Wishing. Hoping. And dreaming. That’s what horse racing is all about. Especially if you are a race horse owner.
Then everything changes. The excitement. The nerves. The passion. The bolt of lightning that runs through your body. Everything.
Betting on a winner is one thing. You clap. You cheer. Your body tingles. But to actually own a horse that wins a race is something entirely different.
Everything magnifies.
Two years ago I was sitting in the patio of Fargo’s Restaurant in Edmonton with a couple of friends, Ray Lenheiser and Cam McPherson.
For some reason the conversation turned to horse racing. Cam had owned a horse before - Dashing Cam from 2006 to 2008. That horse, who he owned with his dad, Norm, his buddy, Lance Dingwall and Lance’s mother, Florence, never won a race.
Ray had never owned a horse. But he loved to bet.
I have owned parts of horses - both standardbreds and thoroughbreds - for many years. But none for almost two decades.
I had a few winners. Mostly claimers until a horse named CR Jag, who five of us got together and purchased at the Alberta Yearling Sale for something like $4,000, came along and won the $50,000 Alberta Premier’s Futurity in 2006.
What a rush.
CR Jag ended up winning six races and $114,637. I told Ray and Cam how much fun that was.
“Let’s buy a racehorse,” one of us said. “Yeah. Why not?” said another.
“I’m in,” said Cam. “I’m in,” echoed Ray.
We talked about the costs. The purchase of a yearling. The day money. The vet bills. It adds up in a hurry.
I said that we should talk to trainer Rick Hedge, who trained my previous thoroughbreds. Maybe Hedge would take a piece and maybe his longtime clients Lori and Martin Neyka, who own Empire Equestrian, would come in too.
Then we would each have a fifth of a horse - I think I own the tail - and the costs would be more reasonable.
“Let’s do it,” we chimed together. We made a pact and Hedge bought a couple of yearlings at the 2021 Alberta Fall Sale.
He picked out Big Hug, who was last year’s Two-Year-Old Filly Champion for just $4,000 for Empire Equestrian and himself. And then he bought a son of Cross Traffic, who was sired by Unbridled’s Song who won the $1-million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile in 1995 and the 1996 Florida Derby and Wood Memorial - the latter the final prep race for the Kentucky Derby.
The dam, Miss Chievous Lady, was even better bred being sired by Into Mischief, who has been the leading champion sire in North America four years in a row.
“I’ve got a horse for you guys,” said Hedge, who paid $12,000 for the horse who would be named Kystone. “I think he’ll be a good one. I like everything about him.”
Both Big Hug and Kystone were consigned by Gerald and Tina Stone of Madden Alberta’s Stone Ranches, an hour north from Calgary.
The Stone’s daughter, Amie, qualified for the Canadian Finals Rodeo as a barrel racer when she was only nine-years-old.
One bright morning I vividly remember was when Ray and I went to Century Mile to watch him train with a big bow in his neck.
“Next year’s Canadian Derby winner,” grinned jockey Rafael Zenteno Jr., who was aboard Kystone for the gallop.
Our jaws dropped. “Really?” I said.
“You never know,” said Hedge, who was standing beside us. “He’s doing everything right.”
But while Big Hug won race after race last year Hedge didn’t think Kystone was ready to run as a two-year-old and all we could do was go to Empire Equestrian and ogle him. He was big. He was was well put together and he looked every part of a good race horse.
But who knew if he could run?
Hedge took Kystone to Phoenix, Arizona this past winter. Mostly just getting a sun tan, Kystone only made one start at Turf Paradise and it wasn’t exactly brilliant. With Ray and I watching the simulcast from Billy Budd’s restaurant and lounge, Kystone was sent off at 32-1 and ran like his odds finishing fifth defeated by eight and a half lengths on March 26.
“He’ll be fine,” said Hedge over the phone from Phoenix. “He did everything perfect.”
On June 10 this spring Kystone made his first Alberta start. What we couldn’t understand was how low his odds were. After finishing fifth at 32-1 he was sent off as the 7-5 favourite.
“He’s been training super,” said Hedge of his works which included a five-furlong work in a minute flat - the best work of the day for the distance. “People are noticing him.”
Kystone ran to his odds that day too. Third early, he moved to contest the leaders at the top of the stretch and ran away to win by an open length.
We all squealed with delight.
Two weeks later Kystone ran again. This time he finished second in a one-mile allowance race unable to catch Silverfoot, who is trained by Ron Grieves, who seems to be winning every race he enters.
We were both disappointed and happy at the same time. He didn’t win but he had run really well.
“Second place is OK,” said Cam. “He finished strong and it was only his third race.” “Yeah,” I shrugged. “But I really thought he would win.”
Then came this past Saturday.
While Kystone is only a three-year-old he was entered in a mile and a sixteenth claiming/allowance race against older horses. And while Kystone was only a winner of one race all the other horses had won at least two races. The favourite, Tacoflavoredkisses, had won five times. Theshack had won four races; Simms had won three times.
“Tough race,” I said to Hedge. “Yup,” he replied matter-of-factly. “But if he’s going to win a stakes race he has to be able to compete with these horses. We’ll find out soon enough.”
Soon couldn’t come fast enough.
“Get him into the top three early,” Hedge told Zenteno in the paddock. “Then let him run down the stretch.”
Nervously we watched the race unfold just the way Hedge had wanted. Kystone got away third while Theshack and Godgunsncountry duelled for the early lead.
Down the backstretch Kystone was gapped by more than seven lengths. It seemed like even more.
But then, as the field rounded the final turn, Zenteno asked Kystone for some run. Moving three wide Kystone burst onto the scene and into the lead.
“Come on Kystone. Come on Stoner,” we all yelled in unison.
He did just that taking the lead and opening up a four-length lead until Zenteno took a hold of Kystone and won by two and a quarter easy lengths.
There were smiles the length of the stretch. High fives. Embraces. My wife, Barb Wilkinson, was there. So were my son, Dallas, and my daughter, Maia.
“He’s a push button horse,” Zenteno said after the race. “He does whatever you want him to do.” High praise. Stunning praise.
But, now what? There’s a stake - the $50,000 Count Lathum - in a couple of weeks on July 22. It’s the first real prep race for the August 26 $200,000 Canadian Derby.
Wouldn’t that be something? Competing in the Derby? The race every horse person dreams of winning? A race I’ve written about for almost half a decade? Just to be in the race would be wild.
But Hedge isn’t sure. “I’ve nominated him,” said Hedge. “But I want to see what other races are available.”
The Derby is a mile and a quarter. That’s three-sixteenths of a mile farther than his race this past Saturday. It’s a gruelling race.
But the distance isn’t a question for Hedge. “I think he’ll run all day,” he said.
The dream. The hopes. And the wishes continue.
STOCK REPORT - There are two stakes races this weekend: Friday’s R.K. ‘Red’ Smith for fillies and mares going a mile and an eighth. Nominated are last year’s Alberta Horse of the Year Dance Shoes; RedTail Landing winner Floral; Shirley Vargo upset winner Mine Me; last year’s stakes winner Orange Theory; Plum Blue, runner-up in the Shirley Vargo; Tone It Up; third in the Vargo and Stevie Wonder Girl.
On Saturday it’s the Century Mile Handicap for aged horses. The powerful list of nominations includes defending champion At Attention, who has won three in a row all in photo finishes; former Alberta Horse of the Year, Greek Geek, who just won the Spangled Jimmy; Maskwecis; runner-up in the Spangled Jimmy; Solo Ring, who has won four in a row and a bunch of just blossoming allowance winners like Quinto Sol.
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