What a week
Local driver Ellis enjoys AGCW success
An exciting Atlantic Grand Circuit Week concluded last Sunday at Truro Raceway.
Ryan Ellis, who began driving standardbreds in 2007, won seven races during the week to lead all drivers.
By Wednesday of this past week, Ellis was flying high in the sky en route to London, England.
A pilot and first officer, Ellis was handling controls on a 767. There were more then 200 passengers on board and flying speed was approximately 900 kilometres per hour.
“Besides England, I fly to Belgium, Brazil, Chile and Italy,” Ellis, 36, of Brookfield, said.
“I also fly to Toronto and Los Angeles.”
During a layover in England, Ellis watched a game of cricket Thursday night. Flying back, the flight was expected to touch down in Toronto.
“Ryan Ellis is really quite a talented individual,” Joe Kelly, the Truro Raceway track-announcer, said.
“I marvel at his career and his ability to drive horses. He was away from harness racing a lot this year and for him to come back Atlantic Grand Circuit Week and win seven races, it was quite outstanding.”
Ellis won three races in a row during the week’s opening card.
Winners included Gwinning Gwen, Distinctiv Rusty and Icandothat with times in 1:58.2 or faster. He drove three winners on the Thursday night card and on Saturday night he won the Wilson’s Home Heating Fillies & Mares Series final with Icandothat, owned by his wife Danica Ellis.
“Everything just kind of worked out during the week,” a modest Ellis said. “I got to drive some good horses from trainers like George Rennison. I haven’t been driving on a regular basis so it was a better week then I ever expected. It was good to drive Tobinater, a good twoyear-old colt owned by Trevin Hicken, the horse just jogged in 1.58 to win easily.”
A great promoter of harness racing, the fourtime Truro Raceway driving champion added:
“It was a real good week of racing for Truro. It created a good buzz, we had celebrity races, trainer’s races and some good race cards the fans really seemed to enjoy. I thought our big week was great – everyone was working together for the betterment of the sport.”
Kyle Burton, the trackside photographer and a track handicapper who has written for a number of harness racing publications, said Ellis had a fantastic week.
“Ryan drove really well, he won seven races in a limited number of drives. Ryan is strong positioning his horses, he gives them a chance to win. Ryan is a real competitor, any race that he’s in, he goes all out. It’s best to bet this driver.”
At one point, Ellis considered taking a leave of absence as a pilot to accept an offer to go to the United States to race horses. Making the decision to look after his flying career, Ellis has the highest respect for fellow horsemen and the harness racing fraternity.
“As a kid I spent a lot of time with Darren Crowe. He’s helped me a lot and he has taught me the ropes for sure. I really look up to Danny Romo, Phil Pinkney, Gilles Barrieau and other horsemen. There are some great horsemen in the Maritimes to model yourself after.”
A family man, Ellis enjoys spending valuable time with two-year-old daughter Ivy.
A hobby fisherman, he fishes brown trout with friends Troy Sutherland and Jamie Works.
During Atlantic Grand Circuit Week, another highlight for Ellis was watching the twoyear-old filly sensation Elektra Express, owned by his wife Danica, win a $7,240 Atlantic Sires stake race in 1:59.3
“She’s really good right now,” Ellis said.
“If she stays sound she looks like she’s one of the best. She’ll race Sunday in the Callbeck Stakes in Summerside. After we broke her last year, I placed her with Marc Campbell in Charlottetown. Marc has really made this filly, Marc has done a great job training her and driving her.”
Thanks to Truro Raceway’s Burton, an interesting side note pertaining to Elektra Express: prior to her win at Truro, a better put an $8,000 show ticket on the filly. This would be like buying 4,000 $2 show tickets.
Although risking $8,000, the better collected as the filly paid $2.10 to show. Ten cents times 4,000 gave the better a $400 profit.
Wow!