Western Warrior finishes strong

The smile — not to mention the relief — on Dane Nelson’s face said it all.

“A perfect race,” declared the veteran jockey, moments after riding Western Warrior to a dramatic victory in the 78th running of the Manitoba Derby on Monday night at Assiniboia Downs.

Indeed it was for the morning line favourite (2-1), who actually had slipped to 8-1 (fifth-best) by post time. He sat sixth in the nine-horse field at the midway point of the one-and-one-eighth mile marathon and really turned it on and found his stride down the stretch.

Nelson expertly manoeuvered the three-year-old colt through traffic as they approached the final turn, moving from fifth to first in the blink of an eye. Western Warrior then held on as longshot Quarry (20-1 on the morning line) — who he’d just overtaken for the lead — had a frantic, final push and nearly passed him at the wire.

“Had me a little worried there the last few jumps,” assistant trainer Robert Anderson told the Free Press. “But Dane did a great job. We got a little lucky and got through and had a lane. It was a good race.”

Western Warrior is all about quality, not quantity, so far in his career. He won three consecutive races earlier this year at Oaklawn Park and Churchill Downs before the streak was snapped in his last outing back on May 31 when he ran fourth in a talent-heavy stakes race south of the border.

There was some speculation a lengthy layoff might hurt him, but Monday’s result showed rest trumped rust in this case.

“You know, some nice horses were purchased for this race. It’s just a good feeling that it worked out,” said Anderson, who along with Alberta-based trainer Dino Condilenios flew to Kentucky for an up-close viewing of the horse before the owners — Gordon Christoff and Lance Giesbrecht — agreed to purchase him.

Talk about a solid investment — including for those who had a wager on the horse, which paid $18.10 to win.

“It’s always great to win,” said Anderson.

Unfortunately neither owner could witness the victory in person. Giesbrecht was felled by a cancelled flight due to the WestJet strike, while Christoff is dealing with health issues.

Next up for Western Warrior will be the Canadian Derby at Century Mile Racetrack and Casino in Alberta.

“Hopefully we’re in good shape,” said Anderson.

Condilenios, meanwhile, can add this to an impressive resume which includes training Lord Nelson, which earned more than US$650,000 over his career by winning numerous stakes races.

An upset win by Quarry would have been quite the story and it might have happened in the race was a few metres longer. The horse is owned by eight-time leading ASD owner Henry S. Witt, Jr and resides in the barn of five-time leading ASD trainer Jerry Gourneau, who teamed up with Witt to win the Manitoba Derby in 2023 with longshot Mano Dura.

They nearly did it again.

Third place went to Gethsemane (7/2 on the morning line), who shipped in from Saratoga in New York and was trained by Monique Goulet.

Right behind him was Direct Strike (6-1), who is trained by top Alberta trainer Craig Smith, who won the Derby last year with Attack and owned by a syndicate of 13 partners from Alberta who made a significant purchase.

Fifth place went to the lone Canadian-bred in the Derby, Really Ralis (8-1), who was purchased for just $5,000 by trainer Cindy Krasner and owner Dennis Spence. He had won two of his first three lifetime starts, including the $50,000 Derby Trial two weeks ago.

Others in the race included the second and third-place finishers in the Derby trial — Elston Gunn and Prime Suspect — along with Complete Overhaul and Forty Twenty, who is trained by four-time Manitoba Derby-winner Robertino Didoro.

His stable appeared to capture last year’s Derby with Forty Twenty’s half-brother, Tale Charge Tom — only to have the decision overturned by a disqualification, the first in the race’s history.

Fortunately there was no such controversy this time around.

There was a massive crowd on hand for Manitoba’s signature race, which carries a $125,000 purse and features some of the best three-year-olds in Canada, including several which were specifically purchased and imported for this very race. Long-time track announcer Kirt Contois declared this “one of the strongest fields ever assembled” for a local race.

Monday also featured several other notable events, including the $50,000 Harvey Warner Manitoba Mile (won by Bergheim) and the $50,000 Escape Clause Stakes (won by Dontgiveupthefight).

Live racing resumes Tuesday night at ASD.

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