A Winner No Matter How You Look at It

You may not have met Richard Scott  Truth is until I went looking for handicappers for HANA Harness' 2013 Grand Circuit Challenge which is sponsored by The Hambletonian Society, Chicago Harness, IHHA, Meadowlands, Tioga Downs, and Vernon Downs, I really didn't know of him as well

Richard was one of the first handicappers who volunteered to participate so we were happy to have him  While Scott comes across as a nice guy, he really didn't stand out from the other handicappers personality-wise.  That was until this past weekend

For the Tioga Downs leg, he gave me an exacta part wheel of 4/2,4,5.  This seemed out of character for him but being his selections were submitted far enough in time I asked him what he was trying to bet because there was time to change it  Richard wrote back that he meant it to be 3/2,4,5 as Maven was his favorite horse racing.  He mentioned he was thinking of going to win bets for the rest of the contest so he didn't mess up  The reason for this?  To put it in his words "I guess too much on my mind with the upcoming chemo/radiation treatments".

Being somewhat concerned I asked Richard, if he didn't mind sharing, what kind of cancer was it?"  Truth be told, cancer has become all so common I expected to hear something routine.  Was I wrong, big time

But before we go any further, let me set the story up the best way I can with this column which appeared on the USTA's website on October 5, 2011 which is being reprinted in its entirety, courtesy of the USTA.


Richard Scott’s greatest victory
Wednesday, October 05, 2011 - by Dean A. Hoffman

 

Dean Hoffman

Columbus, OH --- It was almost 30 years ago when I first met Richard Scott. He was then a second trainer for Howard Beissinger and I was doing an article on a pacing filly named Bardot Lobell. The chestnut filly became the first 1:55 freshman filly in the summer of 1982.

Richard talked to me at length about the filly’s training and I could immediately see that he was an intelligent, articulate young horseman.

Fast forward to today and Richard Scott isn’t celebrating a horse’s accomplishments on the track but instead celebrating his own victory on a personal health issue. We’ll return to that later.

Scott attended Miami University, a prestigious college in southwest Ohio, and majored in math, but his thoughts weren’t always on the classroom.

“I sometimes skipped the second half of my Western Civilization class to go to Lebanon Raceway,” says Scott.

After college was over, he got a job in a quality control lab at a nearby meat plant, but started to helping a friend who had horses at Lebanon. Ricke enjoyed it so much that he began to contemplate a career with horses. A friend who lived in Hamilton, Ohio put him in touch with Beissinger and they met in Lexington. Scott was hired on the spot despite his limited experience.

Dean A. Hoffman photo

Rick Scott (right) with Howard Beissinger at The Red Mile.

“The first day I was bitten by a horse very hard the first time I walked into the stall,” he says. “The next day I was stepped on. I started getting battle scars early.

“Howard and his assistants -- Mike Zeller, Jim Bowman, and Pete Wilkins -- really helped me the first year,” recalls Scott. “I asked a million questions and everyone was willing to help.”

The next summer Scott went on the road with a pacing filly named Bret’s Nicki and he found many people willing to help him wherever he shipped. Alas, Bret’s Nicki often found herself facing rivals like Silk Stockings and Tarport Hap and that made life miserable for her.

At the end of Scott’s first season, Zeller, a consummate horseman himself, told Scott he won the “rookie of the year” award.

Scott stayed with Beissinger a decade and savored the many trainers that trotted and paced through the stable and also savored the excellent horsemanship he learned from his colleagues. At times the stable had as many as 120 horses in its winter base in Florida.

Scott recalls the stable’s Temujin breaking Niatross’ world record when he won a heat in the 1982 Jug and Dance Spell winning the Hambo Oaks the same year.

The following year the Beissinger Stable had four horses in the Hambletonian and Beissinger chose not to drive any of them, giving John Campbell, Herve Filion and Bill O’Donnell their first drives in the Hambletonian.

After leaving Beissinger, Scott trained for Jerry Silverman for several years and also worked for Steve and Dave Elliott. Interspersed with the good times were a serious automobile accident and a marriage that didn’t last.

“Even though a great multi-tasker, I wasn’t able to concentrate fully on horses and a marriage,” he admits. “I lost focus and it all ended.”

He got out of the horse game and began working for Unisys in Trenton, New Jersey, handling records for Medicaid in the Garden State.

Then came the worst news of all. Rick was diagnosed with cancer and a tumor was found growing along his tongue toward the back of his throat. He underwent surgery, then radiation and chemotherapy.

When he seemed to be recovering, the cancer had returned. More surgeries. The cancer returned again.

“The only situation was the removal of my tongue, right jaw, bottom of my mouth, and part of my throat,” says Scott.

He’s managed to make the most of the rotten hand he was dealt and even finds time to help others in a similar predicament.

“I give occasional talks at the hospital to new cancer patients and tell them, ‘Never give up!’,” he says.

With the gameness that any horseman would admire, Scott says, “I would love to get stronger and maybe drive in a few amateur races and get involved in harness racing in some capacity.”

Rick’s friends all hope that happens.


Which brings us to today.  Obviously, with the news that a new round of chemo and radiation coming up, Scott has suffered another set back.  Seven years after his initial diagnosis and 24 surgeries, it turns out back in April, the doctors discovered the cancer had returned which necessitates the additional treatment.  He is unable to swallow so there is no eating or drinking for him; he gets nourishment through a feeding tube.  After going through all this, I guess he would have every reason to be concerned about his upcoming treatments.  His major concern?  That he will have recovered enough to spend another fall in Lexington to watch the races and meet up with some old friends.  Not a surprising attitude from someone who is a self-described fighter 

You would think he wouldn't want this article written.  Well you would be wrong.  "I like people to see that if you keep fighting that you can survive", said Richard.
 

