Muhammad Ali had Joe Frazier.
Rafael Nadal had Roger Federer.
And Yogi Bear had Mr. Ranger.
Saturday at Century Mile - part of a three-day racing weekend - Big Hug meets Avana in a long awaited rematch in the R.A. ‘Red’ McKenzie Handicap.
“Every sport needs a rivalry,” said Mike Heads, husband of Avana’s trainer Barbara Heads.
“Whether it’s the Calgary Flames and the Edmonton Oilers or Affirmed and Alydar. It’s good for the sport.
“Avana and Big Hug is a good story.”
Horsemen and racing fans have been waiting for this for a long time. Since August 25 of last year for that matter when Avana defeated Big Hug by a length and a quarter in the Northlands Distaff. That was the last and only time that the two powerful mares met.
Since then thoroughbred fans have been anxiously waiting for the rematch.
Saturday’s McKenzie is the race of the year thus far.
“They are finally going to meet again,” said Mike.
Just look what they have both accomplished.
Big Hug has 17 wins in 32 starts - five of the starts against some of the best mares in California where she certainly wasn’t disgraced.
Avana has won 12 of her 16 races.
Big Hug has won 13 stakes races including last year’s McKenzie.
Avana has tallied wins in 10 stakes.
Avana is from B.C. owned by breeder Bryan and Carol Anderson, Rick Decoursey, William Palmer and Denise and Greg Praill and Rick Orman.
Big Hug is from Edmonton owned by Lori and Martin Neyka’s Empire Equestrian and trainer Rick Hedge.
Avana was B.C.’s Horse of The Year two years ago.
Big Hug, bought for just $3,200 at the Alberta Yearling Sale has been Alberta’s Horse of the Year in 2024 and 2025.
“Two elite horses,” said Barb Heads.
“I’m excited. It’s been a very wearing week,” continued Heads, who was pondering whether to run in the McKenzie, or test the older boys in the Spangled Jimmy - the co-feature that attracted a solid - and almost inseparable - field.
“I wish I had a crystal ball to tell you who is going to win.
“Big Hug doesn’t have to prove anything.”
Neither does Avana.
“I wish I had a crystal ball to tell you who is going to win,” said Heads.
So does Hedge.
“I know we can beat Avana but maybe not this weekend. Avana has had a start,” Hedge continued of a huge come-from-the-clouds in the RedTail Landing on May 30.
“Avana came home in a fury,” said Barb. “She’s very comfortable on this track.”
Hedge said Avana having that start is a “big plus” while Big Hug hasn’t raced in eight months.
“If they both had a race under them the race would be a coin toss. But with Avana having run once this year I think you have to give her the edge,” said Hedge, who is known for winning races from off the shelf.
“Big Hug really needed a rest. She had been running nonstop for almost two years.
“And the race is only seven-eighths of a mile. Big Hug wants to go farther.”
It should be noted that the mares Big Hug raced against in California are stellar.
In the January 19 Grade 3 La Canada - Big Hug’s first foray into California - she ran third after running three and four wide.
The La Canada was won by Cavaliere, who went on to win the Wayne Hughes Grade 1 Beholder Mile and the Grade 2 Zenyatta.
Unraced this year, Cavaliere is five-for-five lifetime.
“We only arrived in California two days before the La Canada,” said Hedge. “Everybody told me you have to get acclimated about 10 days before running there which we had planned on doing. But the fires in California moved us back.”
In the Grade 2 Buena Vista, Big Hug was defeated by Liguria and Tirupati. Those two went on to finish first and second in last year’s coveted Gamely stakes. Also in the Buena Vista was Rashmi, who went on to run second in this year’s Gamely.
“Big Hug definitely showed she belonged with those horses,” said Hedge. “And she got into trouble in almost all of her California races.
“You just can’t get into trouble with those horses.”
Both Big Hug and Avana have been training exceptionally well.
Avana will carry top weight of a staggering 129 pounds - three pounds more than she carried in the RedTail Landing; Big Hug, making her first start of the year, will carry 127.
Neither trainer was happy with the weights especially for this early in the year.
“I didn’t know how to take that,” said Barbara. “I felt like it was disrespectful to the horse. I didn’t know if they were trying to send me a message.”
This past Saturday, both horses worked brilliantly.
Big Hug went five furlongs in :57 3/5 which was two full seconds faster than anyone else at that distance.
“Not many horses can go that fast,” said Hedge. “It was a good work.
“I told Raffy (jockey Zenteno Jr.) to let her roll. She needed a big work.”
Avana, on the other hand, worked four furlongs in 47 seconds flat - the fastest time at that distance.
“She did it all on her own and she came out of that work great,” said Barbara.
“She was really sharp.”
Also very, very sharp this past Saturday was Viva La Diva, who is also in the McKenzie. Viva La Diva worked six furlongs in 1:10 4/5.
“I knew she went fast but not that fast,” said Barbara. “It was unbelievable.”
Avana’s stablemate - also trained by Barbara - Viva La Viva might just spoil the Avana/Big Hug showdown and be a big time sleeper.
First, second or third in 13 of her 15 races, Viva La Diva also beat Avana in their last meeting. A speedster, Viva La Diva opened up 15 lengths in the October 4 mile and an eighth Harbourview at B.C.’s Hastings Park and held on to hold off Avana by two lengths.
Also entered for the McKenzie are Who’s That Baby and Gee I’m Foxy.
STOCK REPORT
The Spangled Jimmy has enormous potential with a who’s who field.
Just look - in alphabetical order - at the nine entrants:
- Abeliefinthislivin, the 2023 Canadian Derby winner.
- Accidental Genius, a winner two starts back.
- Al Reichert, who won The Journal last year and who is top weighted at 122 pounds.
- Crusher Royale, who has won two local starts easily after being purchased in Tampa Bay.
- Gotme Good, who was a nose behind Rainbow’s Pride in The Journal Handicap.
- Lord of Battle has won his last three races but hasn’t started in a year.
- Rainbow’s Pride won this year’s Journal in the final jump - a bob of the head outcome. He carries second top weight at 121.
- Stonevicious, third by three-quarters of a length in The Journal.
- Sunbird, first or second in 12 of 17 starts.
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Inducted into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame in 2017.
Author: The Turcottes: The Remarkable Story of a Horse Racing Dynasty.