But then again when you have the success ratio of Red
Star Stables and Robert Murphy, when 16 Stakes races
pass without a victory, eyebrows may be raised.
Two weeks ago Abbotsford's Wes Waardenburg watched as
his Yeah Norton won the Stallion Stakes. It had never
happened previously to Wes in 15 years in the harness
racing business.
Last Friday, Murphy's Red Star Apache raced to victory
in a thrilling Langley Pace Stakes final.
The last time a Red Star horse captured a Stakes final
(not counting division wins in the Sandown Breeders
Stakes in October) was Red Star Camelot pacing to
victory in the Sandown Plate on April 13. That's nine
months.
Friday, Apache and Camelot were stable entry mates in
the Langley and went to the post as 1-5 favourites. The
battle was expected to come from Off Track Stables'
Haras Colta Cola, a 2-1 choice.
It did.
Colta Cola, with Rod Therres in the bike, had the rail
and took the lead from the start, setting fractions of
27.3, 58.3 and 1:27.1 in leading to the three-quarter
pole. Apache had settled into the two-hole and Camelot
was third. The latter made a move on the backstretch and
attacked Colta Cola on the outside to the three
quarters.
At that point Camelot slipped back and Apache made a big
move outside and into the lead by 1 1/2 lengths at the
head of the stretch. Colta Cola came back on the inside
but fell short by half a length with Camelot third in
the 1:57.3 mile.
Apache, a son of Safe N Rich out of Precious Paloma, is
trained and was driven by meet leader Bill Davis.
The result left him a happy man.
"It was a good mile and a good race. . . . have to be
happy with a first and third. He is a high speed horse
and it was a good win for him," Davis said, adding that
he thought his horse may have hung for a second in the
early stretch drive.
Apache now has 12 wins in 24 lifetime starts and
earnings of $53,303.
"He will stay here for a short while (race in the
winners over) and then he will go to Edmonton where he
is eligible for the Sunwapta Stakes in April," said
Davis.
Apache started in trainer Rene Goulet's barn and then
went to Alberta where he was handled by Paul Arsenault.
He set a lifetime mark of 1:54.1 at Stampede Park while
being driven by one of the top drivers in the world,
Michel Lachance, who was competing in the drivers'
challenge.
"He said he (Apache) was a nice horse, nice gaited,"
said Davis of Lachance's comments after the new mark.
Apache then came to Davis' barn to battle in Stakes
races but got sick and lost around 100 pounds.
"We had him quit racing for a while to get the weight
back on and I think that was a key to him doing well (in
the Langley)," Davis said.
Paul Harrison, the trainer of Colta Cola (doesn't his
name make you want to call him Coke but then again that
might get the judges all excited), was upbeat, although
disappointed, after the race.
When it was suggested he raced very well, Harrison
jokingly said he liked the term "huge."
"It took two to beat us," Therres said, with a grin,
after the big battle.
Harrison said he too will point Colta Cola at the
winners over.
The Langley Pace was co-sponsored by the Greater Langley
Chamber of Commerce and the Langley Advance News.