As of today, Richard is in fifth place.  There is plenty of time left in this contest to come out on top but wherever he finishes, Scott is a winner to me.

So having had this conversation with Richard, we got into his experiences and opinions regarding harness racing; after all, a person whose primary concern is getting down to Lexington in the fall has harness racing in his blood.  So I asked this Tennessee native for his view on some issues.   Here is the interview:

Q:  How many years were you active in the industry?

A:  Twenty-one years from 1972 to1993.

 

Q:  Who was the best horse you took care of?

A:   My favorite was the 2 YO trotting filly of the year Ahhhh.  However, I took care of Speedy Somolli for a short time as well. 

 

Q:  Who is the best horse you have ever seen race and why were they the best?

A:   Niatross clearly was the best I have seen. He was just an amazing horse in all aspects.  That being said, I have many favorites and they usually are trotting mares.  I loved watching Buck I St Pat and now my favorite is Maven. These mares are so tough, you can just see the ears go back and they refuse to lose.

 

Q:  Did you train horses?  If so, who was the first horse to give you a training win and who was the best?

 A:  I never was an official trainer, but I was an assistant trainer for Howard Beissinger and also trained some for Jerry Silverman and David Elliott.  Some of the best horses for Beissinger were Speedy Somolli, Joie De Vie, Temujin, Dance Spell, Astro Hill, Bardot Lobell, Crowns Star, and Lindy Crown.

 

Q: Where did you first get involved in racing?

A:  Lebanon Raceway back in 1972.

 

Q:  Over the years, what are the best changes you have seen occur in harness racing?

A:  The breed is faster and the equipment is better.  Many of the old training methods have changed in response to the new faster breed.

There are lots of good young trainers and drivers coming along so the benefits everyone.

 

Q:  What is the worst thing you have seen in racing during this time?

A:   A lot of people say drugs but that isn't my opinion. It has always been around so the testing must be improved to handle the issue.  Almost every sport has a drug problem so new tests must constantly be found and each state needs to get on the same page.  For allowable medications there shouldn't be different medication limits and withdrawal times.  Make everything the same.

In my opinion, many of track surfaces just get harder and harder. It's tough enough to keep horses sound without having to pound on an unfavorable surface.  I know it's tough on track management because of cost but some solution must be found to the benefit of everyone.

 

Q:   If you were a commissioner of racing, what would be the first three things you would do?

A:   For a commissioner and committee to be effective, they must have some control over every track in every state.  I don't see a lot of states and tracks working together much at present and it will take a lot for them to fall in line.  The most important first step is to get everyone on the same page with the same goals in mind.  A successful business model will not work without a clearly defined mission statement and a list of objectives.   There has to be a specific goal in mind and the industry must work towards achieving them in unison.   We have to try to find the best people for what is needed. Not the richest, not the most favorite, not somebody’s relative; but the best candidate for the job.

 

Q:   What trainer do you admire the most these days and why?  What driver do you admire the most these days and why?

A:   My favorite trainer is Jonas Czernyson followed by Ron Burke.  Jonas is a quiet, consummate professional who does an outstanding job and his horses always look great on the track.  Ron Burke races everywhere with a huge stable and his horses stay sharp race after race. His organization is phenomenal.

 

Q:   I admire a lot of drivers.  John Campbell has been a huge part of racing and is a great ambassador for the sport. Mike Lachance and Cat Manzi have great hands when it comes to a trotter. Jim Morrill, Jr. and Andy Miller can spring an upset win at any time while Brian Sears, Tim Tetrick and George Brennan can win on any track; cut the mile or come from behind, it doesn’t matter. But the one driver I would choose to drive in a big race would be David Miller.   He is just an all around great driver and has been on top for many years.  

Each track has a top driver and many have been winning for many years. Dave Palone at The Meadows is unbeatable. Billy Parker Jr. has always been a winner and had to battle through cancer. I feel Billy Parker Jr. should be in the Hall of Fame. To win 11,000 races is a great feat and not many have been able to do it.

There always seems to be new top trainers and drivers in the sport.  Part of the fun is seeing the new ones come along.

 

Q:  Is whipping an issue that hurts racing?

A:  I don't believe it is. I have raced many, many horses and only a couple of times did I ever see a mark on the horse.

 

Q:  Do you think the problem of unwanted race horses ending up in slaughterhouses is a problem for racing?  Do you think the industry on the whole should do something about it?  Do you have any suggestions?

A:  It bothers me a lot but I don't have a solution. There are many organizations that take what unwanted horses they can and try to find homes for them. I wish they could be more visible attention-wise and could acquire funding somehow because they do a tremendous job on limited available funds. Funds somehow need to be set aside for this purpose.

 

Q:  Do you think racing can survive without slots?  What does it need to do in order to survive long term?

A:  Racing has survived without slots for a long time so I think in some sense it could survive; just not as many tracks or horses participating. I don't have the answer for survival but ways to draw new fans must be found. Bettors must be rewarded and smaller track takeouts would certainly help.

 

Q:  Thank you for your time.

A:   You are welcome.

