Last year at this time, Jamie Copley had sent 24 starters to the gate at Rideau Carleton Raceway. The only race he won was a qualifier. Total purse earnings: $3,612. Total UTR: Less than his weight
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So far this year, Copley has sent out 36 starters. Total purse earnings $59,233. Total wins: 12. Perseverance: Priceless
Heading the list of stars in the Copley barn is of course, Duke, the winningest standardbred in North America so far this year. Copley trains and owns the six-year-old son of Dexter Nukes in partnership with Dave Tingley of Peaceful Way fame.
Unraced until his five-year-old campaign, Duke was largely untouched in Tingley's barn. According to Copley, Dave was understandably very busy training the O'Brien and Breeders Crown winning trotter when he handed Duke's training chores over to him. "He was a nice, sound maturing horse when I got him," says Copley.
A soft spoken Maritime native, Copley gives a lot of credit for Duke's success to driver Todd Warren. "Todd really taught the horse how to race from off the pace and stay relaxed," said Copley, who is highly respected amongst his peers.
Lest the skeptics think that Duke is a fluke, consider this. He is out of the mare Maddys Image, who earned $492,000 almost exclusively on the WEG circuit. She is also a half sister to two other $100K winners, PutnamtoMadagascar and Maddys Cam.
Other fine producers in Copley's stable include those he owns in partnership with TP Crawford, such as Lost In Panslation and Littlebitoflife.
Quick to pass on credit, Copley says owners like Crawford have been instrumental in "stepping up to the plate and buying good stock."
(Rideau Carleton Raceway)