Carol McIntyre’s introduction to Quarter Horse racing came on fast and furious.
It was a little over 10 years ago when McIntyre and her husband Dave took the plunge to buy their first horse on the advice of a friend, who just happened to be one of Ajax Downs’ top horsemen, Greg Watson.
“We were living in Ajax, near the track and Dave was friends with Greg,’ said McIntyre. “He was always suggesting we buy a horse.”
Sure, McIntyre admits that as a young girl she dreamed of having a horse but she “had nothing to do with horses” when they bought a yearling in 2005 from breeders Joyce and Erik Lehtinen and Gayle Sommer who was originally headed to a sale in Oklahoma.
The Ontario bred filly with quick-sounding name of Into Fast, was by the top class stallion and champion Heza Fast Man from Into Cash, by Louisiana Slew. She had some very recognizable bloodlines to even the most recreational racing fan; her dam’s grandsire was the brilliant Thoroughbred Seattle Slew, an American Triple Crown winner.
“Greg told us she was a really nice filly so we sent her up to his place (Full Circle Racing Stable),” said McIntyre, who at the time had nowhere to put a horse.
That would change pretty quickly once Into Fast started to prove Watson right.
After just two starts as a juvenile, Into Fast was laid up for the year with a pastern injury but she wasted little time showing her stuff on the track.
In her first race as a 3-year-old, after 10 months away from the races, trainer Watson had her ready go as she finished second in a Speed Index Trial race at 330 yards, posting a 98 speed index. She promptly won the SI final in her next start with a 95 speed index.
Into Fast went on to win seven more races in the next two seasons including the final of an Ontario-bred Derby in the fall of 2007 and two stakes trials in 2008.
She was named the Horse of the Year in 2007 and High-Point Three-year-Old Filly and was High-Point Older Mare the following season.
She retired with eight career wins, five seconds and two thirds in 20 starts and earnings of $97,518.
We thought, ‘wow, this is easy’,” laughed McIntyre. By the time the filly was retired, the couple had already purchased 50 acres in Hampton, ON. They built a house and a barn and in a matter of a few years their newly christened Big Dog Stable had 26 horses on the property.
“I went from never handling a horse to pulling a baby out of a mare in a matter of a few years,” said McIntyre, who enjoys being completely immersed in the horse and barn work.
The horse population is a bit smaller at Big Dog these days with 15 horses on the property but the McIntyres have owned and bred plenty of good winners.
Into Fast is still a cherished member of the horse family, producing foals for the McIntyres. Two of them, the 4-year-old filly Down on Cash, a two-time winner, and 3-year-old Coco Bean, are expected to race in 2016.
“The 3-year-old, she only had one start last year and was bumped really hard at the start,” said McIntyre. “We hope to have her racing this year.”
Of all the horses they have owned and bred, Into Fast was the one who started it all, the horse who changed their life.
“It was awesome watching her run, she was a machine. She is big, solid girl, classy and she’s all about business.”
Hopefully for the McIntyres the filly who started it all will continue to bless them with more good business in the future
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