SBSW makes final start on Canadian soil in OSS Super Final

By now, The Beach needs little introduction: he has won 18 of 19 career starts, including the Pepsi North America Cup, the Confederation Cup, the Metro Pace, and the Messenger Stakes, and has multiple speed records to his name, including a blistering 1:46.4 world record for 3-year-old pacers set last month at The Red Mile. The burly son of Mach Three has bankrolled a staggering $2.8 million and a win in his OSS Super Final will push him near the $3-million mark. The contest is scheduled as race seven on Saturday night’s card (post time 9:38 p.m.).

Trainer and co-owner Brent MacGrath says Somebeachsomewhere is "very sharp. The weatherman says we won’t be going for any records, but he has a nice post (three) and I don’t have any reason to believe right now that he won’t deliver his usual amazing performance."

MacGrath and his partners in ownership, who make up the Schooner Stables of Bible Hill, Nova Scotia, are trying not to get nostalgic just yet about the final starts of The Beach’s career. "This Saturday won’t feel quite as odd as his final start on the 29th (of November, the Breeders Crown at the Meadowlands)," MacGrath says.

"To tell you the truth, I’m glad the season is coming to an end, although we’re not glad to be getting rid of him. It’s been an unbelievable season, the ride of a lifetime, but it has also been a long year of living out of a suitcase and it will be nice to get back to some kind of normal life.

"Somebeachsomewhere will be heading to Hanover Shoe Farms to begin his stallion career, the day after the Breeders Crown, and we’ll be heading home to Nova Scotia."

The Schooner partners will retain an interest in Somebeachsomewhere, whose stud fee has been set at $20,000 U.S. But MacGrath hasn’t invested in any broodmares to send to his legendary colt. "I’d rather just take my pick of the babies when they’re on the ground," he says. "The young horses are my thing, the 2 and 3 year olds. We’re really looking forward to his babies. I think his mark in the breeding shed will be as great as it has been on the track."

Lest we get ahead of ourselves, however, The Beach still has two more starts on his dance card, one of which will be this Saturday night in the $300,000(C) OSS Super Final division for 3-year-old pacing colts. He’ll be up against some familiar rivals, including Deuce Seelster, The Mohegan Pan, and the current leader in the OSS Gold standings, Keystone Horatio.

« Back