The last time Warrawee Needy raced, he finished out of the top three for the first time in his short but impressive career. Where is the colt that has prompted early and lofty comparisons to some of harness racing's
top talent?
On today's Trot Radio, we catch up with Warrawee Needy's co-owner and trainer Carl Jamieson. Jamieson reports that his freshman star sustained a minor cut as a result of a break in his Ontario Sires Stakes Gold Final event at Flamboro on August 14.
"He made a little break on the turn and he hit his knee," stated Jamieson. "I think what happened is that the hopples were stretched on him. I put the new hopples on him in Ottawa in his second start - the first start he stretched them an inch when he made a break - and I put the new hopples back on him and they were stretched two inches. I checked the buckles and the buckles were good, there's no problem at all. I think what happened is that he got a little rough-gaited trying to reach his hopples and then hit his knee."
Jamieson notes that the E Dees Cam two-year-old is back and ready to go, and will be entered into the next OSS Gold eliminations at Grand River Raceway on Sept. 19. The comparisons between Jamieson's pupil and a colt that made his name at Grand River, Somebeachsomewhere, are becoming more common.
"Everybody tells me the same thing, that [Warrawee Needy] reminds them of Somebeachsomewhere, he's so strong."
Jamieson also discusses his thoughts on North America Cup champ Up The Credit in Saturday's Simcoe Stakes and how he hopes the stakes event will be a solid prep for the Little Brown Jug later this month as well as a look into how he picks out a yearling. Jamieson is known as an astute observer of young talent and he'll surely have a few pages earmarked in this weekend's Canadian Yearling Sale catalogue.
To listen to the full interview with Jamieson and Borg, click the play button below.
Episode 222 – Trainer Carl Jamieson
Audio Format: MP3 audio
Host: Norm Borg
Please note that the opinions expressed in the featured interview are those of the participants and do not necessarily reflect Rideau Carleton Raceway and/or Standardbred Canada.
I don't care much for the
I don't care much for the comparisons. When there is potential in a young horse, and you see them perform to that potential, we should all just enjoy the show, and do away with comparisons. It is quite obvious Warrawee Needy has got talent, but don't forget, he is still developing, and is the case with young horses, they do get quirky from time to time and disappoint. Make no mistakes though, in the care of an astute horseman in Mr Carl Jamieson, am sure Warrawee Needy will make some serious noise in the coming months and on into next season.
Warrawee Needy sure has
Warrawee Needy sure has ,"soured", hasn't he. He was quite handicapped at Flamboro, starting from an outside post position against quality stock,..... but still,..... he doesn't look to be the ,"power-house", he appeared to be when he first started racing. In his qualifiers previous to his first start, he was brushing home in final quarters that were off the chart ,............ especially for a two year old. I believe he brushed home in 25 & 2 one time. And he followed up that stellar brush with commanding performances. Sure didn't sustain that ,"dominance", though.
I fail to see any comparison
I fail to see any comparison between Somebeachsomewhere and Warrawee Needy. I've watched all of Beaches time and again, and never seen him go off stride or even rough gaited. Beach paced a mile in 1:49.3 as a two year old, although it was at Mohawk and not a half mile track. Needy's best to date is 1:51.4 at Mohawk. Beach had only 6 starts as a two year old an won all of them. Needy won his first six and has a win a third and a fifth in his next 3. Beach raced 15 more times as a three year old and lost only one race, finishing second, and it took two horses to beat him. Needy's three year old season is still ahead of him, it's to soon to compare that. What I'd like to hear is what reason these people have for comparing Needy with Beach at this early stage. He's proven to be a good horse for the first six races of his career, but in my mind he's a long ways from comparible with Somebeachsomewhere.