As the harness racing industry attempts to adapt to a new normal, one can argue that during this time it has been difficult to stay optimistic. With racing slowing resuming across the nation, a shimmer of hope has shone through many training centres across the country.
As harness racing in Alberta prepares to make its post COVID-19 debut at The Track On 2, trainer-driver Nathan Sobey is looking forward to the return to racing, along with a couple of other changes in his life.
In recent seasons, Sobey has put forth personal bests as both a trainer and a driver. In 2019, Sobey drove 92 horses to victory for $575,403 in purses while conditioning 42 winners and earning $256,138 in purses. The young teamster admits that racing in Western Canada isn't always the easiest place to get started.
“When you race in Alberta there's no such thing as just being a catch driver,” Sobey told Trot Insider. “You have to kind of train and drive your own stable.”
So how does a young horseman who is getting the ball rolling in this industry handle a global pandemic occurring and shutting everything down? When life gives you lemons, you make lemonade, and Sobey has had to adapt to these changing times both in terms of protocols and practices as well as the overall composition of his stable.
“The backstretch around here is a pretty small group, there aren't a ton of people around here in the sense that we can distance ourselves from one another if we need to. We all abide by the social distancing rules, we have to wear masks unless we are on the track and they have hand sanitizer stations set up all over the barn areas. We’ve all definitely done our part to work through all this together and safely.
“I'm down to nine [horses] right now. We sent four to Ontario in December and then sold some. I’m prepping for a move to Ontario actually hopefully sooner rather than later so I’ve downsized quite drastically.”
Sobey provided additional insight into the decision to relocate to Ontario after a few successful seasons in Alberta.
“It's something that I have been wanting to do. I got into the business later than others did. I’m 28 years old now and have really only raced in Western Canada. I went down to California last year and had some success and a lot of fun. I feel like I haven't had a chance to reach what my full potential could be. I sent my pride and joy, one of my best horses to Ontario so that is where I would like to be.”
That horse is Icy Blue Scooter, a seven-year-old Blue Burner - Jills Sooter gelding who Sobey raced in the Open ranks both in Western Canada and California. Icy Blue Scooter bankrolled $101,399 in 2019, a season topped by a victory in $50,000 Jim Vinnell Memorial at Fraser Downs. The pacer was then sent to trainer Shawn Steacy in Ontario in late February.
“He has been racing in the Preferred at Mohawk, but he soon will drop $25,000 off his card and that will help him get into lower conditions. He had a hundred-thousand year racing in overnights aside from one stakes win. I think he really is a high-caliber horse; he might not be a Preferred horse in the summer at Mohawk but I think in the winter time that will be where he will fit.”
When Sobey heads east, he's likely to base his operations in southwestern Ontario close to Icy Blue Scooter’s current connections.
“I plan to set up in the Guelph area. I would like to focus on driving when I get there and who knows, maybe someday even jump across the border. I don’t really plan on training a stable, I'd like to have a couple of my own and then maybe work under someone -- Mark and Shawn Steacy have the horses that I sent to Ontario so it would be nice to work for them and learn some things there and better myself as a horseman.”
With a plan in place to chase bigger and better opportunities, Sobey is still looking forward to the return of racing in Alberta.
“It’ll be really good to get back in the bike and get going again, it's been a long couple months with no racing.”
Another young hardworking
Another young hardworking trainer seeking a better future in Ontario.