Ontario Princess "O.P."

This posting on this blog will by far be the sadist part, in the history of the Sheldon Wolfe racing stable. Also it would prove to be the sadist experience in my experience working at the racetrack, and in my life. Ontario Princess has to be honored and remembered. She was a bright light in the lives of the Wolfe family. This light was snuffed out much too soon.

Ontario Princess was very well named. She was truly a Princess. Her nick name was "O.P." I remember that very well. Because I was the one who gave her this pet name. It was given to her with all the love and respect that this brave and talented race filly deserved. For everyone that had the chance to meet her, and work with her. Knew right away, that she had class and talent. Ontario Princess was fathered by a horse named Judgeable and was out of the mare, Wattle. O.P. was purchased by my parents and Al and Marge Schmidt from Buffalo for $3,000. From the two year old in training sale. That was held at Woodbine in the spring of 1978. Ontario Princess was considered a castoff. She came from the Bill Marko stable. When my father saw her for the first time. I believe it was love at first sight. O.P. was a looker and she had that long flowing stride. The stride of an athlete, of a racehorse. I remembered my dad was ecstatic when he won the bid on Ontario Princess for the cheap price of only $3,000.

There was a reason why she so cheap. Ontario Princess was not born with the best set of front legs. The conformation of a thoroughbred racehorses' front legs can mean everything to a long a successful career. Or a short a disappointing one. However my parent’s initial investment was cheap. So we had everything to gain and nothing to loose. Also my father was never one for putting pressure on young racehorses. He always felt. If they showed potential, they deserved the time to develop. This always worked well with all the talented horses that my dad developed into successful runners. Ontario Princess was not a small girl. She was had a muscular build, and stood about 16 hands tall. O.P. looked the part of a female athlete. Besides her beautiful looks. Was her beauty inside. She had all the class of a real princess. She was always very posed and confident. Being a racehorse never made her nervous or worry. She handled her role in this life, with style and flare. I remember her so well. Because I was her groom. 1979 was a transition year for me. I had graduated from high school in the spring of 1979 and had started my full time career as a horseman. Working for my father Sheldon Wolfe. A racehorse groom at the racetrack is usually assigned 4 horses to look after. That is a good day’s work. There is a lot involved in a racetrack groom's day. O.P. was one of my 4 horses assigned to me. She quickly became my favorite. I was learning my profession at this time. Ontario Princess was very easy to look after. She was not a high maintenance female. Which is a usual trait of most good looking and talented women. O.P was very kind, gentle and intelligent. She quickly became a teacher and an inspiration for me. Ontario Princess taught me how rewarding looking after an equine athlete can be. Also how exciting the racing business can be when you come up with a talented racehorse.

Ontario Princess made the races as a two year old. She showed lots of promise. But did not really have the chance to show her true talent as a two year old. However a winter rest on the farm would pay dividends. O.P. came back as a three year old ready to tackle the world. Her front legs had strengthened, and her training went very well. O.P. was starting to show all the signs that she was ready to become a star racehorse. Her 3 year old debut would take place on April 10th, 1979 at Greenwood. The distance for this maiden allowance 3 year old filly race would be at 4 1/2 furlongs. The races would run at the 4 1/2 furlong distance for the first 3 weeks of the Greenwood spring meet. "There at the post, there off" Ontario Princess broke alertly and was lying in 4th position. She had to be aggressive. She broke from the outside position in post 10. Any mistakes would cost her any chance of wining this race. Jockey Joey Belowus asked O.P. for a serious run to try and win this race. She responded like child's play. O.P. charged up on the outside and blew to the lead. This race was over! Ontario Princess cruised to a 3 1/2 win. Wow, what a great first race of the year. She came out of this race in great shape. O.P. was very proud of her first win. Like us, she was now dreaming about the future. This filly had talent, and she loved to run!

The Woodbine spring meet had now begun. O.P. was training great! My Dad was very ambitious by running her, in her very first stakes race, The Star Shoot. It is a 6 1/2 furlong event for 3 year old fillies. Ontario Princess lacked the experience racing at the top level. However O.P ran very very well finishing a good 3rd in this race. Becoming stakes place in her first try. She came out of this race in fine shape. She actually was showing improvement after every race. For Ontario Princess was becoming stronger, fitter, and gaining racing experience.

