Divisional Crowns

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Another banner thoroughbred season is in the books and the experts are now mulling over their choices for divisional crowns and horse of the year.

Some of the categories appear to be automatic, such as Sixthirtyjoe, a winner of five stakes on the Alberta circuit. Actually, Sixthirtyjoe could be in line for three other titles as well as horse of the year.

He is a leading contender for top Alberta-bred and champion older horse after stakes victories in the Stampede Sprint Championship, Teeworth Plate, Journal, Spangled Jimmy and Klondike.

He will also be getting votes for sprinter of the year after triumphs in the Stampede and the Journal. But the edge in that category may go instead to Tyko Tycoon who won the Northlands Sun Sprint Championship and the Red Diamond Express, because in those races, Sixthirtyjoe finished second and third respectively.

So it has been an amazing year for this four-year-old who sprang from such humble beginnings. He is essentially a $100 horse. His owner-breeder-trainer Deanne Davies rescued his dam Flying Mariposa from the glue factory for a C-note and then succeeded in obtaining a free breeding to a virtually unknown stud called Important Notice.

And now Northlands heads into its second annual abbreviated standardbred fall meet of 15 days, racing Wednesday and Friday evenings and Saturday afternoons from Wednesday November 13 to Saturday December 14.

When the Harness fans arrive at Northlands they will find the Spectrum Slots (more than 500 slot machines) occupying the ground floor. And the old Spinners, which formerly housed the slots on the second floor, has been converted to an additional viewing area with extra concessions.

And what’s so special about the slots? Their revenue account for record purses being offered to both the thoroughbreds and the harness horses.