Edmonton native’s horses in Kentucky Derby
He’s captured the Queen’s Plate and been victorious at the Breeders’ Cup. But Charles Fipke’s ultimate thrill in horse racing would be celebrating in the winner’s circle at the $2-million-US Kentucky Derby.
On Saturday, the 66-year-old geologist, an Edmonton native, will send two horses postcard in the 139th Run for The Roses at Churchill Downs.
“It’s the most prestigious race in North America, so it’s got to be on your radar,” Fipke said. “It was great to win the Queen’s Plate, but it’s much more challenging to win the Kentucky Derby because you’re dealing with horses from North America, not just Canadian-breds.
“It’s really hard to just get a horse into that race.”
Golden Soul, a three-yearold colt that got into the Derby with the defection of two horses earlier this week, will break from post No. 4 as an early 50-1 long-shot. Fipke’s other horse, Java’s War, will go from the No. 19 hole in the 20-horse field at early 15-1 odds.
Orb, the 7-2 favourite, drew the post No. 16 while unbeaten Verrazano, the 4-1 second choice, will start from the No. 14 spot.
Fipke graduated in 1970 from the University of British Columbia with a Bachelor of Science (honours) geology degree. In 1991, Fipke discovered the existence of diamonds in the Northwest Territories that led to the establishment of the Ekati Mine in 1998.
Fipke owns a 10-per-cent share of the mine, which accounts for four per cent of the world’s diamond production. In 2006, he donated $6 million to UBC to support the creation of a centre for innovative research.
Fipke bought his first thoroughbred in 1981 and in 2008 won the Queen’s Plate with Not Bourbon and Hall of Fame trainer Roger Attfield. Three years later, Fipke’s Perfect Shirl claimed the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf at Churchill Downs as a stunning 27-1 long-shot with Attfield as the conditioner.
Fipke has run a horse in the Kentucky Derby before. In 2008, Tale of Ekati — named after his famous mine — finished fourth but taught Fipke a valuable lesson.
“I was very disappointed and since then I try not to get too into my own horse,” he said. “For every race you win, you lose a lot more and as soon as you start to get too confident you get cut right down to size and get really humbled.”
Fipke said the key to success in both geology and horse racing remains the same: patience.
“I’ve been in horse racing over 30 years,” he said. “And when it takes more than 25 years to get a horse like Tale of Ekati, it shows that if you are persistent you can achieve anything.”
Fipke not only owns Golden Soul and Java’s War but also bred both.
“I’m not sure the best horse always wins,” Fipke said. “You can get boxed in so you have to be a bit lucky at the Derby. “You always dream about winning races, but I find it tends to happen when you don’t expect it to.”