(PHOTO - BRIAN SAMIS tells OR about Structure Fire. Here he is with his current star, the 2-year-old Quarter Horse Home to Vegas, undefeated in 2016. Photo by Laurie Overton)
Structure Fire started the ball rolling for Brian Samis and his career in horse racing several years ago. Now Samis, who lives in Port Perry, ON, owns one of the top 2-year-old Quarter Horses in the country.
Samis, an electrician by trade, began his career with horses in Thoroughbred racing at Woodbine when he was a teenager. He moved into Standardbreds once he began working as the races are ususally held at night. In his first few years as an owner, Samis raced horses at some of the smaller tracks in Ontario, such as Barrie and Kawartha Downs. He came upon Structure Fire about a decade ago.,
“We bought Structure Fire from some Amish people in Ohio,” said Samis, who owned the son of Amigo Hall with partners Gary and Trevor Lance. “We had raced his sister and we had become friendly with the people; they asked if we wanted to buy him.”
A foal of 2006, Structure Fire had a knack for winning races and was good enough to win events at the Ontario Sires Stakes level.
“He propelled us to another level of owning horses,’” said Samis. “We were racing at smaller tracks but he took us to the bigger ones.”
Structure Fire, a big, jet black gelding, went on to win almost $200,000 for Samis and his partners before he was returned to the Amish family who cared for him in his retirement.
“He was a really classy fellow,” said Samis.
While the Lance brothers have gone on to continue racing successful Standardbreds, Samis has also had success since he joined Quarter Horse racing two years ago.
“It’s the slogan (for
Ontario Racing), right? ‘3 breeds, one vision’ ,” he said about moving into his third breed of racehorse in the province.
One of Samis’ first Quarter Horse is this year’s unbeaten 2-year-old sensation, Home to Vegas, whom he co-owns with Marie Broadstock. Trained by Bob Broadstock, Home to Vegas won the Ontario Sires Futurity in August and on Sept. 19, won the fastest of three trials for the rich Alex Picov Futurity on Oct. 10.
“I have loved every one of my horses, they have all meant something to me,” he said.
Certainly Structure Fire paved the way for the horse lover to experience some of his greatest thrills in Ontario horse racing.
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