He wants to make sure Courtly Choice has a McWicked future
While Blake MacIntosh is more than a little disappointed with the Toronto Maple Leafs, he could not be happier with the return of his stable star, Courtly Choice.
The four-year-old pacer has qualified twice at Woodbine Mohawk Park and appears ready for a challenging season of racing after foregoing a career in the breeding shed.
Late last year, the decision to stand him at stud in New York state was negated.
With his trainer leading the way, the ownership group elected to come back for another kick at the can after a $922,000, threeyear-old campaign.
“He seems good. I couldn’t be happier with the two qualifiers,” he said from Meadowbranch Training Centre near Flamboro Downs.
“He’s a more mature horse than six months ago. And he is the soundest he has ever been behind.
“I’ve always liked the fact he wants to race and that has not changed.”
Last season, on at least two occasions, he was the best sophomore in North America, winning the Meadowlands Pace and Little Brown Jug.
Amazingly, he won no honours or awards in Canada or the United States.
But silverware does not pay the bills and Courtly Choice did handsomely.
He was a US$60,000 purchase as a yearling but after two campaigns of racing he has returned just under $1 million.
“This is going to be a difficult year. I believe this is the greatest collection of four-year-olds we may have ever seen. For various reasons, a number are back racing,” said MacIntosh, who is coming off a career year as a trainer.
“With any horse, there are so many things that can go wrong and I fret about those things.
“There have been and will be sleepless nights because I put pressure on myself.
“There are big risks in this game but there can be some big returns. I look forward to it all.”
It is generally recognized that four-year-olds struggle to make the adjustment in racing against older horses.
For that reason, MacIntosh is using every opportunity to keep Courtly Choice with his own kind. The first significant event comes on May 8 at the Meadowlands in New Jersey.
“We’ll see how it goes before we think about tackling the likes of McWicked.
“He’s eight years old and still won $1.6 million last year.
“Still a very good horse that has been managed so well, which is what I have to do with Courtly Choice.”
Courtly Choice is an exciting horse to be involved with.
He is a striking looker with great presence on the racetrack.
When in full flight, this horse personifies speed and motion.
If anyone has an appreciation for the physicality of a horse, they will love Courtly Choice.
And unlike the Maple Leafs, his season is just beginning.