It’s already Richard Berthiaume’s best year as a racehorse owner, but it could get even better for the Quebec businessman.
He has two entrants in this weekend’s Breeders Crown eliminations at The Meadowlands, two-year-old trotting filly Yursa Hanover and three-year-old pacing filly Voelz Hanover, both to be driven by Daniel Dube.
Berthiaume actually sent three horses to New Jersey, but pacer Ingrid Hanover is there strictly to keep Voelz Hanover company. The two have grown inseparable.
Last weekend, Voelz Hanover captured a $300,000 Ontario Sires Stakes Super Final, pushing her 2008 earnings to $410,000. She’s made $662,000 in two years and is now within striking distance of $724,550, the lifetime earnings of Berthiaume’s most productive racehorse, Quebec-bred trotting mare Cavaliere Accent.
“Normally, I stay away when she races outside Montreal, because the three previous races I attended this year, she lost,” Berthiaume said. “But I was there Saturday night for the Super Final. She’s a top mare and I think she’ll be competitive (in the Breeders Crown).”
Yursa Hanover finished second at 41-1 in the $616,000 Goldsmith Maid final at Woodbine last month, earning $154,000, the biggest cheque ever collected by one of Berthiaume’s horses.
In all, his stable has made about $900,000 so far in 2008, and the million-dollar mark is attainable.
“I give a lot of credit to my trainers, Benoit Baillargeon in Ontario and Normand Bardier in Quebec, and Claude Bardier, who picks out the horses for me,” said Berthiaume, who spent $365,000 this fall on nine yearlings, all Ontario-breds. Two, like Voelz Hanover, are fillies by Astreos.
“I think Ontario has the best program around. Horsemen and owners are treated fairly,” said Berthiaume, long a major buyer of Quebec-breds.
(Trot Insider exclusive by Paul Delean)