Trot Insider continues to profile the horses predicted to be the top contenders for Canadian harness racing's richest prize, the 2020 Pepsi North America Cup.
This year's edition of the North America Cup was originally slated to be contested on Saturday, June 20 at Woodbine Mohawk Park. On Wednesday, Woodbine Entertainment CEO Jim Lawson announced the race would be postponed due to the global COVID-19 pandemic.
Prior to the viral outbreak, TROT Magazine compiled its annual ranking of the horses expected to be in contention for the 2020 Pepsi North America Cup.
Continuing the countdown, Tattoo Artist comes at #6 in TROT Magazine's 2020 Pepsi North America Cup Spring Book at odds of 18-1.
The son of Hes Watching and Stylish Artist enjoyed great success on the Ontario Sires Stakes circuit in his rookie campaign, capping a five-win 2019 season with a resounding 4-3/4 length win in the $225,000 Ontario Sires Stakes Super Final on Oct. 12, 2019, at Woodbine Mohawk Park. As a two-year-old, Tattoo Artist reached the 1:52 mark on three occasions, won four Ontario Sires Stakes events, and banked $240,405 for Frank Cannon and the Let It Ride Stables. Trot Insider caught up with trainer Dr. Ian Moore to learn about Tattoo Artist’s progress through the winter.
How are you and your stable dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic?
“It’s kind of an unsettling time right now for everybody. My team has some really decent aged horses and some nice babies here, and there’s nowhere to go. It’s just unsettling; nobody knows what’s happening, and we won’t know for a while either.
“I stayed here (Southern Oaks Training Center in Sorrento, Fla.) because I weighed the pros and cons of running a 21-horse stable, including 14 babies where a lot of money was spent by a lot of different people. Basically, it came out in my head that this was the best place for me to stay at the time. I still think it is; I don’t regret that decision. But as soon as I get back to Ontario, it’s going to be poorer weather to deal with on a day-to-day basis, and that’s just going to make it worse for me and the four people coming up with me. Right now, at all the training centres in Florida, we just go to the training centre every day, we go to the grocery store when we need to, we walk, we bike, and I go to the airport a couple days a week.... I’m kind of planning on training the babies up a bit more advanced than I typically am, so I extended my stay down here until April 29. And when I get there (Classy Lane Training Centre in Puslinch, Ont.), the first two weeks will be mostly downtime for them. Maybe at that time, we'll have some idea where we're heading, but we might not.”
Where did he winter?
“Southern Oaks Training Center.”
When did you start back with him?
“January 20.”
Have you noticed any changes from last year to this year?
“Right now, he’s as good a three-year-old that I’ve ever trained. He was the biggest brat that we had last year -- it’s the only way to put it. He was ignorant, unruly, objectionable. You had to put him into a tree to hook him and then hang on. But he’s developed into one of the nicest, sweetest horses I’ve ever had. If you want to go in three minutes, you can go in three minutes. If you want to go in 1:54, you can go in 1:54. If you want to come a last quarter in :26 flat, you just ask him once and he’ll do it.
“He was a small colt last year. He did grow a little bit taller -- not much, but he’s filled out a lot. I wouldn’t call him a medium-sized horse, but he’s not small anymore, either. His hopples are out a couple inches from where they were last year. He just does everything that a good horse does.”
What is he stakes to aside from the North America Cup?
“He’s got some (races) added on this year. One that he didn’t add on was the Little Brown Jug. We trained him on the half here a couple weeks ago, and I said to him (co-owner Frank Cannon), ‘I hope you paid him up to the Little Brown Jug,’ and he said, ’No, we’re going to have to win the North America Cup to get in it.’”
What's his biggest asset/strength?
“He’s got a lovely gait to him, and he’s got tremendous competitive desire. The one thing about him now is that he’ll sit in a hole for the first (training) mile in (2:)45, no problem, and wait for you to ask him to go out. Some of the better horses I’ve had weren’t like that. Even Century Farroh can be a handful. But this little guy, he’s a sweetheart.”
At what point did you think this horse was North America Cup material?
“I never think that when they’re two; I wait until they’re three. You can’t tell as a two-year-old. For example, Malicious was one of the best two-year-olds I ever had, and I had Wellthereyougo the same year. Both of them came back as three-year-olds very poorly. They peaked when they were two and they got money when it was there, but they both struggled at three. When you train them back as a three-year-old, it’s on your mind.”
What unique challenges will you face returning to Ontario from Florida?
“As far as I go, veterinarians are considered essential service, but they’re just asking veterinarians to do urgent care only right now. I don’t believe they’re allowed to book everyday regular appointments at the moment. I’m going to have to get a ruling for me for how that will apply with the horses. It’s going to be extremely difficult for me to be separated for 14 days from the 21 horses that are worth a lot of money that I’ve got right now.”
Previous Spring Book Profiles:
► Trot N.A. Cup Spring Book: #7
► Trot N.A. Cup Spring Book: #8
► Trot N.A. Cup Spring Book: #9
► Trot N.A. Cup Spring Book: #10