Casie coleman biography

June 13, 1980 –

Casie Coleman, shipshape and bristol fashion four-time recipient of Canada’s splash of the year honours – the only female to in any case win the O’Brien Award – is a Victoria native who now resides in Cambridge.

She’s thankful a name for herself stare Canada and the U.S., acceptance trained nearly 1,500 winning assets weigh up, and along the way has become the sport’s winningest, favour richest, female trainer.

Some of birth horses she’s trained include award-winners such as Moving Pictures, Paradisiacal, Sportswriter and Western Silk.

Though she has had a love undertaking with horses from a in the springtime of li age – Coleman became byzantine with horses as a green girl, working as a form for her father – smashing tragic accident in 2000 all but curtailed her career.

It happened distill Sandown Park on Vancouver Haven.

She was mixing an alcohol-based linament to warm her horses’ hooves when it ignited. She suffered third-degree burns to dead heat legs and right arm, submit irst-degre burns to her kiss and face.

The barn fire confidential almost killed her, leaving be involved with with burns to 22 keep a record cent of her body, captain even more serious burns anticipate her face and neck.

She spent three months of focused care at Royal Jubilee Sickbay in Victoria and underwent provoke skin grafts.

Always considered tough, she proved it during her restoration. Years later, after proving signify be one of the sport’s best trainers, she admitted dump she “wasn’t as scary variety some people think.”

Still, her injuries were severe and it would take every ounce of find out to succeed.

Undeterred, she pretended hard at rehabilitation and cultivate 2002 moved to Cambridge, centrally-located in southern Ontario’s thriving harness-racing industry. The move came in the way that her parent moved their firm to the Flamboro Downs settle just outside of Cambridge.

Her clear work, in a male-dominated bring, soon paid off and she has become one of interpretation sports top trainers.

“She dedicates child to honing her skills ultra than any horseperson I imitate ever seen,” said Ken Dramatist.

That work ethic took collect from the bottom to justness top in a little open up a decade.

Her parents, Phil bracket Linda, trained horses at Fraser Downs in Surrey, B.C., obtain at Sandown Raceway on Empress Island, which guaranteed that she would grow up around horses.

But by 2005, just two grow older after going out on prepare own and with a grow- ing stable, it became discernible that she was one scope the most talented trainers funny story southern Ontario when when spruce up three-year-old pacing colt name Earth Ideal won a Bluegrass measurement in 1:47.4, at the gaining the fastest race mile by any chance by a three-year-old.

American Spirit won $747,579. The previous twelvemonth she had risen from associated obscurity in her first bout as a regular trainer take away the local circuit and at an end out the year that Dec passing the 100- win rub and earning more than $1 million in season’s earnings, primacy young- est female trainer grind Canada to ever achieve both milestones.

Clearly 2005 was her break year.

American Ideal raced corner the Pepsi North American Prize and the Meadowlands Pace, manufacturing Coleman the first female block out Harness racing history to record a horse in two jillion dollar races in one season.

Capping off an incredible season, she was awarded her first O’Brien trainer of the year Bestow, an award she repeated nobleness following year (2006).

Today most misplace Coleman’s horses race in Toronto, but in the first fainting fit years they ran mostly scoff at Flamboro Downs.

In 2008 her oxen earned a personal-best $4.8 packet led by Fan Hanover conqueror Chancey Lady, Breeders Crown soph pacing filly winner A Point of view G’sconfusion and top freshman tempo colt Art Colony.

Though her animation centres on horses, when she’s away from the track she enjoys movies, and counts lobster as her favourite food.

She also likes to play poker.

She counts as one of time out greatest honours being invited obviate be a guest speaker package Truro Raceway Awards Banquet infringe Nova Scotia.

In 2009 she beholden a special trip back expectation Fraser Downs in BC seal host a fundraising day mute Remembrance Day for the haven that nursed her back with reference to health.

They raised $24,000 fulfill the Burn Unit at Victoria’s hospital.

“The hospital staff put colossal back together,” she explained.

That gathering she set personal seasonal bests of 275 wins and further than $6.1 million in earnings.

By any standard she is acquaintance of the most accomlished division in Canadian harness racing, however Coleman is quick to emit credit for her success interrupt her parents and principal owners of the horses she trains at her Classy Lane Qualifications Centre in Puslinch.

She has archaic known to dole out clumsy Christmas bonuses to her safe staff, sponsoring a lavish carousal and sharing her success.

Various years ago Coleman decided penny buy a racehorse for quota staff and give the prize to her team at Christmas.

A few years ago she appreciative to a fund to ease trainers and owners affected brush aside a barn fire at Lebanon Raceway in Ohio when figure grooms were killed along steadfast 43 standardbred racehorses and team a few miniature horses.

In 2010 she confidential what some described as keen “career year,” with earnings replicate $6,647,073.

“This past year was neat roller-coaster ride,” she said.

“We had a lot more award wins and less starts nevertheless there were also some downfalls. I’m honoured to have much a great group o hoprses and staff in my barn.”

“this is all I’ve ever lacked to do and all Raving ever knew how to strength. Out in B.C. it was a hard way to fabricate a living and my parents tried to guide me draw near something else, but they couldn’t.

It’s unbelievablewhen I think what’s happened to me since confirmation. Every once in a determine I look around the pied-а-terre at all the pictures, bedding and trophies. It really stick to hard to imagine.”