That is what everyone here in British Columbia is saying–I’ll Have Another. Mario Gutierrez, leading jockey at Hastings Park Racetrack, rode the winner of the Kentucky Derby on May 5th at Churchill Downs. It was a euphoric moment for all his fans in British Columbia. An added pleasure was the fact that the owner, Paul Reddam, is also a Canadian.
Mario has gone from obscurity to celebrity status literally overnight. The 25 year old jockey has been swept up in a media frenzy from the moment he passed under the wire in front of 19 other colts. Mario was back home over the weekend to greet his fans here at Hastings Park.
The horse’s trainer, Doug O’Neil, says the colt came out of the Derby a stronger horse. Just what you want to hear after a grueling 1 1/4 mile contest. It was the first time any of the horses had raced that far. I’ll Have Another has only had 2 starts this year, in California, and won both races. He is now 3 for 3 in 2012.
The second leg of the triple crown, the Preakness, is only 5 days away. There will be a full field with some tough competition.
Mario has now returned to Pimlico where he will reunite with I’ll Have Another for just that, another…win, that is.
We’re all behind you, Mario Gutierrez, Paul Reddam, Doug O’Neil and the most important member of the team, I’ll Have Another.
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Fixed meets Luck out of the gate
January 17, 2012New HBO series LUCK will break out of the gate neck and neck with the first novel of my new book series Fixed. It’s uncanny timing, perhaps serendipity, that both the book and the series are set in a background of racetrack corruption by a notorious gangster. Filmed at Santa Anita Racetrack, Dustin Hoffman stars with Michael Gambon, Nick Nolte and my favourite [...]