by Greg Gangle, WEG Communications

Campbellville, ON — When Jenni Judin takes part in the Exhibition Under Saddle Trot on Monday (August 6) at Mohawk, the 24-year-old will feel right at home.

Judin, who will ride Youlneverwalkalone, will take part in the second Exhibition Under Saddle Trot event held this summer at Mohawk. The one-mile dash will take place as a non-wagering race following the fifth race.

Judin, who is a caretaker at the Blair Burgess stable, cares for Youlneverwalkalone everyday.

“I’ve been working for Blair for about a year now and I jog her (Youlneverwalkalone) on horseback pretty much every day,” Judin said. “At Blair’s farm, there are a few horses that we ride on horseback just to mix things up a little and get a change of scenery.”

Judin and Youlneverwalkalone contested in the first Under Saddle Exhibition Trot on Canada Day earlier this month, but the 4-year-old daughter of Kadabra made a break in stride.

“I know I can win it this time,” she laughed. “I’m pretty good friends with some of the other riders, so it would be nice to beat them. It should be another fun race.”

Judin is no stranger to horses; she was born and raised in the business in her native Finland.

“My family has always had horses and it’s quite common to ride trotters on horseback back home,” she said. “It’s nothing new to me, that’s for sure.”

Judin, who has been working for Burgess since she came to Canada one year ago, will be heading home in the near future to return to school where she will study to become a Paramedic.

“I have completed two years back home,” Judin said. “I decided to take a year off and come to Canada because that’s always something that I wanted to do. I have one year left of school, so I will be going back soon to complete it.”

At the age of 19, Judin also volunteered to join the army in Finland for one full year.

“In Finland, it’s mandatory for boys to do one year’s service, but not females,” Judin said. “I decided to volunteer and support my country.”

Despite her hectic lifestyle, Judin always manages to make time for horses and harness racing.

“It’s so much fun,” she said. “I get to wake up every morning and do something I love. How do you beat that?”

When the field of eight lines up behind the gate on August 6, Judin will look to Finn-ish ahead of her competition.

The field will line up as follows:

Baba Ghanouj–Andrea Lindsay
New Dice Please–Marie Brooking
Come And Play–Marit Valstad
Hour Lavec–Samantha Hirst
First Flower–Anita Valstad
I’ve Got It All–Marielle Enberg
As Ya’ll Like It–Emily Hughes
Youlneverwalkalone–Jenni Judin

A ‘Star’ is born?

The Whenuwishuponastar Series, which features rookie filly pacers, can also be referred to as the “Robert McIntosh Series.”

Since it was renamed the Whenuwishuponastar series in 2002 (previously named Maiden Series), the Windsor conditioner has captured the event five times with Remember When (2002), Art’s Risk (2004) and the past three years with You See L A (2009), Strike An Attitude (2010) and Shelliscape (2011).

Not to mention, McIntosh also trained Whenuwishuponastar, who retired with $578,752 in earnings and was voted Canada’s 2-year-old pacing filly of the year in 1996.

On Thursday evening at Mohawk, McIntosh will look to capture the C$50,000 final again when he sends out Parlee Beach and Breathtakingbeauty.

Parlee Beach, a homebred daughter of Somebeachsomewhere-Countryview Miss, captured the first leg of the series in 1:54.2, but did not participate in the second round.

“She came up a little bit sick,” McIntosh said. “It was nothing serious, but we had to address it. She trained well the other day and she’s ready to go.”

Randy Waples will steer the bay, who remains a perfect two-for-two to start her career with $18,710 in the bank.

“She was one of my top fillies training down all winter,” McIntosh said. “She didn’t do a thing wrong and she’s heavily staked, more than the other one (Breathtakingbeauty). She’s a serious filly.”

With a career-best clocking of 1:53.4, Parlee Beach will begin from post three in race eight on Thursday evening for owner/breeder Pat Ryan.

Breathtakingbeauty, a homebred daughter of Ponder-Breathtacular, has posted two consecutive runner-up finishes to start her rookie campaign.

“She’s getting better with every start,” McIntosh said. “She’s been a bit of a surprise. I always thought she was a nice filly, but she’s turning out to be a little better than I thought.

“She likes the big track,” McIntosh continued. “I trained her all winter on my track, which is a half-mile, but the day I baby-raced her I was really impressed. Then in her first start, she came home in :26 and a piece and I was really happy with that effort.”

The bay filly has banked $12,250 and will begin from post four for McIntosh, who co-owns and bred the pacing miss with CSX Stables.

McIntosh, who has trained the winners of more than $76 million, won’t overlook this year’s talented field.

“It’s a strong group of fillies,” he said. “Love Canal looks like a top, top filly, but a lot of it comes down to racing luck, especially with young horses.”

The field for the C$50,000 final will line up as follows:

1. U Luv The Nitelife–TBA
2. Charisma Hanover–Roger Mayotte
3. Parlee Beach–Randy Waples
4. Breathtakingbeauty–TBA
5. Social Scene–Paul MacDonell
6. Canary Island–Rick Zeron
7. Mattie Terror Girl–Sylvain Filion
8. Love Canal–Jody Jamieson
9. Belle Boyd–Carl Jamieson
10. L Dees Lioness–Scott Zeron