Garry Allison recaps RMTC's Weekend

BY GARRY ALLISON

Rocky Mountain Turf Club

     There were only four horses in the winner's circle in the scheduled five-race card Saturday

as the rain, and old man winter with some snow stepped in and closed down the scheduled fifth race,

intended to be live prior to the Kentucky Derby.

     But while the Rocky Mountain Turf Club track was wet and muddy the races began, until

it simply got to soggy by the fifth and track officials called it quits.

     However, all eight races ran off on schedule Sunday.

     "We met Sunday morning and while there were quite a few scratches, we ran," says Rocky

Mountain Turf Club's Track Manager Dot Stein.

     Despite all the wet - in the form of rain and snow - through the opening weekend RMTC

CEO Max Gibb was pleased to see the Spring Meet get under way.

     "It always seems to be a wet opening weekend when the races come to town," Gibb said with

a laugh. "But the good thing is we got all but one race run off in our 13 scheduled opening weekend

races.

     "We had a great crowd out opening Saturday despite the weather. Our Champion's Room

on the third level of the grandstand was packed, and the fifth level had a full house as well. Those

braving the outdoors Saturday mainly stayed in the betting area under the grandstand, with a few

venturing out to the paddock or to watch the finish of the races."

     One of the nice wins Sunday was somewhat of a veteran's race with ageless jockey Stephen

Blakeley bringing home Great Griffin, trained by octogenarian Stan Marks. The often-claimed Great

Griffin is by El Corredor out of She's Bullheaded by Marquetry and is bred in Alberta at Bar None

Ranches.

     Gibb was also smiling about one of his horses, Rocky Mountain Lady, winning the opening

race Sunday. With Craig Wonnacott aboard. the Tom Alcott-trained horse paid $4.30, 2.50 and 2.10

and combined with Cr Leading La Jolla and Naknek paid a $127.30, one of the higher trifectra's on

Sunday's card.

     Rocky Mountain Lady is by Tres Sels out of Eyesa Screamer by Eye Take Time, bred is

Saskatchewan by Tom Kenway.

     Saturday had some much higher payoffs.

     In the races that got in under the weather opening day Vincent Alvin Palmer won the first

race, binging home trainer Wanda Halerewich's Gentle Senorita on top to combine with Bargain

Buy for a nice $222 Quinella. Gentle Senorita is by Gentleman out of Senorita by Diablo and bred

in Alberta by Ray Gilkyson.

     The second race also had a nice pick three, at $222 with Valentino McBean on Rio Novo,

trained by Dave Gould, combined with Ridgeline and Zeke's Best Trick to pay $222.55 for a $1

Triactor.

BEHIND THE STARTING GATE . . . There were three generations of Gibbs on hand Saturday,

with grandpa Max, son Max Jr. and grandson Nick. Also of hand was cousin Dr. Don Gibb . . . The

rain, wind and snow led to the Champion's Room on the third floor being filled to near capacity

Saturday ... Snow began falling during Saturday's second race and hopefully it was enough to

cushion jockey Philip Clunis' fall in the fourth race . . .Its hard to figure, but with only a few drops

of moisture since Christmas, that opening day features rain and snow. CEO Max Gibb says, with

all the economic impact of horse racing in southern Alberta, maybe they should start figuring in the

benefits of all the moisture the races seem to bring . . .  Next racing at Whoop-Up Downs is May

12-13 with a 1:05 p.m. post time.

Kentucky Derby 2012 is now in the books. Full Story Courtesy of The Daily Racing Form

http://www.drf.com/news/kentucky-derby-2012-ill-have-another-comes-late-win

The field is set for this years 138th running of The Kentucky Derby

story courtesy Churchill Downs

http://www.kentuckyderby.com/news/stories 

-

Exciting Thoroughbred Racing Returns to Northlands Park Friday May 4th

http://www.equibase.com/premium/eqbRaceEntriesDisplay.cfm?TRK=NP&CY=CAN&DATE=05/04/2012&STYLE=EQB

