Grande Prairie racing fans will get a chance to see a lot of horses for the first time when the gates open for the Grande Prairie Derby and Grande Prairie Oaks at Derby Day at J.D.A. Raceway at The Horses At Evergreen Park on Sunday.
Ten of the 13 horses entered in the two races have never raced on the oval at the Park.
There will, however, be a very familiar local face cheering his steeds on in both races.
Former professional chuckwagon driver Kirk Sutherland has two horses entered in the Derby and another in the Oaks.
Sutherland is owner of Reboso and Dancing Porky – two of the favorites in the $29,000 Derby that features eight three-year-olds running over 1 1/16 miles in Race 9 with a slated 4:35 p.m. start time.
Reboso has two wins, two seconds and a third in eight starts this year and has won $38,549 and Dancing Porky has a record of 1-1-0 in six starts with $15,213 in earnings. In 2024, Dancing Porky won over $22,000. Both horses spent a good portion of their two-year careers on American race tracks.
Clint Rycroft, the top trainer at The Horses At Evergreen Park so far this summer, is the owner/trainer of Forgotten Man in the Derby while other horses entered are Either In Or In The Way (trained by local Jason Coney); Sky Music; Tapologist; Who Is; and Writ In Stone.
Laurie Ferguson is trainer of Reboso and Dancing Porky and also the Sutherland-owned Gracie’s Big Day in the GP Oaks. Race 4 with an anticipated 2:30 p.m. start.
With at 2-1-2 record, $67,582 in winnings this year and $110,262 after two years, Gracie has to be one of the favourites in the mile long run for a purse of $27,500 among three-year-old fillies.
Three of Gracie’s 16 career races have been at Century Mile and 13 in the States.
Kathy McNally, manager of the Evergreen Park Racing Club, is trainer of One More For The Road in the Oaks. The five-horse field is completed by No More Lies (perhaps the favourite with $84,849 in career winnings with trainer Tim Rycroft), Aint Afraid to Dream and Oki.
The day starts with Derby Bunch at 10:30 a.m. in the TARA Energy Services Centre and continues with racing with first post at 1:15 p.m.
You can order brunch tickets by clicking on the graphic.
PLACE YOUR BETS
Betting kiosks are offered both outside and inside in the MNP Concourse and there is beverage station and large hospitality tent between the Gordon Badger Stadium and the paddock.
There will be food trucks on site and there is a large sand pile, with toys provided, for the kids to enjoy. There are smoking areas on either side of the stadium. To see a full schedule of races, and special events go here.
If you can’t make it to the races at any time this season, you can still watch and wager.
All of the races are shown life, and replays too, here.
If you want to wager you can do so through HIPBet or Xpressbet.
