Rocky Mountain Turf Club ready to race for a 27th year

By Lethbridge Herald on May 4, 2023.

Herald photo by JUSTIN SEWARD Juan Apango, in white, rides to victory on Pure Rose ahead of Trevor Simpson in blue and Orlando Foster in red during the second race of the fall season in this 2022 file photo at the Rocky Mountain Turf Club.

By Justin Seward

Lethbridge Herald

The gates are opening on the 27th year of horse racing at the Rocky Mountain Turf Club on Saturday, as announced at a Thursday press conference.

“I mean in between race season, like I mean you can’t go anywhere in town that people aren’t saying ,when are the horses coming back,” said Rose Rossi, RMTC general manager.

“And Oh my God, can’t wait for the horses to come back and you know the little kids (are like), ‘Oh look it’s the candy lady.’ So a lot of excitement and a lot of horses. And like we said, the purses has gone up, we’ve got some new owners and people are getting into syndicates and we love it.”

“Our purses this year are the highest ever,” said RMTC CEO Max Gibb.

“(A) minimum purse is $6,000. Our stakes races are $10 and $12,000. There’s going to be lots of everything. We have amazing jockeys that have joined us from Mexico, Jamaica and we have an amazing… lady, Laurina Bugeaud, and (in 2021) she won five of six races (on one race day). A local girl that’s ridden with us forever. It’s going to be an unbelievable season and we want you all to come out and ultimately enjoyed it.”

Bugeaud has been a jokey for over 30 years.

“For me, throughout my career, it’s been every horse you get on I want to improve it ,” said Bugeaud.

“I don’t necessarily get superstars. But if a horse has been running fourth or fifth and I can improve to second and third, then that’s a good day for me. We all like to win, but if I can teach them enough (and) show them the job enough that they’re improving, that’s what makes it a good job for me.”

Rossi said the attendance last year was very good.

“A lot of new of people …  came,” said Rossi.

“And I’ve got to stress this, there’s six race tracks in Alberta. We are a part of Travel Alberta and Indigenous Travel Alberta and we had a lot of new people coming from everywhere (and) that we are a part of their tourism. A place to stop in that you could enjoy yourself and it’s great.”

An announcement will be made shortly on Warrior Relay Races.

“You guys, better be here for Canada Day because it is going to be a whole lot of action with  our Warriors and Regalia and Pageantry,” said Rossi.

The stick horse races, petting zoo and candy scramble are returning.

Post Times begin at 1 p.m. on May 6 and go every Saturday and Sunday this month, June September and October.

RMTC has injected over $370 million per year to Lethbridge and southern Alberta in each of the last 25 years.