Standardbreds must ‘retire’ from pari-mutuel racing when they turn age 15 on January 1. The lone 14-year-old currently racing at Hippodrome 3R, Chinnys Wings, will get a fond send-off from the Quebec Jockey Club after he competes for the last time (Race 6) on Sunday (Nov. 10).
Chinnys Wings will not get to ‘sit in a rocking chair in a field’ and enjoy his senior years, as his owners have plenty of plans for him.
A gelded son of Armbro Ricochet, Chinnys Wings has had but three owners and three trainers during his career. He did not make his racing debut until he was age four. He has $382,333 in career earnings.
Nancy Lord from Trois-Rivières became Chinnys Wings final owner when she bought him from François Morin in May of 2017. From there, he delighted the family of Nancy and his spouse Richard Bédard, but especially their daughter, Sabrina Lord-Bédard.
They say that Chinnys Wings is a perfect horse for children, soft and easily handled. Moreover, the family intends to keep him and maybe continue racing him in 2020 in the events of the Regional Quebec Fair Circuit that allows horses to race after their fifteenth birthday.
For the record, Chinnys Wings recorded 45 career wins from 234 starts (not counting this coming Sunday), but 18 of those wins came in his first 25 career starts. He took his lifetime mark of 1:56.2 at Flamboro Downs ten years ago (in 2009).
Chinnys Wings, winning at Flamboro
In the last six years he has won only twice at pari-mutuel tracks, on December 1, 2016 at Flamboro and on November 12, 2017 at H3R. His only other win since 2013 was at the Bedford regional track on September 14 this year – in 2:00.2, mighty good for a 14-year-old.
It will be a fitting tribute at the Hippodrome 3R Sunday, knowing that Chinnys Wings, thanks to the Bedard-Lord family, has a great future ahead of him.
Post time on Sunday will be at 1:00 pm.
For a free race program or to view the race live on the internet, visit quebecjockeyclub.com.
To view the harness racing entries for Sunday at H3R, click the following link: Sunday Entries – Hippodrome 3R.
(Quebec Jockey Club)