SWISS SKIMMER ON TRACK SUNDAY

When its best horse was claimed last year before appearing at The Horses At Evergreen Park some owners of The Evergreen Park Racing Club 2017 got an early lesson on the business of what is known as the Sport of Kings.

Many in the Club weren’t aware anyone could claim another’s horse if it was entered in what is called a claiming race.

That bit of misfortune aside, the Club went on to have a great year with three victories at Evergreen Park and a return on their investment from their other horses.

Fast forward to 2018 and this year’s version of The Evergreen Park Racing Club.

And more lessons on what it’s like to own race horses.

Heading into the second-last weekend of the July-August season the Club is down to one horse.

Three have been sidelined with various ailments.

Brave Julian, who raced once on July 14 at J.D.A. Raceway taking a third; Diamond Cut, who had a second July 14 and a third August 5; and Supah Spirit, with a fourth July 15 and third July 28, have all been retired for the summer.

The Club started the racing season in Lethbridge in May with four horses. All four shipped to Grande Prairie and all have run at The Horses At Evergreen Park.

Heading into the second-last weekend of the season Friday (6 p.m. post), Saturday (6 p.m. post) and Sunday (1 p.m. post) the last horse standing is Swiss Skimmer in what is likely the last appearance by a Club horse this year.

Swiss Skimmer (photo left), with a third July 15 and sixth July 29 in Grande Prairie and a fourth and second in Lethbridge earlier this year, hits the gates on Sunday at 3:30 p.m. in Race 7 at J.D.A. Raceway.

It’s a 6 ½ furlongs run with a purse of $7,000 up for grabs.

The Club horse leaves from gate No

. 2 and is up against Lady Amelia (Gate 1), Sparkling Peg (3), Some Gave all (4) and Aly’s Last Magic (5). Laris Allen is in the saddle on Swiss Skimmer.

The feature race for the weekend is the John Deere Juvenile Challenge Finals with a purse of $31,040. The last race, No. 11, of the day on Sunday with a 5:05 p.m. post.

That’s a 350-yard  sprint with lots of local interest.

Janice and Barry Sather have two horses in the field – Status Symbal from Gate 5 and Singles Cruise, who leaves from Gate 6 . . . and close by will be Chuck Stojan’s horse Always Right, leaving from Gate 4.

There are six races Friday and again Saturday and 11 on Sunday.

Meanwhile, it was a pretty good week in Canada and the United States for Club manager Norm Tremblay and his wife Natalie.

The Tremblays, part of an ownership group of a horse called Sky Promise, who won the Manitoba Derby on Aug. 6, ended the week Aug. 11 with a big win at Canterbury in Minnesota.

A horse they own independently, called Dress Shopping, finished eight lengths ahead at the finish line in a maiden race for two-year-olds and helped the Tremblays pocket $16,000 of the $36,500 purse.

See you on the weekend at J.D.A. Raceway at Gordon Badger Stadium at Evergreen Park!