First mare. First foal. First foal through the Alberta Standardbred yearling sale. First winner. First stakes winner.
“I can’t beat the start I’ve had,” said breeder and track veterinarian Jordan Cook after that foal, Ruler Of Dragons, won the first division of the Alberta Sires Stakes Rising Star for two-year-old pacing colts and geldings on Saturday, Sept. 20 at Lacombe’s Track On 2.
“That’s a lot of firsts. I’m over the moon,” said Cook. “It couldn’t go any better. It’s a dream.”
Why did she get into breeding Standardbreds?
“Because I’m crazy,” laughed Cook. “It started with Lady Neigh Neigh and now I have four broodmares. Seriously, I really enjoy it. I’m trying to bring in nice mares and keep the nice mares here. I’m really passionate about it. I’ve always really enjoyed the breeding side.”
By one of Alberta’s top stallions, Custard The Dragon, and out of Lady Neigh Neigh, Ruler of Dragons won the Rising Star division on resolve, resilience and fortitude.
“I lost my voice screaming,” said Cook after Hello Dragon hooked wheels with Ruler Of Dragons in mid-stretch, was passed and somehow came back on to win by a neck.
“We got stopped cold,” said Jamie Gray, Ruler Of Dragon's trainer/driver and co-owner. “I had to unhook wheels and he still came back to win. I was turned sideways for a while.
“He’s got a lot of guts,” said Gray, of the winning mile in 1:58. “I chased him and he dug back in. I didn’t actually think I was going to win, but he got there.”
Now four-for-four with three stakes wins, Ruler Of Dragons also won the $97,000 Century Casinos Pace -- in a career-best 1:55.4 -- and a $25,000 division of the Norm Kennedy Memorial.
“His purchase price is already paid,” said Gray. “We’ve got a free horse.
“He also won his maiden and his qualifier; Ruler Of Dragons loves to win,” said Gray. “He’s a tough, little bugger.”
He also loves to eat red -- not black -- liquorice Twizzle sticks. His nickname is "Twiz."
Purchased for $36,000 at last year’s Alberta Standardbred Horse Association Yearling Sale, Ruler Of Dragons has earned $77,850 in his first four starts. He is now owned by Rick Mowles’ J J J Stable, Paul Sanders and Gray.
“Rick has owned horses for a long time; Paul just recently,” said Gray. “They both absolutely love horse racing and we need that. They own horses in Ontario, British Columbia and now Alberta.”
Gray said, “There are a lot of nice colts this year. It’s going to be a tough year.”
Cook said the $36,000 purchase price was a little more than he expected.
"He was Lady Neigh Neigh’s first foal, he was an early [11] hip number; the first Custard The Dragon yearling up for sale and he’s pretty small. But his conformation is perfect. You don’t have to be big to pace fast. His legs move as fast as Lady Neigh Neigh and she was a big mare."
“He’s just a wee guy,” agreed Gray, who had a great meet at Century Downs that wrapped up last month, led by the phenomenal sophomore filly Custard Dolce, a winner of six of her nine starts and $168,348. “Ruler Of Dragons is not big at all, but he’s got a big heart and a big stride. He likes to win.
“He’s easy to train; very smart,” said Gray, who took over the driving from Phil Giesbrecht, who hurt his knee.
Then there’s the aforementioned breeding.
“He’s by Custard The Dragon and out of Lady Neigh Neigh,” said Cook. “Custard The Dragon is one of Alberta’s top sires; Lady Neigh Neigh was one of Alberta’s top mares.”
Lady Neigh Neigh won 22 races -- including divisions of the Emerald Filly Stakes, Jim Rogers Memorial and Moore’s Mile as well as an elimination and the final of the Penny Bath Memorial (at Fraser Downs) -- and just shy of $200,000.
“Ruler Of Dragons is the spitting image of Lady Neigh Neigh,” said Cook, who purchased Lady Neigh Neigh from Chris Lancaster after the mare’s racing days were over -- specifically for a broodmare.
“I can’t wait until he races at Century Mile on a big track with a long stretch,” said Cook, who now already owns four broodmares and is on the verge of buying a fifth.
Cook will be represented at this year’s ASHA Yearling Sale this Sunday, Sept 28 by a half sister to Ruler Of Dragons, by Vertical Horizon, another top Alberta sire.
Harness racing returns to Century Mile on Friday, Sept. 26 and Saturday, Sept. 27 at 6:15 p.m. (MDT).
Highlights of the meet are the Alberta Sires Stakes Super Finals on Nov. 8, the Century Casinos Filly Pace and Western Canada Pacing Derby on Oct. 11 and the second annual Harness The Hope charity event in partnership with the Alberta Cancer Foundation on Oct. 25.
“We are excited to be back racing at Century Mile,” said Nancy Retzlaff, Executive Director of the Alberta Standardbred Horse Association (ASHA). “Our horse population is the strongest its been in a while. The long stretch and big track are appreciated by many and make for some exciting racing.”
The other division of the Rising Star on Saturday was taken spectacularly by The Great Shark in 1:54.3, equalling his Track On 2 track record for two-year-olds and there appeared to be lots left in the tank. Trained by Brinsley Brooking Lutz, The Great Shark is owned by breeder Michelle Danroth and Brent Grundy. He has now won three in a row.
There were also three divisions of the Starlet for two-year-old pacing fillies. The first division was won by B A Dragon. With the same owners as Ruler of Dragons, B A Dragon won in 1:58.1.
The second division went to Mystery Shooter in 1:56 by 5-1/2 lengths. Mystery Shooter is trained, driven and co-owned by Nathan Sobey, partners with Archie Benekos, Diane Bertrand and Robert Gilhesby.
The third division was taken by Anything Goes in 1:57.4 by half a length for her first win. Anything Goes is owned by Todd Teolis and trained and driven by Logan Gillis.
(With files from Curtis Stock / thehorses.com)