Garyy Allison reports from Lethbridge

BY GARRY ALLISON
Rocky Mountain Turf Club
At 1:05 p.m. Saturday afternoon, May 5, the call will go out, :
"Are you ready for some horse racing?"
Since 1996, the Rocky Mountain Turf Club has been bringing the race fans of southern Alberta
quality horse racing, and the May 5-6 weekend marks the start of the 2012 season.
RMTC CEO Max Gibb looks forward to another successful season, with the Spring Meet
running from May 5-6 through June 29-30. The Fall Race Meet is set for Sept. 1-3 through Oct.
19-21.
"Our track is in great condition, with horses training here at Whoop-Up Downs as far back as
early March," says Gibb. "As usual our opening day coincides with the annual running of the
Kentucky Derby, and our live race card will be built around the Derby. This is an exciting day
for us and is work people coming down from the northern end of the province to take in the festivities,
on and off the race track.
"Derby Day is a big event at the RMTC, in Bullys and in the third floor Champions Room. Our
satellite system will have the entire race card from Churchill Downs, with easy wagering at any
one of our numerous pari-mutual windows. And don't forget, you can wager on the races through
our telephone account wagering system.
"With Derby Day we build through the Triple Crown races and wind up with our own great tradition,
the running of the popular Millarville Races, July 1. Like the Derby, Millarville is one of a
kind and attract huge crowds of race gores and fair growers, and has for more than a century."
The Millarville Race Meet caps of the RMTC Spring Meet,   amd what a way to close
a season!
The RMTC has a full schedule of live racing and throughout the entire year, satellite racing from
the top tracks in North America. The Kentucky Derby is simply one of the many highlight days.
"Many people have told me they would rather be here at Whoop-Up Downs the day of the
Kentucky Derby, with our staff in fancy dresses, mint juleps, and loads of fun with people they
know, than at the Derby itself. So come out and join us, the mint juleps are superb"
Gibb says live horse racing is one of the most exciting sports to be found, not only in Lethbridge
but throughout North America.
"There's nothing that gets your blood pumping more than a wager on a high-spirited
Thoroughbred, or a speedy Quarter horse, and then cheering your horse home first across the
finish line," says Gibb.
"As well, horse racing makes a tremendous financial return to southern Alberta. Independent
studies have shown southern Alberta's agricultural, rural and service industries bring in returns
in the $40 million range."
Bullys General Manager Rose Rossi has lined up another fun-filled opening day, including the
Rocky Mountain Dixieland Jazz Band, mint juleps and fun for the kids as well.
Race Manager Dot Stein says the line-up of jockeys will be new to some folks, with at least four
new faces. Many returning horses and trainers will be familiar with race fans from last season
and prior.
Post time for Saturday and Sunday will also be 1:05 p.m.

Sugar Doyle reports on the track surface

http://www.northlandspark.ca/racing/thoroughbred/item/120-track-surface-gets-a-‘thumbs-up’-/-night-of-champions

Backstretch Newsletter

ARRY ALLISON PHOTO
The late Bill Woolf proudly standing in front of the bronze sculpture of George "The Iceman"
Woolf aboard Seabiscuit at the Cardston Remington Carriage Museum.

BY GARRY ALLISON
As the years pass, so do the people who helped make horse racing what it is today at the Rocky
Mountain Turf Club.
Bill Schmidt has left the RMTC fold, at age 77. Bill was an old cowboy and an active racing
trainer and owner at the RMTC. My last memory of Bill was his pleasure at dunking Scott Sterr
at the dunk tank and barbecue just a year or so back, right next to the paddock.
I was saddened to read of the passing of 92-year-old Margaret Hind Man, a kindly lady I came to
know many years ago. If not herself, many of Margaret's family had a link to horse racing  at
one time or another, including names like: Wadsworth, Eagle Tailfeathers, Steele, Holy White
Man - Morris once boxed Max Gibb, RMTC CEO many decades ago - and Crow Chief families,
and I'm certain I missed some.
It was also sad to see Bernard (Rattlesnake) Smith go. He was a brother to Floyd, Percy and
Arnold, the latter a good pal of mine, and all strong race-goers. There were others to be sure in the
family, including members of the Provost clan.
Also our condolences go out to the vast Juris family with the passing of Joe Juris at age 88. Son
Jim is one of the leading horse owners here at the RMTC.
Dolores Day Chief left us far too young, at age 51. She came from a very strong and active horse
racing family. Once again it was her family who were into horse racing, but Dolores and
daughter Chantelle were the first mother and daughter in the INFR barrel racing Finals at New Mexico.
Her indirect relatives, Mike and the late Leo Day Chief, are and were good fiends and strong
race horse people - and I'm sure there were many others.
In my own family I lost three, my cousin Roberta who used to chastize me for the money I bet at
the track, but she was still a great gal. I also lost my Aunt Bertha and Uncle Bill Woolf, both at
age 88.
Now Bill's name is very familiar at the track, once I explain. He was a first cousin to the great jockey George
"the Iceman" Woolf. In fact at one time in Bill's youth George stayed out at the family farm near
Woolford for a summer.  The Iceman of course was from Cardston, and Bill was there when they
unveiled the magnificent bronze statute of George on the grounds of the Remington Carriage
Museum.
This weekend the RMTC begins another season, building memories of people and horses we
will cherish until our time comes. Lets hope that's decades away, so in the meantime enjoy the
races for the 2012 season and while we all can't be winners, lets hope, at least, I win one or two
big races this year.
Welcome Back!

This week Sugar Doyle sits down with trainer Amanda Grogory courtesy Northlands Park .

http://www.northlandspark.ca/racing/thoroughbred/item/119-young-thoroughbred-trainer-is-all-systems-go

Alberta Scored Big at the Sovereign Awards held in Toronto on the weekend.

Congratulations to the connections of Pender Harbour and Donver Stable and Atlantic Hurricane

http://www.jockeyclubcanada.com/2011-sovereign-award-winners/