With the harness racing season just recently kicking off in Manitoba, this feels like a good time to meet the drivers in charge of getting the horses around the half-mile oval at Miami Fair and, eventually, the brand-new Loop in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Paula Mason, Michel Rey and Tyler Grundy were discussed in Part 1, and
Chris Lancaster trainee If Only Id Known posted a blowout victory in the $10,500 featured fillies and mares pace on the Saturday (April 23) card at Century Downs, which celebrated the seven-year anniversary of harness racing moving to the new Calgary oval.
With just one day until the winners are announced for the 2020 O’Brien Awards, trainer Rachel Andrew joined a special edition of COSA TV on Saturday (Jan. 30) to discuss her nomination for the Future Star Award.
“It was a complete shock to be honest when I got the call,” Andrew said of her nomination, “and it’s just a privilege to have my name there considering everyone that’s been there before. It’s a huge honour no matter what happens Austin [Sorrie] is more than deserving of the award and it’s just great to be involved.”
Andrew competes against driver and fellow island native Austin Sorrie for the Future Star Award following his career year in 2020. But Andrew also posted significant numbers for her barn despite the COVID shutdown as well as many of her horses sustaining injuries through the year. With 294 starts last season, Andrew won 51 times and banked $439,095, pushing her over the $1-million plateau in earnings through her six-year long career.