Brave Miner
From AlexBrownRacing
Contents |
Brave Miner's story
Brave Miner was a beautiful 13 yr old Chestnut gelding currently racing at Hoosier Park. Since 2000, a volunteer at Canter-MI has been trying to obtain him. It seems his current owner wants to see this horse get into the Racing Hall of Fame by winning a certain amount of races (I think it's 40?). He has ankles the size of melons and has had a fractured hock. In his racing history, he has broken a track record, has won stakes and allowance races and is now running at the $4,000 claiming level. He runs in races about every other week. His last race on 6/15 was a win. OWNER/TRAINER Paul Powers
Unfortunately, Brave Miner will not win the number of races his owner was planning. Those "ankles the size of melons" finally gave way. October 13, 2007, was his last race. He raced at Hoosier Park in the 4th race, and came in last of 10 horses. His name was called only once during the race. He broke an ankle ... and was euthanized.
Brave Miner started 132 times with 31 wins, 18 seconds, and 19 thirds. He made $340,295.00. He was a stakes winner, track record holder and raced on the dirt and turf.
What he meant to a fan in her own words
I first laid eyes upon Brave Miner in 1999. It was opening year of TB racing at Great Lakes Downs in Muskegon, Michigan, and being a lifelong fan of the "sport of kings", I was thrilled to have live racing only 45 minutes from my home. He was larger than life to me...a gleaming chestnut that exuded confidence, class, and dignity. I could only dream of owning a horse like him.
The following year, I became involved with CANTER-Michigan. The Communication Alliance to Network Thoroughbred Ex-Racehorses was only 3 years old at the time,having been started by JoAnne Normile in 1997 when TB racing took place at Detroit Race Course. CANTER is now one of the leading organizations that transitions TB racehorses off the track when their racing careers have ended.
By 2000,I was on the backside of the track going through the shedrows to take listings for the owners and trainers. Brave Miner was now 6 years old and had accumulated 18W, including 4 black type, from 48 starts on dirt and turf, going long and short. He was extraordinarily beautiful, even more so up close, but the wear and tear on his body was already evident. I had never seen ankles that large and mishapen. I was becoming acutely aware of the fate of so many racing TB's, so I made myself and Brave Miner a promise that I would take him from the track before his body and spirit were broken beyond repair.
Over the next 7 years, from 2000 to 2007, I watched and waited...making frequent requests and monetary offers for Brave Miner. On two occassions, I was promised him only to have the first promise broken when he was sold to yet another racing owner/trainer.
Now it's the fall of 2007, and the courageous gelding has run an incredible 131 times and has stuffed his connections' wallets with over $340,000.00 from 31 wins, 18 seconds, and 19 thirds. But in his last several races, as a 13 year old with tired and hurting legs, he has struggled to come in anything better than last.
October of 2007, and the second promise made to me by his current owner was one race away...only one more race and I could take him home! It didn't matter to me that he no longer possessed the physical beauty as when I first laid eyes on him 8 long years ago. I just wanted to take him from the place where he had been the best, but due to human greed, had become the place where he was stripped of everything he once was.
At Hoosier Park, on October 13, Brave Miner ran in his 132nd start. As I watched the replay through partially closed eyes with the sound turned down to barely audible, I heard his name called only once and never saw him cross the finish line. Competing against much younger horses, he finished last out of ten.
Brave Miner broke bones this time that would never be repaired nor could ever heal. He was euthanized that Saturday evening. Human greed had taken from this amazing creature...one with a heart that few can comprehend and even fewer appreciate...EVERYTHING he had willingly given.
My promise to Brave Miner is broken and so is my heart. But the pain I feel is nothing in comparison to the pain and suffering he endured. There were enough opportunities to retire this gelding and give him a chance to live, but instead, his "people" dug his grave and ran him into it.
Brave Miner's story has no neat and pretty ending...but then, neither did his life.
Pedigree
Stats
| In North America / USA |
|---|
| Year | Age | Starts | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Earnings (USA$) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | $125 |
| 1997 | 3 | 12 | 6 (1) | 2 | 1 | $97,865 |
| 1998 | 4 | 14 | 4 (3) | 3 | 2 | $104,092 |
| 1999 | 5 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 1 | $27,470 |
| 2000 | 6 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 2 | $26,249 |
| 2001 | 7 | 14 | 2 | 2 | 4 | $14,298 |
| 2002 | 8 | 12 | 3 | 3 | 0 | $14,945 |
| 2003 | 9 | 13 | 2 | 2 | 2 | $9,860 |
| 2004 | 10 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 2 | $8,171 |
| 2005 | 11 | 11 | 2 | 2 | 1 | $16,810 |
| 2006 | 12 | 13 | 2 | 1 | 1 | $14,179 |
| 2007 | 13 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | $5,760 |
| Totals | 125 | 31 (4) | 18 | 19 | $339,824 |
| Turf Record |
|---|
| Year | Age | Starts | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | $6,455 |
| 2005 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | $91 |
| 2006 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | $93 |
| Totals | Turf | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | $6,639 |
(BlkType)
Minimum Winning Distance: 4 furlongs
Maximum Winning Distance: 1 1/8M
Average Winning Distance: 6.16 furlongs
In North America / USA
Blacktype Total Blacktype: 4 wins, 3 seconds, 2 thirds
Fin Pos Year Country Track Race Name Currency in country of origin
(Purse--Value Of Race--Earnings)
1 1997 USA DET Mackinac H. -R (50,000-50,000-30,000)
1 1998 USA DET Frontier H. -R (50,000-50,000-30,000)
1 1998 USA DET Motor City H. (30,000-31,440-19,440)
1 1998 USA DET Livonia H. (27,500-28,737-18,562)
2 1998 USA DET Michigan Breeders' Governor's Cup H. -R (50,000-52,850-10,000)
2 1997 USA DET Dowling S. -R (50,000-50,000-10,000)
2 1997 USA DET Spartan H. -R (45,000-45,000-9,000)
3 1997 USA DET Farmington Hills H. (27,500-27,500-3,025)
3 1998 USA DET Wolverine S. -R (45,000-45,000-4,950)
MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION
1999 USA GLD Set new track record 6.5 furlongs in 1:20.77
Brave Miner
Chestnut Gelding by Mining (84) -- Bold Sheshe (80) by Bold Reason (68) -- Bred in MI by Robert
Miller & Delphine Miller (Feb 27, 1994)
