Trainer Mike Nault Looking Forward to Big Year
Grooms Brittany Bergen (left), Charlotte (centre) and Olive Johnston with former champion 2-year-old Diamond Digger in trainer Mike Nault's barn. Note those smiles! (George Williams photo)
25-horse stable includes both stakes winners and well-bred 2-year-olds
There are over 200 horses on the grounds already and we’re still 52 days away from opening day!
Trainers with horses on the grounds include Mike Nault, Shelley Brown, Wendy Anderson, Devon Gittens, Steve Gaskin, Blair Miller, Mike Taphorn, Larry Cizik, Tiffany Husbands, Curtis Maxwell, Ryan Desjarlais, Wendy Anderson, Jennifer Jordan, Lise Pruitt, Carl Anderson, Courtney Ross and Elton Dickey. Whew!
And there’s probably more!
Numerous trainers will have powerful stables this year, and that group includes Mike Nault, who not only has a great bunch of horses, but also an excellent crew that includes grooms Brittany Bergen and sisters Charlotte and Olive Johnston.
Nault had another big year in 2022 training for major owners True North Thoroughbreds and A2 Thoroughbreds and he’s hoping for more of the same this season with 25 horses that include seven well-bred youngsters along with stakes winners like Lady Cop and It’sthattime. The former won the Debutante and Osiris Stakes last year and the latter won the R.J. Speers and Elite Mercedes Stakes.
Nault will also have triple stakes winner Diamond Digger back in action at Assiniboia Downs this year. The 4-year-old Violence gelding only started twice last year, once at Santa Anita and once at Assiniboia Downs, before being give the year off to recover from a minor injury. Diamond Digger was the dominant 2-year-old at the Downs in 2021, winning the Graduation Stakes, the Osiris Stakes and the Winnipeg Futurity.
“He’s training great,” said Nault. “Who knows what kind of horse he could be. We’ll see’”
Dancinginthecreek, the sales topper at the 2022 Manitoba CTHS Yearling Sale, is among the five yearlings purchased by Nault's clients in the local sale, and he is also training well. The gelding by Kentucky Bear-Midnight Shadow by Trajectory is a full brother to 2022 CTHS Sales Stakes winner I Love My Life and a half-brother to multiple local champion Langara.
Trainer Mike Nault (left) exercising Dancinginthecreek, the sales topper in the 2022 CTHS Manitoba Yearling Sale. The 2-year-old gelding by Kentucky Bear-Midnight Shadow by Trajectory, was bred by Kelly Halliday and purchased by Garry Naherniak at the sale for $25,000. (George Williams photo)
Nault has been on the rise in the training ranks for the past five years, although he’s had his trainer’s license since 2000. Last year, he compiled a record of 17-9-11 from 72 starts, winning at a 24 percent clip and garnering purses of $215,241.
As always, if a trainer has talent, they will only get better as the years go by, especially if the right stock comes along. Owners like A2 Thoroughbreds, True North Thoroughbreds and Garry Naherniak, have made sure of that for Nault.
And he’s made the most of it.
Mike Nault talking to sales topper Dancinginthecreek. (George Williams photo)
