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Doug Hill if? .S‘eau'iml .-1lpha. Each of the past six decades is coyered for Maritime racing enthusiasts of all ages. Doug droye most of his own horses in his younger days hut later restricted himself to a yery proactiye inyolyement in the training of his horses.

III/ijollscoli was a tough and game horse that gaye Doug his first driye. Dominion Byrd was a quality inyitational horse and a great sire. (/lengt'le Crane proved to he a quality stakes colt hy [Dominion Byrd. He ‘5 A Knigh/ was a successful high— priced yearling acquisition. Seaa'incl Alpha was a champion stakes filly in the These were Doug \\"hich He explained.

hroodmare ranks. Hill‘s most memorahle horses. was his fayorite horse? “That would have to he Dominion lirnl. To me. he was everything. He was a good—looking. proud roan with a person— ality. He hecame a successful sire and he

was nice to he around."

Like any other sport or husiness. expensA es are a major factor and owning a race horse is no exception. Rewards can sometimes he suhstantial hut Doug explained that prospectiye owners of a race horse must he aware of ineyitahle expenses like shelter or stahling. proper mixture of nutritious food. equipment like harness. hikes. carts, rugs. hlankets. etc. Shoeing was always a hig item. Shipping. stake payments. Veterinary care. diet supplements. etc. must also he met. It is hecause of rising expenses that partnerships and syndicates are hecom— ing a yery popular mode of ownership of

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horses today. They still permit the little fellow and his family to appreciate the joys of going to the track to giye his horse a carrot. Only owners that have fed carrots to their horses will understand and appreciate this positiye feeling of honding hetween animal and human.

Training colts and fillies was the aspect of horse racing that Doug IIill enjoyed the most. In 2008. he no longer droye in races hut railhirds at the C.D.I’. would agree that he rarely missed a jogging or training session with SummerSlorm and Shadow Dancer, He was a major patron of Maritime yearling sales for years. In 1960. his Rnshau'aj' Chief won a stakes race in 2:17 making him the first suh 2:20 t\\'()—yeai'>-old winner in Maritime stakes history. In 2001. his .S‘ean'inil Alpha was a dominant filly in two—year—old stakes action in the :V'Iaritimes. In the four decades hetween Rnshau‘at' Chief and .S'eau'inzl Alpha. Doug had his share of peaks and Valleys in harness racing hut one constant was his loye of training colts and fillies.

A Very positiye experience for this pro- actiye horseman was seeing a colt or filly that he spent a lot of personal time with deyelop into a contender. not necessarily a champion. In fact. Doug would rec— ommend this game to his hest friend if that friend was truly interested in ani— mals. He would not recommend it for financial gain. Doug was asked to name the person who taught him the most ahout this game. He answered. "Really.