By Shawn Wiles
In the winner’s circle after the 7th race on Tuesday,
December 5 at Monticello Raceway, longtime Monticello Raceway horseman Norman
Bradbury was honored for his extensive and prominent career and was honored in
a retirement ceremony.
The native of Bay Roberts, Newfoundland, Norman Bradbury has
been a fixture at Monticello Raceway for over 4 decades since his first start
in 1979. Prior to arriving to the
backstretch of Monticello, Norman served as trainer for the Grey Brothers of
Providence, Rhode Island for many years and trained several
winters in Pinehurst NC. Norman and
his wife Donna, a longtime Monticello Raceway employee where married in
Pinehurst in 1976.
During his rich career, he has enjoyed many highlights, Normans
career pinnacle moment came aboard Kittiwake, ($554,206 – 1:54.3) when he drove
her to victory in the Lady Catskill at his home track Monticello Raceway. Other
of Bradbury’s top performers include Pride N Price, Tiffany Collins, Good Night
Action and the recently retired Red Eye Bluechip. Norman’s final career stats display
403 driving wins, $1,390,362 in amassed purse earnings, he trained winners of
over $1,797,797.
The 7th race of the program was carded as the
Norman Bradbury Retirement Race, it contained a field of gritty campaigners,
much like Norman. After an early slugfest between Fools Gold (PP3) and (Kyle
Dibenedetto) who set a 28 second opening quarter, Can’t Knock M finally got the
lead at the half in 58.2 B Seventeen, who was driven by Justin Huckabone started
the outer flow at this point.
The stealthy Vaganova (Jim Devaux) followed B
Seventeen with live cover right behind B Seventeen, B Seventeen got the lead down
backstretch as they hit the ¾ in 1:28, as they turned for home, both were
poised for victory, the duo raced in tandem down the lane and split the
teletimer at the exact same time, resulting in a semi rare Dead Heat of 1:58.
B Seventeen is a 5 YO Art Major gelding, out of Jugette and multiple
stakes winner Armbro Bombay, the former $125,000 yearling is trained by Jon
Berube of Circleville, NY, his DH win ticket returned $4.90. Vaganova is
trained by Jim Doherty Jr. the 4-year-old son Rock N Roll Heaven who notched
his 6th win for the waning 2017, pushing his seasonal earning over $30,000 and
paid $22.20.
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| Congratulating Norman Bradbury on his retirement at Monticello Raceway. Photo Credit: Geri Schwarz |
Following the race, Norman was accompanied in the winner’s
circle by his wife Donna and son Grant, as well as numerous friends, and many
of the horsemen that he has come to know Norman well during his many years in
the backstretch of Monticello Raceway.
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