Hoss Talk

   For years, before moving to Woodbine in Toronto to be with their teenage son, jockey Mickey, the Walls family had been a fixture at Exhibition Park.
   
   So, when news came of tragedy once again striking the family, it sent shock waves through the racing community.

   Carol, a prominent horsewoman , was exercising one of their horses in a morning workout. The horse took a misstep and fell hard to the ground with Carol trapped beneath. She was nearly crushed.
   
   "At first, it looked pretty bad," said Mickey Walls from Toronto. "Mom crushed her No. 7 vertebra and also broke her No. 8 and 9 vertebrae. They operated on her for six or seven hours. They took a   bone graft from her hip to replace one bone and then fused it all together. Mom also has a few broken ribs.
   
   "The doctors say she will have full recovery. Believe it or not, they had her up yesterday and they expect her out of intensive care within the next few days and hopefully she will be home within a few   weeks."
   
   For the Walls family it was the second major tragedy in two years. Back in August, 1999, their daughter Nichola was fatally injured in an accident while driving to work. Nichola, at that time, was an   assistant trainer with a top stable at Saratoga Racetrack in New York.
   
   The news of a full recovery for Carol is welcome. We send along our prayers.
   
   CLASS ACTS: Two veteran Hastings Park equine warriors announced retirement this week. Wonder Stables' nine-year-old Apieceoftheaction will be spending his leisure years in the care of his former groom, Jennifer-Hewitt-Dowdell.
   
   "Some old horses are just like people -- they get tired, and Apieceofthe action fell in that category," said trainer Dave Forster. "His owners decided, who better to give him a great home than Jennifer?"
   
   Apieceoftheaction won 13 races and earned $435,030. When last seen, this old fellow was busy giving pleasure rides to Jennifer's two children.
   
   And on Saturday, Bella's Fella was honoured with the 2001 Campaigner Award. Bella's Fella retires with 50 starts, 10 wins, seven seconds, nine thirds. His strong late run to the finish endeared him to fans over his five-year career. He was vanned to trainer Roy Rawson's farm in Maple Ridge for his golden years.
   
   SPEEDING TICKET: Perhaps the only question being asked by experts after Thoroughbred Corporations' spectacular two-year-old, Officer,   continued his unbeaten winning streak, blowing away rivals in Wednesday's $250,000 Del Mar Futurity in California, is: Just how speedy is this horse?
   
   HEART: Hastings Park jockey Brian Johnson has been released from hospital and is recuperating at his Surrey home.
  
   "The doctors said it would be six to eight months until I have a complete recovery. But, you know what? It sure beats the heck out of  the alternative," he joked by telephone.
   
   NO BUD IN B.C.! Local businessman Jeff Sengara has heard the rumours at Hastings Park regarding his Budroyale racing here.
   
   "I don't know how that rumour got started. The only plans for Budroyale are for him to finish up his racing career in California.
   He came out of his last race (Del Mar Breeders Cup) in good shape. And his next start will be the 23rd of September at Pomona Racetrack," said Sengara.
   
   FINISH LINES: Vancouver thoroughbred owners, Prairie Star Racing & John Gunther's, Kimberlite Pipe is 15-1 in today's $1,000,000 Atco Mile from Woodbine racecourse in Toronto (1 p.m. SportsNet). Kimberlite Pipe, bought by his connections for   $11,000 US at the 1997 Keeneland Fall Yearling Sale, has won $826,178. ... Among other Vancouver owners racing top- calibre horses south of the border is Coyotte Creek Farms' Metatron, who could be a Breeders Cup runner. In his last start, Metatron ran an impressive third to the above-mentioned Officer. "This was our second time racing against Officer and hopefully our last. Our horse is a good one. But Officer is definitely in a league of his own," said Dianne Marsh, one of three co-owners in Coyotte Creek Farms. ... Today, Vancouver-owned Diglett and I'm Free compete in the $125,000 Emerald Downs Breeders Cup Derby in Washington. ... An   unbelievable North American riding record set in Canada: Jockey Tim Moccasin rode 14 consecutive winners last week at Marquis Downs in Saskatoon, Sask. ... This week, Sports Illustrated has a good read about champion jockey Laffit Pincay Jr.
   
   Wolski can be reached at: www.sportofkingstv.com
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Source: Vancouver Province
E-mail Tommy Wolski at twolski@home.com