Longtime Monticello Raceway horseman and Newfoundland native Norman Bradbury was honoured for his extensive and prominent career in a winner’s circle retirement ceremony after the seventh race on Tuesday afternoon (Dec. 5).
A native of Bay Roberts, Newfoundland, Bradbury has been a fixture at Monticello Raceway for nearly four decades since his first start in 1979. Prior to arriving to the backstretch of Monticello, Bradbury served as trainer for the Grey Brothers of Providence, Rhode Island for many years and spent several winters training in Pinehurst, N.C. Norman and his wife Donna, a longtime Monticello Raceway employee, were married in Pinehurst in 1976.
During his rich career, he has enjoyed many highlights. Bradbury’s career pinnacle moment came aboard Kittiwake, ($554,206, 1:54.3) when he drove her to victory in the Lady Catskill at his home track of Monticello Raceway. Bradbury’s other top performers included Pride N Price, Tiffany Collins, Good Night Action, and the recently retired Red Eye Bluechip. Bradbury’s final career statistics display 403 driving wins and $1.39 million in amassed purse earnings, as well as nearly $1.8 million in purses earned as a trainer.
Norman Bradbury is honoured trackside at Monticello Raceway (Geri Schwarz photo)
Following the seventh race, carded as the Norman Bradbury Retirement Race and won jointly by B Seventeen ($4.90, Justin Huckabone) and Vaganova ($22.20, Jim Devaux) in a 1:58 dead heat, Norman was accompanied in the winner’s circle by his wife Donna and son Grant, as well as numerous friends and many of the horsemen that he has come to know well during his many years on the backstretch of Monticello Raceway.
(with files from Monticello Raceway)