Dawg’s Big Players
Every sport has its heroes. Dawg's taking you into the paddock to
introduce you to the trainers and drivers at the top of their game.
Tell all
Although he was unraced at age two, Tell All did it all and then some in 2007.
The talented son of Real Desire - Have No Secrets helped take trainer Blair Burgess and driver Jody Jamieson to new heights and was able to win the two major races that had eluded his sire, The Pepsi North America Cup and The Little Brown Jug.
In the $1.5 million Pepsi North America Cup, held for the first time ever at Mohawk Racetrack, Tell All showed that he was the real deal with a convincing first-over win in 1:50.3.
He then demonstrated his versatility in The Jug with a masterful two-heat victory over the famed Delaware half-miler.
Both victories ended long droughts for Burgess who had many close calls previously.
In addition to his pair of majors, Tell All also won the $77,000 Diplomat Series Final, a $132,595 division of The Simcoe Stakes, a $195,000 division of The Tattersalls Stakes and his elimination for The Breeders Crown. He also finished second behind Southwind Lynx in the $1 million Meadowlands Pace.
Chancey Lady
She may be on the small side but Chancey Lady possesses a mighty big engine.
The filly was one of the bright spots in another outstanding season for trainer Casie Coleman and was a major force in the OSS program, racking up four wins in five outings, including a resounding victory in the $300,000 Super Final at Woodbine.
Following her OSS Super Final win, Chancey Lady and regular driver Mark MacDonald beat many of North America’s best, including tonight’s other nominee, in her Breeders Crown elimination at The Meadowlands on November 16. The filly used a :26.4 final quarter to win by 1-1/4 lengths. Unfortunately, a tough trip in the final led to one of her few disappointing results of the season.
The daughter of Camluck - Art Of Design also did all the road work in Voelz Hanover’s 1:51.3 world-record performance at Hiawatha Horse Park in Sarnia in late October and wound up finishing second beaten just a neck.
She is one of two nominees for Coleman who herself has been nominated for what could be a third straight O’Brien Award as Canada’s Trainer of the Year.
Somebeachsomewhere
This powerful son of Mach Three - Wheres The Beach stunned fans with his 1:49.3 world record performance in the $1 million Metro Pace on September 1 at Mohawk Racetrack.
It was the pinnacle for the $40,000 yearling purchase who came from humble beginnings in Truro, Nova Scotia. That’s where co-owner Brent McGrath put him through his early lessons and a trio of winning qualifiers before shipping west to the barn of another Maritime native Jean Louis Arsenault.
Somebeachsomewhere’s first start in Ontario came in the Battle Of Waterloo eliminations at Grand River Raceway on July 30th where he promptly set a track record for rookies of 1:54.2. A week later, he would capture the $300,000 final in only his second career start.
Following his subsequent wins in both the elimination and final of the Metro Pace, the colt added victories in a $115,884 division of the Champlain Stakes and a $145,300 division of the Nassagaweya Stakes for good measure.
He ended his initial campaign with a perfect six-for-six record and drew comparisons to some of the sport’s greatest rookie colt pacers such as Niatross and Artsplace.
Santanna Blue Chip
The ultra-consistent son of Art Major - Missus Hanover ended off his rookie season as the richest two-year-old colt and gelding pacer in North America.
A product of the reputable Carl Jamieson stable of racing, Santanna Blue Chip did not miss the board in all 11 of his starts and seemed to get stronger as the season wore on for his co-owner/driver Jody Jamieson.
After winning the $56,200 Dream Maker Final on August 6 at Mohawk, he went on to finish third in the Metro Pace, second in the Champlain Stakes and third in the Nassagaweya Stakes - the last time he would taste defeat in 2007.
He captured both his elimination and the $731,700 final of the Governors Cup at Woodbine in late October. After receiving a bye directly into the Breeders Crown final, Santanna Blue Chip made the most of the opportunity and scored a pocket-trip decision in 1:51.3. It was a lifetime-best clocking and a testament to the colt’s talent and durability.
