Bilodeau Rocks Princeton

The best day of BC Interior horse racing this year was a memorable one for jockey Rockin Ronnie Bilodeau. Ice In Space, an eleven year old equine class act, become the first horse to win four Similkameen Cups. The thirty third Similkameen was Ice in Space’s fifth attempt, Bilodeau has been the pilot for the last four occasions making it his third cup aboard the fine looking gelding. Last year Sagreeno interrupted the flow(he was busy in the winner circle at Hastings on this weekend) and Ice In Space returned to the winner circle after cruising past Penalty Killer in a classic stretch run. Bilodeau is only rider to have won five Similkameen Cups and he also won five of the seven races carded for the Princeton Homecoming Weekend, the 35th year of racing days.

Bilodeau is currently atop of the rider standings with 17 wins more than double his nearest rival, Laurina Windt. The winning started in the first when he romped home three in front aboard Vying Victor. Bill Smith who owns Vying Victor also owns Ice In Space. Smith has kept Bilodeau as his first call rider for the past four years and this has paid dividends for both.

In the third Bilodeau took Canyon Farms’ Emmamore into contention quickly and held on to win by a head. The next race, the Bob Beale Tulameen Cup, was a sweet win. The Tulameen is a Princeton tradition named in honour of Bob Beale who was an intrigal part of Princeton Racing Days. Ron Bilodeau took Chan St Clair’s Press Tour(a former winner of the Similkameen) to the front and coasted to 5 1/2 length score in the seven panel affair. In the only Quarter Horse dash it was Bilodeau and Bruce Scott’s Whos Smokin 109. The day ended for Bilodeau with the Ice In Space’s classic finish in the stretch and a day to remember.

Bilodeau’s wondrous day was interrupted when Sam Shirley galloped home four in front in the second race with Charge The Jury. Owned by Frank and Sandra Lay of Omak, Washington Charge The Jury is a big horse and made a big run to win his first of the season. American rider Vincent Graffagnini made his first trip to the winner circle in Canada. The Luke Gibson another longstanding Princeton tradition, was all Graffagnini and Mike Christian’s Govotte. Trained by Bill Warren of Spokane, Govotte looked like the best race mare thus far this season as she handled some solid performers which included So Cool, Ronnilane and Drone’s Dancer.

Princeton’s 35th Racing Days is the brightest spot on the 1999 calendar so far and Princeton organisers are already turning their thoughts to Racing Into The Millennium. Princeton the town that thinks it can: will provide extremely interesting racing in the year 2000 and you can bet that Ron Bilodeau will want to be there.

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Princeton’s Racing Tradition

The Similkameen Cup

1999 will mark the 32nd running of the Similkameen Cup, the oldest
continuously run race on the Interior Circuit is featured as the highlight of the B.C. Interior Racing season. Here's a look back at the previous winners.

Year Horse Owner Trainer Jockey

The Similkameen 'Derby'

1965 Man O'Mark Bob Elliott Bob Elliott Bill Howe
1966 Bay Toe Ron Bencher R. Bencher Ron Jones
1967 Hi Martin Jack Moore J. Moore KenHendricks

