It’s not often that mention of wind chill factor would bring a smile to any Minnesotan’s face but Saturday at Delta Downs it took on a much more important meaning for fans of racing in this state. Wind Chill Factor, a 2-year-old filly bred in Louisiana by the late Camelia Casby, dominated in the $150,000 Louisiana Jewel restricted to state breds at one mile on the main track. CHART
Wind Chill Factor began her racing career at Canterbury this summer, winning her debut by more than three lengths. She followed that up with a third at Keeneland. Bettors liked her enough in the Louisiana Jewel to bet her down to 6 to 5. You will find a link to the race video HERE. Wind Chill Factor is #5.
Wind Chill Factor, now owned by Al and Bill Ulwelling and her trainer Gary Scherer, is out of Cam’s stakes winning race mare Shakopee. The same mare that produced Breezy Point, Polar Plunge, Warm Heart (currently racing in New York) and a MN-bred yearling named Mdewakanton.
The next step for this filly will be determined by the connections and to be sure there is plenty of Louisiana bred money to be made with a quality filly but the temptation has to be there to entertain the possibility of the Fair Grounds Oaks in the spring and a chance at the main stage in Kentucky in May.
Wind Chill Factor likely would have been a Minnesota bred but the breeding was planned and decisions made before the Mystic Lake deal when the Minnesota Breeders Fund was laid to waste. Cam loved Minnesota racing and supported it. But she also was a shrewd business woman and Louisiana opportunities at that time out distanced those available to breeders in Minnesota. But Cam’s dedication to racing in her home state was evidenced by Wind Chill Factor’s maiden win in Shakopee.
Cam’s passing in October was a huge loss. Not only because she left behind so many friends who cherished time spent with her, but because she did support racing in Minnesota and she strived for quality. Wind Chill Factor is a real racehorse. Cam would be proud. So should we all.
