One of the highlights at last Saturday’s Greener Pastures Open House at Fraser Downs Racetrack was inviting the public to ride in a jog cart and get a feel of what it’s like to be on track with a real, live horse
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For 11-year-old Emma Nordby and her seven-year-old brother Kaiden, it was a case of striking up an instant love affair with Lilkent, owned and trained by Dave Hudon, Jr. and driven by Dave, Sr.
During the day, the jog cart rides were so popular that the need for an added horse became apparent. “We just couldn’t stand by and watch Fast Cars N Freedom do it all by himself,” Dave Sr.’s wife Kelly says. “So we volunteered Lilkent to participate despite the fact he had a race later that night.”
The Nordby kids enjoyed the experience so much they convinced their mom, Jennifer, to take them back to Fraser Downs Saturday night to watch Lilkent run in the fifth race.
With Emma and Kaiden cheering from the rail, Lilkent held off Fiddles Missile to win by a length despite being a 20-1 long shot. The children were even more thrilled when they learned that Mom had put a toonie on Lilkent to win. The evening was topped off when Kelly Hudon invited them to pose for a souvenir picture in the winner’s circle.
“I know they’ll cherish that picture for years to come,” says Jennifer. “Emma had been in a softball tournament in Cloverdale and we were between games when we decided to take in the Greener Pastures Open House. Never in my wildest dreams did I think things would work out like they did.”
Greener Pastures, established in 2003, is a registered non-profit charitable organization. Horses are donated by racing owners who wish to have their retired horses placed in caring recreational homes. The BC Standardbred Horse Adoption Society is dedicated to changing the lives of horses by re-training and finding loving homes for retired standardbreds.
(Fraser Downs)