'Opportunity' Knocks Once More for Todd

After a smart win by Opportunistic (Sky Mesa) at Hastings Park Monday evening, it's hard to blame longtime owner Glen Todd for perhaps catching a case of Derby fever.

But for this native of British Columbia, the Derby that he really wants to win will be held on the second Saturday in September in Western Canada.

“I think I've won every stakes race at Hastings Park, except the [GIII] BC Derby,” said Todd, a third-generation horse owner. “It's sort of the last one that's left on my shopping list. I really want to win it badly. I've tried hard, but have finished second, third, fourth, second, second, third… To be honest, I can't even remember them all. But I know I've had too many seconds and too many thirds!”

Opportunistic, co-owned by Dr. Mark DeDomenico, certainly has the credentials to give Todd that elusive win after capturing his third straight tally in the Pacific Northwest earlier this week. A $75,000 maiden-claiming winner at Santa Anita for Hall of Famer Jerry Hollendorfer at fourth asking, the bay has been perfect since a sixth-place finish in the grassy Singletary S. in Arcadia in May.

Opportunistic captured the Chris Loseth H. in his local debut for trainer Troy Taylor at Hastings July 1, then added the Emerald Downs Derby for conditioner Mike Puhich July 31. The $20,000 KEENOV weanling and $50,000 KEESEP yearling established himself as the horse to beat in the Sept. 10 British Columbia Derby with a popular tally back with Taylor in the Sir Winston Churchill Derby Trial H. at Hastings Aug. 22.

“I don't know of anybody that's going to come that we haven't beaten already,” said Todd, who owns approximately 85 head. “But it's a horse race, right? Anything can happen. I think we're going in there as the favorite, but I've gone into that race as the favorite before and gotten beat.”

Todd has had more than his share of close calls with beaten favorites. Hoist (Mineshaft), purchased privately by Todd's North American Thoroughbred Horse Company Inc. off a Saratoga allowance win, was part of three-horse entry, favored at 2-5, to carry Todd's colors in the 2012 renewal. Hoist finished third that day, while his stablemates were second and fourth. Sir Gallovic (Victory Gallop) was a troubled third as the 6-5 favorite for Todd in 2007; Texas Wildcatter (Monarchos) was third as the 6-5 chalk in 2008; and Cherokee Notion (Black Minnaloushe) also completed the trifecta as the 8-5 favorite in 2010.

Todd, chairman of Pacific Customs Brokers Ltd. and ABC Customs Brokers Ltd., enjoyed one of his biggest wins as an owner with Taylor Said (Stephanotis) in the 2012 GIII Longacres Mile H. at Emerald Downs. He also made some other headlines earlier that spring after jockey Mario Gutierrez secured the first of his two GI Kentucky Derby wins.

“Mario came to Canada from Mexico City and arrived with only a black garbage bag and that was for his clothing,” Todd explained. “I put him on a horse one day–he was a bug boy–and the horse won. I put him on another horse a couple of days later and it won…I put him on another one…etc. He got really red-hot the first year he came here. He started making some money and really didn't have anyone to look out for him. I took him in and he actually lived with me for a couple of years. Nobody was more proud of him than I was [after winning the Derby with I'll Have Another]. He's a good kid.”

Now Todd has a Derby of his own to win.