Live racing for the 2009 season kicked off at the Yorkton Exhibition Association track in Saskatchewan last Friday. The weather conditions were not optimal
. A bundled group took in the first card of the season under many layers of clothing, but that didn't stop Ryan Grundy from making his presence felt.
On what was the first of 16 nights of racing this season, Grundy's name kept showing up in the winner's circle Friday, as the Manitoba driver took three rides to top spot.
“It was good, really good,” Grundy said with a smile, as he returned to his barn afterward. He said the success on opening night was a result of having horses ready for the season.
“My own stable, the three I had out were just ready to go. I had them really fit. Some of the horses on the grounds aren't quite fit yet.”
By having his horses primed, Grundy said he went into the night with a plan. “I drove them aggressively. I gave them a chance to win.” He added that because they were in condition he knew he wasn't going to hurt them by going hard.
Grundy's first win of the night came in the second race with Idle On Over, a horse owned and trained by Robert Ross of Vidren, MB.
Grundy was back to the winner's circle in the third race with Heartland Lacey, a horse he trains, as well as co-owns with Sean Osterbeck and Derek Gilbert.
The final winning ride of the night for Grundy came in the sixth race with Pampered, a horse he trains for owners Richard Osterbeck and Fred Gilbert.
The Manitoba driver had place finishes with Kneehill Harry in the fifth and Rocky Skies in the eighth race.
While Grundy had a huge night driving three wins, and two place finishers, the fastest pace of the night had a familiar pairing rounding the track is a crisp 2:01.2. Brian Gray, a veteran of four seasons at the track took his seven-year-old mare Outlaw Watch Me to top spot in the night's seventh race.
The win was Outlaw Watch Me's first of 2009 in five starts, and pushed the horse's lifetime earning past $68,500.
(With files from Yorkton)
Great Job Ryan..... Nice to
Great Job Ryan..... Nice to see Manitoba up there considering they won't even let us have a track here.