Happy New Year everyone! I hope you have gotten off to a good start in all facets of your life!!! I am penning this column the first week of December and by the time you read this, most of my questions will be answered.
Who won the Standardbred Canada elections? There seemed like a lot of new interest (especially in Ontario). Did you, the members, vote in record numbers? Did the Meadowlands race January 1st? Was the track leased? Did common sense and judgement prevail? How did the race dates and possible purse redistribution work out in Ontario?
Did anyone notice the story about an update in the 2010 edition of Equine Guelph’s research? The story quotes Professor Laurent Viel as saying: “we found Lasix does not either treat or somehow prevent excercise-induced pulmonary haemorrhage.” I couldn’t imagine how many millions of dollars is spent on Lasix for racing in North America!
On the Thoroughbred side, did they figure out who owns Pimlico and Laurel race tracks? Did the New York city OTB close, laying off anywhere from eight hundred to a thousand people? What day did Doug McNair win his 1,000th career drive, making him the youngest driver in history to do so?
What did it mean when the Illinois State Senate voted 31 - 20 to approve a huge gambling expansion bill including slots at tracks and a casino in Chicago? Can this still be reversed?
December had so many questions and I couldn’t make many comments -- you are all pretty thankful about that I am sure!!!
Congratulations to Paul MacDonell. Since my last column, Paul has become only the 12th driver to win over $100M in purses. I will never forget meeting Paul for the first time when he drove Rumpus Hanover during Jug week for my former employee Dale Pinkney.
Congratulations also to Drivers Paul MacKenzie on career driving win number 7,000, and Scott Zeron for getting win number 1,000. Scott became only the 4th driver in history to hit the plateau before his 22nd birthday!!!
I think one of the top warm and fuzzy stories of 2010 involved a 15-year-old owner in Edmonton by the name of Tommy Menard. The way I understand the story is that Tommy got interested in racing three years ago and would hang around the barns at Northlands Park, helping out on weekends. Owner Diane Bertrand (newly acclaimed Standardbred Canada Breeder Director from Alberta) purchased a colt at the Alberta yearling sale in 2009 for $2,000. Tommy ended up owning 20% of the colt, and that colt ended up being Takem Todakleaners, who earned just over $60,000. Congratulations to Tommy, but also to Diane for encouraging a young fellow to be involved in her stable.
Until next month!!!