 

 

 

 

   

Richard Scott - RIP

It is with great sadness I report on the passing of Richard Scott, a friend to VFTRG and HANA Harness.  Richard finally succumbed to his illness this morning.

Who is Richard you may be asking?  I point you to this blog entry from 2013 to learn a bit about him.

I could go on about Richard but rather than doing so, let it be said he was a class 'A' guy.  When we started the HANA Harness handicapping contests which benefit standardbred rescues, Richard was a contestant.  As time progressed, he found he needed to stop competing but he kept helping HANA with the contest, becoming an auditor of the results to ensure the validity of the results.  He was all set to resume competing when the bad news came that his cancer returned.  No complaining, or woe to me from Richard.  From him, it was like in the "Dragnet" series; "Just the facts Mam"  

RIP Richard.   He's probably touring the stables in Heaven as we speak.  

A New HANA Harness Champion; SRF Auction on EBay

Richard Scott is the winner of the 2013 HANA Harness Grand Circuit Handicapping Challenge which concluded last evening with the Cleveland Classic at Northfield Park.  This contest began back in April and involved handicapping all the Grand Circuit Finals through last night's finale.  Thanks to the tracks who sponsored the event, $3,250 is being donated to various standardbred rescues.

This was a tough contest to win with all the divided races leaving short fields and a slew of favorites to win the races but Scott had one hot weekend where he made over $1,000 in profits which allowed him to lead the field the rest of the way. 

Thanks to the Hambletonian Society, Chicago Harness (Balmoral and Maywood Parks), IHHA, Meadowlands Racing & Entertainment, Red Shores Charlottetown, Tioga Downs, and Vernon Downs for providing the prize money being distributed to the top three handicapper's rescues of choice.


Looking for a unique Christmas gift or something for yourself?  The Standardbred Retirement Foundation is having an online auction on Ebay where you can win some whips from famous people in the industry.  You will find the whips being sold by one of two sellers on Ebay; srfhorses or Jerseyhorselover (a couple more whips will be added tonight).  The proceeds from this auction will be donated to SRF. 

Rodeo Time; Handicappers on Fire

In the twelfth race at Hoosier Park last night, Trace Tetrick found himself in a precarious situation when his left line broke during the race, requiring the outrider Neal Steilhiem to come to the rescue as you can see in the video below.




After the race, the stewards ordered a refund on Tetrick's horse due to the mishap but what makes me wonder is why the judges didn't order a complete refund of the race for other than the race winner, the others, while not credited with interference had to give way to the out of control horse.

I realize some gamblers would have been unhappy with the decision, but clearly until the horse was collared the others were not racing all out to improve their position.  To me, safety should have won out over parimutuel payoffs.


It took a while but the 2013 HANA Harness Grand Circuit Handicapping Challenge is starting to get some explosive hits this past weekend.   Rusty Nash,  Mark McKelvie brought down some solid winners on Thursday night (McKelvie had two triples) and on Friday night, things went really wild with Ray Garnet picking up over $400 on one race with $10 Win and Place on one horse; Rusty Nash picked up $224 with a winner in one race and a Trifecta in the next.  Richard Scott went wild both nights with a $30 win ticket paying $438 in one race on Thursday and $600 on a $15 win, place ticket Friday evening.

Of course two hot nights doesn't mean things will continue, but if you haven't been following the contest, you should be taken a look at their selections if only to get a feel of what the handicappers like.  Selections in the contest may be found here.

Races That Went Away In 2013

It’s inevitable that at the close of each year we look back with regret upon the people and horses that have passed on. This year it also seems appropriate to sadly reflect upon all the races we’ve lost. Over time it’s inevitable that some fall victim to cost cutting measures, track closings or drooping trend lines. Great races like the UN Trot, Good Time Pace and International Pace are long gone from the Yonkers Raceway calendar. The Cane Pace, a leg of the Triple Crown honoring the founder of the track, was even given the boot after the 1997 edition.  The Realization, Nassau Pace, National Pacing Derby and Roosevelt International are all gone, as well as the track that hosted them. It’s just that 2013 seems to stand out from the rest—for all the wrong reasons.

The Confederation Cup—the other half mile track race involving heats—went away in 2012. Raced since 1977, when Governor Skipper won the sophomore pacing gem, it carried a hefty purse of more than a half million dollars. The likes of SBSW, Art Major, Matts Scooter, Jate Lobell, OTRA, Cam Fella and Abercrombie won the Confederation Cup. Michaels Power captured the 36^th, and apparently final, edition, which was worth 581,000, for Scott Zeron and Casie Coleman at Flamboro Downs.

The Titan Cup, named for the sport’s first two minute two-year-old, was an integral part of the racing scene from 1946 until 2012, first at Goshen and of late at the Meadowlands. Past winners include Elaine Rodney, Delmonica Hanover, Savoir, Keystone Pioneer, Lucky Jim, Enough Talk and Arch Madness. And Proximity, Galophone, Kimberly Kid and Iris De Vandel were all multiple winners. Chapter Seven won the last edition in 2012. The race has been replaced by an anonymous leg of the TVG series.

The Woodrow Wilson, which was held beginning in 1977 at the Meadowlands, has also gone away. No No Yankee was the surprise winner of the first edition and Captain Treacherous won the last.  Niatross and Die Laughing also won this prestigious high-dollar stake. As is the case with many stakes races for two-year-olds there were many colts who experienced their single shining moment in the Wilson winner’s circle; for instance, Kassa Branca, Sam Francisco Ben and Fox Valley Barzgar all experienced their fifteen minutes of fame the night of the Wilson.

