If you’re keeping track, that’s seven straight wins for Cherry Tree Nicole, the newly turned five-year-old trotting daughter of British Sterling who races for Alan Kirschenbaum and Tim and Denise Maier
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Her modus operandi is that she pays very little attention to the goings on in the early stages of the race, then kicks into gear turning for home and inhales the leaders with complete contempt.
“I’m not sure if this is the longest winning streak of any horse I’ve owned,” Kirschenbaum related following last week’s facile score. “I know Little Steven won quite a few in a row for us, but I don’t remember how many.”
As a breeder, however, it’s much easier for Alan to recall the performer with the longest winning streak. That would be One More Molly, who gained notoriety for rattling off 13 straight victories here about a year ago for the Maiers.
Cherry Tree Nicole gets her name from the fact that Kirschenbaum is German for Cherry Tree, combined with a tribute to the late horseman Nicol Tremblay. Tremblay raced Cherry Tree Nicol’s dam Yankee Reflection, a mare that always impressed Alan.
“I had a great respect for both the horse and her driver/trainer,” Kirschenbaum related. “Nicol bred her a few times and got a couple of nice foals, and when he was ready to sell her, I was ready to buy her.
“Sadly, Nicol passed away not long after that, way before his time, and I wanted to honour his memory by naming Yankee Reflection’s next foal after him. Wouldn’t you know it, she proceeded to have a filly, but I wasn’t going to let that stop me.”
(Cal Expo)