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* wey NAT t?" AAs ay 6 RECTAN adit MOEN al Fea AAT SAE ' ARS 8 da SENET AR A XH ERB ONT RNS AUTEN . , " Haka NA Se yw ied EEL PLE 23) PERE NOL SBR sa alins : 3 bt QAR a NEL "1A \ \ ¢ SOREN FO I | . 1g A 14 -- PORT PERRY STAR -- Wednesday, July 16, 1980 Skipp Owners Ivan Haugen, left, of Port Perry and Ed Peconi Jr. pose wit by Danny Millar To some, like Scugog Island resident Milton Steeves, "It's just a hobby," and to others, Don Harper, for instance, "It's a business." It's an interesting, expens- ive business. Milton Steeves is in it. So is Don Harper. And Bruce Cummings. And don't forget Nelson Cochrane or his sons Stuart and Steve. And it can get very expens- ive. '""A lot of people think the biggest expenditure is LPR ER 3 SESS Ft RENE RP KOR i ER ry ue ie Ne * «x i wo Le not lost in four starts. Standardbreds are a hobby, business for local horsemen the horse, 'said Mr. Steeves. '""That's the cheapest part." Mr. Steeves, a small time operator with three horses, calls it an "unprofitable business." "We're not in it to lose money," said Mr. Harper, "It's a business. It's a really tough rackett."" Mr. Harper and his associates were burned for $22,000 on one venture when they had a horse claimed from them. Hurry Murray won $4,500 as a four year old in 1979. He Py ale was claimed by radio announcer Earl Warren. Mr. Harper is partners in a stable with Ed Perry of Milton and long time friend Carl Rusnell of Uxbridge. They go by the stable name of Village Drovers, head- quartered at Milton. Their five horses, four at Green- wood in Toronto and one in Kawartha, stay at the tracks. Conversely Bruce Cummings, who is racing 12 of his own horses this This trainer gives his horse a Monday morning workout on the track at the Port Perry fairgrounds. er Chrivan among top race hor - h Skipper Chrivan. The horse has summer, keeps his animals on his own farm south of Port Perry and transports them wood racetracks. He makes about five such trips a week and says the travel doesn't bother the animals. He says they feel more comfortable at home when they can run on their own track right on the farm. He calls his horses '"'good shippers" because of their willingness to travel. Mr. Cumming's most successful trotter has been the ten year old Regals Rebel, who earned $25,000. Ricadel has been the big winner for Nelson Cochrane and his family. That gelding won ten times for a total of $65,000 over the six years they have owned it. It is currently running in the Buffalo, New York area. Mr. Harper has owned a few successful harnessed horses. Hurray Murray was a winner before he was claimed. Mr. Steeves is currently racing one horse, a chestnut coloured mare he calls JJ Missy after his grand- children Jennifer and Jason. He trains her himself. The four Village Drover horses kept at Greenwood under the care of Garry Gassien, who is one of the best trainers at the track, according to Mr. Harper. Each owner had his own initiation into the world of harness racing. Mr. Cochrane started with show horses and graduated to the standardbreds. Cummings, Steeves, and Cochrane have been interested in horses all their lives. Mr. Steeves grew up with them as a youngster on his Havelock, New Brunswick farm. Nelson Cochrane and Bruce Cummings have been in the business for 30 years between them. For eight years, Milt Steeves has been racing "as a hobby." Nelson's two sons, Stuart and Steven, are drivers and they handle all the Cochrane horses as well as other (Turn to page 15) by Danny Millar Undefeated in four starts is a two year old pacer owned by Ivan Haugen of Scugog Island and Ed Peconi Jr. According to the owners, Skipper Chrivan is one of the top pacers on the Ontario circuit. "I would say he's in the top five or maybe in the top three," said Mr. Peconi, and his partner agreed. In his most recent appearance the Skipper, shaved one second off the old track record at Sudbury Downs racetrack. Mr. Haugen says the horse has won all of its races without trouble. This was most obvious in the Sudbury race when he won handily. "He did everything easy. He won by 3'% lengths" said Mr. Peconi from his home north of Woodville. Skipper Chrivan will race in an A track Sires stakes on July 25 at Greenwood. Of the four races that he has won, two have been stakes races. Mr. Haugen doesn't know how many races the horse will run this season, but he did say "I'd like to see him finish the sire stakes'. There are five major Sires stakes races this season. Doug Brown drove the Skipper to its latest win. Brown recently became the youngest driver in Canada to reach the 1,000 wins last week. He turns 25 years old in September. Mr. Peconi said that Skipper Chrivan's training is right on schedule. He start- ed on June 1, four months earlier than most trainers would start. He is using the same methods that he did when he broke Dangerfield Bruce, a horse he later sold for $110,000. He estimated the cost of training the Skipper at $15-$18 a day. '"He's pretty good", said the Nis "4 ol » » trainer. "He was just right from day one; everything kind of fell into place." Mr. Haugen said he was "good natured for a stud." So far Skipper Chrivan has won $9,500, The win for the Sudbury race amounted to over $4,000, half of total purse of $8,039.21. Mr. Haugen currently owns four horses but the Skipper is the only one racing. The other three are on his farm on the Island. He got into the horse racing game about 12 years ago. He was the owner of the chicken restaurant in Manchester that still bears his name. "He's got the ability tobe a two minute horse," said Mr. Haugen. So far the best time was a recorded 2:02 at Flambhoro. The co-owners said they have received several offers, rejecting one as high as $80,000. Mr. Haugen said he had no intentions of selling. "Everybody likes a winner," he said in telling of the offers. Mr. Haugen recalled how he got into the expensive business of horse racing. "It was a hobby at the beginn- ing. I used to go to the track and bet horses, so I figured 'what the heck' you might as well bet your own horse." He said he now bets lightly on each horse "for interest you know'. The owners - of Skipper Chrivan got into the partner- ship following earlier deals. Mr. Haugen sold Peconi a broodmare and a colt earlier. The two of them are very optimistic of the chestnut colt's future. "He's got the prospects of being a great horse," enthused Mr. Haugen. There's a lot more than meets the eye when it comes to horse training. Here Skipper Chrivan is being groomed by trainer-owner Ed Peconi Jr. © Q@ © & SW