After having been purchased for a mere $7,500 as a yearling, Fixed Idea has slowly but surely proven to be a shrewd investment. He went unraced at two, but the four-year-old has now banked just under $150,000 in purses. According to his trainer, the four-year-old “is due for some good things to happen.”
The horse in question is Fixed Idea and his trainer is Todd Clements. The duo was initially profiled this past fall in advance of the Breeders Crown at Woodbine Mohawk Park. The gelded son of Big Jim ultimately finished off the board in his Crown final, but has been solid at Mohawk since then, as he has won three of his five starts and appears to be sharpening up nicely.
Fixed Idea’s most recent win came this past weekend at the Campbellville, Ont. oval, as the Phil Hudon-driven bay raced tactfully as the public’s choice and tallied a one and a half-length victory in 1:52 over an off track.
Fixed Idea’s recent form has caught the attention of the Hamilton Spectator, which has run another profile piece on the horse and trainer.
“He wants to race and has shown so much heart,” said Clements. “He has a lot of talent that maybe other people have not yet seen, but it's there."
As Clements has explained, Fixed Idea was up against the bearcats during many points of his inaugural campaign of racing, which came last season at age three. In many cases, his foes were more seasoned, and definitely of a higher profile. Given all of that, Fixed Idea did not embarrass himself.
“He faced all the good three-year-olds last year, and while not many people thought he belonged, he held his own," Clements has told the Hamilton Spectator.
Clements went on to say, “I raced him 18 starts and if he did not get run into, he hooked wheels with someone or there was interference in the race. Not a lot went right for this guy. We raced him in the North America Cup elimination where he paced his last quarter in :25.4 to finish last," Clements explained.
"In spite of all that, he won nearly $115,000. After the Breeders Crown I gave him a break of five weeks…” said Clements. “When a horse gives as much as he does you have to respect him."
To read more about Clements’ journey in racing, and to learn more about Fixed Idea’s owner, Chris Nicol, click here.
(With files from the Hamilton Spectator)