The COVID-19 pandemic has left its mark on the harness racing industry in more ways than one. Now, beyond the current shutdown, one racehorse will serve as an ongoing reminder of the efforts to flatten the curve.
Meet 'Staytheblazeshome', a filly with a new name in tribute of a call to action in Nova Scotia by the province's Premier.
Originally purchased from the Atlantic Classic Yearling Sale as Goddards Gigolo, Staytheblazeshome received a new on-track moniker from owner Randy Getto, who works as a nurse away from the racetrack.
“They all have names when you buy them and they’re usually named after their mother or father or the farm where they came from, but we really weren’t liking the name she came with,” Getto told the Cape Breton Post. “With COVID going on we were all hearing the premier talk about staying the blazes home and since we have lots of connections to health care we kind of liked what Stephen McNeil said and thought that would be a good name so we renamed her.”
Although some in the harness racing industry consider it bad luck to rename a horse, Getto and co-owners Susan Macsween and Wayne Hardy weren't about to let that superstition deter them.
“Well, it’s always been considered bad luck to tell stories or take pictures of a horse that has never raced, but we’ve followed that before with other horses and they didn’t work out anyway...we have nothing to lose,” Getto laughed.
Staytheblazeshome is doing just that as she prepares for her rookie season at Northside Downs.