 After making short work of his competitors in the Presidential, Golden Receiver—Mr Winter—would transition to the Spring Pacing Series at Woodbine. It took up residence at that track in 2009 after being held at Mohawk since 2001. The final carried a 90,000-100,000 purse. It is no more. Camcracker won twice, while in recent years, Dali, Hypnotic Blue Chip and Golden Receiver also won. From 1988 to 2000 it was called the Toronto Series and raced at Mohawk. Ball And Chain won in 1995; Riyadh won in 1997; and five-year-old Dragon Again won in 2000.

The Cam Fella is another WEG spring pacing series that has gone the way of the phone booth. It was for four and five-year-olds that were NW 150,000 and filled the calendar from 1987 to 2012. Modern Legend won the last 100,000 final in 2012 as the 1/9 favorite.

Since 2005 the Glorys Comet had been the springtime series for early bird open trotters. Mister Herbie beat San Pail in what served as his coming out race in 2012. San Pail had won the Glorys Comet the previous year. The race was named in honor of the Balanced Image double millionaire who won a Dan Patch and an O’Brien in 1998 as well as an O’Brien in 1997.

The Des Smith, which was raced at Rideau Carleton, and has been around since Miller’s Scout won the inaugural in 1982, is also gone. Red Bow Tie and Silent Swing were two time winners. Artsplace and Riyadh also won the Des Smith. In the final 2012 edition, which carried a purse of 175,000, Cheddar nosed out Foiled in a finish so close some still dispute it.

In recent years Georgian Downs fashioned its premier night of racing around the Earl Rowe Memorial for older trotters and the Upper Canada three-year-old pace. The Rowe, which was raced at Geogian from 2002 to 2012, except for 2009, was won by seven-year-old Buck I St Pat in 2010. Her driver, Tim Tetrick, also won the Upper Canada that year with Haul Away. There was also a Silver Edition of the Rowe at a reduced purse.

The Upper Canada, which had a short run from 2009 to 2012, was the richest restricted race in NA. It carried a 500,000 purse in 2011 and that was upped to 600,000 in 2012. The race served as a lucrative prep race for the NA Cup. Michaels Power won the final edition for Scott Zeron and Casie Coleman.

The Frank Ryan for older trotters at Rideau Carleton also seems to have disappeared. This race had been held since 1996, when three time winner Goodtimes won the inaugural edition. Mister Herbie took the last edition of the Ryan in 2012 at 3/5. From 1965 to 1996 the Ryan was raced for older pacers. Riyadh won the last of those. Over the years Cam Fella. Super Wave, Horton Hanover, Young Quinn, Armbro Ranger and Dream Maker all won the Ryan.

Dorunrun Bluegrass, Ball And Chain and Shark Gesture were two time winners of the Graduate, which was held at the Meadowlands from 1978 to 2012. Dream Maker won the first and Golden Receiver won the last. In between, Direct Scooter, Cam Fella, Call For Rain, Gallo Blue Chip and Foiled Again all won the race. The Meadowlands Maturity for four-year-old pacers, which carries a purse half the size, now occupies that slot.

The Overbid was scheduled to take place in 2013 but the Meadowlands cancelled it due to what they characterized as a lack of interest. The series honors the dam of Overtrick and Overcall. It was held all but one year between 1978 and 2012. Anndrovette won the 2012 edition. Shady Daisy and Nadia Lobell both won the Overbid.

The emphasis seems to be on creating racing opportunities for aged horses—and four-year-olds in particular. The pacing mares are seeing their choices become increasingly thin, however. The Forest City Pace, which has served as the final post-BC opportunity for the pacing mares to sort things out in recent years is also gone. It only lasted three years. Rocklamation set a stakes record winning the final edition for Scott Zeron in 2012. Actually Rocklamation and Camille—another Burke charge—both broke the TR at Western Fair in the elimination round.

The Ellamony, named for the 1995 HOY in Canada, has also gone away. The Flamboro Downs race only had a three year run. It carried a 221K purse in 2012 when Camille won. Warrawee Koine had lowered the world record to :51.1 in her elimination. There aren’t very many opportunities for pacing mares to begin with; losing the Overbid, Forest City and Ellamony represents a serious blow to that division. And beyond that, I don’t recall seeing the A Spring Of Hope raced in 2013. That’s the 100K invitational sponsored by Mohawk and the Young family. It’s named for the charity Richard, Joanne and Brittany Young set up to build wells for schools in Africa. Anndrovette won it in 2011 and Put On A Show won the 2012 edition.

The Su Mac Lad, for older trotters, was nixed from the Meadowlands calendar in 2010. The Woodruff and Berrys Creek also ended that year. The Holmes, Niatross and Countess Adios were all eliminated in 2011. The Tarport Hap, which was born in 1977, the year the MHF mare died at the quarter pole in an M1 open, ended with the 2011 edition. The Nat Ray, named for the winning driver in the first Hambletonion, was renamed for John Cashman Jr in 2012. Money has been repurposed to make the TVG work. A few new stakes have been added to the schedule of one track or another but not nearly as many as have gone away.

