Brian-m >, drew

“Fiddle N Speed could leave and finish with the best of them. I won with him in 1:58 in his first start at the C.D.P. He was a nice good-gaited horse. Fiddle N Fats was a tough big horse that won a lot of races here. We also raced him for one winter at the Truro Raceway. He was a handsome horse, good-natured and just a big teddy bear. Slide [1‘ Out was as good a horse as I have ever sat behind. He had soundness problems but could pace here around 1:58 all the time. He won the President’s Pace for us during Country Days at the C.D.P. Ironsz'de’s name cer- tainly suited him. You could never count him out of a race. One year he won 10 races and earned Horse of the Year hon— ours at the C.D.P. At the end of his rac- ing career, he may fulfill one of my father’s desires for him — to produce a colt or filly that we would race. 1 won the Open Mares Class with Freshly Squeezed and raced her in a Gold Cup and Saucer Trial. She was a very nice mare by jute Lobe]! that was here for only one summer.”

For some particular reason, every driver and trainer has one particular race that seems to stand out from all the others. Brian’s most memorable race was the President’s Pace that he won with Stick It Out on Country Days at the Charlottetown Driving Park. He remem— bered it like it was yesterday and proud— ly recounted, “Stick It Out had the rail but we were in tough and a real long shot on the board. Gilles Barrieau and Mike MacDonald had really nice horses in this

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Behind the Gate

race. We left hard and were on top at every fraction of the mile. Even though the other horses were at him throughout the mile, my horse fought them gamely and won in 1:58 which was a very good time on the old track before it was done over. He was a real long shot and paid well at the mutuels. I was really proud of Stic/e It Out because he wasn’t the soundest of horses but would always give 100 per cent. The Winners’ Circle presentation by President Norman Hall was special because Bill was here from Alberta and joined family members and my good friend Larry Resnitzky for the trophy and cooler presentation. I had a very good feeling that night."

Meridian Farms East’s main base in Milton, P.E.I. was a state—of-the-art facility that welcomed visitors to inspect the farm operation. In early April 2008, there were approximately 50 horses on the premises but that number would be increased to 70 when the foaling season ended. There were 19 yearlings that were being prepped for the fall sales in Charlottetown and Truro. There were 16 mares of which four had foaled and 12 more were to foal. Three two—year-olds and Ironsz'de were in training for racing that year. Seven stallions were on the grounds at the farm in Milton.

Meridian Farms East in 2008, also had approximately 50 horses on the Ron Gass Farm in Cornwall, P.E.I. They had, in the spring of 2008, 21 horses throughout the Maritimes being trained for racing by