The British Columbia Lottery Mile

August 6, Sagebrush Downs, Kamloops

The BC Lottery Corporation Mile in Kamloops On Sunday at Sagebrush will go into the history books with distinction. The $13,625 race was won by HCH Stable’s Cool Striker on a day that saw the grandstand full and Sagebrush Downs buzzing with excitement. The Lottery Corporation provided more than purse money, it promoted the race. Sagebrush Downs, has been a well kept secret and and the exposure it received in the media brought the crowd out. The purse also attracted horsemen and the year’s best day of racing on the interior was an excellent seven race card. Cool Striker trailed the field for the first 3/4’s of a mile before starting his run in The Mile, closing the gap in lane and nailing Penalty Killer at the wire. Penalty Killer advanced steadily and was 1 1/4 length past Etched In Brass who had caught him at the wire four weeks ago in the Similkameen Cup. Penalty Killer was again full run but high flying Cool Striker got him in the final strides It provided an exciting end to the day and the biggest career win for jockey Brooke Mellish. Perhaps the most wonderful part of the story is the fact that Cool Striker’s regular trainer Spud Uyreyama was scheduled to ride but booked off before the race. Riders booking off is not unusual but a sixty eight year jockey winning is! Spud did just that winning the fourth race aboard Mark Blank & L Antoine’s Bobcat and place third with I Have a Dream. He is perhaps the oldest winning jockey in North America! The spry Ureyama made the decision to book off after riding two races, the first going 41/2 furlongs and winning the second going six and a half furlongs,. He was truly spent. He keeps fit galloping regularly at Hastings but it is remarkable that he rode at all. He last rode a race in Princeton two years ago where was a winner as well. The extreme heat was also exhausting so he wisely chose what was best for Cool Striker. In other races Jeannie Blain’s Police Reserve went wire to wire in the first with Travis Wilkinson. The Arabian race was won by Jim Keats’ Bialka who was ridden by Brooke Mellish. Jockey Travis Wilkinson won the fifth race with Butch McDonald’s Sky Pro. The sixth was won by Dennis & Irene Miller’s Dowedoit after a quick move with rider Amber Dickinson. Trainer Jim Brown, who saw favourite Shoo Fly Willie beaten in The Mile, added to his lead in the training standings when he saddled J Buchinski and G & D Jones Indykat. Brown has an enviable record on interior with a record of 8 wins in ten starts. Indykat was ridden by Sam Shirley who leads in the jockey race with fourteen winners. The day finished with a jockey foot race and a pony race that had prizes for the competitors and people who were in a Lottery Draw. The jockey race was won by the second oldest in the jock’s room, Ron Bilodeau. The pony race also went to another veteran, starter Tom Anderson used former race horse now pony horse, Mistermeaner, to win handily against five other hard working pony horses. It was all good fun with a guest caller as Tom Anderson came the wire with a fist to the skies in celebration. Great day in the park for all with special thanks to the BC Lottery Corporation for helping make the day a success. *****Spud Ureyama broke his maiden on September 23, 1950 at the Old Woodbine Racetrack (Greenwood), He has rode winners in every decade since. Six decade! Our congratulations!!!

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