JF

 

2yo Pacing Survey

Official VFTRG guest blogger Joe F. has been looking at the current crop of two year olds pacers and gives us his thoughts on the current freshman class.  Here is his report:

Now that the freshman class has been slugging it out for a month or so, I  thought I’d take an anecdotal look at some of the better/more interesting two-year-old pacers that have emerged during this early part of their season.

The Western Hanover stallion, Badlands Hanover, is making a fine first year showing in the Ontario Sire Stakes program. Love Canal is an outstanding filly. She won the $130,000 ONSS Gold Final at Mohawk in 52.3, after winning her elimination the previous week. The Tony O’Sullivan trained filly is out of A Votre Pante, who won the Bluegrass, Courageous Lady and Nadia. And another Badlands Hanover miss, It’s No Secret, was second in that GF, after winning her elimination.

Badlands has also produced the top colt, Tarpon Hanover, an $82,000 yearling who is half to Tarver Hanover. Tarpon, who races for Dave Menary, won the Gold Final by five at Mohawk in 51. 4, paying a miserly $3.60. Badlands was moved to Ontario to take advantage of the rich SS program, and the looming downsizing of said program takes some of the joy out of his early season success for the folks at Winbak. Although the fact that he stands for a reasonable fee of $6,000 and is proving himself to be a very capable open stallion helps somewhat.

Dragon Again is also stepping to the fore with his freshman class. Sam De Pinto’s Double The Dragon, a $60,000 yearling, won a $30,000 division of the PA All-Stars as well as a $70,000 PASS pace at Harrahs. In that race Pierce took him first up past the half and eventually ran down the tough SBSW colt, Cowboy Terrier. Just as the older Dragon’s have always been both fast and nail tough, this year’s two-year-old crop seems to embody those same characteristics.

Our Dragon King is another tough Dragon  who has relocated from Chicago. He won his $65,000 division of the Albatross at The Meadows the other night in wire to wire fashion, in 53.4. He took pressure from the vaunted SBSW colt, Lonewolf Courier—who eventually broke stride—as well as Spartacus PV, but he shrugged it off and drew clear by two lengths at the end. This half-brother to Glass Pack and Doubletrouble won the $28,000 Hanover at Balmoral before coming East. He left hard and closed in that one, winning by five in 53.1.

Dedi’s Dragon broke stride in his first two starts, but Saturday night he came up the LL for Jim Morrill to win a division of the Albatross in 52.3 over the pacesetter, Santa Fe Beachboy (SBSW). He’s in the Burke stable.

Delaware Hanover, an $80,000 yearling purchase, is another good Dragon colt. He won a $70,000 division of the PASS at Harrahs and finished second in the Albatross on Saturday.

The Dragon colt, Evenin Of Pleasure, won the second leg of the Dreammaker at Mohawk in 53.4, last quarter in 26.4. Dovuto Hanover is another promising colt, as is Talbotcreek Armani, a son of Luck Of Michelle. He was a $47,000 yearling purchase.

Mistresstothestars and Southwind Siren are a couple of good Dragon fillies. The former won the $64,000 Sand Tart at The Meadows for Ron Burke. Casie Coleman trains Siren, a half-sister to Southwind Swallow. She has a couple of wins in Ontario for Scott Zeron.

Christian Cullen, the New Zealand stallion who has been so instrumental in keeping the Volomite line running through Direct Scooter alive in recent years, has some nice youngsters from his stint in Pennsylvania. Good Day Mate, a half-brother to Put On A Show and Showherthemoney, came up the LL to beat the fast SBSW colt, Sir Richard Z Tam, in a division of the Albatross the other night. His winning time of 52.2 established a new mark for that race. And the Christian Cullen gelding, Lex Vegas, was placed first in his division of the Albatross when Cowboy Terrier was disqualified for interference. Handsoffmycupcake is a nice filly. She won a $65,000 division of the Sand Tart.

Bettor’s Delight, who has moved on to Winbak of Ontario, still has a crop racing in the NYSS in 2012. The move itself, which in light of the ONSS debacle could prove problematic, has him standing in Ontario for a hefty fee of $14,000. His younger brother, Roll With Joe, has replaced him at Blue Chip for $7,000.

Shebestingin is an outstanding Bettor’s Delight filly. She won a division of the Geers the other night at Tioga by open lengths in 53.4, at 1-5 odds for David Miller. Previous to that, the Joe Holloway trainee, who belongs to Ted Gewertz, won the Razzle Hanover division of the Simpson and the Lorraine division of the Reynolds.

Thirty Two Red is a fast and versatile Bettor’s Delight colt. He has gate speed to spare. He won at Goshen in 56.3, beat Doctor Butch at Monticello and took a $60,000 NYSS pace at Buffalo. Ray Schnittker trains.

Art Major also has some good New York colts. The contingent from the Empire State always get shorted when the love is handed out because those colts and fillies spend so much time on the half-milers. Tough to compete time-wise with their big track counterparts.

Doctor Butch, a Linda Toscano trainee who belongs to Ken Jacobs, was the 6-5 favorite from the eight in the Sheppard the other night, but he was beaten up leaving and eventually ran out of gas, finishing second to another Art Major colt, Hail The Taxi. Doctor Butch was a $55,000 yearling purchase while Taxi brought $65,000. Taxi is Mr. Underestimated. He finished second to Butch at 29-1 in his Sheppard elimination, and won the final at 35-1 from the seven, in 54.1. He’s a Fashion Farms colt, trained by Jim Campbell. Deny Deny Deny is another accomplished Toscano/Jacobs Art Major colt. He won a $62,000 SS pace at Buffalo in 58.2.

