Manitoba-Breds Star in Stakes Action, Chief Murray Clearsky Honoured, Williams Wins Osiris

Mechanic Susie and Antonio Whitehall win the $40,000 Distaff Stakes on Wednesday at ASD. (Jason Halstead / Assiniboia Photo)

By G.S. Thompson

Fans were treated to some sizzling stakes action courtesy of the best horses on the grounds this week at ASD, with one of the strongest 2-year-old finishes we’ve seen in years in the Osiris Stakes, a theft in the J.W. Sifton, and a monster Manitoba-bred mare that loves to win in the Distaff.

But before we get to the stakes action, we also have to congratulate horse owner Chief Murray Clearsky, who was honoured last Thursday at Assiniboia Downs by Indigenous leaders from across the country for his lifetime of accomplishments, including the past 40 years as the Chief of Waywayseecappo First Nation.

As stated in the recent Winnipeg Free Press article, “Indigenous leaders and dignitaries at the ceremony included Assembly of First Nations National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak, Peguis First Nation Chief Dr. Stan Bird, Southern Chiefs Organization Grand Chief Jerry Daniels, AFN Regional Chief Willie Moore, Brokenhead Ojibway First Nation Chief Gordon Bluesky, Lake Manitoba First Nation Chief Cornell McLean, and Allen Sutherland, elder and knowledge keeper, who delivered the opening prayer.

“The grandstand was packed on the chilly, rainy evening but the weather didn’t dampen the enthusiasm of the crowd, who enjoyed entertainment from Gator Beaulieu, Coco Stevenson and the Walking Wolf Singers, Chief Raymond Brown, Canupawakpa, and Hand Drums and Dancers, followed by the SCO Anishinaabe Horse Relay, which featured four exciting races and some amazingly talented bareback riders.”

Well done Chief Clearsky! 

Manitoba-Breds Star in Stakes Action

The first stakes of the week was the $40,000 Distaff on Tuesday for fillies and mares foaled in Manitoba or Saskatchewan, and a Manitoba monster came out on top. Mechanic Susie stalked five-wide under jockey Antonio Whitehall in the one-mile race, and when she turned on the jets late on the final turn, it was instantly over, as she drew off to win 2 ¾-lengths over Dazzling Gold.

Bred by Larry Falloon, who also owns the 5-year-old mare in partnership with Tom Payne and trainer Elton Dickey, the daughter of Nonios-Quantum Mechanics by Einstein was purchased for just $1,000 at the 2021 Manitoba CTHS Yearling Sale, and has since gone on to compile a career record of 11-3-5 from 22 starts for earnings of US$153,390.

Last year, on her way to championship honours, Mechanic Susie went on an amazing six-race win streak, which also included a victory in the Distaff Stakes. This year, she’s won three of six starts, while also finishing third in both the Red Berry Overnight Stakes and the La Verendrye Stakes. Trainer Elton Dickey has to be commended for his stellar work with this Manitoba star, who absolutely loves to win.

The stakes action continued on Wednesday night, first with the $50,000 Osiris Stakes for 2-year-olds, and it came down to the last 20 yards, as Marking Broadway came flying home on the outside late under jockey Shavon Townsend to catch the heavily favoured Mighty Mikee. The favourite ran a huge race, pressing pacesetter Tap the Parlay from the outside on the final turn, being turned back by that one, and then surging late between horses to make a failed bid inside the winner.

It was a valiant effort, but at the wire it was Marking Broadway by three-quarters of a length over Mighty Mikee, with game pacesetter Tap the Parlay another half a length back in third. These are three very good 2-year-olds.

Marking Broadway, owned and trained by Dewey Williams, was beautifully ridden by Townsend, who has been on a roll lately. And the win in the Osiris was icing on the cake for Williams, who is having an excellent year along with his assistant and fellow trainer Eugene Burns. The dynamic duo has compiled a record of 9-9-2 from 28 starts, a 32% win clip.

The final stakes of the week was the $40,000 J.W. Sifton going 1 1/8-miles for Manitoba or Saskatchewan foaled 3-year-olds, and Betterlucknexttime went straight to the lead and put the field in a sleeper hold under jockey Antonio Whitehall, getting the first quarter in 26.64 seconds and the half-mile in a dawdling 51.77 seconds. When Whitehall said go in the late turn, Betterlucknexttime turned on the jets and opened up. There was no way they were going to catch him after that pace.

Betterlucknexttime defeated a hard-trying Mr. Splash by 2 ¼-lengths, with Princeofthepraire a further four lengths back in third. It was a bit of a hard luck week in the stakes for trainer Devon Gittens, who finished second in both the Osiris and Sifton despite “gave best” efforts from his charges, but he continues to rack up the wins and turn heads at Woodbine, where he is currently sixth in the standings with 20 wins.

Betterlucknexttime is conditioned by Mike Nault for A2 Thoroughbreds and True North Thoroughbreds, and he is also having an excellent year with 24 wins, to put him second in the standings behind leader Steve Keplin, Jr.

Bred by Larry Falloon and Denis Huberdeau, Betterlucknexttime is out of the mare Nickel Candy by Silver Deputy, and he gave his sire Nonios and his breeder Falloon the stakes double on the week. Whitehall’s two stakes wins put him in a tie at the top of the standings with Damario Bynoe with 40 wins apiece, and this is a battle that is definitely going down to the wire.

 Just the way we like it!