Darko only cost Ralph Annear $1,700 as a yearling, but she has turned out to be a worthwhile investment.
At last year's Atlantic Classic Sale, the horseman from Montague, PEI purchased a ticket for $20 and ended up winning a draw for a $3,000 credit towards the purchase of a yearling.
Annear went on to purchase hip number 54 -- Darko, a filly bred by Bob Haines of Kentville, NS -- for $4,700.
Darko was well mannered and trained down strong. Annear qualified the filly in June of this year. She won her first two lifetime starts with Clare MacDonald driving, but then, soon after, MacDonald was injured in a racing accident at Exhibition Park Raceway in Saint John, NB. Kenny Arsenault then picked up the driving assignment on the daughter of Largo.
"She's just like driving a car. Perfect mannered, perfect to drive," Arsenault said. Some bad luck followed the filly right after Old Home Week. "She (Darko) got sick. She missed the whole month of September," Annear said.
She won her next two starts in the PEI Colt Stakes and the Lady Slipper Stakes, but Darko's sickness came back to haunt her just before the $25,000 Atlantic Breeders Crown final.
Annear said it was disappointing to miss that race.
"It was the first time she had scored (drawn) inside, but she had a temperature. You couldn't start her. You would just ruin her and get nothing."
Darko's temperature then subsided and she was entered in the Maritime Breeders Futurity eliminations at Truro Raceway.
"[Darko] wasn't tight. She had been off. Then there was a recall the first time behind the gate. She got too worked up, she wasn't herself. She had herself played out before the word go," Annear said.
The filly finished third and only made the final because one of the other third-place finishers had a slower time than her. Annear and Arsenault both had high expectations of Darko heading into the $43,679 final. Arsenault believed one thing was key for Darko to win the race.
"I had to get Southview Spirit to work hard. She had to come first up. That was the only way I could beat her, and that's the way it worked out."
In the final, which took place the afternoon of Sunday, October 26, Darko left from Post 4 and made front through fractions of :28.4, :58.3, and 1:27.4. Annear had only one thing go through his head when his filly cleared to the lead. "They're going to have to catch us now."
Darko fought off a late charge by Southview Spirit (driven by Marc Campbell) to win the race in a stakes record of 1:57.4. Her victory also erased the former track record of 1:58.3 shared by Southview Sally and Gordies Last Call.
Darko's next start is the Island Breeders final Saturday, November 1 at the Charlottetown Driving Park.
"Southview Spirit's not in it, and R Es Mary's not in it. We should have a good shot," Annear said.
Darko now has five wins from 10 lifetime starts and has banked $45,563.
To view the entries for the Saturday card at Charlottetown, click here.
(Nicholas Oakes is a journalism student at Holland College, and a columnist with Atlantic Post Calls)