By Nicholas Oakes
In a move that will surely be career changing, a trio from P.E.I. will try their luck on a bigger stage and make the move to Ontario.
Ambyr MacPhee, and Mitchell Tierney are setting up training operations at the Campbellville Training Center, in Campbellville, Ont.
Tierney, 20, (Lifetime: 211 – 37 – 30- 34, $47,547, UTRS .308) trains a small stable out of his home farm in New Haven, and campaigns top trotting mare Dusty Lane Shelby, who tied the aged mares track trot record at Charlottetown in a 2:01.1 victory.
Tierney had a very simple answer for why he likes Dusty Lane Shelby.
“Because she’s good,” Tierney said.
He plans on taking two of his family’s horses with him to Ontario, Dusty Lane Shelby and Lyndale Lover.
Lyndale Lover, 5, (Drop Off – Lyndale O Kay) has lifetime stats of $23,511 earned, 10 wins, and a mark of 2:00.1. So far in 2008 the mare has earned $2,915 and has two wins (the fastest in 2:01).
Tierney plans on racing the mare in the $4,500 claimer at Flamboro Downs.
Dusty Lane Shelby, 6, (Imperial Angus – Dusty Lane Nipper) has lifetime stats of $27,966, 19 wins, and a mark of 2:01.1 (taken this year). So far in 2008, the mare has seven wins and $6,749 earned.
Tierney has a tentative roadmap worked out for the trot mare.
“Her first start will be at Flamboro, just a tightener, and then we’re going to go to Georgian (Downs) to see what she’s like on a bigger track, with bigger turns,” He said.
Tierney also hasn’t ruled out a trip to Woodbine with the mare, and says that if she goes, fellow islander Brodie MacPhee will get the call to drive.
He says that a claimer is not an option for the mare.
“Never. She will not be in as a claimer at all.”
Tierney says he has learned some lessons in his short time training horses.
“Trotters made me patient,” Tierney said. “and time, devotion, and hard work pay off in the long run.”
Ambyr MacPhee, 26, is an active driver/trainer on P.E.I. but plans on staying behind the fence once she makes the move to Ontario.
MacPhee’s career highlight is winning with gutsy claimer Shy Boy Hershey, holding off late charges by Wylde Cherry and Township Blazeaway, by a nose in 1:58.
She also has respectable lifetime training stats: 355 – 53 – 45 – 49, $59,055, UTRS .265.
MacPhee says one the biggest parts of having your own stable is dealing with people.
“In order to have owners, you have to be able to deal with the public.”
Currently, she only has one horse lined up to go with her, Keziah M, but she says there is a strong possibility of taking three or four with her. She does not plan on driving herself.
Keziah M, 3, (10 – 3 – 1 – 0, $3,520, 2:04.2) is owned by Peter and Joanne Gray of N.B., and he fits the maiden classes throughout Ontario.
MacPhee is optimistic of Keziah M’s chances.
“I’m hoping he’ll do, and if he does well I’m hoping it’ll spark some interest in some more maritime owners sending horses up.”
In the meantime, the two have not ruled out the possibility of working for another trainer until they get more horses.
Tierney and MacPhee leave Nov. 15, and will surely remember one thing the rest of their careers.
“To be in this game and be successful and have to not only want to do it, you have to love the horse,” Tierney said.
Cornwall’s Brodie MacPhee is also making the trip, but he wants to establish himself in the Ontario driver’s colony.
MacPhee is enjoying a career year in the bike (438 starts – 65 wins – 62 seconds – 66 thirds – $98,982 in purses – UDRS .277).
He says he was fortunate this year to drive Porthill Alf and Pans O Silver in Charlottetown’s top classes.
His driving improved this year, he says, due in large part to a piece of advice he received from an older trainer at the CDPEC.
“He gave me a little tip that stuck in the back of my head, and I used it quite a bit this year,” MacPhee said.
MacPhee was unwilling to reveal the tip.
He has only been to Southern Ontario once. He spent a few days at Mohawk when he was groom for world champion Chucaro Ahijuna.
He’s currently unsure of exactly where he is going when he leaves but his plans are to work for an established trainer in Ontario.
He says he’s basically starting from scratch when he get there.
“I’m going to have to earn my respect. I’m not gonna expect to walk into Flamboro and have guys open up holes for me.”
His older sister, Ambyr MacPhee, is also making the move and plans to have Brodie drive her horses.
“Anytime that Brodie has the time, he’ll get the call (to drive),” Ambyr said.
Brodie says it’s going to be different driving in Ontario.
“It’s gonna be different going from driving six or seven (horses) a night (on P.E.I.) to driving maybe once every two weeks (in Ontario),” Brodie said.
Nicholas Oakes 