Just three more races and then maybe trainer Rod Starkewski will be able to sleep.
Starkewski trains and co-owns Outlawguns N Roses, the best three-year-old filly in Alberta having won eight out of 10 races this year and 12 out of 19 lifetime in her young career.
Despite being very superstitious, Starkewski finally agreed to an interview despite thinking an article could jinx him.
“Yeah, I really don’t want to do this,” said Starkewski, who will race Outlawguns N Roses three more times at Century Mile this year – this Saturday in a prep race, Oct. 12 in the $124,220 Century Casino Filly Pace and then on Nov. 2 in the $75,000 Alberta Sires Stakes Super Final.
“I get nervous but once I check them up to race it’s out of my control,” said Starkewski, who always has a high winning percentage. “Just getting her as ready as I can keeps me busy enough.
“But I don’t know how much hair I’m going to have left.
“Then again I would be more nervous if I was driving.”
But that’s Dave Kelly’s job. One of Alberta’s top drivers and trainers, Kelly marvels at what Outlawguns N Roses has been able to accomplish.
“I’ve never driven anything like her,” said Kelly, who recently drove his 1,000th winner of his career and who has been Outlawguns N Roses' regular partner all but two times.
“Rod has done an incredible job with her,” said Kelly. “She likes going fast and she’s got a big idle that allows her to carry her speed really well. She’s a lot of fun to drive.”
Starkewski and Kelly both agree that the Aug. 10 Gord and Illa Rumpel at Calgary’s Century Downs was Outlawguns N Roses' best race.
“That was incredible,” Kelly said of the eight-length victory in a three-year-old filly track record 1:51.3, which was one second and two-fifths quicker than the boys raced in the Ralph Klein the same day.
With talented Byby Baby Byby and Filly Pace contender on her back, Kelly said, “I waited to the turn to ask her and when I asked, she showed me another gear and took off. She’s a pretty special filly.”
“I tell you, I was shocked and overwhelmed by the Rumpel,” concurred Starkewski, who owns Outlawguns N Roses with Clauzette Byckal – the latter keeping Outlawguns N Roses supplied with molasses horse cookies that she buys by the box. “Her speed that day really blew me away. She had her game face on that day.”
But then Outlawguns N Roses’ last race – way back on Aug. 31 in the Alberta Sires Stakes Princess final at Century Downs – was pretty incredible too.
Leaving from the trailing nine post, the daughter of Captive Audience got away in sixth place before going first-over against pacesetter Over Ice, who is also headed to the Century Casino Filly Pace. The two hooked up but when push came to shove, the victory went to Outlawguns N Roses by a gritty half a length.
“She paced an absolutely massive back half that afternoon,” said Kelly of a race where the half went in :57.2 with Outlawguns N Roses three lengths off the lead of Over Ice and trainer/driver Brandon Campbell. The mile went in 1:52.3, which means Outlawguns N Roses paced her last half in :54.4.
“I don’t think it’s possible to go any faster over that track,” marvelled Kelly.
“It was another impressive start for her,” said Starkewski. "A :26 second and a piece third quarter and then a :27 second and a piece final quarter. That’s impressive.”
Outlawguns N Roses has only lost two races this year. One was in the July 13 Marquis final when she broke stride just as the gate was leaving.
“She jumped something,” said Starkewski.
Her only other loss this year was in the $118,000 Shirley McClellan Breeders Stakes on June 15 when Byby Baby Byby got the pocket trip and defeated Outlawguns N Roses, who was parked to the first quarter, by a clear length.
Byby Baby Byby, who had heart problems which have hopefully since been corrected, may need a start not having raced since Aug. 24.
But Outlawguns N Roses has had several head-to-head contests with Byby Baby Byby and the latter has come out on top several times. In addition to the McClellan, Byby Baby Byby defeated Outlawguns N Roses in the last year’s Super Final, and dramatic two-year-old track record mile when the pair battled the entire way.
“She’ll be tough, though she’ll probably need a race,” said Byby Baby Byby’s trainer Rod Hennessy. “We like the way she qualified.”
Bought privately by Starkewski and Byckal from Connie Kolthammer’s Outlaw Stable, Outlawguns N Roses seems to be getting better and better.
“She’s a happy horse,” said Starkewski, of the daughter of the unraced mare Gunslingin Gal, who has also produced $477,000 winner Smooth Criminal; Outlawtiggerhappy, who also raced for Starkewski and Byckal and earned more than $127,000; Outlaw Gunsablazin, another Starkewski/Byckal purchase that has earned just under $260,000 and was runner-up in 2019 Ralph Klein and Western Canada Pacing Derby. The Byckal/Starkewski partnership also has a yearling, Outlawgunpwdrnlead, out of Gunslingin Gal.
“We wound up buying a lot of horses out of Gunslingin Gal,” said Starkewski, 56, who got started in racing when a next-door neighbour had a horse and would take his son and Starkewski to the track and to watch his horse race.
“I wasn’t very old, but I was already hooked," he said of his introduction to racing. “I worked as a groom for Max Jorgensen in 1985. I was 17. Then I started working for Jack Beelby, who I learned a lot from especially when it came to training young horses. After that, I worked for Billy Companion and then Mike Nutik’s LMN Farms."
Now he’s on his own with his wife, Jackie, who does most of the work with Outlawguns N Roses.
Starkewski has had several very good horses in his barn. But nothing compared to Outlawguns N Roses.
“She’s on a different wave,” said Starkewski. “I knew she was going to be a good one early last year. She was really mature for her age and she did everything effortlessly. She’s always relaxed and nice to be around. And when it comes to racing when you want her to go she gets up and going. She’s a professional. She loves to get onto the track. She wants to get going and get going early. She doesn’t like to wait too long.”
What’s next for Outlawguns N Roses could all depend on what she does in these three final races of the year for her.
“We’ll play it by ear. We like watching her go and the purses are nice. It will be a big decision.
“Rod Hennessy kept Shark Week in Alberta,” Starkewski said of the brilliant six-year-old, who won again this past Saturday – his sixth in a row and 48th victory lifetime. “I think that horse brings people to the track.”
Only eight three-year-old fillies nominated for the Century Casino Filly Pace so no eliminations were needed. But 12 three-year-old boys nominated to the $107,030 Pacing Derby so two eliminations will be held at Century Mile on Saturday.
(Curtis Stock / thehorses.com)