Mach Pride is a top shelf Mach Three colt. He won a $130,000 Gold Final at Rideau Carleton Sunday in 52.3, at 2-5 odds. He also won another couple of Gold eliminations and was second choice to Tarpon Hanover in his GF win. He finished third in that one. Ron Burke’s Adventurepan is a nice Mach Three filly.

Source Of Pride, a full brother to American Jewel, broke in the Bret Hanover, but he redeemed himself in his division of the Reynolds, blowing past the field in the final eighth and winning in 52.4 for Tim Tetrick. Jimmy Takter trains for Brittany Farms. And Ron Burke’s Americasgottalent won a NYSS pace at Monticello, finished second in his Sheppard elimination and third in the final.

Lonewolf Courier, Francis Azur’s son of The Panderosa, broke in the Albatross the other night, but the full brother to Lookout Hanover has plenty of talent. He won a $70,000 PASS pace at Harrahs a couple of weeks ago in 52.3.

Don’t Ya Know is a nice Western Ideal colt who just won a division of the Geers for Joe Holloway and David Miller.

Troon, a gelded son of Rocknroll, won the Bret Hanover and a leg of the NJSS. Rocky Mountain Guy, a $75,000 Rocknroll yearling out of an unraced half-sister to Glowing Report, won a division of The Reynolds in 52.4.

There are always surprises. Right On Molly, a Stonebridge Regal filly who won a Gold Final at Rideau Carleton Sunday, with ease in 53.2 , would be one. The $5,000 yearling purchase is out of a Western Hanover mare, Right On, who hasn’t produced much. However, her second dam is full to Bo Knows Jate, a $900,000 winner in the early 1990s, and her third dam, the Adios Harry filly, Bit O’Sugar, won the Bronx Filly, Shady Daisy and Lady Maud. Her fourth dam, Steinway, produced the excellent filly, Harry’s Laura, who also won the Bronx Filly, Shady Daisy and Lady Maud. It took a while for that speed to move on down the line but it is now coming to light via  Right On Molly.

Another surprise is the Lislea filly, Summertime Lea, who just won a NYSS pace at Buffalo in 56.3 for Jim Morrill, at 1-9. She previously took another SS race at Tioga in 55.1, bet down to 1-5 and winning by four lengths. Lislea is a brother to Lis Mara and Lis Again. Lea’s dam, Donna Summer, is half to The Firepan, Indulge Me and Bikini Line, the dam of the Eternal Camnation and Tarport Hap winner, Thong.

I suppose we could also call the Western Terror colt, Shock It To ‘em, a surprise because he was racing in the lower tier Pennsylvania Stallion Series when he won by twelve in 53.2, breaking the stakes record by one and three-fifths seconds. The dam and the colt were owned by Bulletproof.

What about SBSW? Almost forgot. Apprentice Hanover, Santa Fe Beachboy, Cowboy Terrier, Sir Richard Z Tam and See And Ski are some of the better colts, while Somestreetsomewhere, Parlee Beach and Nikki Beach are three of the top fillies.

Cowboy Terrier crossed the finish line first in the Albatross the other night but Ray Schnittker had a world of trouble keeping him straight down the stretch, so he was placed third. He had previously won in the PA All-Stars at 1-9. Tetrick, who had been driving him,  was up at Mohawk Saturday. Getting Schnittker out of the bike should get Cowboy back on track. He’s a first foal. His second dam is a sister to Northern Luck.

Sir Richard Z Tam is also very fast. He cut out a stakes record mile in the Albatross on Saturday only to have Good Day Mate sneak up the LL and take the win. Previously he won a $70,000 SS pace at Harrahs at 1-5 in 51.4. His dam is an unraced daughter of the great Worldly Beauty.

Apprentice Vacation won his first time out at Mohawk in 53, beating Vegas Vacation. His dam is a Half million dollar winner who won the BC and the Lynch.

Nikki Beach, a Tony Alagna trainee for Brittany Farms, won the Reynolds in wire to wire fashion with ease by two lengths in 53.2. Her second dam is full to Artiscape and her third dam is the OTRA millionaires Delinquent Account.

Somestreetsomewhere is the first foal of the $800,000 winner, Street Dancer. She took the Overbid, Cape and Cutter and The Cinderella. Street won a division of the Sand Tart.

Which Trainers Are Ahead Of Last Year's Pace?

Some trainers, like Jimmy Takter and Casie Coleman, fill their piggy banks during the second half of the year, when stakes racing opportunities are plentiful, while others grind out the wins and money from January to December. As a result, in checking how various trainers are faring this year, I’ll compare them to themselves; I’ll look at where they were on this date last year and see how far ahead, or behind, their mid-June of 2014 numbers they are.

It’s no surprise that Ron Burke currently—and always--leads both the trainer’s money and dash lists, however, he is chasing last year’s pace. His veterans Foiled Again, Clear Vision, Bettor’s Edge and Rocklamation, are off to slow starts, for one thing. Burke has made more than 200 fewer starts than he made by mid-June a year ago, leading to more than 85 fewer wins and a shortfall of $1.2 million on the money line. He’ll have to hustle to surpass last year’s world record performance.

