Sarnia’s Taylor Spitzig works a lot of afternoon and midnight shifts as a border ambassador for a trucking company. That schedule allows the 29-year-old to help out at the barn in Courtwright in the mornings.
“We’ve got about 30 horses in total. Anything from babies, to racehorses, to broodmares, to a stallion - they’re all here," Spitzig said. "I do a lot of the barn work and my dad (Rusty) is on the track jogging and training - George Little helps out with that, too.”
Taylor mentions that although she grew up around the business of horse racing, it wasn’t until after college that she decided to get involved as an owner and trainer. “I didn’t think about it much until I started coming back around the barn again when I was 19,” she explained. “There was this horse named Tommy Teefy and nobody was having any luck with him, so I got to working with him and we got along great. He may not have been much of a racehorse, but I learned lots from him. I guess it was then that I started thinking about becoming a trainer, and I’d have my license soon after.”
When Spitzig thinks about her earliest memories of Western Fair, they include the drive up from Sarnia. “I remember driving there with dad on Friday nights and you could always smell the fries - from the McDonald’s on the corner of Highbury and Hamilton - that’s when I knew we were close to the track.”
A few favourite horses that she’d cheer for back in the day were raced by Rusty around the tracks of Ontario. “J N Johnny was a gentle giant. He was just so laid back and he had such great manners. He was family with us. And then came Twin B Rawley. My dad really liked him as a colt and when he was going away to Florida, after his two-year-old season, he asked Gord McKnight to train him and the rest is history. Gord went on to train and drive him for almost seven years, winning lots of Preferred trots in London and he won some nice races over Mohawk and Woodbine, too.”
Twin B Rawley retired with 31 wins, $358,045 in purse earnings, and a mark of 1:54 taken over Mohawk as a six-year-old.
Winwood Nick would provide Spitzig with her first career victory, as an owner and trainer, at Western Fair in March of 2014. Lorne House drove the son of Rambaran to a gate-to-wire upset win over Royal Sir and My Perfect Heart. “I was very excited and relieved to get that first win out of the way. 'Nick' is not with me anymore, but I’m sure he’s somewhere in a field enjoying life now.”
Chipchipahoy was 'Team Spitzig’s lone winner during this past race meet in London. The pacing filly is owned by Spitzig family friend Wilbur Eash, of Indiana. Chipchipahoy will likely see her next racing action at the Hiawatha Horse Park. “Hoosier Park was closing and dad had asked about her and she wasn’t quite fast enough for there (Hoosier), so Wilbur asked if we wanted to try her in Ontario. We’re thinking she may be a better summer horse and that she’ll likely enjoy the bigger track at Sarnia.”
Taylor Spitzig, pictured jogging one of her charges.
Followers of The Raceway at Western Fair District surely remember the successful pacer Rocknroll King, who retired from racing back in 2015. “We have him in the back field, right now, with his first mare to breed this year - B M Omega Alpha," said Taylor. "Sweet Queen Cole is coming to him soon as well. He’s been enjoying his time away from the races.”
Taylor also stated that ‘The King’ has got some offspring ready to race this season. “Nickerback has started, but he was green at the time, so we’ll expect better when he comes back. There’s a pair of three-year-old fillies, too. Pretty Rapid Dash and Hope To Win are almost ready to go and Carollittlesking may need more time - he was a very late foal of 2017, but he’s still the biggest horse we have in the barn right now.”
Elvis is a two-year-old who apparently looks the part so far. “He’s out of Hopes Way and he’s a big, thick, muscular colt. We have some high hopes for him. He’s broke and jogging nicely. Its Julep Time is about to be broke. She got her name when she came along around the Kentucky Derby of 2018.”
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Kentucky Derby, which annually contested on the first Saturday in May, is now scheduled to be contested in early September.
“Here’s hoping we’re back racing soon,” Spitzig stated. “We just have to keep our heads and remain safe!”
(Shannon 'Sugar' Doyle for The Raceway at Western Fair District)