50 years of racing at Marquis Downs

Neville Stephenson has spent nearly a decade racing at Marquis Downs.

This year marks the 50th anniversary for Marquis Downs.

Neville Stephenson has been a jockey for more than 15 years – and has spent nearly a decade at Marquis Downs.

He was second on the winnings list last season with $103,342. He can sometimes get a feel for when a horse has a chance to win during the morning workout, he said.

There’s also a bit of danger on the job, he said.

“You’re never safe out on the track. You’re going to fall … You just have to hope for the best when you go out there all the time.”

Courtney Ross is responsible for the training and care of 30 horses every day – and those days often exceed 12 hours. The best part of the job is hanging out with the horses, she said.

Take Turbodine, for example.

“We raised him ourselves … He is the most finicky horse in our barn, but he’s one of the favourites. Everybody seems to love him. Doesn’t miss the board, he’s always in the money.”

The race track opens for the season Friday night, with the post time at 6:30.