The Canadian Sportsman
April 07, 2010
Good news stories have been hard to come by for anyone associated with the Quebec harness racing industry of late, but the new year has presented a new opportunity for long-time Quebec racetrack executive Yvon Giguere.
Giguere, featured in the Dec. 24 edition of The Sportsman as one of many long-time industry workers who were displaced by the collapse of racing in Quebec, has recently been added to Grand River Raceway’s management team.
In his new role as pari-mutuel manager for the Elora, ON track, Giguere will oversee all tote and simulcast operations. He brings extensive expertise in tote, simulcast and related fields garnered from his 20-year racetrack career in Quebec. A former VP of Racetracks Of Canada and director with Harness Tracks Of America, Giguere held several management titles within Attractions Hippiques, Societe National du Cheval de Course (SONACC), and Hippodrome de Montreal/Blue Bonnets.
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February 10, 2010
After off-season surgery to remove a large bone chip from his back ankle, last season’s Cinderella of the trotting ranks, Zorgwijk Kingpin, is back jogging in preparation for his three-year-old season and for what his excited connections hope will be a continuation of the fairytale.
Featured in our Dec. 3, 2009 edition, Zorgwijk Kingpin was a $3,700 yearling that trotted his way to four wins, $244,716, and a mark of 1:56.1 under the tutelage of trainer Ronnie MacLean, who shares ownership with Murray Neilson, Joe Serratore and Scot Wood.
Following his surgery in late November, Kingpin got an extended break for rest and relaxation and now, Serratore reports, is back jogging and looking lively for the season ahead.
“Watching him jog around the track, it looks like he has not missed a beat,” said Serratore, who said plans call for MacLean to jog the gelding for another few weeks before training him down and returning to race action in late May.
“We are staked to race 18 times for total purses of $3.1 million. Of course, as a three-year-old, the competition in racing becomes tougher,” he said.
“Kingpin looks good, he is healthy — touch wood — and he is keeping us all in excitement mode for the upcoming season.”
Miller becomes a media darling
Marcus Miller has come a long way since we featured him, along with his father and top trainer Erv, back in our July 3, 2008 issue.
Since then, he’s become a media darling in the Chicago-area news for his unique dual identity — DePaul University student by day; catch driver at Maywood and Balmoral at night.
Over the past few months, the 20-year-old has been featured in the Chicago Tribune as well as a television feature on Comcast SportsNet Chicago.
It is a hectic schedule, running back and forth between the tracks and the university — where Miller, now a junior, is working towards a degree in marketing.
According to his proud father Erv, Marcus is excelling at both endeavors.
“They just started back racing at Balmoral. The day they came out to do the story on him for Chicago SportsNet (on Jan. 27), he won three qualifiers in the morning, went to his classes in the afternoon and then won four races back at the track at night,” said Erv.
Marcus’ adventures have also caught the eye of his aunt, Julie Miller, who is married to Erv’s brother Andy — two more Millers who have increased their Q rating of late, thanks to eye-catching older trotter Lucky Jim.
“Marcus is loving life right now. What a life for a kid… going to college and racing horses at night,” said Julie, with a laugh.
October 01, 2009
In our Nov. 27, 2008 edition, The Sportsman brought you ‘Camping For Keeps’ — the story of Ontario Harness Horse Association (OHHA) youth camps and how many kids from these camps have stayed in the business by helping out local trainers in their spare time.
This year, camp coordinator Liz Waples is happy to report that even more kids have remained interested long after their camping days were over and many successful matches have been made with trainers, who are pleased to welcome these hardworking youngsters into the barn.
Brianne Sloan is one of those youngsters and she’s become a great help to trainer George McClure in Clinton, ON, helping out in the barn every day in the summertime and on Saturdays and Sunday during the school year since she attended the youth camp in the summer of 2008.
So impressed was McClure with the 11-year-old’s eagerness and work ethic — it’s nothing for her to clean 10 stalls a day without complaint — that he recently rewarded her with a piece of Wynsum Margaret, a four-year-old pacing mare he purchased on Aug. 23 at the Summer Sizzler mixed sale.
“I didn’t give her anything,” said McClure. “She earned every bit of it for working so hard all year. “She comes to work every day at 7 o’clock when she’s not in school.”
Just one week later, Sloan earned her first victory as a horse owner, grinning ear-to-ear in the Clinton Raceway winner’s circle (above, photo by Gerald Millar) alongside winning driver and co-owner Dustin McClure after Wynsum Margaret’s victory.
But it was more than just the McClures and the mare that made Sloan’s day. Race announcer Frank Salive made special mention of the youngster in the winner’s circle, while track photographer Gerald Millar specially inscribed the winner’s photo to say, ‘Congratulations, Brianne. 1st win as an owner.’
“Everyone in the barn calls her ‘Smiley’,” said McClure. “She’s always that way, but (her smile) was even wider after that race.”
McClure said there’s also been a further trickle down, with Brianne’s parents, Rob and Sandra, both going out and getting their groom’s licenses after their daughter took such an interest in the sport.
“It’s been great,” he said. “It’s nice to have some good news every now and then.”
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