Pruitt quickly making her mark

Two unlikely suspects teamed up to trigger a huge Pick 4 payoff of $14,295.45 on Tuesday evening at Assiniboia Downs, and that led to a massive Pick 4 Pool of over $150,000 on Wednesday, as the Downs flew full bore into summer.

New apprentice Ciera Pruitt guided longshot filly Mineral Rights ($41.60) smoothly wide over five-eighths of a mile and back to the winner’s circle in the seventh race on Tuesday for trainer Jason Homer, who recently arrived from Fonner Park with 25 horses, and together the dynamic duo blew up the tote board.

It was the first lifetime win for Pruitt as a newly minted jockey, and to make it even more memorable, she had to beat a riderless horse named Dirty Flirt, who stumbled and ditched her rider at the gate. Pedigree came into play in Pruitt’s big win too, but not on the horsey side.

Pruitt’s mother is hot local trainer Lise Pruitt, who is winning at a 40 per cent clip and is currently third in the trainer standings, and her father is former top Downs jockey Jerry Pruitt. Both were in the winner’s circle with smiles you could hang on to.

“It was a feeling you can’t describe, man,” said the 22-year-old Pruitt, who has been around horses her entire life. “It was pretty special to have everybody there and have my mom and my dad. It was definitely an emotional night.”

Born into a racing family, Pruitt has unknowingly been preparing for this moment since she was born. She probably figured it out early though, living on a farm and grooming horses before she started officially exercising them.

“I don’t remember a time I wasn’t around horses,” said Pruitt. “We were running around causing havoc in the barn when my mom was training.” Despite the family connections, Pruitt is determined to make her own mark. “I want to prove to my dad and show him that I can do what he did,” she said.

Pruitt has a solid foundation to build on, having also spent time in Toronto working for Canadian Hall of Fame trainer Josie Carroll and galloping at Palm Meadows in Florida, before returning home to launch her riding career.

Her goals for the year are ambitious but realistic.”I would like to ride at least a couple of stakes races and just get better and gain more experience. Then I’d like to be able to take off to Toronto and ride there before we go back down south.”

It was the first win in five starts locally for Washington State-native Homer, who arrived at the Downs in the middle of a 40-race losing streak and immediately turned that number on its head, also winning the fifth race on Wednesday with another longshot, The Ronald ($33.20). Homer now has two wins, a second and a third from five starts locally, and it felt good to turn things around.

At 62, Homer has been training horses for 44 years. The veteran horseman has seen it all, winning stakes that include the Portland Mile and also winning races at major tracks including Santa Anita. He’s philosphical about his recent losing streak.

“When you’re down, you’re down,” said Homer. “You just have to keep going, try to get back to where you know you should be. Things don’t always go right, so you make changes.”

Homer’s connection with Pruitt began through coincidence. He hired her former boyfriend to gallop horses, and when Ciera stopped to help in Nebraska on her way home from Florida, she impressed the trainer enough that he remembered her skills when he arrived at Assiniboia Downs.

“She helped me out for a little bit in Nebraska on her way home, and then when I got here, she was really good help,” said Homer, whose horses provide more than just a livelihood, they’re therapeutic companions.

“It’s like having a big dog,” he said about his love for horses. “Just the freedom” is what draws him to training, and the animals have taught him when things don’t always go right, you work together to figure it out. Seems he’s figured it out pretty well so far at the Downs, thanks to his four-legged friends.

The timing of Homer’s breakthrough victories was particularly meaningful too, coming just before the Owner/Trainer/Breeder Appreciation Dinner put on by Assiniboia Downs on Thursday evening, in which the Downs presented cheques for $13,000 to both the Winner’s Foundation and Final Furlong.

The Winner’s Foundation provides addiction and counselling services, as well as athletic therapy and other assistance, to members of the backstretch and their families. Final Furlong helps find new homes and careers for retired racehorses. Many of their horses have gone on to have successful careers as show horses. They’re also among the best therapists money can buy.

Just ask Homer.