Alberta horseman ROBERT ‘RED’ MCKENZIE may have set a Canadian record last Friday at Century Mile racetrack in Nisku when he saddled Entitled Star to an upset victory in the evening’s second race. McKenzie is 96 years old and could be the oldest trainer to win a race in this country and second oldest to saddle a winner in North America behind Jerry Bozzo, who won a race at age 97 in 2018.
McKenzie, who began galloping horses in 1937 and was a leading jockey on the ‘B’ circuit in Alberta before graduating to the ‘A’ circuit, owns and trains Entitled Star, a 10-year-old mare who was 25-to-1 on Friday night under young jockey Meagan Fraser. It was the fourth start in 2023 for Entitled Star. McKenzie’s full training stats are not complete on Equibase since he was already 50 years old when results began to be tabulated on the site. He is listed as having over 600 winners since 1975.
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Also on Friday, June 23 at Century Mile, MINE ME scored a 17-to-1 upset win in the $50,000 Shirley Vargo Stakes at seven furlongs for three-year-olds and upward, fillies and mares. Mine Me, a five-year-old mare bred in Kentucky and owned by Glen Stouffer and Kerredge Farm and trained by Rick Hedge, pressed the pace while wide and gained a short lead late over Plum Blue to win by a head in 124.91. It was the first stakes win for Mine Me, who was claimed by Hedge for $20,000 in February 2022 from a race at Turf Paradise in Arizona. Bred by Mike Connelly, Mine Me (Mineshaft – Forgottoen Miss by Afleet Alex) has a record of 20-5-3-1 and earnings of over $112,000.
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GREEK GEEK, a multiple stakes-winning six-year-old, added to his total with a wide rally to take the $50,000 Spangled Jimmy Stakes at Century Mile on June 24. Ridden by Jose Ascencio, Greek Geek was about four lengths behind the pacesetters in sixth place in the seven-horse field before launching a wide move by the turn for home. He was up to win by half a length over longshot Maskwecis in a time of 123.58 for a 78 Beyer Speed Figure according to Daily Racing Form.
The Spangled Jimmy was the sixth stakes victory for Greek Geek who is owned by Riversedge Racing and trained by Tim Rycroft. The gelding by Misremembered – A E Phi Sensation by Johannesburg, bred in Alberta by Moonshine Meadow Ranch, has a record of 31-10-9-5 with earnings of $278,211.
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