There were 17,000 punters at Winnipeg's Polo Park one afternoon last week. But when the bugle called six of Canada's classiest three-year-olds to the post for the 13th running of the Canadian Derby, there was nobody at the pari-mutuel windows. Reason: touted Ten to Ace, shipped west from Toronto, was so overwhelmingly favored that track officials had declared the race a "no-betting" affair.
Ten to Ace had been dubbed "the greatest Canadian horse of all time." Owned by Harry Giddings, Canada's No. 1 trainer, he had been beaten only once in nine starts, and then only because of an injury.
Last week Canadians...