Gotta Love Bertram Winner Lovemelikethat
Lovemelikethat and rider Julie Veltman were no surprise with another outstanding performance in the $100,000-added Sterlie Bertram Memorial Final Saturday, Oct. 8 during an all-Quarter Horse Stakes day at Hoosier Park. Bertram’s friends and family, including his widow, Kay, was on hand to help with the trophy presentation for the third running of the event.
Starting from post four, Lovemelikethat broke well without any incident. The three-year-old daughter of Likenothinyoueversaw found a gear early and led the field of 10 to the finish line in a time of :17.886 seconds. Stole N Loot and jockey Aron Hunt were one length back in second followed by Bitter Sweet Song and Rodney Prescott, who got nosed out at the wire to finish third.
“She (Lovemelikethat) is just an awesome horse,” said Veltman. “She broke pretty good, but with her it doesn’t really matter. You can put her anywhere and she’ll find her way through.”
Lovemelikethat is now four for six in 2011. The Indiana-bred filly has accumulated more than $186,000 in career earnings for owner Cooter Daniel.
John McCreary, who trains, continues to have a big meet at Hoosier Park this season, picking up his second win on the day with Lovemelikethat. McCreary’s other win was with Shez So Rare, ridden by Shanley Jackson, in a division of trials for the Miss Roxie Little Futurity. Shez So Rare turned in the fastest qualifying trial for the event with a time of :17.832.
“She (Lovemelikethat) just runs her heart out every time,” said McCreary. “I’m blessed to have such a great filly, and blessed to be associated with such great people. Everyone gets along with her. I just told Julie (Veltman) to ride her like she’s yours. She’s a great jockey and has a good heart.”
Veltman also connected for two wins on the 11-race program dedicated to the sprinters. She also rallied home aboard Smart Visions in the sixth race, one of four trials for the Miss Roxie Little Futurity. The final of the $100,000 Miss Roxie Little Futurity is set for closing weekend Saturday, Oct. 22. It will be accompanied by the $100,000 final of the Governor’s Stake as well as the $75,000 QHRAI Derby. The day will also include a stick horse race from the gates featuring Hoosier Park’s Quarter Horse jockeys.
The stick horses were auctioned off at the QHRAI Dinner following racing Saturday, Oct. 8. The winning bidders had naming rights for their horses as well as the right to name their own jockeys. All proceeds from the event will go to jockey Richard Gilliard, who was seriously injured at Hoosier Park earlier in the meet.
Hoosier Park’s jockeys also supported fellow rider Jacky Martin, who was paralyzed in a fall at Ruidoso Downs in early September. The entire nation rallied behind Martin on Saturday to show their support through different activities. Hoosier Park’s jockeys all wore Jacky’s name on their boots.
“It’s just a way to show our support for Jacky (Martin),” said Veltman. “We all got together and agreed we would do this today.”
Veltman knows what it is like to be sidelined. She has had her share of injuries while riding, including a bad break to her ankle in 2005 that has caused her to create a special boot for her to ride in. Veltman rides with a custom made boot for her left leg complete with a zipper from her ankle to the top of her boot in the back to accommodate her old injury.
A native of Michigan, Veltman has always fared well in the standings at Hoosier Park. She earned the leading Quarter Horse title in 2005 and adds the Sterlie Bertram Memorial to an impressive list of stakes wins from the track. She also connected with Lovemelikethat in the 2010 $100,000 Miss Roxie Little Futurity Final. Veltman has seven career stakes wins at Hoosier Park.
Lovemelikethat with jockey Julie Veltman
winning the Sterlie Bertram Memorial
Photo by Linscott Photography