With a 4-0-2 record this season from eight starts, Deweykeepumnwhy remains the top candidate for this year's $200,000 Ontario Sires Stakes Super Final in the two-year-old trotting colts and geldings division this Saturday at Mohawk.
Owned by Norah Parks and trained by Ron Parsons, Deweykeepumnwhy is the division leader with 112 points.
Driven primarily by Jody Jamieson, the son of Deweycheatumnhowe will begin from Post 10 in race five this Saturday.
Earlier this season, Parks, a resident of New Lowell, ON, never would have dreamed of being the front runner for the rich prize.
“I’m so excited, I feel like I’m living in a dream and this is just the ride of a lifetime,” she said. “I never thought this horse would take us here. I had a feeling he’d be a good horse, but this is a whole new level. I’ll be nervous, there’s no question about that, but I’m really looking forward to this weekend.”
Parks, a Contractor for Bell and Rogers, is certainly enjoying the ride this season, considering it’s only the third standardbred which she was owned.
“You never know how well they are going to turn out, but I thought he’d turn out to be a nice horse," she said. "When he was turned out at my place, he was always on the trot and was very smooth. At the end of the day, it was a gamble and it certainly has paid off.”
Parks, 57, came across her star trotter through the dispersal sale of the late Stephen Scarff.
“When Mr. Scarff passed away, (trainer) Murray Brethour had to decide which horses to keep and which ones to sell and he elected to sell this guy," recalled Parks. "I ended up buying this horse as a weanling. A year later, I sent him to Arnie Kestle, who broke him and then I sent him to Florida for the winter with Paul Reid and then back up to Ron, who finished him off and raced him.”
Parks admits she enjoyed the thought of having Deweykeepumnwhy stabled in Florida during the winter months.
“I like the idea of having no caulks on horses because they’re sounder,” she said. “It turned out to be a great idea and I’ll so the same again this year. I met Paul through Ronnie and he goes to Florida ever winter and I thought it was a good idea to send my horse with him. “
Parks, who has great enthusiasm for the sport, was quick to praise her entire team for their work ethic this season and last year.
“Ronnie has done a terrific job all season and kept him sharp on his game,” she said. “It was really quite the team effort. Arnie broke the horse, Paul trained him down in Florida and Ronnie raced him. I can’t thank them all enough.”
With $82,491 banked this season, Deweykeepumnwhy will look to continue to give Parks the ‘ride of a lifetime’.
(WEG)
To view entries for Saturday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Saturday Entries – Mohawk Racetrack.