For Ontario Princess third start as a 3 year old. My father would run her back in a none winner of two race, allowance race. The distance for this race would be the middle distance, 7 furlongs. This distance can prove to be too long for sprinters, or too short for routers. Joey Belowus her regular rider would be on Ontario Princess for this race. By this time O.P. was starting to show a very rare trait for a racehorse. On the day of the race after the horses eat there breakfast. There drinking water is pulled. If a racehorse drinks too much water prior to running. It can cause them to run poorly. When the water is pulled. The horse knows right away. That it is a race day. A lot of horses just like people. Get nervous and fret. Before they have to perform in a serious event. But not our O.P., when the water was pulled out of her stall. This classy, laid back and intelligent filly. Decided it was time to prepare herself for her race. She curled up in the middle of her stall, and went for a serious beauty nap. O.P. never worried about the up coming battle. She was calm and cool, and looked very forward to it. It was a pleasure for her young and inexperience groom (me), to take her over for the race. The date of this race was May 21, 1979. "There at the post, there off", was the call from Daryl Wells. There was no question very early in this race who the winning horse would be. O.P. controlled the race from start to finish. She was very confidently ridden by Joey Belowus. Joey knew he was riding an up and coming star. O.P. staked in 3rd position down the back stretch. By the time they reached the 3/8 pole. Ontario Princess was ready to defeat all of her opponents. Joey asked her, and O.P. blew by the front pair. The only question was now. How far was she going to win by. Turning for home, O.P. was already two lengths in command of this race. Joey hit her with the whip ounce. O.P. responded was an easy 5 length victory. It was a very impressive win. The final time of this 7 furlong race was 1:24 2/5. O.P. final 1/8 time was 12 seconds flat. She was on the way!

Ontario Princess would make her next start in the Selene Stakes race. It was run in June, 1979. It is the major summer 3 year old filly stakes race, run at Woodbine. The distance of this race is 1 mile & 1/16. The Sheldon Wolfe stable was very confident going into this race. O.P. continued to train very well, and she was coming off her impressive win at 7 furlongs. There was no pre warning what fate would throw in our direction. The main problem that we had going into the race was that we lost the services of our regular rider for Ontario Princess, Joey Belowus. Stafford farms had entered a horse in the Selene. This horse would be ridden by Robin Platts. Joey Belowus was the contract rider for Stafford farms and could not ride against his employer. It is a problem that a small racing stable often encounter at the racetrack. The bigger and richer trainers and stables often get first call, on the best jockeys, veterinarians, blacksmiths, and stable help. To replace Joey Belowus. My father acquired the services of veteran rider David Clark. David has always been a very successful jockey on the Toronto circuit. In fact he is still doing well in 2008.

The instruction that were given to David Clark in the paddock was to rate Ontario Princess just off the pace, and to make her main run from the 3/8 pole, to try and win the race. O.P. looked her usual cool and confident self, prior to the call for riders up. She looked excellent in the post parade and warm up. There off! O.P. broke well and was taken in hand by David Clark. She was running easy and placed in forth position when the horses raced into the club house turn. Then the total unexpected happened without any warning. Ontario Princess had fallen! Disaster had struck. It is never good when a thoroughbred racehorse falls in a race. Especially when they fall for no apparent reason. I was in shock! I was reacting on instinct at this point, and ran to the track to be with O.P. When I reached the track O.P. had gotten to a standing position. However my worse nightmare had come true. Ontario Princess had fractured her left front leg. The fracture was a very bad one. O.P. left front leg had broken away, just below her left knee. I knew right away that we were in trouble. When I reached her. She was in shock! Dr. Greg Taylor the Ontario commission veterinarian had also arrived. He alerted me right away. That Ontario Princess injury was serious. That there was no hope of saving her life, and that she had to be euthanized right away! I sadly knew that Dr. Taylor was right, and it was the only option available to us. Was to terminate Ontario Princess’s life. To prevent her suffering any unnecessary excruciating pain. When a race horse is euthanized the vets use a drug called strychnine. It is a heart stimulate. In low doses it can beneficial to a patient. In excess doses it stops the heart from beating, almost immediately. I held O.P. for the shot of strychnine that would sadly end her life. It would sadly be the last time we would ever be together. Dr. Taylor administered the shot. Nothing happened; Ontario Princess was still standing the injection of strychnine had no effect on her. Dr. Taylor then gave her a second shot. Again the strychnine had no effect. Dr. Taylor had no choice but to give her a third shot. Finally her heart of gold could not take anymore abuse from the poison, and O.P.'s life ended in my arms on this horrible day. Why did this have to happen to such a special life? Ontario Princess was full of life, and full of ambition. She was looking forward to a highly successful racing career. Ontario Princess Life was unfairly taken away from her. Death is never a pleasant topic. It is tragic when it happens to the young. When they never have the chance to live there lives. I will never forget this beautiful animal. I am happy I had the chance to be part of her life. Even though it was so short! Ontario Princess won 2 races from only 7 career races. Jockey David Clark was not seriously injured in this accident.