Young PEI Owner Makes Tough Call

In the early hours of Saturday, January 3, the Moases had to make a tough decision

, the result: Stonebridge Adonis had to be put down.

Twelve-year-old Jonah Moase of Cornwall, PEI, owned the seven-year-old pacer. His father, Neal Moase, is a longtime owner in the Atlantic region, campaigning such top horses as Woodmere Jet and Port Bluff A.

Neal says Stonebridge Adonis, who was stabled in Truro under the care of Nicholas White, had severe internal issues, including possible bleeding, and the vet gave the horse only the slimmest chance of survival, with very little hope that he could even be transported anywhere to receive proper treatment.

At approximately 1:00 a.m. on Saturday morning, the decision was made to euthanize him.

Jonah says he liked Stonebridge Adonis for his overall manners.

“He was just a nice horse to work around,” Jonah said. “I got him ready on race days, and looked after him through the week whenever I was around.”

One would think that would be enough stress for Jonah, a Grade 7 student at East Wiltshire Junior High in Cornwall, to have to deal with at one time, but he has just finished with another trying ordeal.

In mid-December, two of Jonah’s horses, Primiano and Binies Westerngirl, were alleged to be carriers of the deadly respiratory disease, strangles. The barn the horses were in was quarantined and no horses were allowed to leave the barn until the quarantine was lifted. This also affected three other of Jonah’s horses, Mollymaid Benka, Race Me Volcano, and the now deceased Stonebridge Adonis.

Jonah’s father, Neal, says both the horses have since tested negative for strangles, and the ban was lifted last Friday (January 2) afternoon, but only a few hours before the loss of Stonebridge Adonis.

Stonebridge Adonis (Western Hanover – Casual Beauty – Artsplace) was a $72,000 yearling purchase at the 2003 Forest City Sale. He started his career, at two, under the care of Blair Burgess, then changed hands to James Ainsworth, then to Ronald MacDonald.

After limited success of the Woodbine Entertainment Group Circuit, he came into the barn of John MacDonald at Rideau Carleton Raceway in February, 2006.

The pacer was claimed in March, 2007 by Rene Allard, who had him for five starts before losing him to Sebastien Giroux.

Under the conditioning of Giroux, he took a mark of 1:54 in a $6,000 claiming event in June, 2007 with John MacDonald in the bike.

He was then claimed by Ginette Barnard, who raced the gelding at Trois Rivieres, before he was yet again claimed by Jean Girard. Training duties were then switched to Danny Girard, before the horse was purchased by the Moases.

Stonebridge Adonis’s last win came July 6, 2008 at Truro Raceway in 2:00.1 with Ryan Ellis at the controls.

His last scheduled start was August 14, 2008 at the Charlottetown Driving Park during Old Home Week. He warmed up but was subsequently scratched lame before the race.

Before the quarantine began Stonebridge Adonis was in the process of training back to compete in 2009.

(Nicholas Oakes is a journalism student at Holland College, Charlottetown, PEI, and a columnist with Atlantic Post Calls)