On Saturday, Alberta's harness racing industry will pay tribute to one of the province's greatest premiers and one of their best supporters with a race named in honour of the recently-deceased Ralph Klein.
Ralph was elected to his first term as Mayor of Calgary in October of 1980. In March of 1989, he moved into Pro-vincial Politics and was elected as the Progressive Conservative MLA for Calgary Elbow and was named Environment Minister a short time later.
In 1992, Ralph was elected by his party to replace retiring Premier Don Getty and was sworn in as Premier on December 14th of that year. He was once again elected to govern Alberta in the next election in June 1993 which was the first of many elections that he won. After fourteen years as premier, he retired on December 2, 2006. Sadly on Friday, March 29, 2013 we lost Ralph to illness.
Ralph was a long-time proponent of Harness Racing. Ralph attended the races frequently at Northlands Park and enjoyed talking with people that were knowledgeable with Standardbreds. Ralph is remembered for fondly loving our sport and often took the harness seat to drive in the annual “Premier’s Challenge for Charity”. He reflected his driving experiences as quite a rush. He was still an owner in the Don Monkman Stable showing his continued support for an industry he loved.
In 2006, Klein was honoured at Northlands with the statue pictured above, "dedicated by the Alberta Horse Racing and Breeding Industry to the Honorable Ralph Klein, in appreciation of his efforts and contributions towards industry revitalization."
Ralph will always be remembered and honored in our industry with the Ralph Klein Breeders Stakes for three-year-old fillies, with the $50,000 final set for Saturday at Alberta Downs.
Off her impressive 1:55.3 wire-to-wire win from the 8 hole last week, Gerry's Hudon's American Passion has been installed as the 2-1 morning line favourite in Saturday's Ralph Klein Breeders Stakes. Co-owned by Lynn Kowalevsky of Airdrie and Monica Hudon, Sturgeon County, Alta., the three-year-old American ideal filly has amassed a solid record of six wins and three seconds from ten starts at three. She's drawn Post 4 and will have to best seven other pacing fillies including the consistent Crackers Hot Shot (PP2, 5-2) and Bill Tainsh, Jr. That daughter of Camcracker, who boasts a 12-9-1-1 lifetime racing summary, had her four-race win streak snapped last week by Keith Clark and Contesta Hanover (PP8, 9-2).
Josh Groberman, a close and personal friend of the Klein’s will be on hand to MC the day. The day will be filled with promotional events where the winners of each race will receive a sponsored retro blanket. There will be gifts galore and prizes given out on some fun trivia for all ages. The Ice Cream Truck will be onsite selling $2.00 ice cream treats and food specials will be offered. One lucky bettor will have a chance to win the draw for a IGIO Gym bag filled with tons of prizes sponsored by ASHA, Horse Racing Alberta and Alberta Downs.
To view entries for Saturday's card of harness racing at Alberta Downs, click the following link: Saturday Entries - Alberta Downs.
(with files from HRA/thehorses.com)
You should invite Mr. Mercer
You should invite Mr. Mercer to do more of these wonderfull videos.