For as long she can recall, Justine Bourque has enjoyed everything horses and horse racing. But it was a horse fit for a crown, so to speak, that helped inspire her to pursue a life in thoroughbred racing.

It was the summer of 2003 when Gus Schickedanz’s three-year-old Wando, a son of Langfuhr, had the eyes of the racing world firmly focused on his pursuit of racing immortality.

For a young girl, the chance to see the handsome chestnut up close and personal, the very horse that would go on to sweep all three races – Queen’s Plate, Prince of Wales and Breeders’ Stakes – in the Canadian Triple Crown series was a life-changing experience.

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