Amos Enjoys Surprise Victory

5th-WOX, $43,741, Msw, (S), 3yo/up, f/m, 7f (AWT), 1:24, ft. 
+NIIGON’S QUEEN, f, 3, by Niigon 
     1st Dam: Queen of the Ice (SW, $155,868), 
by Alwuhush 
     2nd Dam: Swingin Nickel, by Plugged Nickle 
     3rd Dam: I’m Swinging, by Imasmartee 
Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $25,345. Click for the brisnet.com chart, brisnet.com catalogue-style pedigree or VIDEO. 
O/B-Don Amos (ON). T-Daniel J Vella. 
When longshot Niigon’s Queen came home a 25-1 longshot winner of her debut at Woodbine Sunday, industry insiders likely recognized the name of her owner/breeder, longtime Magna Entertainment executive Don Amos. Now 70 and enjoying retirement in Georgian Bay, Ontario, Amos was almost as surprised as everyone else at the filly’s victory. 
“I bet $20 across the board on her, but I didn’t think she was going to win,” Amos chuckled. “She had been having trouble getting out of the gate, but that got fixed pretty quickly. I couldn’t believe how easy she did it. I was very pleased.” 
Amos currently has 12 horses in training, but Niigon’s Queen is out of his only broodmare, the 21-year-old Queen of the Ice. Amos co-bred and raced Queen of the Ice, who won the 1996 Ontario Colleen H. She has also produced stakes-placed Carysfort Light (Red Bullet). The mare was bred to Sky Conqueror this year. 
Amos credits his father with his love of racing. 
“My dad took me to everything horse related,” he recalled. 
Amos held various positions at Magna International and served as the company’s Executive Vice President of Administration and Human Resources from 1994 until 2000. But Magna chief Frank Stronach had other plans for him. 
“I was head of human resources, but Frank wanted me to go into the horse business,” Amos said. “He knew I knew the horse business and that’s why he wanted me. I was forced to do it, but I didn’t want to do it.” 
Amos served as Magna Entertainment’s chief operating officer from 2003 until he retired in 2006. 
While Amos is savoring Niigon’s Queen’s victory, he’s not tempted to increase his racing stable anytime soon. 
“It’s a difficult business and unless you have success it’s pretty tough,” he explained. “But this filly Sunday, that was a real blessing.” -Jessica Martini