Along with his father Thomas, Brent Vincent bred his Apaches Fame mare Waasmowin to Million Dollar Cam roughly a decade ago. The result was a brown lass named Waasmula. In announcing the Waasmula’s retirement to Trot Insider, Brent has described the millionaire earner as “a little guy’s dream.”

“I’ve been very fortunate with her – very lucky,” Brent humbly told Trot Insider on Monday morning (November 20). “She’s done so much and has meant so much to me and my family.”

After having foregone her juvenile campaign, Waasmula introduced herself to fans of the Ontario racing scene in 2011 as a three-year-old. After some solid performances at some lower levels, Waasmula would go on to play giant killer in her Ontario Sires Stakes Super Final at Woodbine Racetrack. She made up lengths late that night and hauled down Monkey On My Wheel, the divisional Breeders Crown winner that went on to capture the O’Brien Award for the category a few months later.

“After her OSS Super Final we knew she was special,” Brent said. “Be it at home or abroad, she always raced against the best. We travelled with her a couple of times – down to Miami Valley for the Chip Noble and to Philadelphia for the Betsy Ross – but for the most part we stayed at home.

“That being said, even though she raced at home, she faced the best the province had to offer, and then faced off with the best in the division in the Milton and Roses Are Red. To me she never put in a bad race – she always had a good excuse when things didn’t end up going her way.”

After 146 career starts, Waasmula, who was trained by Bruce Goit, has retired with a slate that reads 33 wins, 18 second-place finishes and 27 thirds. She took her mark of 1:49.2 over Mohawk Racetrack as a five-year-old and won in 1:51.2 this past spring.

Waasmula reached the $1-million mark in career purse earnings on January 27, 2017 at Woodbine and has tacked on more than $83,000 since then. Brent, of Allenford, Ont., knew that he could’ve continued to bank cheques from Waasmula’s on-track exploits, but he was well aware that the writing could be on the wall. The mare raced this past Saturday night at Woodbine against a lower class and was caught late while racing on the point.

“She should’ve beaten that bunch on Saturday,” Brent said. “Maybe she’s telling us that she’s done. Trevor (driver Trevor Henry) also said that it was probably time after Saturday’s race. She’s got nothing to prove to anybody.”

Brent told Trot Insider that he is looking to breed Waasmula to an Ontario sire and that he will most likely sell the first couple of foals that she produces, although he would like to eventually be able to keep one and watch it develop and race in Ontario.

Like any owner that has bred, raised, raced and retired a horse, Brent’s decision to move to the next chapter of Waasmula’s career has been bittersweet.

“To tell you the truth, it’s a tough day,” he told Trot Insider. “We’ve met so many great people because of her – we rode her coat tails. We never thought she would’ve earned a million dollars. It’s been such a wonderful ride. We owe her so much.”