Page 5 - April 2007 The Game

Canada’s Thoroughbred Racing Newspaper The Game, April 2007 5
The Game’s Editor Finally Gets to Ride!
Here at The Game we take pride in our completely un-scientific capacity to inform you about and steer you towards the winningest jockeys. Now, readers of this publication have the opportunity to put their money on me. I have been asked to ride in the celebrity division of the CARDathon in the Park 2007, which will take place Sunday June 16 at G. Ross Lord Park at Dufferin, between Finch and Steeles.
CARD is the Community Association for Riding for the Disabled and for many years it has improved the quality of life for countless people who have disabilities. CARD offers therapeutic horse riding to those whose lives are physically compromised.
Needless to say, there is a significant cost of maintaining horses for the many people who might benefit from this program. Disabled riders pay $330 per term towards their riding; this is about one quarter of the real cost to CARD and the shortfall must be made up from the generosity of the community. CARD reports that extra funding is necessary to assure that everyone in need will have the opportunity to experience the uplifting pleasure of riding a horse.
To justify my presence at CARDathon in the Park, I’m soliciting pledges from readers of The Game. If you can think of a story you have read within these pages over the past few years that has put a smile on your face or a pleasant thought in your heart, please consider sponsoring me for an amount that you’d be comfortable with.
This, of course, is not a pari-mutuel event. But for those of you who like to wager, I’m posting the following odds:
• Chances I’ll get on the horse correctly on the first try: 6-1
• Chances of me actually getting the horse to go forward: 9-1
• Chances of me preventing the horse from running back to the barn: 11-1
• Chances of me falling off the horse anytime during the ride: 4-5
• Chances the horse will be so inspired, it will run faster than Arravale: 200-1
• Chances of getting out of bed the next morning painfree: 15-1
• Chances a jock’s agent will be impressed and offer to take my book: 300-1
• Chances Emma Jayne Wilson will call me for pointers: Infinite • Chances of helping improve the life of a child with a disability: 1-9
To sponsor Peter Gross, send a cheque or money order payable to CARD to: The Game CARDathon,
PO Box 52061, Oakville, ON
L6J 7N5
You can also call in your pledges directly to CARD at 416-667-8600.
Donations over $10.00 will receive an official tax receipt and everyone who helps out will be mentioned (with permission) in The Game.
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Every Horse is Unique There are no two carved out the same!
For a number of reasons, horse racing at Grand Prairie, about 500 kilometres north of Edmonton, will be more exciting than ever this summer. Live racing starts in June and concludes at the end of September and racing fans will get a wide spectrum of action. The new Track at Evergreen Entertainment and Racing complex had its grand opening last November and the newly built facility offers racing and continual action from 99 slots.
“We have two racetracks,” says Evergreen General Manager Linda Haggerty. “We have a half mile harness track and a 7/8ths thoroughbred track. We also have chutes at 550 yards and 870 yards. We do mixed breed racing - we have harness, thoroughbred, quarterhorse, paints, and Appaloosa. We’ve also done Arabians.”
Adding to the busy schedule this summer is Evergreen’s assistance to Horse Racing Alberta, which needed a place to hold their ‘A’ meet while the new racetrack at Balzac (just outside Calgary) was being completed. The Track at Evergreen has stepped in to give the province’s horsepeople another place to race, even though it will make for a very busy and challenging summer.
“We can stall 700 horses at our facilities,” says Haggerty. “This year, for the first time, we will have over 1100 racing stock on hand because we’re running an ‘A’ meet in con- junction with our ‘B’ meet until Calgary opens. We’re bringing in 400 extra stalls. We’re trying to help the industry.”
The Evergreen facility has been in action at Grand Prairie since 1982, but last fall its casino component was upgraded to allow for 99 slot machines. The track can install as many as 150, but more machines will be allowed according to a government assessment of how busy the present slot machines are.
“It’s all based on play per hour,” explains Haggerty. “We’ve been doing very well. Last year we were the only racing entertainment centre in the province whose slot play actually increased. Last month we averaged $11.02 per slot machine per hour.”
For those more inclined to watch and wager on the horses, the Evergreen grandstand holds 2,750, and much of the action on the track will be fast and furious. Along with a full slate of thoroughbred and harness racing, Evergreen has some of the best quarterhorse fields in the country. The busy schedule of Stakes races presented this summer include:
- The Juvenile Challenge for two year olds with an estimated purse of $18,000
- The Bonette Broden for two year olds with a purse of $15,000
- The Alberta Bred for three year olds, purse $35,000
- The Dragon Palace Speed Sprint, a race of 870 yards for $15,000
One unique aspect of the racing at Evergreen is the chance for fans to see different kinds of racing on the same visit.
“On Saturdays and Sundays we will run the harness races starting at 1 o’clock,” says Haggerty. “There’s 8 harness races and then we run a full card of thoroughbred and quarterhorses until 9 at night.”
Evergreen doesn’t have lights for night racing, but that far north, the sun doesn’t set until close to 11 each night.
“Our fans love it,” emphasizes Haggerty “Our fan base is mixed. Many of them love the quarterhorse racing because it’s quick. They love the diversity of the racetrack, having the thoroughbred and the harness and the quarterhorses. They all have their followings.”
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