David Rowbotham knows all about risk and reward through his career as a high-profile lawyer in Calgary and as a racehorse owner for the past couple of decades. It was with various business clients and friends that Rowbotham got into owning horses in Alberta, forming different partnerships to enjoy the sport he has loved most of his life.
Through the years he has raced predominantly claiming horses before moving his stable to Ontario in the early 2000s, seeking bigger purses and more variety of racing at Woodbine. The quality of his stable has gone up and in 2023; Rowbotham and his current partnership with Rodney Carpenter and Tony Boogman and trainer Martin Drexler had one its best years with seven winners and over $315,000 in earnings.
The stars of his stable included the two-year-old filly HURRICANE CLAIR (Silent Name (Jpn), a $35,000 yearling purchase at the CTHS Ontario sale in 2022 who won the Muskoka Stakes and plucky old-timers Downey Boy and Hallie’s Hero.
But his year got off to a sad start for Rowbotham and company. Hallie’s Hero, a four-time winner for the team, was seemingly on his way to another win on June 9 when he ran on the heels of a rival and fell hard to the ground, breaking his shoulder. He had to be put to sleep.
“That was a really bad day,” said Rowbotham. “He was a favourite of ours for sure and a hell of a nice horse.”
Not too long after, Rowbotham and Drexler decided to retire nine-year-old Downey Boy, another favourite.
This Saturday, July 20, Rowbotham will be in Toronto to watch Hurricane Clair compete in the $500,000 Woodbine Oaks, presented by Stella Artois, the biggest race for Canadian-bred three-year-old fillies.
“It’s pretty exciting,” said the owner. “I really liked her [at the sale].”
Hurricane Clair, bred by Helen Bruno’s Bru-Mel Stable and produced from the tough racemare Hurricane Lorraine by Weather Warning, was already named when Rowbotham purchased her and it wasn’t until later that he realized he had a niece named Clair and his daughter is named Lorraine.
Rowbotham was not at Woodbine when Hurricane Clair won the Muskoka last year, but was watching on his phone in a pub in Scotland, surrounded by horse racing lovers who were placing bets on her. The filly went on to finish fourth in the Victorian Queen Stakes and second in the South Ocean Stakes before she was disqualified from fourth and placed seventh in the Princess Elizabeth.
This year, the filly was second in a sprint and then won an inner turf race at one mile by 3 1/4 lengths with a career-best 74 Beyer Speed Figure. And, since this year’s Oaks field lacks a top standout, Clair is considered a contender to win the 1 1/8 mile classic.
Rowbotham has had a starter in the Oaks before; Initforreal was fourth in the 2008 edition to Ginger Brew.
Sahin Civaci will ride Hurricane Clair from post position 5 in what will be a 14-filly field (Beautiful Sky is on the also eligible list and also cross-entered in the Plate Trial Stakes).
The Oaks is race 9 with a 5:33 post time.
More from Canadian Thoroughbred:
