South Dakota Racing Goes Out With A Bang...

They say all good things must come to an end and so it was with the South Dakota Racing season as it closed on Memorial Day Weekend at the Brown County Fair in Aberdeen, SD. The flurry of quality races over the closing weekend attracted top talent from the north country.

The weekend started out on Saturday, May 24 with one big race on the docket, the South Dakota Bred Quarter Horse Derby. The connections of Loves No Brakes, an exceptional gate horse, questioned how she'd do with the added 100 yards of distance, she answered in a convincing fashion. The field ran into a strong headwind (officially charted at 25 mph, unofficially gusting up to 30-40 mph) and Loves No Brakes got away from the gates in front and kept adding to her advantage throughout the 350 yard race until she was a length in front at the wire. John G. Johnson is the owner and breeder of this striking full sister to Miss No Brakes, race winner and barrel futurity winner. Loves No Brakes (No Brakes Now-Kitaman Dream Lover, Kitaman) ran a time of 17.857 earning a speed index of 99 and earnings of $5,383, the time is just about a length off the Brown County Fair track record. A length behind her in second was Elegant Emege and another 1 ½ lengths back was Red Running Meter. Loves No Brakes is trained by Bob Johnson and was ridden through to victory by Jake Olesiak. Loves No Brakes will wait in the wings for the Fargo meet in the summer, run in the Northern Plains Derby and then head to the Billings Open Derby. However, she may squeeze in a Bayer Legend Derby Challenge race before the trip to Fargo.

The NAHR Open Quarter Horse Futurity on Sunday, May 25, featured the best breeding from across the country. None could compete with Brother Vern, owned by Aberdeen resident Hank Bowker, on this day. Brother Vern, the Agouti gelding out of the local racing legend Luva Shake (Shake It Special), broke from the gates in average fashion, but the rest of his race was anything but as he flew down the track to the easiest of wins by nearly 2 lengths without contest. Brother Vern ran a 15.808 time for 300 yards to earn a speed index of 91 and $8,183 in cash. In second was AC Royal Beauty and another almost length back in third, Sweet Femme Fatale. Brother Vern is a prime example of blessings in disguise. His dam, Luva Shake, was scheduled to be bred to Stoli but due to some miscommunication they were unable get semen from Stoli. In a last minute decision Hank decided to breed to Agouti instead. With three wins wins in a row after a trouble-laden first start and close to 10k in the bank headed into the summer, Brother Vern was no mistake. In fact, he became Agouti's first stakes winner. Trainer Bob Johnson and jockey Jake Olesiak will head Brother Vern to the Iowa Double Gold Futurity, North Central QH Futurity, and Yellowstone Downs Futurity.

The thoroughbreds kicked their big races into action in the 8th race on the day with the Thoroughbred NAHR Sprint at 5 furlongs. Many of us who are familiar with South Dakota racing action over the last few years have enjoyed the race calling at the Brown Country Fair. Announcer, Bubby Haar, brought enthusiasm and professionalism to the race calling usually reserved for tracks like Belmont Park or Los Alamitos. This year Haar brought that same zeal to training the racehorses he has enjoying being around for so long. A couple of years ago, a friend roped him into the action side of the business and now he trains For Gill, owned by W & S Thoroughbred Racing. For Gill has been around a little, racing at the historic Belmont Park. He shares his sire, Northern Afleet, with 2005 Triple Crown sensation Afleet Alex. In the Sprint, For Gill stalked the pace waiting for the perfect time and then on the final turn he stormed to the front to clear the field by three lengths. Maddies Blues held second and another 1 ¼ lengths back Harbour Axe wrapped up the show spot. For Gill (Northern Afleet-Fine The Line, Peaks And Valleys) was bred by Pedro Maestre and ridden to victory by Marcus Delorme.

Memorial Day, May 26, featured a bundle of big money races from early in the racing card right down to the last race of the South Dakota season. The South Dakota Bred Thoroughbred Futurity, at 5 furlongs, kicked off the afternoon. The field was filled with first time starters so it was anyones race to win. From the start the two Ardell Sayler trainees, Ally Scatter and Da Fuzz, went to the front and had their minds on winning. Sayler had been looking forward to the match up between his two talented trainees. This round went to Ally Scatter as she stalked Da Fuzz through most the race and then pounced in the last strides to overtake Da Fuzz by 1 ½ lengths with Durango Dakota another 2 ¼ lengths back in third. Ally Scatter ran the 5 furlong race in a time of 1:09.80 and won a total of $5,390. Ally Scatter (Crowning Season-Ally Scats, Alydeed) is owned by the Sayler racing partnership, Off 2 Win, and is trained by Ardell Sayler. She was bred by Ardell & Janet Sayler, and was ridden to victory by Rohan Singh. Ally Scatter is now stationed at Assiniboia Downs in Winnipeg, Canada. The two year old filly will wait for the North Dakota Stallion Stakes in August.

The 4th race of the day was the South Dakota Bred Thoroughbred Derby run at 7 furlongs. For the Saylers it was more of the same as their charge. Cabooseontheloose, went to the lead and never looked back as he cruised to an easy 1 ¾ length victory over Ram Charger who ran away from third place finisher Boys Will Be Boys by an amazing 18 lengths. Cabooseontheloose (Crowning Season-Cute Caboose, Marquetry) is out of the stakes winning Marquetry mare, Cute Caboose, who was also raced by Ardell Sayler. Marquetry is one of the most consistent speed sires in the thoroughbred world over the last 15 years. The final time for the 7 furlong race was 1:35.40 and the win added $2,872 to the winner's bank account. Cabooseontheloose also won the South Dakota Bred Thoroughbred Futurity last year. Cabooseontheloose runs for the connections of Off 2 Win, is trained by Aaron Sayler, and was ridden to victory by Rohan Singh. Cabooseontheloose will tag along with the Sayler clan to Assiniboia Downs in Winnipeg, Canada and wait for just the right race.

