Post Position: 6

Standardbred Canada TrackIT Link: Click Here

Bay colt by Real Artist – Magical Leah – Magical Mike

BREEDERS: Jesmeral Stable, Woodridge, NJ

OWNERS: Wayne Eric Whebby, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia

STATISTICS:
2009 7 6 1 0 $91,900
2008 0 0 0 0 $0
Totals 7 6 1 0 $91,900

LIFETIME MARK: 3, 1:50.2, Mohawk

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS & NOTES:
Purchased for $45,000 at the Harrisburg Sale in PA in November of 2007

• Owner Wayne Whebby raced Feelin Friskie, who finished second to Total Truth as the odds-on favourite in the 2006 Pepsi North America Cup
• Driver Steve Condren won 1989 Cup with Goalie Jeff, highest-priced winner in Cup history ($93.60)

At two:
• Did not race, although he did have four qualifiers at Truro Raceway

At three:
• Broke his maiden in his first start of 2009, winning by four and one-half lengths at Truro on May 10, in 2:00.2
• Won again at Truro on May 17 by 24 ½ lengths in 1:58.4
• Proceeded to win his next three conditioned races at Mohawk, by three and a half, two, and three and one- half lengths, while clipping his time down to 1:51.4
• Won $100,000 division of Burlington on June 13 at Mohawk by one-quarter length over Lisagain and Schoolkids, with favoured Well Said fourth, in a career mark of 1:50.2
• Suffered first defeat in Cup elimination June 20 at Mohawk, finishing one-quarter length behind Well Said in 1:50, pacing last quarter in 26 seconds, best of entire Cup field, despite leaving from 10-hole

ELIMINATION QUOTES:
Joey Shea, Trainer

“Our plans for training this week will probably be the same as last week. We’ll just go one trip with him, probably Thursday or Friday morning, depending on the weather.”

“We were very happy with his trip tonight.”

“We’re hoping for an inside post but the winners get to choose their spots, so we’ll have to take what we get after that. We just hope we don’t get the 10. We’re hoping for a second-over or two-hole trip next week.”

“We’re at Baycairn, where he’s been since he came up.”

“He’s just a happy horse. When he gets to the racetrack, he knows what he’s going to do. He just loves to race and he proved it tonight. He tries every step of the way. Knock on wood, he’s sound as sound.”

“I’m from Montreal. My father had horses and I worked for Mike MacDonald for 25 years. When Montreal shut down, I moved up here and started working for my cousin Dave. Mr. Whebby sent me a couple of horses earlier in the year and I just got this horse about a month ago.”


Trainer – Joey Shea
Age: 46
Career wins through June 21, 2009: 321
Career earnings through June 21, 2009: $2,556,919

Originally from Montreal, where he spent 25 years working with trainer Mike MacDonald, Joey Shea, born October 14, 1962, made his way to Waterdown, Ontario after racing took a turn for the worse in Quebec, and is now based with his cousin David Shea at Baycairn Training Centre outside Campbellville.
He currently trains six horses at Baycairn, including NA Cup finalist Keep It Real, who was sent to him by owner Wayne Whebby of Dartmouth, Nova Scotia.

“Wayne had an association with Mike MacDonald for many years, so I’ve known him for at least 15 to 18 years,” says Shea. “He sent me two other horses earlier this year – both of whom have now returned to Nova Scotia -- and Keep It Real arrived here about a month ago. They were very high on him after he qualified at Truro, and Wayne wanted him to take a shot in Ontario.”

Far from being disappointed at Keep It Real’s unbeaten streak having been snapped in the NA Cup eliminations, Shea says, “We were really pleased with how he raced and we’re just happy to be in it. He only has a handful of starts under his belt, and he still does ‘green’ stuff, but he’s learning every time he’s out there. That was his toughest test so far and he came through for us, and came out of the race very strong as well.”

Though Keep It Real’s second-place finish won’t afford his connections the privilege of choosing his post position for the final, Shea is hoping for the six or seven hole. “Our strategy is going to depend on the draw of course,” he notes.

Shea, who prefers to do all the work on his charges himself, will be both trainer and groom on Saturday night, when Keep It Real goes postward in the Pepsi North America Cup.


Driver – Steve Condren
Age: 51
Career wins through June 21, 2009: 6,499
Career earnings through June 21, 2009: $104,936,219

Steve Condren won the 1997 O’Brien Award as Canada’s Driver of the Year and was runner-up to Randy Waples in 1998. His 2,210 wins in the 1990s was second only to Doug Brown locally. He recorded a then-circuit record of 374 wins in 1987.

The man in green and gold notched his 6,000th career victory in 2004 with Make It Brief and also steered In Conchnito to over $1 million in career earnings en route to being named WEG’s Three-Year-Old Trotting Colt of the Year.

Condren, born July 6, 1957 in St. Catharines, was named the OJC’s Driver of the Year in 1986 and 1987. He has led the local drivers in purses three times and led Canada in back-to-back seasons in 1997 and 1998. He has surpassed $3-million in seasonal earnings 16 times and ranks in the top 10 money-winning drivers of all time.

In 2001, Condren guided two year-old pacing filly Precious Delight to an undefeated 11-for-11 season, which earned her an O’Brien Award as Canada’s best in her division. He enjoyed a stellar 2006 season, powered by Pure Ivory, who he co-owned, as she won 12 of 19 starts, banked $914,893, surpassed the $1-million mark in career earnings and lowered a track record at Mohawk (1:53.1, Sept. 7), which culminated in her being named WEG’s Three-Year-Old Trotting Filly of the Year and an O’Brien Award winner.

Condren drove 1996 Canadian Horse of the Year (tie) Whenuwishuponastar. He won the 1989 North America Cup with Goalie Jeff (longest-priced winner in the history of the race), one of 14 drives he has had in Canada’s richest race. He won the last race ever contested at Greenwood Raceway with Kirk Henley on December 31, 1993 and his first win was in 1977 at Orangeville Raceway with Farm Tarra.
Last year, Condren won 99 races on the WEG circuit and over $3.2 million in purses, with top two-year-old colt pacer Nebupanezzar leading the way, winning the Governor’s Cup, two Ontario Sires Stakes Gold finals and the Super Final. His other stars were The Mohegan Pan, a three-year-old full brother to Nebupanezzar and Windsong Soprano, who won the $501,600 Peaceful Way Stakes.