hopmans will continue to train such horses as Classic Stamp, Darwin will oversee the training of the more than 30 horses currently owned by William Sr. and Jr..
Darwin is currently training 19 horses at Woodbine and there are another 15 horses who wintered in the United States. With only 16 stalls allocated at Woodbine, Darwin is hoping to set up a stable at Fort Erie, and quickly determine where each horse belongs.
Darwin mentioned that he was fortunate to get a really great staff and says that he has grooms with more than 100 years of combined experience as well as experienced and reliable riders.
Darwin still owns one horse of his own, 4-year-old filly, Setanta, whom he owns in partnership with his father and friend, Rocky Basinisi.
Because the majority of the Sorokolit Stable horses are distance or turf runners it is unlikely that they will be ready for racing in April, however Darwin is hoping to have Setanta ready for opening day, April 16 and if she wins it would be the perfect start to an already exciting 2005 season.
DePaulo delivers at the 'University of Woodbine'
By Chris Lomon
Mike DePaulo's approach to thoroughbred racing? Easy. Just read between the lines.
Years before he would make his presence known as a trainer at Woodbine Racetrack, DePaulo, born and raised in Toronto, had already developed a strong appreciation for the sport of kings.
His early education of
racing came from reading
copies of Blood-Horse
magazine that his father subscribed to, an opportunity to gain insight and information on an industry he became increasingly more enamored with during his teenage years.
"I guess I started reading the Blood- Horse when I was about eight," said DePaulo, with a laugh. "My dad owned and bred horses, so I definitely had an interest in the game. I graduated from Grade 13 and then it was on to the 'University of Woodbine.'"
It was 1983 when DePaulo began his racetrack career, walking hots for trainers Jerry Meyer, Bill Marko and Joe Attard. Three years later, the aspiring conditioner earned his trainer's license and in April of 1987, DePaulo recorded his first win.
Looking back at his formative years in racing, DePaulo, some 22 years after he first came to the Toronto oval, admits there were more than a few occasions when he felt a little bit out of his element.
"When you first start, you tend to think you've got the game figured out. But (legendary trainer) Allen Jerkens once told me, 'Every day, I find out I know less and less.' I think he's absolutely right. There's new technology and new challenges every day. But that's another reason to love the sport. It's an explosive game."
Armed with sound advice from some of Woodbine's most respected horsemen and a desire to be on par with his contemporaries, DePaulo began to increase his win totals over time, earning himself a reputation as an up-and-comer in the conditioning ranks.
By the mid-90's, DePaulo's blue-collar approach began to pay off, including on December 4, 1995, a day that gave credence to the adage "good things come in threes."
"That was one to remember," said the Brampton resident, of his perfect three-for- three day, winning with Formal Notice ($43.00) in the first, Mythical Zerah ($59.80) in the fifth and Quest for Lisa ($4.50) in the 10th.
"But it's a good example of what can happen at the racetrack. One day, it seems nothing is working out. The next day, it's quite the opposite."
It's far from DePaulo's only shining moment at Canada's Showplace of Racing. In 1997, DePaulo set career marks in both wins (31) and rank (tied-11). But it
was enduring sprint star Krz Ruckus who has given the trainer a genuine thrill ride, the speedster winning his first four races of 2001, including a victory on opening day and two stakes (the New Providence and Overskate).
The son of Bold Ruckus also finished second in the Shepperton and earned $300,341 in
2001 alone, the total helping contribute to DePaulo's $780,754 in purse earnings that year.
Of all the horses he has campaigned, Krz Ruckus, now a millionaire, is DePaulo's personal favourite. It's not the numbers and added-money triumphs that make the gelding special, he admits, but rather a particular character trait that sets 'Krz' apart from most thoroughbreds.
"He is a Doug Gilmour type," said DePaulo, in reference to the hockey great, whose career was characterized by a hard-nosed, competitive approach. "He is something else. When he was two, he broke a bone in his foot before he even saw tack and was in a stall for seventh months. But he is something special. He gives it everything he has every time out. You can't ask for more than that."
DePaulo just missed reaching the $1-million plateau in earnings in 2002, finishing the campaign with $960,957, while guiding Krz Ruckus, a Sovereign Award top sprinter finalist that year, to two stakes triumphs (Mt. Sassafras and Overskate).
One year later, DePaulo inched ever closer to the seven-figure mark in purse earnings at Woodbine, ending the season less than $14,000 shy of the milestone number. Once again, he recorded two added-money victories, one with Krz Ruckus (Briartic) and the other with Kissed By A Prince (Eternal Search).
But it was in 2004 when DePaulo truly shone, a year in which he surpassed the $1-million mark ($1,037,637) in earnings at Woodbine and with it, made it six consecutive years he has increased his total in that category.
Fittingly, it was Krz Ruckus that gave DePaulo his lone added-money triumph of the season, taking the Shepperton Stakes, outgunning fellow speedster Dillinger by a nose for the win.
"I'm obviously happy with the way things went in 2004," said DePaulo, of his memorable campaign in which he ranked tied for 15th in the standings. "It's been a slow process, but you gradually acquire more stalls and you have more opportunity to win. I hope we can do even better this year."
DePaulo wasn't the only one beaming in 2004.
Trainer Michael DePaulo
Hastings Groom of the Month
Bev Miles
Bev is a long-time member of the Hastings backstretch family and the Peter Stephen stable. She loves the game and the West Coast.
"I've travelled all over with horses," she says. "Delmar, California but I always find my way back home to Hastings. It's a nice tight community here. People are so friendly."