The 7th race on the card featured the South Dakota Bred Quarter Horse Futurity. According to the trial times, odds were on a two horse race between Smashingly Classic and Infierno. However, within 100 yards of the start it was clear to everyone that Smashingly Classic had decided to make it a one horse race. After 50-100 yards Jake Olesiak pushed the throttle and Smashingly Classic blew the doors off the competition and cruised to a near two length victory without being challenged. The two year old filly ran the 300 yards in 15.700 into a 30 mph headwind for a speed index of 95 and earnings of $8,460 to bring her lifetime total to close to 10k. Confection Cartel hung on for second by a neck over Infierno who ran third. Smashingly Classic (A Classic Dash-Smashingly Yours, Easily Smashed) is a product of owners Bill & Deb Myers purchase of dam, Smashingly Yours, a few years ago at the Heritage Place Mixed Sale. The Myers thought the good producing Easily Smashed mare would compliment their speed breeding program well and the fact she was in foal to A Classic Dash didn't hurt things either. Smashingly Classic had been offered for sale twice prior however, trainer Bob Johnson convinced the Myers they had the right type with this striking sorrel filly. Smashingly Classic is now headed to Canterbury Park to run in the North Central Quarter Horse Futurity and then on to Billings, MT for the Yellowstone Downs Futurity. She will cruise right into the broodmare band for the Myers.

The 9th race of the day featured the NAHR Open Quarter Horse Derby. Looking at the times from the trials it looked like a walkover by Princess Fantasy in the making. However, as anyone in racing knows, you have to run the race. South Dakota racing fans have watched the raw talent of the Johnson Stables runner Hasta Be Fast, the grandly bred stud colt by Pritzi Dash and out of their ace broodmare, Hasta Be Special by Special Effort. However, due to some bad racing luck and the like that can happen in racing, Hasta Be Fast, hadn't shown his God-given talent yet. The Open Derby was his time to shine as he hung with the pack long enough to let them think they had a chance and then he pulled away to an easy 1 ½ length victory. Sixs Charlie Brown held off Cash For One by ¾ of a length for place. Prior to this race Hasta Be Fast had raced 7 times winning $1,230 but after running the 400 yard race in a time of 20.300 for a speed index of 95 he bumped up his earnings another $8,085 to sit at $9,315. This big, stout Pritzi Dash runner will now take a 6 week hiatus from the track and return for the fall run at the Yellowstone Downs Derby in Billings, MT and then run on to Kansas for a few more races late in the fall.

The last race of the year for South Dakota horse racing brought the best distance thoroughbreds in the area out for the 1 1/8 mile Legion Stakes. Ten Cent Dance had strolled through the quality distance races up to this point for the South Dakota meet so everyone in the field knew who they would be running at. Owner and trainer of Medallia De Plata, Craig Bonn, knew he needed a perfectly timed ride on his horse by jockey Jordan Olesiak to win the race, and that is exactly what he got. Medallia De Plata stalked Ten Cent Dance throughout the race waiting for that perfect moment and then in a quick rush on the last turn Medallia De Plata snuck by the battle tested Ten Cent Dance by 1 ¼ lengths to finish with a time of 2:03.40. Champagns Holiday came in another 6 ½ lengths back to finish third. Medallia De Plata (Pioneering-Lady Arkansas, Sir Harry Lewis) came out of the Chicago area 3 years ago and has been a lunch pale carrying, consistent runner for Craig Bonn ever since. In fact, last year he ran a second in this same race and back in 2006 he won this race for his connections. This race has the distinction of being the longest race for horse racing in the state of South Dakota, so that makes Medallia De Plata the king of the long distance dandies.

For most of the South Dakota racing fans, owners, and trainers the racing in South Dakota ended too soon, but racing will continue in the region as many of the horses from the Brown County Fair and Ft. Pierre meet will move on to stables at either Canterbury Park in Minnesota, North Dakota Horse Park in Fargo or the several tracks in Nebraska including Lincoln and Columbus. Then towards the end of the summer they will travel to tracks like Yellowstone Downs in Billings, Montana and Wyoming Downs, in Evanston, Wyoming.
However, you might see some of these quality horses pop up about anywhere. If you are interested in becoming involved in racing just go to www.sdhorseracing.com and contact one of the many directors. They would be more than happy to help you through the process of owning and racing in South Dakota. If you just want to follow along with the results through the summer you can go to sites such as www.equibase.com and www.tsnhorse.com to keep up with results. A couple sites featuring stories on local stars are www.northdakotahorsepark.org (Website for North Dakota Horse Park in Fargo, ND) and www.canterburypark.com (Website for Canterbury Park in Minnesota). Other sites of interest include: www.aqharacing.com, www.stallionesearch.com, www.bloodhorse.com and www.thoroughbredtimes.com.
So that's it for another exciting year of horse racing in South Dakota, congratulations to the winners of all the races and we will see you all next year at the races!
All photos are courtesy track photographer Ron Krogman.