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rail transport to triumph in the Canadian Derby.

The race was then moved to Edmonton in 1957 after Polo Park closed. Eastern and BC invaders continue to make their journey to compete for the prestigious win but Alberta horses have claimed their share of the victories over the years.

Parisienne by Dr. Joe out of Madam Hurry owned by Tommy Burton and bred by Arthur Layzell, both of Calgary, won the second running in 1931 while Lady Marnock, bred by Fred Johnston of Calgary “won easily by 2 lengths under the capable handling of Johny Longden” in 1932 (1936 Canadian Thoroughbreds Issued by R. James Speers, January 1937). Lady Marnock by George II ranked fourth among Canadian bred money winners and her dam, Lady Kilmarnock, was ranked Leading Broodmare of Canada (also producing “The Duchess” Duchess of York who ranked third on the money winning roster in 1931). Lady Kilmarnock (1907) was bred by A.S. Bowman of Lethbridge, Alberta. In 1939, the Canadian Derby was won by Alberta owner Kenneth M. Leach’s Larry Eckardt and in 1940, Alberta claimed the title again when John Hazza’s Sir Trapseth won by five lengths. In 1947, Sir Berril (Osiris II – Polly Berril) bred by R.J. Speers of Winnipeg but owned by Drumheller and Lochead of Calgary took the Canadian Derby title.

A dry streak for Alberta bred or owned runners took place from 1933 through 1948 but in 1949, a runner named Yates Senior earned a $3,000 share of the purse for his win over highly regarded Big George and the 20th Canadian Derby title came back to an Alberta bred runner. The dark brown colt by Fairmond out of Nut Brown was both bred and owned by W.J. Yates of Calgary who earned $250 as a breeder’s bonus.

An Alberta bred named Beau Orage, by Onslaught II out of

Holden of Midnapore, Alberta was “one of the best ever raised in the West.” Beau Orage amassed $34,830 in career earnings.

Spangled Jimmy won the 1957 Canadian Derby title, starting a streak of Alberta bred runners winning the race from 1957 through 1960. As Sportswriter Denny Layzell commented in his review of the Canadian Derby, “It was fitting that when the Derby moved to Edmonton’s Northlands Park in 1957 that the winner should be Edmonton-raised, Edmonton-owned and Edmonton-trained.” The bay horse by Soodani out of Spangled Belle had a spectacular year in addition to the Canadian Derby title capturing the Alberta Derby Trial, the Canadian Derby Trial, and the Governor’s Speed Handicap Breeder for owner J.A. Charlesworth.

Another home town victory the following year saw the Alberta bred Percy Yates win the Canadian Derby in 1958 for owner, breeder and trainer W.J. (Bill) Yates of Calgary. He was by the same sire as Spangled Jimmy but out of the broodmare, Compelling. Percy Yates was declared Mr. Thoroughbred’s Triple Crown Winner in 1958 as he was named Horse of the Year and Leading Money Winner in addition to W.J. Yates being named Leading Breeder. The 1959 running of the Canadian Derby was taken by the Alberta bred runner, Sonoma. The filly by Battant out of Fair Ida ran an exciting race coming from last place in a field of nine. Sonoma had career earnings of $17,916 for owner and breeder Lee Williams of Edmonton and was named Horse of the Year for Western Canada by Mr. Thoroughbred magazine. The Sonoma Handicap is still an annual race, taking place this year in July at Century Mile Racetrack and Casino. Count Lathum finished off the streak of Alberta bred wins by capturing the 1960 title in a field of fifteen - the largest in Canadian Derby history.

Brother Leo owned and trained by “Calgary Spud” Murphy claimed the 1963 Canadian Derby victory. According to an article in the 1974 Western Racing Revue written by his long-time friend, Jim Coleman, continued on page 14

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Chariot Chaser Alberta bred Winner 1965 Canadian Derby

during the official ceremony, “Spud was wearing his best tan suit and his round red face glistened with pleasure and embarrassment. The crowd was applauding loudly because Spud was a very popular little man, a racetrack gypsy who, after years of earnest hustling, had hit the jackpot. Brother Leo changed Spud’s life. After the Canadian Derby victory, Murphy received several offers for his colt and, weighing all the probabilities, he eventually accepted one of those offers.” The sum in the amount of about $50,000 allowed Spud to buy himself “a nice little house in Calgary and he moved out of the racetrack tack room which had been his home for so many years.” The Esprit’ de France sired horse went on to run for seven seasons being retired from his race career in 1968 with $97,956 in lifetime earnings.

