The Captain Dawn story will always be one of my favorite in the history of the Sheldon Wolfe Racing Stable. How about another great story? The D'angelo and Wolfe families would often ask the question. "How good a racehorse. Would Captain Dawn have been, if he would have had four goods legs to run with, instead of only three?" We were all about to find out.
This story begins at the Hindmarsh farm located in Hillsborough, Ontario. During my father's training career the Hindmarsh Farm was used as winter stabling for our horses. In the winter of 1980 my father was up at the farm with good friend John Rubino. My father went up to look and check the horses that were resting at the farm that winter. During the visit Harry Hindmarsh offered to show my dad and John Rubino his weanling's that were out in the paddocks. The colts were out in a separate paddock all together. During there brief stay in the paddock a playful roan colt took a run by his human visitors. This startled John Rubino who was really unfamiliar with being around horses. John actually tripped and fell to his knees when the colt went running by. The colt made a good impression on him. John asked, "who was that colt?" Mr. Hindmarsh announced that was his roan colt by "Rouge Sang" out of his mare "Regal Ruth".
We now go to September of 1981, and the Canadian select yearling sales. My father and John Rubino are at the sales. However they are there as spectators, as my father has no money to buy any yearling for any of our clients. Then the next yearling is lead into the sales ring. The auctioneer announces it a roan colt by Rouge Sang, out of the mare "Regal Ruth". John quickly asks my dad. "Isn’t that the same colt that we looked at on the farm that knocked my down, when he ran by us? My father answered, "That was the same colt". John then responded "if he sells cheap, I’m going to buy him" My dad asked" do you have the money to pay for him?" John replied "I'll raise it" Sure enough there wasn't much interest in the colt. Rouge Sang had done poorly as a stallion after being imported from Europe. John Rubino was the winning bidder at $11,000. This great story had it's beginning.
John Rubino was on the phone that night. He had to raise some money right away to pay for our new addition, to our stable. Sam D'angelo was called. The D'angelo family was in for another chance of being racehorse owners. Long time friends of Sam, The Wakling family was contacted they were also in. John Rubino and his brothers were going to keep and interest. The last part of the quickly formed syndicate. Was myself and my brother John. We were both in for 10% each. I remember how much money I had in the Bank at that time. I had a whole $1,500. I spent $1,100 to purchase a 10% interest in the roan colt by Rouge Sang. The syndicate now had the fun of giving our new racehorse a name. Some ideas were talked out. I came up with the idea of honoring our Cinderella star Captain Dawn. The name I submitted was "Captain Sunburst". The Sunburst part of his name came by looking at him. Our new racehorse was a very rare looking individual. He was a strawberry roan. That meant that he was a gray, white, and black colored horse. He was also streaked with red hair throughout his body. Also this special colt had a very handsome face, with very intelligent eyes that would look right through you. The markings on his face were extraordinary. He had a spiral of color, a exploding sunburst between those magnificent eyes. About 6 weeks after our names were submitted to the New York jockey club. It was official, his racing name would be "Captain Sunburst".
This exciting, talented, and special racehorse was very well named. Captain Sunburst would be the only racehorse that I would have the privilege to name. He was named in honor of Captain Dawn. He never let his namesake, or his connections down. He would, like his namesake take us all on an amazing ride. Captain Sunburst looked totally different to Captain Dawn. Yet there were many similarities between the two. Both horses enjoyed to run and win from behind. Both had the showmen in them. They had that way of winning a race. That would get your Adrenalin flowing, and bring you right out of your seat. Both racehorses had tremendous endurance. They both would run there competitors into exhaustion, and then beat them!
In the spring of 1982. We were very aware that Captain Sunburst was a talented racing prospect. The Captain was a very playful colt, and enjoyed to be mischievous. However he was all business when it came to the business of racing. He showed the long loping stride of am endurance horse. He didn't show any raw speed of a sprinter. However he was proving that he had the talent and attitude to be a very successful racehorse. He was training well. My father had him up to his first race. Everything was looking good. Except he was starting to show some signs of sore shins. This is a common problem with young thoroughbreds. With time they will grow out of this problem. The problem of our syndicate was lack of money. We wern't wealthy people. We were operating on a shoestring. We had to make the tough decision. Were were going to run Captain Sunburst in a $20,000 maiden claiming race, and run the risk of having him claimed in his first race. Or enter him in maiden allowance race. To find out exactly how much talent our young racehorse actually had, and not run the risk of losing him in a claiming race. There was a lot of emotion at this discussion. The decision was made. Captain Sunburst was entered in a 5 furlong $20,000 claiming race. This race took place on May 15, 1982, at Woodbine.
Jockey Jimmy Fazio who was doing a lot of work for our barn at this time would get the mount. The 5 furlong distant of this race was against our talented colt. He broke well in his first start. However he was outrun in the first quarter mile in this race. Until Jimmy Fazio asked Captain to try and win the race. Young Captain Sunburst just like a seasoned veteran took off, and started to run by his competitors. Turning into the home stretch. Captain Sunburst was lying in third, and moving. At the 1/8 pole there was only Autumn Alley to beat. Captain Sunburst ran by him, and gave him a cold in doing so. Our "Captain Sunburst" was for real! We had a good racehorse on our hands. Also the great news was. There was no claims in for our racehorse. His sire "Rouge Sang" who was very unpopular had scared any would be claimers away. Our groups' plan had worked. We now had a promising young horse in our stable, and money in the bank. We were on our way! Captain Sunburst would never run in a claiming race again.
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