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=» 10-- Scugog Citizen -- Tuesday, April 13, 1993 _ Young harness driver making his moves by Heather McCrae A new sensation in the world of harness racing has emerged on the standardbred track. Brad Rae has been around horses al his life and intends staying with them, to make a career in racing. The eighteen year old from Sunderland is one of the youngest drivers to hit the racing circuit. Brad loves horses. It's rather evident by the way he handl Crimson Eagle. When a driver obtains his licence he's initially classified as a "C" driver which allows him to drive at the "B" tracks, such as Kawartha Downs or Barrie Raceway. The next step up is to be awarded a "B" licence which allows the driver to race at the "A" tracks, such as Mohawk or Greenwood. Drivers must racing against some of the top * names in racing. Since that first milestone Brad has had one win and two seconds at the A tracks. Another one of Brad's horses, known as "Gus" around the stable, ran his first race at Greenwood on March 14. With Brad driving he finished in second place with the speedy them. In the racing profession a lat: ty-five points before they are awarded their "B" classification. These points driver cannot obtain his driver's licence until he's eighteen years old. Brad obtained his permit on January 9. Since then he's built himself quite a portfolio. The young driver started racing at Barrie Raceway at the beginning of the year. On his first drive, January 16, Brad finished third with one of his horses, Two Thumbs Up. Two weeks later in his sixth drive, again at Barrie, and with another one of his horses, he had his first win with FREE 'The Victorian' HAIR SALON Perms, Carole Leveille Highlights, 10 YEARS ZPERENCE Waxing, Colours, _ (formerly of The Hi tre) Men's - Women's - Families BY APPOINTMENT ONLY Wedding Parties Welcome Call 985-3693 Try Be FREE e 14 Day Tiidls* FREE @ Hearing Tests FREE @ Hearing Aid Checkups INTEREST g Hearing Aid Payment Plans are not awarded on the driver's winning streak only but also on how he handles the horse during a race. It was in February when Brad earned his B licence. On February 20 he came second in a race driving Mary's Eagle, a local horse jointly owned by Bob McCrae and Stan and Cheryl Feasby of Port Perry. After the race Brad was advised by the judges he had just attained the required points to get his new licence. Now he was on the way to' Providers for All Insurance Plans ... But the real thrill came on April 2 at Mohawk Raceway. During the third race of the' evening Brad and Gus won by three lengths. After the race the track announcer made a broadcast declaring Brad Rae as being the youngest driver at the track to win a race this year. It was a proud moment for the young driver. There are many famous names in harness racing and Brad certainly has his idols. John Campbell is the top North American driver who now generally drives in the Meadowlands, NJ. Other great names in the racing circuit are Doug Brown, Mike Saftic, Roger Mayotte and Dave Wall. In this first win at Mohawk, Brad was racing against Wall and Mayotte. The Rae family 'moved to their Sunderland farm in 1970. Merlyn, Brad's father, has always had a special interest in horses, especially standardbreds. It was a friend of the family, Nelson White, who owned this breed and also A ---- fore Yo including Veterans and WCB! a -! ** In-store price only. (opposite Port Perry Community Hospital) REGISTERED, MINISTRY of HEALTH, A.D.P * 14 day trial based on testing and recommendatmmat City Hearing Aid Centre only. CITY HEARING AID CENTRE ... serving the Hearing Impaired in the Kawarthas for 20 Years! ... and now serving the Scugog Area with our New Port Perry Office! 462 PAXTON STREET, PORT PERRY 166 Ben to and jy Makes Harness driver Brad Rae found Merlyn his first brood mare, Frances Bye Bye. With this mare Merlyn started raising foals. "Gus" is a third generation of the old mare. She's now close to being thirty AlRg Odes, years old and enjoying her retirement years. Brad had always been interested in racing and started jogging horses at the tender age of seven. It wasn't long before he had his first spill. His young pride hurt, he announced that he wasn't going to race anymore! But his father told him, point blank, "you'll never be any good at racing if you quit now (at seven years!) You can't be a wimp in this business." Well, no one was going to call this young boy wimpy. That was the turning point in Brad's life as he was back on the bike again tue next day and still is eleven years later. Father and son started training horses in 1982 . At present they have thirty horses at their stable; some are retired and others are brood mares. Two foals have been Turn to page 12 a Lively Landscape & Design Property Maintenance FREE ESTIMATES (a16) 985-4857