I’m old enough to have two wonderful daughters, six fabulous grandchildren and a huge crush on Shakira. I have a degree in Philosophy/Psychology, am not religious and live on junk food. – Paul Turney on his site Woggins Writing
Canadian horse racing lost a friend this week. PAUL TURNEY, who had many different jobs in horse racing in Manitoba and Ontario, passed away suddenly at the age of 77. Paul, who loved writing and racing and most importantly his family and friends, was at the Prince of Wales Stakes at Fort Erie last month with partner Michelle Gillies. It had been a while since I had seen him as he moved from Toronto, then Ajax for Fort Erie, but he was long a friend going back to the 1990s right through to 2020 when he got further away.
Originally from Winnipeg, Paul fell in love with racing at his home track of Assiniboia Downs. One of his favourite stories to tell was a $50 win bet he placed on Zaca Spirit in the 1975 Manitoba Derby. The following is from Ontario Racing:
“I had watched Zaca Spirit, owned by George Frostad, run in the Kentucky Derby in 1975,” said Turney about the Canadian colt. “He ran up the track but when he came to my hometown of Winnipeg for the Manitoba Derby, I thought he should be able to win.”
Just out of school and with his own place, the 20-something Turney put $50 on the nose of Zaca Spirit, ridden by Richard Grubb, and watched the colt romp to victory. The colt paid $15.30 to win because in the field was Stafford Farms’ top colt, Royal Chocolate.
“I got back over $500,” said Turney. “I paid my taxes for a whole year.”
Turney was hooked, as they say, and he came to Ontario in 1991 where he expanded his horse racing presence through journalism and horsemanship.
Paul did chart calling at Assiniboia and then for Woodbine when he moved to Ontario. He tried his hand as jockey agent and in real estate. He was also the Canadian correspondent for the Blood-Horse magazine, a job he eventually handed over to me when he got busy. It was a wonderful gesture.
In turn, I gave Paul a nickname that stuck with him when he was at the track. How I came up with Woggins I can’t remember, but we thought it was funny. That is why he named his fun writing blog ‘Woggins Writings’.
Condolences to Michelle and Paul’s daughters Keri-Lynn and Trish and all Paul’s family. So many of us have fond memories our friend and we are going to miss him.
(Facebook photo)
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