Clive Cross pays off well at Woodbine
MINDEMOYA—Clive Cross, which his owners claim is the first thoroughbred horse trained on Manitoulin Island, had his maiden win at a race last Friday at Woodbine Racetrack.
“Clive broke his maiden,” stated Steve Doane, co-owner of Clive Cross, along with Mark Varey, that evening. “He broke from the gate good and was third at one time but powered through to win the race.”
“It was a nice feeling,” Mr. Varey stated. “It seems like Clive has never got a break in any of his races previously, there was always something, getting blocked out at the start for instance. But there was no stopping him yesterday (Friday).”
“Everyone knows he has a great kick around the last corner of races, but usually he is five wide at that point, but yesterday he was two-wide,” said Mr. Varey. Clive’s jockey was Leo Salles and his trainer is Krista Cole.
“Going in I wasn’t sure Clive would win the race,” acknowledged Mr. Doane, noting Clive ran in the 10th race at Woodbine along with 10 other competitors. This was Clive’s 18th race overall, with his best results finishing second in two separate races last year.
“The payout wasn’t huge, it was $32,500, but the biggest thing is that Clive broke his maiden,” said Mr. Doane. “We have been waiting for his first win for over two years now.”
“It has been exciting for Mark and I, but we have had to be patient. It took a couple of years of racing and a huge investment, but it has now paid off,” said Mr. Doane.
“We have always believed in Clive,” said Mr. Varey. “But as the races add up you wonder if he is ever going to make his mark. He did yesterday, and at the end of the race he didn’t want to stop.”
Clive Cross has the same forehead markings as the great thoroughbred horse Secretariat, and Mr. Varey said he understands that Clive is the only thoroughbred raised on Manitoulin Island to have raced at Woodbine.
The two Manitoulin men shared in the costs for Clive, 50/50. In December 2019, the two Island horse owners brought the colt up to Manitoulin Island, to his new home at Tween Lakes Farm and Timberlane Farm.
“This Island seems to me to be perfect place for raising a thoroughbred; in Kentucky and Florida, known as the best two locations around to raise thoroughbreds, the horses are raised on limestone-based farmland and the horses build bone strength and structure,” said Mr. Doane. “Clive is very strong, and it probably has a lot to do with his starting out on Manitoulin Island where we have limestone-based ground.”
“Clive’s sire was Reload who had his best racing days when he was about 6-7 years old, so maybe Clive, who had a slow start, will do the same,” said Mr. Doane.
Clive’s silks are Manitoulin Island. Manitoulin Secondary School teacher Jordan Smith designed Clive’s silks. The colours are the high school colours as he is a true ‘Manitoulin Mustang.’
Clive Cross is named after the late hall of fame thoroughbred horse trainer David Clive Cross, a young man who worked with horses, and trained Sunny’s Halo when he won the Kentucky Derby in 1983.
