Battle victor Bronx Seelster has ‘X-factor’

Wayne McGean calls himself a hobby trainer, which is probably accurate given he conditioned just three horses this past winter.

But his management, at least of two-year-old pacing colt Bronx Seelster, has been exceptional so far, and well beyond what most would consider from a person of limited experience.

At Grand River Raceway in Elora Monday, Bronx Seelster won the $262,315 final of the Battle of Waterloo. That marked the Big Jim son’s fourth consecutive victory and established him as the richest two-year-old in Canada this season. He sits with $225,000 in winnings for the Capers 3 Stable, of Sydney, N.S., and is the talk of Atlantic Canada.

Ten months ago, McGean and two partners, all from the Sydney area, bought the colt at the London Selected Yearling Sale for a modest $22,000; and just as easily could have passed on him.

“We’d bought one earlier for $34,000, and I said I would not mind getting another. The partner I was with said let’s call our other friend and see what he thinks,” recalls the 61-year-old McGean.

“He said ‘let me think for 10 minutes,’ before calling back to say he was in. We’d come up with a number of $20,000 and Bronx was the first one to come through that we liked. We had to go one more bid to $22,000, but that was it. Had we not gotten him I’d have forgotten his name by the time he left the ring. There was nothing particularly special about him.”

That is not the case today. The group turned down a strong offer that had it been accepted would have been an exceptional return on investment. But being typical Maritimers, the group bought him to race and race they will.

“A few years ago I finished second in the Battle with Steady Warrior, and wanted another crack at it. I’m very impressed with our guy in the way he looked like a beaten horse, but battled back to beat a horse that had every opportunity to win it. Our guy gutted it out.”

McGean is a recent retiree from the coal industry in Cape Breton, but has had some involvement with horses all his life. No wintering in Florida for this horseman, who is settled in at Northside Downs just outside Sydney.

“He is not a great big fellow, but still is a nice chunk of a horse. He is a June foal and continues to grow. He’s the best I’ve ever been involved with and its been great to see him develop. He may have about five more races this season before we take him back to Nova Scotia to get ready for next year,” says McGean, who is based at a private farm not far from Flamboro Downs for the summer.

Bronx Seelster is yet another one of those animals that could have been purchased by anyone. His price point was very affordable and has turned out to have that X-factor that separates winners from losers.

He also is perceived as striking one for the little guy. Maritimers love their harness racing, and no one would appreciate the horse more than McGean and partners David Mercer and Brent Bradbury. For sure they are able to count the money, but it is pride of ownership that fuels their involvement, which is exactly why the horse is not in new ownership.

It remains to be seen what the rest of the season in the Ontario Sires Stakes will hold for Bronx Seelster, but he could potentially double his winnings. Regardless, he’s already accomplished plenty for his connections in maybe the feel good story of the year in Canadian racing.