The day after the fields for the 2016 Gold Cup & Saucer trials were announced, shockwaves ripped through the Maritimes as one of the locally-connected horses looking to compete and contend passed away on Tuesday morning.
Big Boy Dreams, a five-year-old son of If I Can Dream, was being led back to his stall on Tuesday when he collapsed. His co-owner, Don MacRae of Vernon Bridge, PEI, told The Guardian he assumes the horse had a heart attack.
Purchased by trainer and co-owner Rene Allard for $265,000 at the Tattersalls January Select Mixed Sale at The Meadowlands, Big Boy Dreams was also owned by Exeter, Ont.'s Bob Hamather. He won 14 of 49 lifetime starts, earning more than $580,000 while taking a mark of 1:49.4f at Pocono last year. Among his major stakes wins were the Windy City Pace and the Matron as a three-year-old.
MacRae told The Guardian that Big Boy Dreams had a slight temperature after a less-than-stellar performance on Saturday night -- finishing eighth in a race at Yonkers. He was reportedly treated for a virus and his temperature had returned to normal in advance to planned transport to PEI from Allard's stable in New York.
“He was a nice horse to watch race," said MacRae, who currently owns about 15 race horses. "This is the best horse that I have ever owned."
Allard has offered MacRae a 10 per cent piece of another Gold Cup & Saucer contender, Go Daddy Go, to help soften the loss of MacRae's pacer.
Please join Standardbred Canada in offering condolences to the connections of Big Boy Dreams.
How tragic. RIP dear boy and
How tragic. RIP dear boy and condolences to all his connections
I am so sorry to hear the
I am so sorry to hear the passing, of a great pacer, Big Boy Dreams. I was so looking forward to seeing him in the Gold Cup & Saucer trials this week-end. Along with many other great pacers. RIP Big Boy Dreams
So so sorry to hear of Big
So so sorry to hear of Big Boy Dreams' passing, so looking forward to seeing him race in the Gold Cup and Saucer in PEI. Sad day for standardbred racing.