Vergara (Finally) Arrives in Shakopee
An owner once refused to let Daniel Vergara ride his horse because he found the jockey’s handshake unimpressive. A bit too lifeless. Then again, horses seem to like Vergara’s hands because they are gentle, imbued with finesse. Vergara, a native of Mexico City, has been in the United States for the past two decades, riding in […]
A Career Determined by Destiny
The next time someone tells you there is no such thing as destiny, that anyone who says “it was written in the stars” is one brick short of a full load or that a person’s bloodline has nothing to do with personal choices, talk to Dan McFarlane. The affable trainer from Phoenix, Ariz., who is […]
Agent & Rider Make a Team
Susie McBrayer had her jacket wrapped tightly around her against the spring cold as she walked the stable area Friday morning. A native of Southern California who arrived in Shakopee by way of Phoenix, McBrayer is still trying to acclimate herself to these new chilly surroundings. “I wear a jacket with a hood so I suppose […]
Pace Makes the Race?
I know it’s not a flashy grade one or a Triple Crown race, but the fifth event on Saturday’s Canterbury card is one that caught my attention with the cast assembled – and I think all betting prospects should be live despite the field’s size. Most of the field hails from the Southwest, making their […]
Two of a Kind
They dressed for the wedding in the jockeys’ room, and then piled in the back of a pickup truck for the trip to the Turf Paradise garden where the ceremony was held. The men were duded up in western hats and jackets, the perfect ensemble for the place and setting. The bride stayed more traditional […]
Coady Photography – It’s a Family Tradition
There is something special about the ability to take a picture at precisely the right instant, catching the emotion of a single moment on a person’s face, the joy or grief of a specific occasion. Well-taken pictures can tell us who won and at what cost, who lost and its expense. They can capture all […]
Geovanni Franco – The Godfather
The grin stretches ear to ear whenever he hears the music, in response to the recognition but maybe too because it’s a reminder he’s just ridden another winner. Each time he enters the winner’s circle, track announcer Paul Allen starts the background music from the movie, the Godfather. The music has played a total of 15 […]
Week 1 in Review (Stats & Trends)
If you were able to attend the races on Friday and Saturday, you saw a series of front running winners over a fast track which is not unusual early in the meet. After the storms moved through on Saturday night, the track played a bit more evenly on Sunday as off-the-pace runners held their own. […]
