Hoss Talk

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Lady luck shines on Rules of War
The Vancouver Province
Sun 26 Sep 2004
Page: A78
Section: Sports
Byline: Tom Wolski
Column: Hoss Talk
Source: The Province

Just when you think you are out, lady luck pulls you back in. Last week we told you about eight average Joes, including yours truly, who pooled together $3,000 each and formed Lucky 8 Racing Stables and claimed (bought) Rules of War for $15,000 out of a race at Hastings Racecourse.

Since his purchase, Rules of War has won three races from five starts, earning $47,800 under the training of Rob Gilker.

On Saturday we learned Rules of War made it into today's $250,000 B.C. Derby at Hastings. How he it did was a small miracle.

Last Thursday, when final entries were taken for the Derby, our horse was No. 13. Only 12 can run in the Derby. He missed the cut by $1,800.

With our Derby chance down to slim and none, Gilker entered Rules of War into the Derby consolation race on the same day, then learned he had to scratch the horse from one race.

With the Derby less than three days away, Gilker took a major gamble and opted out of the consolation, knowing that without a last-minute scratch, Rules of War would remain in his barn on B.C. Derby day.

It is at this time the reality of the ups and downs involved in horse racing played into the story.

Successful Hastings trainer Barb Heads withdrew Lois and Russ Bennett's Joyride from the Derby, opening up a spot for Rules of War.

"Because it is something you work all year for, scratching out of the Derby was the hardest thing I ever did. [But] the last couple of days, I noticed [Joyride] wasn't 100 per cent," says Heads. "When I jogged him early Saturday morning, he still had not come around. When you are going into a race like the Derby, your horse has to be 100 per cent on his running game. When I called the Bennetts up to tell them what had happened, they were great. They told me to do what was best for the horse."

Heads knew what Gilker was going through and gave him what could be called a heads up.

"I also once was the 13th horse in a Derby, and when there wasn't a late scratch -- because you do not get a shot at the Derby very often -- it was a crummy feeling," says Heads. "Hopefully, you want to be as fair with everybody as you can. Because I knew what Rob was going through, I let him know we may not make it to the race. To me it was the right thing to do."