A filly named Chariot Chaser captured the 1965 running of The Canadian Derby with, according to an article by Don Valliere in the March-April 1966 Canadian Horse magazine, a “thrilling late charge that gave her a nose victory over the favoured Weed Bender.” The earnings for Chariot Chaser of $28,634 in 1965 were a record high at the time for a horse campaigned exclusively in Alberta and Saskatchewan. Bred by Lloyd Wilson of Edmonton, he “sold the filly but took her back when her disposition proved too sour for her new owner’s taste.” The

Champion Three Year Old in western Canada, Chariot Chaser was by Lloyd Wilson’s own sire Count Jac out of Benatha by Devil’s Thumb.

Golden West Farms of Okotoks bred Gilmore, winner of the 1967 Canadian Derby. This multiple stakes winning son of Tall Chief II made over $70,000 in career earnings. Fred Mannix of Calgary wrapped up the 1960s with a Canadian Derby win in 1969 with the homebred Wyn D’Amour.

The next western connection to the Derby title went to Western Reason in 1977. Bred by Elmbrook Farms and Bory Margolus of Edmonton, the multiple stakes winner by the sire Reasonable Fair out of Western Gal completed his race career with $58,905 in earnings. A dry stretch for Alberta connections occurred throughout the remainder of the 1970s and 1980s until the Alberta bred Jan Alta captured the Canadian Derby in 1996. The Variety Road gelding was a multiple stakes winner with $344,816 in earnings for owner and breeder Ila Khan of Calgary. A Dixieland Brass Alberta bred filly, Native Brass, won the 1999 running for owners Robert and Roberta Giffin. Bred by Denny Andrews of Edmonton out of the mare Shawl Dance, this filly went on to become a graded stakes winner with $272,194 in career earnings.

Remarkably, a homebred from the Wilson family and Lomar Stables, Scotman, won the Canadian Derby in the year 2000, 35 years after their other homebred Chariot Chaser claimed the victory in 1965. Scotman won in stunning fashion and returned the title to the Wilson family. Sportswriter Terry Jones quoted Gordon Wilson in the August 27, 2000 Edmonton Sun, “I remember Chariot Chaser just ate up Weed Bender” and Jones further commented that “Yesterday, Scotman just ate up Breaker Breaker and the rest of the field, winning by an amazing nine and three quarters lengths.” The graded stakes winning son of Ascot Knight out of Halo’s Romance earned over $380,000 in his career.

The Peacenfreedom son, Freedoms Traveller, was the most recent Alberta bred to lay claim to the Canadian Derby title in 2011. Randy and Donna Feddema of Carstairs bred the graded stakes winner out of a stakes winning mare, Lunar Gem. Freedoms Traveller earned over $265,000 in his race career and holds his place in history as the last Alberta bred to win the Canadian Derby.

The Canadian Derby is now part of the new Western Canadian Triple Crown in thoroughbred racing that includes the three western racetracks of Assiniboia, Century Mile Racetrack and Casino and Hastings Racecourse. The Western Canadian Triple Crown connects the $125,000 Manitoba Derby on August 7th, the $200,000 G3 Canadian Derby in Alberta on August 26th and the $125,000 British Columbia Derby on September 16th. In addition to $450,000 in purse money, there will be an additional $100,000 bonus should a horse win all three of the prestigious Derby events.

Over ninety years since its inception, the 94th running of the Canadian Derby takes place on August 26th. Alberta breeders and owners will no doubt be hoping for an Alberta bred to capture the title.

For Canadian Derby tickets, contact Century Mile Racetrack and Casino at www.cnty.com/centurymile/racing.

Jan

1996 Alberta bred Winner Canadian Derby