Darcy Peltier met the beautiful dark bay Quarter Horse mare Cerveza when he was a groom for the late Sandra Laszlo a little more than half a dozen years ago. It was a meeting that, in his mind, was meant to occur as Cerveza has been the horse that has paved the career path for the 30-year-old Peltier.
An animal lover since he can remember, Peltier, who is from Ridgetown, ON, worked with all sorts of critters at a zoo before he followed up on an on-line ad to work with horses in King, ON.
He worked with the mares and foals, Quarter Horse and Thoroughbreds, of Darlene and Rene Hunderup at Norse Ridge Farm for three years before joining the team of the successful Laszlo stable.
Cerveza, an Ontario bred by Corona for Me, won seven races from 2008 to 2011 including various allowance and trial dashes. As her groom, Peltier had built a special bond with the mare and when Laszlo passed away in the fall of 2011, Peltier bought Cerveza for himself.
“I was trying to buy another horse, I was interested in getting into the breeding part,” said Peltier. “But the deal for that other horse didn’t work out. I bought Cerveza off Sandra’s husband Richard and I really think it was meant to be."
While Cerveza just missed getting into the winner’s circle for Peltier in two more seasons of racing, she did some good earning, got over the $100,000 in career money and then was bred to Mr Jess Tex at DK Training Centre in 2014.
The resulting foal, a filly, Peltier hopes will race next season.
In order to pay for his new venture into Quarter Horse breeding, Peltier sold his handful of racehorses at the end of 2015 and works in construction when he is not looking after his horses.
“I downsized for now, try to make some money to build my career in racing. I have learned a lot from people like Sandra, Stan Webb and my two friends Jim McInerney and Michelle Woodley. But Cerveza has given me everything to become a trainer and hopefully her first foal is going to run next year.”
In the meantime, when Ajax begins its season next month you will see Peltier at the races most days lending a hand to other owners and trainers and enjoying the sport he loves.
“I have always had a love for speed, that adrenaline rush,” said Peltier. “That’s why I love Quarter Horse racing so much and I enjoy helping out.”
Keep an eye out for the personable Peltier at Ajax Downs this season and get ready to cheer on Cerveza’s first foal in 2017.
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