In a span of eight days, driver Robert Shepherd went from almost being sidelined once again to capturing his first Ontario Sires Stakes Gold final with Look Cheap - a win all the more special because of his connections to
the horse.
Shepherd was sidelined for three months in the horrific March 2009 accident at Woodbine Racetrack and has been involved in other mishaps since. On July 1 at Woodstock Raceway, Shepherd was able to avoid serious injury in an accident that sent Lyle MacArthur to hospital.
"I wasn't hurt there. I found a bruise a few days later and to be honest I wasn't even sure if it came from the accident," laughed Shepherd, who continued on his drives at Woodstock and found the winner's circle with Ratings Hanover later in the card.
"You don't really think about the accident, you can't. You have to drive on," Shepherd told Trot Insider on how the accident affected his subsequent drives.
"It makes you sharper. I think I'm a better driver now; I react quicker."
Trainer Rod Boyd frequently lists Shepherd to drive and credits the Maritime native for his tenacity.
"I think it says a lot about his toughness coming back from those horrible accidents," Boyd told Trot Insider. "That accident at Woodbine would have finished some drivers.
"I like using 'Shep' because he puts the horses in good spots, and he doesn't rough them up too much. He does a great job."
Boyd and Shepherd teamed up for an Ontario Sires Stakes Gold final win last Saturday at Georgian Downs with three-year-old pacing filly Look Cheap - a first for both the trainer and driver.
"It feels great to have guys like Rod put me on the horse, the trust means a lot," said Shepherd. "To win my first Gold with Rod was pretty special. We're good friends and have been for a few years. I go to his barn and jog some for him and I know the time and effort they've put into this filly. She's got her issues but they work through them."
Boyd also credits owner Tom Hill for sticking with Shepherd.
"Tom [Hill] was good about putting Shep in the bike going for Gold. He drove a perfect race. I think a lot of horsemen respect Shep and were very happy to see him win. It was pretty awesome to get our first Gold win together."
Boyd and Shepherd will aim for a bigger prize in the second $30,573 Canadian Breeders Championship elimination on Saturday night at Mohawk Racetrack. Look Cheap has Post 6 and morning line odds of 7-2.
"Look Cheap is coming into the CBC in great form," said trainer Boyd. "I like her chances. It's a tough division but I'm sure Shep will work out a good trip."
Shepherd feels that the Mohawk surface will be more to his filly's liking than the five-eighths mile at Georgian.
"She's such a high-speed filly," stated Shepherd. "Even at two, she had speed but no luck."
If anyone would know about needing luck in harness racing, it would have to be Robert Shepherd.
To view the entries for Saturday's card of harness racing at Mohawk Racetrack, click here.
For a free, printable program of Mohawk’s Saturday's card, courtesy of TrackIT, click here.