The Similkameen Cup

one mile - 3/8 mile track
1968 Merc Sam Cassel Sam Cassel Danny Kidwell
1969 Trusteen Leo Fowler Leo Fowler Stan Benson
1970 Mighty Hawk Don Gilkyson D. Gilkyson Herb McNally
1971 Virginia Queen R.J. Bennett B. Pettigrew Morris Milne
1972 Sontavish Murray Cunard M. Cunard Garth Carter
1973 Keep Hoping Jack Powell J. Powell Garth Carter
1974 Air Edd Tom Rath Tom Rath Ron Quinney
*track expanded to 5 furlongs
1975 Tonasket Prince Jack Lindsey J. Lindsey Pat Lindsey
1976 Willindium Bert Edwards B. Edwards Ken Street
1977 Willindium Margie Edwards B. Edwards Floyd Tompkins
1978 Azulique H & L Hiller Herb Hiller Ray Creighton
1979 Vitillion Margie Edwards B. Edwards Ken Street
1980 Brauer Rabbit Laughlin & Moen Janice Reid Rick Nation
1981 Casrally Burna Frank B. Frank Rick Nation
*race lengthened to 1 1/8 miles although programmed as 1 1/16 miles
1982 A Lock John Van Loon J. Van Loon Garth Carter
1983 Halleluja Point Brenda Carter B. Carter Alvin Gibson
1984 Northern Eagle Warren Hewlett Hank Snow Rob Nofield
1985 Market Turn C. Willson B. Willson Doug MacDonald
*race established at 1 1/16 miles
1986 High Technology Kim & Jack Powell J. Powell Sam Shirley
1987 Ancient Rites Bob McTiernan B McTiernan Tracey Schmidt
1988 Giligan's Policy Elmer Radies E. Radies Julie Schmidt
1989 Glenellen's Lahall Doug Clyde H. Clyde J.R. Dailey
1990 Lincoln Logger NorthAmerican Stb Gordon Platt Ron Bilodeau
1991 Glenellen's Lahal Doug Clyde H. Clyde Ron Bilodeau
1992 Andy's Agent Doug Clyde Terry Clyde Travis Wilkinson
1993 Andy's Agent Terry Clyde Doug Clyde Travis Wilkinson
1994 Press Tour Tripp & St.Clair ChanSt.Clair J.D. Mitchener
1995 Ice In Space Gosset & Smith Bill Smith Travis Wilkinson
1996 Ice In Space Gosset & Smith Bill Smith Ron Bilodeau
1997 Ice In Space Bill Smith Bill Smith Ron Bilodeau
1998 Sagreeno Loseth/Gall/Schnoor Philip Hall Larry Lacoursiere

The list of winning, owners, trainers and jockey of the Simikameen Cup reads like a who’s who list of B.C. Racing and there is a story with every name. It is the most sought after championship on the B.C.Interior Racing circuit. The community of Princeton’s home coming has always had the Similkameen as the highlight of this delightful weekend.

In recent years small fields have been a bit of a disappointment but last year a delighted Philip Hall brought up Sagreeno to insure a cup winner to join with George Royal in the Hall family scrapbook. Previous to the 1998 winner, Bill Smith took an old class horse, Ice In Space, refurbished his career and captured three in a row. In 1994 Washington resident Chan St Clair, who has been coming to Princeton for over twenty-five years, saw his Press Tour go wire to wire in the 1 1/16 mile crown.

The Clyde’s, who have been amazing interior competitors over the years, have won the Cup the four times. Andy’s Agent who was bottle feed in a Langley basement as a foal, did it twice. Glenellen Lahall, perhaps the most well know of interior runners over the last few year also did it twice. “GLEN” started life(day1) in a near tangle with barb wire at breeder Glen Jorde’s. The handsome bay's life was full of incidents and he survived numerous trailer accidents and breaks downs while winning over 35 races . All who knew him have a story or an incident and he is remembered fondly by all. Glen’s first Cup win came after he escaped from Doug Currie’s farm and was loose all night, the eve of the big race. Glenellen’s Lahal is the most noted equine character of all the wonderful winners of this fabled race.

Lincoln Logger started the 90’s off as a big horse arriving from the coast. Before that Elmer Radies Gilligan’s Policy, the last untattooed horse to compete on the Interior, was a popular winner. Long time Princeton racing enthusiast Jack Powell has been in the Similkameen winner’s circle twice, in 1973 with Keep Hoping and in 1986 with High Technology. The Carters’ of Princeton celebrated Halleluja Points victory in 1983.


The Cup has been won by horses who’s connections still race and some might even have a horse in this years rendition. RJ. Bennett with Virginia Queen, John Van Loon with A Lock, Clint Wilson’s Market Turn, Warren Hewlett’s Northern Eagle, Jack Lindsey’s Tonasket Prince and Murray Cunard with Sontavish have all been in the Cup winner’s circle and are still racing .

In the seventies the late Bert Edwards was a three time winner, twice with Willindium and once with Vitillion. Bert held the respect of all who knew him and his horses.

The jockey’s have been highly entertaining . Rockin Ron Bilodeau, who is on a roll this year, would like to win his fifth Similkameen. Bilodeau is from near by Keremeos while home town boy Garth Carter is a winner of three Cups. Travis Wilkinson is the only other jock to win three Cups. Ken Street won the race twice as did Rick Nation. Two riders who still currently ride, Sam Shirley and Doug MacDonald have one cup win each.

This year the town of Princeton continues it’s traditional home coming weekend and run for the Similkameen Cup at Sunflower Downs is the thirty third in ninety nine.

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