Dobson's mini-stable does itself proud

FORT ERIE, Ontario - Trainer Kim Dobson, who has 5 wins from 11 starts at the meeting, had no intention of continuing her vocation after the 2005 meeting here at Fort Erie concluded. She had 2 wins from 25 starts for that meet.

"It wasn't a good year and I didn't have anything worth keeping," said Dobson, 45. "I sold my horses."

Dobson, who has a school-age daughter, believed that she could fulfill her role of mother better by working at another job.

"I looked around at real jobs and found out this was still the best option for me," said Dobson.

"Self-employed, if you're sick you can still govern your days. I decided to come back and try once more."

Dobson, who came into racing from the world of show horses, was engaged to be married to the respected Fort Erie trainer David Schmidt when he was killed in a stall by a bucking horse in January of 2004. The couple had worked together for eight years.

Dobson has but two horses - Beneficio and Flying Canuck. She claimed both of them this meeting.

"I claimed Beneficio at the end of May," she said. "I gave him a month off. He had a few problems. I wanted to get him on my program."

On July 1, Beneficio ran fourth in his first start for Dobson as owner and trainer. In his next five starts, Beneficio recorded four wins and a second, and the loss came by a nose.

On Tuesday, Beneficio finished fourth in his seventh start for Dobson.

"He's through for the year," said Dobson, after Beneficio's out-of-the-money finish. "He really didn't like the [muddy] footing. He's tired. He gave me a 110 percent every race."

Dobson plans to enter the other half of her stable, Flying Canuck, in a race on Monday.

"I've run Flying Canuck four times," said Dobson. "His first race he was beat 21 lengths. He came back and ran third. Then he won. Last time he was third."

Cone saddles two longshots

Trainer Rod Cone scored with two longshots on Tuesday - Trigone ($49) in the first, and Fancy Forever ($17.40) in the eighth.

Trigone, a first-time starter, won by five lengths in a maiden $10,000 claimer for 2-year-olds.

"He's just a big 2-year-old that we've been babying all year," said Cone. "His knees wouldn't close. We've been holding off and holding off.

"I bought him out of a field in Ocala in February - pretty cheap."

Fancy Forever was a recent buy from the barn of Woodbine trainer Josie Carroll.

King takes riding crown

Rob King Jr. heads into the final four days of the meet with an insurmountable lead of 32 wins in the jockey standings. He has 109 winners and closest to him is Cory Clark with 77.

King will ride at Woodbine after the Fort Erie meet ends.

"I'm ecstatic how the year went," said King, moved his tack from Woodbine to ride here.

King bought a house here and plans to ride at the Fort again next year. He had a big day Saturday, winning four races.