A Few Pints Lead to the Derby Trail
April 11th, 2008By Jude T. Feld
Lexingtonians are more used to this kind of Kentucky bear.
Dany Dion was downing a few pints at a local pub when a friend of his offered him an interest in a racehorse. Having had just enough to drink, Dion bought of a piece of his buddy’s runner, In Pursuit, and although the gelding would never be compared with Citation, he went on to win nearly five grand during the next two years, racing in Western Canada.
Despite the fact that his early exposure to Thoroughbred ownership was less than lucrative, Dion enjoyed his participation so much that he began to form a plan to buy yearlings, with winning the Kentucky Derby, his primary objective.
President of Bear Slashing, Ltd., a successful Canadian oil exploration and mulching business, Dion had the dough to put his plan into action. His Bear Stables has campaigned $800,000-earner Bear Now, a Grade 2 winner of the Cotillion Stakes at Philadelphia Park, as well as Woodbine stakes winners Bear Holiday, Bear’s Kid and Bear Character, who finished third in the 2006 edition of the Coolmore Lexington at Keeneland.
Kentucky Bear, who was a $42,000 bargain buy at the 2006 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, carries Dion’s Derby dreams into the Toyota Blue Grass. An impressive victor in his debut at Gulfstream this winter, the son of Mr. Greeley attracted seven-figure buyers to trainer Reade Baker’s barn, even as the Kentucky-bred was cooling out.
Dion chose to stick with his long-term plan and keep his stable star but later had his hopes dashed against rocks when Kentucky Bear was well beaten in the Fountain of Youth by fellow Toyota Blue Grass entrant Cool Coal Man.
Will Dion now be rewarded for his patience and tenacity?
Baker has had plenty of time to prepare Kentucky Bear for his meeting with destiny. With long steady gallops and four five-eighths mile breezes, including a sensational blowout at Keeneland, it is not out of the realm of possibility to think the lightly raced three-year-old could light up the tote board.
At the sound of the bell, round two of the bout between the big slashing bear and a cool coal man continues – Rocky or Apollo Creed? Only time will tell.
