The Alberta Fall Classic Day was a big success at Northlands Park on Saturday, September 19. The Brewster family owned Cool Ventura won the first stakes race on the card - the Alberta Breeders Handicap - by four lengths. The Alberta Oaks was won by Lemon Pepper owned by Lomar Stables; the Red Diamond Express Handicap was won by another Brewster family owned horse - Cool Synsation (the third straight Fall Classic win for this gelding); Tiny Giant owned by Mick Demers, Gary Mailloux and Viking Stable won the Alberta Premier Futurity for Two Year Old colts; Donver Stable owns the winner of the Alberta Fall Classic Distaff for Three Year Old and Up Fillies and Mares - Victory Romance; Shifty Time owned by SNS Herefords, Morison Farms, Danny Hansen and Compass Ranch, won the Sturgeon River Stakes for Two Year Old Fillies and Mr. Shadar, owned by Kerredge Farms, G. Beerda and W. Longridge captured the last stakes race of the day - the Beaufort Stakes (updated September 22).
Cool Ventura passing Approval Rating just before the wire (photo courtesy of Jonathan Huntington)
The Brewster family is having a very successful season with their runners out of their great mare, Devil's Favour. To follow up on Cool Kahuna's win in the Birdcatcher, his sibling, Cool Ventura ran a solid race to win the September 6$100,000 Speed to Spare Stakes over Toronto runner Approval Rating. This dark brown Alberta-bred four year old gelding now has $247,000 in earnings and two wins in three starts this season.
Sadly, Alberta-bred Royalty Boy had to be humanely put down after the Bircatcher Stake by the Northlands vet. He was bred by Don Propp and was recently claimed by Side Management.
(Updated September 8, 2009)
The front cover of the August 29th issue of the BloodHorse is worth a second look as it shows the grey filly Careless Jewel easily winning the Alabama Stakes at Saratoga on August 22nd. Careless Jewel has an Alberta connection - she is owned by Donver Stables of Sherwood Park and this is Vern and Donna Dubinsky's first grade I win. The three year old filly won the Alabama Stakes by 11 lengths setting the third largest magin in the history of the Alabama. The Dubinskys were advised by agent Ciaran Dunne to purchase the filly as a yearling for $40,000 at the Keeneland September yearling sale. She is a daughter of Tapit, out of the Hennessy mare Sweet and Careless. She has a record of 4 - 0 - 1 in five starts after following maiden and entry level allowance scores at Woodbine with a 7 1/4 length victory in her stakes debut in the July 18 Delaware Oaks (Gr.II). Careless Jewel's win in the Alabama gave her a $360,000 paycheque and brought the three year old's career winnings to $582,846. (Updated September 9, 2009)
.jpg)
