When David Shea attended the 2010 Canadian Yearling Sale, he went there expecting to buy one horse, not two. Luckily, it turned out to be twice as nice for the longtime owner

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He purchased the horse he was looking for in Giddy Up Cam, but when Shea, who calls Campbellville, Ont. home, was set to leave the sales pavilion, another horse caught his eye.

Shea is certainly glad he made the decision to net Giddy Up Blackfly.

A son of Whosurboy, Giddy Up Blackfly has banked $21,895 in career earnings and currently sports a record of 4-2-0 from 11 starts with a life’s best clocking of 1:54.2.

“I went to the sale looking to buy one horse (Giddy Up Cam), which we got, but when I was ready to leave I noticed this horse was getting ready to sell, so I went over to see what kind of number he would bring,” Shea recalled.

Giddy Up Blackfly, then known as On My Way There, was anything but a decadent purchase.

“He was the only horse in the sale sired by Whosurboy,” Shea said. “Mark Ford, who trained Whosurboy, is a good friend of mine who has trained horses for me in the past, so that’s one of the reasons why I went to look at the horse. I was happy to get him for $6,500.”

Giddy Up Blackfly surfaced in July of his two-year-old season this past summer. After a shaky start to his career, the decision was made to give the youngster some time off in preparation for the winter months.

“We decided to geld him,” Shea said. “He wasn’t lame or anything, but his mind wasn’t on his business during the race. When we brought him back in December, he has been a different horse.”

Since his return, Giddy Up Blackfly has fashioned a record of 3-2-0 in his last five appearances including a second-place effort in the first leg of the Snowshoe Pacing Series. Shea’s cousin, Joey, conditions the sophomore, while up-and-coming reinsman Bill Davis Jr. handles the driving assignments.

Shea confirmed that after the series, Giddy Up Blackfly will receive some well-deserved time off in preparation for the summer racing season.

“I think he has enough talent to be [an Ontario Sires Stakes] Gold horse this summer,” Shea said. “Anything can happen in this business, but, for now, he’s getting better with every start and is on the right track.”

Shea has a lot to look forward to in both his Canadian Yearling Sale purchases, as Giddy Up Cam recently scored an impressive 1:58.1 qualifying victory in his career debut.

“He qualified very well for us,” Shea explained. “Hopefully we have two nice horses come this summer.”

Giddy Up Blackfly will begin from Post 1 in the third division (Race 9) of the Snowshoe's second leg on Thursday evening.

To view the harness racing entries for Thursday at Woodbine, click the following link: Thursday Entries - Woodbine Racetrack.

(WEG)