PJ Fraley, who was handling the Bamond Racing stock, was second a year ago, and finished 2014 in the five slot. This year he disappeared from the planet, leaving the stable to Jeff Bamond Jr, and he hasn’t missed a beat. He’s currently number three on the list. Bamond has Matchmaker winner Venus Delight, as well as Anndrovette, Krispy Apple and Bettorever.

Rene Allard, who was third at this juncture a year ago, and finished 2014 in eighth, has married success with aged money makers like Domethatagain and Yagonnakissmeornot, and good fortune with fresh stock like import Crombie A. He isn’t welcome at The Meadowlands, Tioga or Vernon Downs, but seems to be none the worse for it. Allard is almost $400,000 ahead of last year’s pace. The Grand Circuit isn’t his strength, so he will probably fall behind stakes trainers like Takter, Alagna and Coleman once again.

Gilberto Garcia-Hererra, who was in the six slot in June of last year, has stepped up to number four. His stable has made 240 more starts, but he has only three more wins. However, he’s $300,000 ahead of his 2014 pace. Better stock accounts for this uptick.

Julie Miller’s stable was hot during the winter and spring of 2014, with trotter Perfect Alliance winning eleven races. This led to her ascension to the five slot one year ago today. She drops to number nine, with 25 fewer wins and more than $370,000 less in earnings. Her top shelf Donato fillies, Livininthefastlane and Sky Hanover, may help turn that around.

Carmen Auciello, who practices his trade on both sides of the border, is consistent; he was number seven in mid-June of last year, and is currently in the number eight spot. The same can be said of Ontario based trainer Richard Moreau, who was at eight a year ago and is now at seven. Mark Ford, who was ninth this time last year and is now tenth, also fits this template. Auciello, Moreau and Ford finished last year at the twelve, thirteen and fourteen spots.

Irv Miller has taken a major nosedive, from the tenth spot a year ago to number 46 today. Miller, who finished 2014 third behind Burke and Takter, has made 92 fewer starts, has 21 fewer wins and is more than $490,000 short of what his stable had bankrolled this time last year.

Josh Green experienced a similar drop-off, but the lengthy suspension he served helps explain that. He went from eleventh to forty-third. Green is off more than 200 starts and $457,000. The fact that Dancin Yankee, who was a beast out of the gate last year, started out like a lamb in 2015, hasn’t helped.

Thirty-two-year-old Jose Godinez has rocketed up the charts. He went from the number 44 slot this time last year to number twelve right now. As recently as 2011 he only had 11 starters; he has 329 thus far in 2014. Godinez is up more than 30 wins and $415,000. He’s the number eight trainer at Yonkers Raceway.

Virgil Morgan, who was tenth overall on the money list at the close of 2014, has benefitted greatly from the infusion of casino dollars into the Ohio purse account. He was twelfth at this time last year, but is now sixth.

Veteran trainer Steve Elliott, who conditioned Donato Hanover and Well Said, wasn’t in the top 50 last June, but a star studded cast that includes Art History, Rockeyed Optimist and Doo Wop Hanover, have him at number 16, and that’s off of fewer starts than any of the trainers in front of him except for Jimmy Takter.

Jim King Jr wasn’t in the top 50 a year ago, but he’s at number 27 today, with 55 wins and $611,952 in the bank. Cup contender Wakizashi Hanover, Lismore winner Purrfect Bags and Star Keeper are three of the reasons.

Tony O’Sullivan, who finished 2014 at number 18, went from 23 in June of 2014 to number 13 today. His Art Major filly, Moonlit Dance, just won a Fan Hanover elimination.

Scott Di Dominico jumped three spots to number 11, while Daran Casar, Heidi Rohr, Mark Harder, Joe Holloway, Amber Buter, Lou Pena and Kevin Carr all fell back.

As was stated earlier, some of these trainers will automatically pick up steam when the Grand Circuit gets into full swing, while others will continue to mine the overnight sector, and in most cases drop to one degree or another.

Joe FitzGerald

Mixed Results For Stallions Coming Out Of Retirement

These days many hit what was traditionally considered retirement age only to  find they need to keep bringing home a paycheck, right into their 70s, 80’s—90’s even. Others do retire but run out of money at some point and need to find a part time job. Well, for reasons that generally have to do with earning capacity, fertility and quality of production many of today’s stallions are coming back for a second act on the racetrack, and the results are mixed.

Archangel, who received a breeding exemption from Jeff Gural due to breathing issues after his three-year-old campaign, is apparently being prepped for a comeback. It’s a matter of simple economics. The now five-year-old, who won the Yonkers Trot and the Empire Classic, attracted 42 mares last year. His stud fee was $4,000 so he grossed a maximum of $168,000--unlikely. Twenty-five aged trotters earned more than that last year, including Zooming, Watkins and Hesgotlegs. It’s a safe assumption that Archangel would get less popular until his progeny hit the track and prove themselves, so his connections decided to unretired him.

The same thing happened with Broad Bahn, who also stood in New York. He had a higher profile than Archangel, having won the Hambletonion and his division, but they weren’t exactly lining up to spend $7,500 to book their mares to him. He was nominated to the top tier stakes for aged trotters in NA last year but wound up being sold to Europeans. New York is a tough market for marginal trotting stallions: Crazed was relocated to Pennsylvania, where his get sold like cassette players, and Cash Hall is now located in the new Mecca—Ohio.

