Canadian-bred horse named after Mark Messier chasing history at Kentucky Derby
At 0h29, on May 4, 2022 • By NEWSROOM
Back in May of 1994, Hockey Hall of Fame legend Mark Messier made one of the boldest guarantees in sports. With the New York Rangers facing elimination in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Final against the New Jersey Devils, the captain guaranteed his team would win and force a deciding Game 7.
Twenty-eight years after Messier and his Rangers made good on the promise, a thoroughbred named in his honour will be one of 20 entrants in the annual Run for the Roses at Churchill Downs on May 7.
Canadian-bred racehorse, this son of Empire Maker has never finished worse than second in his six career starts, which include four graded stakes races, and his 103 Beyer speed figure is tied with Taiba for the highest in the field.
Messier is trained by Tim Yakteen and will be ridden by John R. Velazquez. Velazquez won the Derby in 2020 on Authentic. Messier would be just the third Canadian-bred horse to win the Derby after Northern Dancer did it in 1964 and Sunny’s Halo won in 1983.
