"He did more than I thought he would as a two-year-old, he was kind of a growthy, gangly horse...he's really grown up this year."
After a solid rookie campaign with a win in the elimination of the Metro and a sub-1:50 near-win, Rocknroll Hanover colt D Terminata is ranked at #10 in the Trot 2012 Pepsi North America Cup Spring Book with odds of 26-1. Trot Radio's Norm Borg caught up with one of harness racing's top conditioners, Hall of Famer Bob McIntosh for an update on the colt and the trainer himself.
Where did he winter?
"Right here at the farm and we just turned him out every day."
When did you start back with him?
"Around the first of December"
Where are you at with him right now?
"We trained him in 2:02 yesterday [April 2] and he looks good."
Have you noticed any changes from last year to this year?
"He's really grown up this year, he's put some muscle on."
When will he qualify?
"I think around the first of May, it should take about the rest of the month to get him where I want to be before I qualify him."
What will his early schedule look like leading up to the Pepsi NA Cup?
"I haven't mapped out anything definitive, we have options and we'll play it by ear."
What does his tentative schedule look like after the NA Cup?
"He's eligible to pretty well everything, we'll just take it one week at a time and see where he fits in. Hopefully I was right when I was making the payments!"
Any stablemates in the barn right now that are paid up and also looking promising?
"I like a colt I raced last year just a few times, a Ponder colt Thinking Out Loud....He's a nice colt; he just got a little colt sore and we turned him out, he's trained back awfully good. We've got another three-year-old Dapper Dude who won in :51 at the Meadows last year, he looks pretty good this year. He set the track record at the Meadows and showed he had some go to him."
McIntosh also discusses his recent injury leaving him on the sidelines this Winter as well as the current state of horse racing in Ontario. To hear the full interview with McIntosh, click the play button below.
Episode 257 – trainer Bob McIntosh
Audio Format: MP3 audio
Host: Norm Borg
Please note that the opinions expressed in the featured interview are those of the participants and do not necessarily reflect Rideau Carleton Raceway and/or Standardbred Canada.