Hudon hurt in spill
It was a week to remember – or in one
case try to forget – for drivers at Fraser Downs.
For Dave Hudon the memory is painful.
Hudon took a spectacular spill with Holysnarpinarmpits on
Sunday, hitting the track hard and then having a trailing
horse step on his head. He did manage to get up and walk to
the side of the track but needed medical attention and was
taken to hospital by ambulance.
The damage was worse than first
thought. He had three broken ribs, a partially collapsed
lung, a broken cheek bone, another facial cut requiring
several stitches and a concussion and spent two-plus days in
the hospital.
“I had never spent any time in the
hospital before so I guess it’s the worst spill I’ve ever
had,” Hudon said Thursday as he rested at home.
Dave admitted the old line of “it only
hurts when I laugh” was appropriate. He said rest is
important but “I have to keep moving a bit too.”
As far as when he’ll be back in action
as a driver he said, “I won’t drive this weekend that’s for
sure. When I feel good I’ll go back. It could be two weeks
it could be four weeks.”
For two other drivers the results last
weekend were far from painful.
Rick Lancaster recorded his first
career driving victory on Sunday while Dirk Devries had wins
Saturday and Sunday, his first of the year, ending a long
drought.
Lancaster’s win came with Red Star
Perry, a horse he trains. The 44-year-old has been training
for several years and is closing in on 300 career wins. But
he just got his driver’s licence in late September and now,
in 23 starts, has five seconds and two thirds to go with his
victory.
Devries had but 10 starts at the meet
going into this weekend but won with Red Star Brittany and
Red Star Destiny.
Prior to his spill Hudon had three
driving wins in the four days (including Nov. 11), good
enough for second behind Bill Davis’ seven. Carl Sibiga, Jim
Wiggins and Grant Hollingsworth also had three and eight
drivers had two.
Davis led with four victories as a
trainer and Heather Sifert, Larry Micallef and Hollingsworth
had three each.
ALBERTANS KEEP COIMG: More
Alberta trainers have joined the fray at Fraser Downs. The
latest to have horses entered are Bob Baxter, Daniel Gaboury,
Don Tracey and Doug Stout. (Stout has become somewhat of a
regular at the Downs at this time of the year).
They join Brad Watt, Ed Tracey, Travis
Tracey, Darren Lupul, Marlon Rosychuk, Jim Jeffers (from
Saskatchewan), John Lorkowski and Andrew Lavery as those
already on the scene.
Gaboury got busy early, claiming Downs’
veteran Ferguson Road to go with The Big Unit. Stout has
some familiar horses: Indians Win and Red Star Kassi while
Baxter, who got his first driving win here last Tuesday on a
catch drive with Super Stars Girl, has “cheap horses, no
standouts.” He has West Coast Night and Last Glance among
others.
Baxter is the 32-year-old son of John
and brother of Ron, other regulars on the Alberta scene. He
proudly said his dad was a recent winner of the Clare
Christie lifetime achievement award in that province.
Baxter came here with his fiancé,
Jennifer, and said, “We are thinking of staying.”
“One of my owners Gordon Moody has
family here and comes here to visit and decided to race some
horses here,” Baxter added. “I was thinking I needed a
little change and was quite willing to try it here.
“I brought six horses,” Baxter said,
“but trainers Starkewski (Rod) and Gray (Jamie) are thinking
of sending a couple more to me.”
Baxter, who admitted, “I don’t miss the
snow,” also said he didn’t mind the rain but he should be
given time.
FINDING JOE HUDON: Fraser Downs’
long-time patrons keenly caught the familiar name of Joe
Hudon in last Saturday’s program.
Hudon, who competed long and well at
the Downs but now lives in Rockwood, Ont. and competes on
the Ontario circuit, was listed as a co-owner of a horse
named Mattjestic Pistol set to make its first start ever
here. The last time Hudon’s name appeared in the program was
when he was here in 1996 for the Inaugural Pace when the
new-look, newly-named track had its first race.
As expected the owner line was changed
prior to Saturday’s race to Becky Magnus of Surrey. Magnus
had purchased the horse from the Ontario interests and put
trainer/driver Jim Marino in charge.
“Joe had contacted people here to see
if they wanted to buy the horse,” Marino said. “He is a nice
colt (three-year-old gelding by His Mattjesty out of the
Laag mare Prowse).
They thought he would make a good
Stakes horse for Joe but he couldn’t cut it in Ontario.”
Marino was quick to add that he “had a
57 (1:57.2) as a two-year old.”
And he obviously liked his new B.C.
climes, winning Saturday in 1:58.4. It was his first win in
13 starts in 2003 and second win of his career.
BARBADOS GOOD BET: You’re
putting off that trip to the Barbados because you don’t want
to miss a chance to wager on Fraser Downs racing. Relax.
You’re in luck.
The Downs has announced that a
legalized and regulated betting shop in the Barbados will
begin accepting wagers on the Downs.
The wagers will be commingled through
The Racing Channel’s Amtote hub in Portland, Ore.
HELLO DOLLY: There was another
fine payout Friday when a $1 superfecta wager resulted in a
$10,898.50 return.
Raggidy Ann captured the 12th
and final race of the day, after starting at 14-1. She
combined with Red Star Veronica (5-1), Sim City Central
(8-1) and Tahuya Lark (25-1) for the 4-7-6-3 winning
numbers.
KEEPS DIGGING IT: The roll
continues for Digs Girl. The seven-year-old mare, owned by
Laurie Davis and the Victoria Pacing Stable, won her eighth
race in a row at Fraser Downs on Friday.
The daughter of Dignatarian has now
made eight starts at the meet and won them all. The latest
was like the others, in a fillies and mares $4,000 claimer.
She now has 11 wins in 24 starts in 2003 (ironically she has
no seconds).
BISSET TOPS IRONMAN: Ronald
Bisset of Langley was the third week’s winner of the Ironman
Handicapping Bisset won $250 for his ‘capping expertise
while Robert We of Delta was second and won $150 and Ralph
Burke of Aldergrove third and took home $100.
Bisset had $99.10 in winnings after
picking four winners, three seconds and a third. We had $92
and Burke $81.
All patrons have to do is pick a horse
in a designated race from eight different race tracks (such
as Woodbine, Santa Anita, Mohawk, Bay Meadows) and receive
dollars for a win, place or show finish. Each week there
will be three winners.
Entries must be in by 11:30 a.m. each
contest day. Programs for the contest will be available at
the Welcome Centre at noon Friday.
DID YOU KNOW: On Nov. 21, 1985,
Armbro Dallas, driven by Ron Waples, set the world record
for gelding pacers by winning in 1:52.3 at Garden State Park
in Cherry Hill, N.J.
MAINMAN’S MOONSHOT: Last week
our selection, Isle of Barra in the fifth race Saturday, was
scratched. This week we will turn to the eighth race on
Friday and pick Indians Win, a 10-1 morning line choice.
-30-
