Pacer Turned Trotter Turns Heads
Take one unhappy and agitated pacer on the West Coast. Remove hopples. Train down horse as a trotter. Ship to Ontario and win six straight races.
Sounds unlikely, but that's the story behind Pureform Olympia. The six-year-old mare shoots for her seventh straight win Saturday at Flamboro Downs.
Owned by Shelley Nyuli of Abbotsford, B.C., Pureform Olympia was trained down to pace and mustered a 2-2-1 summary from 34 starts over the past three seasons. Nyuli told Trot Insider that the mare seemed to be much happier jogging unhoppled on the trot than she did on the pace so the suggestion was made to try her on the trot this past summer.
In a matter of weeks, Pureform Olympia was ready to qualify on the trot. She qualified on October 17 at Fraser Downs in a time of 1:59.3, with the track listed at two seconds off. Proving that mile was no fluke, Pureform Olympia followed that up the next week with a second-place effort against pacers. Her race time of 1:57.4 on the trot was a full second better than her lifetime best on the pace.
Nyuli then had to make a decision. Continue to race her trotter in B.C. against pacers, or ship her out of the province to race against trotters. Enter Gord Remmen. The Western Canadian native was selected to train Pureform Olympia in Ontario.
"A friend of mine out in B.C. knew they were sending her out here and asked me if I'd be interested," Remmen told Trot Insider. "I've trained for Shelley and her husband before in Alberta."
Since arriving in Ontario, all Pureform Olympia has done is win. Six straight wins, to be exact. She hasn't been stopped by icy tracks, broken equipment, or hitting her racebike during her miles.
"Her best attribute is that she does want to do it so badly," noted Remmen. "That's a characteristic of a good horse. They just want to do it."
The breeding on Pureform Olympia gives a bit of an indication as to why this horse has performed on both gaits. Her dam is Triptonic Hanover, a Cams Card Shark mare whose pedigree boasts some solid pacing performers. Eternal Camnation, American Jewel, Luck Be Withyou, Allspeed Hanover and American Jewel, just to name a few.
The sire, on the other hand, is pure trotting blood. Valet Victory is a double-gaited son of Valley Victory. Standing stud in B.C., he's being bred only to pacing mares. In limited stud action, however, Valet Victory has produced pacing racehorses with relative success. From 40 foals, 30 have made it to the races. The top earner from Valet Victory is Pureform Goodtogo, a consistent competitor in the mares ranks at both Alberta and Fraser Downs this past season with more than $167,000 earned through seven seasons of racing.
His third and fourth richest performers, however, are Pureform Venus (p,5,1:57f - $66,843) and stakes winner Pureform Pandora (p,4,1:56.4f - $62,872). Both are foals out of Triptonic Hanover, thus full sisters to the pace-rejecting Pureform Olympia.
On Saturday, 'Olympia' faces her toughest test to date, having to leave from the outside of the gate in Post 7. The outer starting spot does not concern Remmen.
"She's getting better each week now and getting more confidence. She's on the outside this week but she can leave fast," said Remmen. "She looks good...she's been well within herself each week."
Remmen would love to see the mare eventually compete on the WEG circuit as he thinks she'd be "much better" over the larger track. That move could come as the mare gains confidence, and wins.
My dad bought me a
My dad bought me a double-gaited horse called Mr.Madrid from my then boss and hero Dale Dufty and had two eligibility cards, one blue and one yellow. He paced free-legged, not a great horse on either gait but a great learning experience.
Guy Larush raced a double
Guy Larush raced a double gaited horse on the jockey club back in the 60's or 70's. He would switch back and forth weekly. Can't remember his name for sure, but am thinking "Johnny Bing"??? Judy or Pete can confirm the name.
All good stories and quite an
All good stories and quite an impressive feat as I don't think I can remember one going the opposite way with that kind of quick success. Like everyone else here I remember a trotter one night at Windsor in the mid 90s who was in a duel and behind in the lane but battled back to win by a half length. I was very impressed till the inquiry went up and he was DQ'd for switching to a pace in the lane when behind and then back to a trot at the end. Sneaky bugger!!!
Growing up in western New
Growing up in western New York, Batavia/Buffalo area,late 70's early 80's, there was a double gaited gelding named Excalibur I used to watch race. Tuff son of a gun. If I am not mistaken held both trot and pace world records for a double gaited gelding at one point.
I had a Horse Called Dillers
I had a Horse Called Dillers Demon that won the Champlain Futurity on the Trot at two. Later I won with him on the pace and free Legged pace . I then changed his shoeing and put him back on the trot. I also had a free legged pacer named Count Lomac that won with and without hopples. when he was 11 years old , I changed his shoes and put him on the trot. I also claimed a horse by Western Hanover named Ask For More who won on the pace but hit his knees and seemed unhappy , so I changed some shoeing and he won his first start on the trot in 201. Some horses just like a change... Tim
In reply to I had a Horse Called Dillers by Dillersdemon
I hope you're still in the
I hope you're still in the business Tim. Totally under-rated horseman imho.
First horse I ever jogged at
First horse I ever jogged at Bob Clark's farm. That was the good ol days. Sturdy horse, raced till he was 13, in fact I think he was in the retirement race at 14.
Trained by Keith Waples!
Trained by Keith Waples!
Many years ago at Mohawk in
Many years ago at Mohawk in Ontario there was a horse called Mr. Galaphone. He raced as both pacer and trotter. He would sometimes be disqualified as a trotter because he would pace in the stretch. I don't recall the years,but I believe it was early 70`s.
He was switched back and forth,depending on the class of race. Not sure if I am correct, but it seemed when he won enough and had to move to higher class they would change his gait.