by Frank Salive, for Western Fair Raceway

London, ON — He’s worked with horses for over four decades from his roots in Maritime Canada and can remember a handful of outstanding horses he’s had through his stable in almost two decades of competition in Ontario from a home base near Dundas. Now at age 57 and thinking he’d seen almost all there was to see in the sport, William “Callie” Rankin says having one of his starters set track records in consecutive races is a career first for him.

“Brawn Seelster is an overachiever you might say. I’ve never expected any horse I start to set or tie track records in two straight races,” Rankin offers. “Like any new horse in your barn it took a while to get him completely figured out to where he is now.”

Where the 5-year-old Berndt Hanover-Bambino Rose gelding is now is in the track record charts for Woodstock and Western Fair.

On Woodstock’s closing card of 2007 he was rolled off perfect second-over cover and toppled the top class in 1:56.4 to become the fastest trotter in the Oxford County track’s 56-year history. That was followed up by a 1:56.2 life’s mark pocket trip score in London’s Preferred Trot last Monday. The October 8 effort tied London’s category standard set by R Devilish Dude on the 2007 Molson Pace undercard. It was the ninth win in 26 trips this year and continues the trotter’s career best year with over C$64,000 banked.

“I think he’s shown us he goes just about as fast on a half-mile track as he does on the big tracks,” says Rankin, who shares ownership of Brawn Seelster with Jeff Goreski of Peterborough, Ontario.

Flak jacket factor

Callie Rankin says he’s contemplating wearing a flak jacket, but the one he currently owns is an older model which is stored in his basement.

“I got Brawn Seelster because of my younger brother (Donnie Rankin, Jr.) getting injured last February 19 at Western Fair when he had his chest trampled in an accident by three trailing horses,” Callie explains. “Donnie bought him at Harrisburg and campaigned ‘Brawn’ in 2006 for a mark of 1:57 at Windsor and earnings of about C$30,000. After the accident, while he was recovering, Donnie was looking to sell a few and that’s how Jeff Goreski and I got him.

“Since coming back from the accident Donnie now wears a flak jacket and I’ve seen other guys like Paul MacKenzie wearing the new lightweight models too. I’m considering it.

“For now, I’m just thankful that Donnie gave me the advice that ‘Brawn’ could tend to be on the ‘pacey’ side and to add more weight to him to keep him going as best he can. When I go out first thing in the morning I can tell he hears me coming. He’s a low maintenance horse and everyone here is enjoying having him around.”

The Monday card at Western Fair convenes at 4:00 p.m. and the eighth race is the Preferred Trot for a purse of C$18,400. Brawn Seelster has drawn post four and is the morning line favorite at 5-2 as Rankin seeks a third straight perfect trip and top payday for his current stable star.

Big night for charity

All of the counting is complete from the October 5 Harness The Hope Fundraiser at Western Fair which featured the Mildred Williams International Women’s Driving Series.

Including the drivers’ fees donations from two races, a silent auction, canvassing and displays in the Top Of The Fair and a C$1,000 check presentation from the Ontario Harness Horse Association, the fundraising evening at Western Fair brought in just over C$7,000 for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation.

Saturday nights added

Saturday evening racing through December 29 joins the Western Fair Fall schedule with a premium performance set for October 20. All four championship finals of the 2007 Middlesex County Series will go to the gate bringing the evening’s purse total to almost C$200,000.

In October, Monday and Tuesday post time at Western Fair is 4:00 p.m. and at 7:35 p.m. on Friday and Saturday evenings. Monday post time moves up to 7:35 p.m. on November 5.