Grande Prairie was well represented at the 89th Canadian Derby on August 25. Local horse Sky Promise has won the final running of the derby at Northlands Park in Edmonton.
Co-owner of Sky Promise Norm Tremblay says it was amazing to be one of only a few people from the city to ever take home the top prize.
“It was huge for me to win…there isn’t very many people in Grande Prairie that have won the Canadian derby for horses so it takes a lot of luck.”
Tremblay co-owns Sky Promise with three other men from Alberta. He was purchased two months ago and trained in time to race in the Manitoba Derby on August 6, a race he also won. Tremblay says that winning that derby was big for him but winning The Canadian Derby was bigger.
“We won the Manitoba Derby and that was a fairly big race for us there and we came out of there with a win and then heading to the Canadian Derby it’s was such a huge race so winning it was quite an accomplishment.”
Tremblay has been involved in horse racing since 2011 when he started with one horse at Evergreen Park. Now he and his wife manage the Evergreen Park Racing Club. Tremblay says that even though it seems like he’s been in the business a while he’s still new to it.
“It’s pretty lucky to get a win in the Derby after 30 horses that I’ve owned. It seems like a long journey but it was actually a pretty short one. I started at Evergreen park with a racehorse and then 30 horses later we have Sky Promise winning the 89th Canadian
Derby at Northland Park.
Sky Promise is now on his way to Vancouver to race in the B.C. Derby on September 8.
