‘Backstretch’
It’s a family affair for Brendan Curran and his family
Young Island trainer enjoying success with mare Willow Warrior.
“Just an eighth left to go and Willow Warrior looks to be home and co o l e d ,” Charlottetown Driving Park announce V a n c e Came ro n said during Race 6 last Thursday night. “It’s her first shot at the Open Mares and she’s driving away for Bradley.”
That 1:57 win for Willow Warrior in the $2,250 Fillies and Mares Open was a crowning achievement for 19-year-old conditioner Brendan Curran, especially considering she is owned by his parents, with father Alby Curran holding the ownership papers, and bred at their Alberry Plains farm.
Curran remembers purchasing Willow Warriors dam, Cannae Delinquent, for $3,000 on an online auction site from U.S. owners Perfect World Enterprises. Cannae Delinquent is from the family of millionaire pacing mare Delinquent Account, dam of the great stud Artiscape, but her own production was scattered with one foal earning over $100,000.
“She had a very impressive family,” Brendan Curran said. “Multiple world champions and multiple million dollar winners.”
The mare was purchased in foal to Western Terror, with Willow Warrior the resulting foal, but there were issues from the moment she was born with the young horse not getting enough oxygen in the womb.
“She had a less than 50 per cent chance of survival when she was born,” Curran said.
The mare and foal were taken to the Atlantic Veterinary College where she was cared for by a vet student names William. The Curran family told the attending vet students: “If she walks out of her you can name her.”
The foal was named Willow Warrior in a nod to her caretaker after her full recovery but the mare was not so lucky, as she aborted to Chasin Racin the next spring and was sent the Atlantic Veterinary College for tests where she was euthanized.
“It was very disappointing,” Curran said. “We just didn’t want to torture the mare anymore.”
Willow Warrior was sent to Sydney, Nova Scotia, to be broke as a yearling by family friend Warren MacKinnon, who raced her as a twoyearShe went winless in six two-year-old starts and showed a mile of 1:59.4. Curran took a shot at her himself this season, taking her to the Charlottetown Driving Park to be trained down for her three-year-old campaign. Curran’s mother, Debbie, is a sister to Ontario trainer Harry Poulton, who trained world champion pacers On The Road Again and Matts Scooter.
“I knew she matured from last year,” Curran said. “She was bigger and stronger.”
Willow Warrior was second her first 2014 start then won her next two for driver Bradley in 2:01.4 and 2:02.3. Then came the start that opened Curran’s eyes as she finishes second in 1:59 after cutting out the mile.
“She was hung to the quarter in 27 and a piece and still hung around at the end,” Curran said. “That’s when I said I might have something here.”
The filly then reeled off three wins-in-a-row with victories in 2:00, 1:58.1 and 1:57.1 on July 14, 19 and 26, respectively.
“She loves her job,” Curran said. “She’s very versatile. She can race off the pace or you can roll her.”
Willow Warrior made just three stakes starts this year, winning two Lady Slipper grassroots divisions, as well as finishing second in a P.E.I. Colt Stakes division to Fleurje.
Then came her victory in 1:57 last Thursday over For All We Know and General Luckypercy.
“I was pretty surprised actually,” driver Bradley said after the win. “It was her first time racing against the top mares in the Maritimes and I figured she would follow along. Then I plucked her out before the threequarter pole and she drove by the horse on front and was just that.”
Bradley is optimistic about her chances as a four-year-old in the aged mares ranks.
“She’ll fit right in with the best mares in The Maritimes next year, I think,” the winner of 745 races said. “A year should make a big difference to her and she hasn’t been raced hard this year either. I think next year she’ll be even stronger. She’s got good gate speed but also she’s versatile, she can come from off the pace too. She’s got some really good points to her and she can use them either way.”
Curran insists the mare is part of the family now.
“She was born on our farm and she’ll live her last days on our farm,” Curran said.
The trainer confirms there have been offers to sell Willow Warrior but his answer is firm: “Not for sale.” P.E.I. scene The last Thursday card of the season was held this week in Charlottetown.
The CDP switches to a 1 p.m. post time for Saturdays, while the Summerside Raceway holds its final card Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m.
Jason Hughes leads the way for drivers at Summerside with a one race advantage over Marc Campbell, while Hughes leads by a race in the trainers’ standings over Thane Mann. It’s sure to be a hard fought card between Campbell and Hughes.
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