1964 NHL Amateur Draft Pick
Dave Cotey
Selected by
Toronto from Aurora (OHA Junior C)
Pre-Draft Statistics
Pre-Draft Notes
Avid horse racing fan during his playing days who was already
considering a career in that field at the time he was drafted by his
hometown Toronto team.
Canadian • Born
February 18 1948 in Toronto, Ontario • Hometown: Toronto, Ontario
NEVER PLAYED IN NHL
Kentucky Derby Connection
Dave Cotey never made it to pro
hockey, but he made a huge
mark in the sports world as the original owner and trainer of 2009
Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird -- a horse he discovered
at a 2007 yearling sale in Kentucky. Cotey's horse, a gelding, went off
at 50-to-1 odds and stunned the racing world by winning at Churchill
Downs. He went on to finish second at the Preakness and third at
the Belmont, earning over $2.2 million in a career that
ended on Nov. 6, 2010. Cotey had trained horses for six years when he purchased Mine That Bird for
$9,500 in 2007. After an excellent career at Woodbine Racetrack in
Toronto, including being honored as 2008 Canadian 2-year-old
champion, Mine that Bird was sold for $400,000 and had three other
trainers, including D. Wayne Lukas, over the course of his career.
Miscellaneous
Full Name:
David Cotey
How He Got into Horse Racing: During his playing days in Aurora,
Cotey and his friends would often hitch a ride to Woodbine Racetrack to
see the horses run. One of his hockey coaches was Larry Regan, who owned
horses that raced at Woodbine at the time. Cotey befriended Regan's
trainer, who helped convince him to buy a horse and pursue what would
become a remarkably successful career.
Horse Racing Career: Formed
Dominion Bloodstock partnership in early 1990s and began purchasing
thoroughbred racehorses. ... Became a
full-time trainer in 2001 and won Manitoba Derby with Stage Classic
in 2002. Based out of Woodbine in Toronto, he lives in Mississauga and
is a respected trainer, best known for discovering Mine That Bird.
Total Selected: | 24 |
Forwards: | 15 |
Defense: | 6 |
Goaltenders: | 1 |
Position n/a: | 2 |
Major Junior: | 0 |
College Players: | 0 |
Canadian: | 23 |
American: | 0 |
Euro-Canadian: |
1 |
Reached NHL: | 9 |
Won Stanley Cup: | 1 |
Hall of Fame: | 1 |
All-Star Game: | 3 |
Year-end All-Star: | 1 |
Olympians: | 0 |
Picks Traded: | 0 |