The 2018 edition of the Century Downs Racing Club once again has a strong number of fractional owners invested in two promising young horses. The club has 93 members to start the season, the same number as last year. Nakkertok, a three-year-old filly, and Northern Titan, a four-year-old gelding, will race in the club’s name this season. Both are maidens.
“We found Northern Titan through Standardbred Canada’s [Horse For Sale board], said club administrator, Shelley Hastie. “Don Monkman had had one of the other members of the same family during his time as a trainer and recommended the horse to us. He had been the sales topper, a $78,000 purchase out of the 2015 Canadian Yearling Sale. He’s by Mach Three out of the Camluck mare, Southwind Madonna. So, he’s well bred. He’s got two third place finishes from seven lifetime starts, all as a three-year-old.”
“Nakkertok is a three-year-old filly by Custard the Dragon out of the Fit For Life mare Livin The Goodlife. She had been racing in California for Peter Besselink of Okotoks. When he decided on a dispersal sale, we were able to acquire her. She’s finished second twice in eight lifetime starts. Carl Archibald will take care of her while Shelley Arsenault has Northern Titan.”
Archibald has been doing a fair bit of experimenting with Nakkertok since the filly moved into his shed row.
“We managed to get her qualified last week but I’ve been trying different things with equipment and shoes to see what fits her best,” he told me. “We’ve shortened the hopples on her and she seems to have responded well to that. She’s lightly-raced and just needs some experience. Jamie Gray will be driving her. He and I have worked well together in the past so I’ll be able to trust what he tells me about her on the track.”
This will be the third year of the Racing Club. The first year, the two horses were Southwind Luna and Warrawee Rap. Luna is now a broodmare at Meridian Farms in High River and has a foal by her side. That foal is the object of ASHA's Name That Foal contest which is now underway. Warrawee Rap is due in May and is expecting a foal by Mystery Chase.
Last year, the Club horses were Make Some Smiles and Outlaw Blue By You. Both are back at the races this spring; Make Some Smiles for owner-trainer Carl Archibald, and Outlaw Blue By You for trainer Darryl Cutting and owner Melinda Smith.
The four horses were all in action Sunday at Century Downs. Outlaw Blue By You finished fifth against non-winners of $26,000 pacers. Make Some Smiles also finished fifth for Jamie Gray against non-winners of $22,000. Gray drove Nakkertok to a fifth place finish. Northern Titan was eighth. All of them will benefit from more training, warmer weather, and more racing experience, particularly for the two newest additions to the Racing Club.
(with files from HRA/thehorses.com)