“Racing’s Mongroo is dead” plus 1 more

Posted: 18 Aug 2010 08:29 PM PDT

The horse-racing fraternity in Barbados has lost one of its stalwarts, in Trinidadian-born Yusuf Mongroo who passed away after a brief illness, in Guyana on Sunday afternoon.
The well-known race horse owner and businessman, had a real passion for the sport of kings, and his silks have graced many tracks in the Caribbean and as far as North America. He was associated with top trainers like William White and Graham Motion.
His famous black and gold colours became a major feature of racing at the Garrison Savannah, as Mongroo took residency in Barbados, and a leading role in the industry.
His first trip to the winners' enclosure in Barbados was on September 16, 1989, with the imported Stars In Motion.
Overall he won 107 races and was in the spotlight as recently as June 5, when his filly Janaki was another winner.
Here in Barbados, Mongroo's stable was represented by many top class animals and trainers, among the more popular were creole Nicodemus, who recorded 12 wins including winning six straight, and earned $ 293 567; Janak who won seven races while earning $162 345; Surya Bhagwan who won four races, and earned $87 710; and Jeblita a champion imported filly in 1997.
Mongroo had many participants in the island's most prestigious race, the Sandy Lane Gold Cup, placing second in 1996 with Surya Bhagwan, and again in 2000 with Janak.
Other major successes came in the Sagicor Breeders' Classic and Roberts Manufacturing Creole Classic Stakes with Nicodemus, and the Tote Investment Derby Trail with the filly Seeing Red in 1990.
Elizabeth Dean trained for Mongroo from December 1994 to January 2003, and in that ten-year span she provided him with 70 winners.
In paying tribute, Deane said: "Mr Mongroo was a pretty nice guy who always bought good horses. He also took me at times with him to the horse sales in America."
A memorial service will be held tomorrow at Coral Ridge, from 3 p.m. His body will be cremated in Guyana.

Article Rating: No one has voted yet. Be the first!

This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service — if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read our FAQ page at fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php
Five Filters featured article: "Peace Envoy" Blair Gets an Easy Ride in the Independent.

Horse racing Hall of Famer still riding high

Posted: 18 Aug 2010 05:22 PM PDT

WINDSOR, Ont. — Generally, this type of thing doesn't happen in the sporting world.

Hall of Famers don't usual set world records one week before their enshrinement.

At the age of 57, a point when most sports stars are recollected for past glories, Windsor's Bob McIntosh still writing new chapters in his success story.

Thursday night at the Mississauga Convention Centre, McIntosh, the harness-racing trainer who's won more Breeders Crown world titles than any conditioner of standardbred racehorses, will be honoured for a legendary career in his chosen sport with induction into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame, even though his is a resume that continues to become more glowing.

A week ago, when his trainee The Big Macher won an Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots event at Grand River Raceway in Elora, Ont., the $12,000 winner's share of the purse made McIntosh harness racing's first trainer with $80 million in career earnings.

McIntosh has won the Johnston Cup as the top OSS trainer the last two years, and is contending again this season, currently third in the overall standings.

Not that his induction hasn't caused McIntosh to pause and reflect on a brilliant career.

"It means a lot when you look at the list and see the calibre of horsemen that are in there," McIntosh said. "Canada's produced some of the top horsemen in the sport."

No one would dare suggest McIntosh isn't one of them.

McIntosh's list of accomplishments include seven times being recognized as Canada's top trainer of standardbred racehorses. With 15 trips to the winner's circle, he's earned more Breeders Crown titles than any other conditioner. He won back-to-back horse-of-the-year titles with Artsplace, who posted an unbeaten season in 1992, and Staying Together in 1993.

He's also earned two Glen Garnsey Awards as top trainer in the United States and twice been named Canada's horseperson of the year. In 1996, McIntosh's Whenyouwishuponastar was named Canada's top standardbred.

In recent years, McIntosh has become a major player in the breeding end of the game, thanks in part to the success of his 1990 Breeders Crown champion Camluck.

"That started out the whole process, because (Camluck) was such a great sire," McIntosh said.

"I trained horses like (Breeders Crown champions) Artsplace and Artiscape, so I had lifetime breedings to them. Ninety-five per cent of the horses I train now are homebreds. It's a very satisfying feeling to raise a horse right from the beginning."

Satisfying, and lucrative. By maintaining ownership in most of his stock, McIntosh also earns larger portions of purse winnings.

"I figured why buy the product when you can own the factory?" McIntosh said.

Born in nearby Wheatley, Ont., McIntosh was previously inducted into the U.S. Harness Racing Hall of Fame in Goshen, N.Y., in 2003.

"To be in on both sides of the border, it's special," he said. "Goshen meant a lot. The Canadian Hall of Fame, I'm glad to get in while my health is good. It's great to get in when you're young and can really appreciate it."

Bob and Patty McIntosh's sons, Rob and Sean, will share in Thursday night's celebration.

"We'll all be there," Bob said. "It's something I'm proud of for my family, for my wife Patty and the kids.

"They're old enough now to appreciate what it means. The first time (enshrinement into the Goshen Hall of Fame), they were a lot younger, so I think this will mean a little more to them."

Following the ceremony, McIntosh will do what most horse racing Hall of Famers tend to do — get back on the job.

"I have a pretty good life," he said. "I get up every morning and do what I love."

Horse Racing

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

“Racing’s Mongroo is dead” plus 1 more

“Racing’s Mongroo is dead” plus 1 more

0 comments:

Post a Comment

FEEDJIT Live Traffic Feed

Popular Posts