Two and a half months ago jockey Rafael Zenteno Jr. woke up in a hospital bed at the University of Alberta not knowing where he was or why he was there.
Everything was just a frightening grey blur of fog.
Saturday afternoon he was back in a familiar and much happier place: the winner’s circle at Century Mile after winning the Alberta Fall Classic Distaff - one of seven $60,000 Alberta-bred stakes races - by as far as she pleased.
Underneath Zenteno’s huge grin was Big Hug the enormously talented reddish-brown coloured thoroughbred that he said propelled him to recover as quickly as possible from his numerous injuries he suffered in a spill at Century Mile on June 28.
“I was thinking about not riding again this year,” said Zenteno, who broke bones and incurred a severe concussion.
“You don’t want to mess with your head,” said Zenteno.
But one thing kept calling his name: Big Hug.
“I so much wanted to be able to ride her in this race,” said Zenteno, a poised, skilful and polite jockey with 378 career victories.
“I couldn’t wait for opportunities to be back with her.
“It’s a miracle I was able to ride Big Hug. My injuries could have been so much worse.
“She’s an angel. My God, she is just so different from any other horse I have ever ridden,” said Zenteno, 33, a Mexico-born and raised jockey, whose father, Rafael Zenteno Sr., was also a jockey. Zenteno Sr. won the 2011 Canadian Derby with Freedoms Traveller.
The ‘angel’ had wings again on Saturday. In the most dominant performance imaginable Big Hug simply galloped around the track waltzing to a 12 1/2 length eased-up victory while getting the mile and a sixteenth in 1:43 4/5 - easily the fastest of the day for the distance despite not having to be asked.
Last year’s Alberta Horse of the Year, Big Hug - owned by Lori and Martin Neyka’s Empire Equestrian and trainer Rick Hedge - has now won 16 of 30 lifetime starts for earnings of $575,900.
Consigned by Chalet Stables, she was purchased for just $2,000.
“Raffy thinks a race very well,” said his agent Ken Gilkyson. “He’s a very intelligent rider. He knows the pace of a race.”
Zenteno said he doesn’t plan on riding again until Big Hug’s next scheduled start - the October 11 Lynn Chouinard Founder’s Distaff at Calgary’s Century Downs going nine furlongs.
“The plan is no race riding until the middle of October,” said Zenteno. And even then only aboard Big Hug.
“I’m not race ready to ride a full card. It makes no sense to go to Calgary from my home in Edmonton and only ride one or two races.
“It’s too soon.
“I’ll maybe go to Calgary on weekends to gallop a few horses to see how I feel. I need to take it easy and come back strong.
“There’s too much pressure to race ride when I’m not 100 per cent fit; I’m about 80 per cent.
“I’m not in any pain. But I’m still recovering.
“The surgeons said it will take a while for the muscles to reconnect. My face is numb; the muscles haven’t 100 per cent healed.”
Zenteno was injured on June 28 at Century Mile when his mount Dontbringmedown clipped heels. Zenteno, who fell heavily, didn’t open his eyes for three days.
“I don’t remember anything about the accident. I remember being in the starting gate and that is all.”
Big Hug was just the second horse he rode since the accident. On Friday night he took just one other mount, Kystone.
“I wasn’t scared or nervous. I was excited,” said the thoughtful rider, who rode his first race in Mexico on Sept. 16, 2011 and then came to Edmonton where his father was in February 2012.
Auspiciously, Zenteno won his first race in Canada on his first mount on 18-1 longshot Unwelcome Guest from the outside 10 post while running three and a half furlongs on May 4 2012 at Northlands Park.
Auspiciously again, so did Big Hug winning her first four races - three of them stakes. All with Zenteno aboard.
As a three-year-old Big Hug won three of her eight appearances - two of them stakes. Zenteno was her jockey in all of those races too.
Last year, on her way to a championship season, Big Hug won six of nine starts with two seconds and a third.
Again, Zenteno was always her rider.
This year, after campaigning in California where she ran creditability - with several excuses - against some of the top mares in North America, Big Hug then won the Red Smith and and Red McKenzie stakes at Century Mile. Zenteno was the pilot in the Red McKenzie but - because of his injuries - was unable to ride Big Hug in the Red Smith.
“Raffy knows Big Hug and fits her perfectly,” said Hedge. “He knows when to move and when not to move. They are a very good and lethal combination.”
STOCK REPORT- In the other six thoroughbred stakes races, trainer Tim Rycroft won three of them. He won the Alberta Oaks by three lengths with No More Lies, last year’s champion two-year-old filly who was royally bred by Bushido Stables and sold for $21,500 to Stetsco Inc., Ryan Stetson, Stetson Enterprises and Everblack Cattle Company.
Then, Rycroft won the Beaufort with Holiday’s Again, who did all the work pressing the pace three and four-wide. Holiday’s Again, was bred by C.W. Matter and bought by the Tallie Racing Stable.
Rycroft’s third triumph was with Relaxgodoitramone who had no problem overcoming his 10 post running off to a four-length win in the Alberta Premier’s Futurity for two-year-old colts and geldings.
Relaxgodoitramone, who won his previous start - the Canadian Juvenile - was bred and is owned by high profile Highfield Investment Group.
The first of the Fall Classic races - the Sturgeon River for two-year-old fillies - was handily captured by Hiway Fortynine. “I can’t remember ever having a smaller filly,” said trainer Rod Cone. “I was hoping she would grow but the only thing that grew was her heart.”
Hiway Fortynine did not meet her reserve at last year’s Alberta Yearling Sale but was bought privately after the sale by Al Pitchko from breeder Pierre Esquirol.
Patriotic Freedom was a wise claim by Mickey Demers and trainer Madison Zielke. Haltered for $12,500 just over a month ago, she pocketed $36,000 for her gritty win in the Alberta Breeders’ Handicap. Bred by WorkWize Ent. Patriotic Freedom won by four and three-quarter lengths.
And then there was Itsallgoodman who turned in a Big Hug type of victory in the Red Diamond Express Sprint. Breaking in a tangle to sit last by many, Itsallgoodman was was so much the best that he circled the field and won by 9 1/2 lengths for owner Curtis Landry while getting the six furlongs in 1:08.75 - a little more than a second off the six-furlong track record.
Itsallgoodman was bred by Stone Ranches.
There were also two Quarter Horse stakes on Saturday’s card - the final day of thoroughbred racing for the season at Century Mile. The thoroughbreds now go to Calgary - opening this weekend - while the harness horses move into Century Mile for live racing beginning on Sept. 24.
Winning the $89,016 Two-Year-Old Futurity was West Southwest by open lengths for owner Jerry Stojan and trainer William Leech; First Famous Prize barely held off Ima Hott Version and Flash Me a Corona in the $31,510 Derby for trainer Buckey Stockwell and owners Commotion Creek Contracting and WT Ranches.
Accidental Genius, who was second in the Canadian Derby, rallied for second behind Rondelito in Saturday’s $125,000 B.C. Derby in Vancouver. Attack, who was third in the Canadian Derby but was moved up to first in the Manitoba Derby, took home the owner/trainer bonus for Highfield Investments Group, Smokin Guns Stable and partners, and trainer Craig Smith.
The thoroughbred meet at Century Mile showed a sizeable 7.9 percent increase in wagering.
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Author: The Turcottes: The Remarkable Story of a Horse Racing Dynasty.