The premier sons of Art Major are taking it on the chin in this regard. Hypnotic Blue Chip was retired to stud in November, 2011, after falling short of the $175,000 mark. He stood at Fashion Farms in Pennsylvania for $5,000. It wasn’t exactly an approved mares only situation: HBC attracted just four of them. He came back to the track in 2012 and earned almost $200,000. Last year he won twice in five starts for $26,000. He has one open win at the Meadowlands this year in five starts and has earned almost $30,000. It’s obvious that racing is his only option at this point. And another paternal brother, Art Professor, was touted as a great stallion prospect at the January Mixed Sale. Look out.

Nine-year-old Santanna Blue Chip, another struggling son of Art Major, got mares but his only hit was Windsong Jack. He was standing for $4,000, and that was reduced to $3,000; the next step was back to the track. Last week he finished out against NW8 at 23/1 from the rail. He has one win in eight starts and has earned $7,500. He hasn’t earned a dime in his four 2014 starts. He was no all-time great but he did win the BC and the Governor’s Cup and he earned 1.6 million. The top son of Art Major, nine-year-old Art Official, hasn’t come back to the track yet but his fee has been lopped in half since he started in 2010 and he’s now in last chance Ohio.

Six-year-old Up The Credit, who won the NA Cup as well as a split of the SBSW and the Simcoe, could barely get around the track in the Matron at season’s end. His connections announced that he would breed and race in 2011. His stud fee was set at $5,000. UTC stood at Seelster Farms, but to say his career as a stallion has been conducted under the radar is to engage in marked understatement. No son of Western Terror has done anything in the stallion ranks. He was back for the 2012 Molson Pace, but he looked awful. He was winless in eight starts, earning $42,000. Last year he only won twice—one of them a lifetime best :48.3-- in 24 outings, but he earned $88,000. He has made two unsuccessful starts this year.

Six-year-old Foreclosure, who was born Down Under, went from Peter Heffering to Richard Young to the Burke Brigade. He was very good for the latter in late 2012 but apparently had issues so he was retired to Sugar Valley Farm in Ohio, where he stood for $3,000. But it was back to the races last year as he earned $34,000 in nine starts.

Daylon Magician, who won the CTC and an O’Brien at three, failed his fertility test, then later on, after resuming his racing career, he apparently passed his fertility test. He made 12 starts in 2012, earning more than $300,000, but he didn’t race at all last year. Daylon has started five times in opens at the Meadowlands this year and has one win, earning $35,000. He has the potential to make more money racing this year than he would as a marginal stallion.  Winning Mister is another millionaire trotter who had to abandon that siring life. Although he set track records at the three Pennsylvania tracks, the Earl Rowe, Oliver and Reynolds are his only open stakes wins. He was retired at the end of the 2012 season, in which he earned about $320,000. He was placed at Linwood Farm in Pennsylvania and his stud fee was set at an overly optimistic $8,000. That was dropped to $4,500 in no time. Winning Mister was back on the track last year, making just four starts at The Meadows. He had one win, over NW9500L5.

Dali, winner of the Wilson and Niatross in 2007, is doing a double in Ontario this year. The son of Real Artist, who has been away from the track for three years, starts against NW28L5 at Mohawk tomorrow night. He was standing in Indiana for $3,000, and his small test crop was promising. This year he is priced at $2,000. While his fellow nine-year-old Santanna has already failed as a stallion and has nothing to fall back on, Dali has more options.

Returning to racing after failing at stud is not a new thing. Duke Rodney, who was retired as number three behind Su Mac Lad and Speedy Scott on the all-time earning’s list, and ultimately proved to be a failed stallion, resumed his trotting career in 1965 at age seven after a year of stud duty in New York. He was raced and bred throughout his career. Harlan Dean was brought out of retirement at age seven that same year by Del Miller, when he had a crop going to the sales. Seven-year-old Wishing Stone will apparently do a double this year. He stands for $5,000 in New Jersey—shouldn’t be too busy. The eight-year-old Credit Winner stallion, Calchips Brute is doing the same. He stands in New Jersey for $3,500—the next Ohio? He has one win in seven starts this year. Does losing in the Yonkers open every week enhance a stallion’s career? Calchip’s Brute represents the downside of dual-duty.

As the breeding market continues to shrink we'll see more of this. And while returning to the track can’t be quantified as an unmitigated success for any of these horses,  it is working out to some degree for Hypnotic Blue Chip, Daylon Magician and Up The Credit. On the other hand, coming out of retirement has not proven successful for Santanna Blue Chip, Winning Mister and Foreclosure. We’ll just have to wait and see how rewarding it is for Archangel and Dali.

Joe FitzGerald

Who Was HOT And Who Was Not In 2013 ?

HOT     Corey Callahan finished thirteenth in money and eighth in wins last year. As 2013 comes to a close, he’s sixth in money and fourth in wins. Callahan finds himself in the select company of Tetrick, Gingras, Sears, David Miller and Pierce. He’s ahead of Brennan in both categories.

NOT     Googoo Gaagaa had what was described as minor surgery for an entrapped epiglottis after finishing fifth in his Cutler elimination in May. At the time it was labeled a minor procedure and he was expected to be miss a week and then compete in the Maxie Lee. That didn’t happen. He qualified in Maryland in August and raced for $500 at a Fair in September, but never started in a meaningful race. He’s registered as a Maryland trotting stallion with a book that’s full and closed. Goo will apparently race and breed.

HOT     Ronnie Wren Jr. was fourteenth on the dash list in 2012 with 437 wins. He ascended to the top during 2013 and had accumulated more than 665 wins by mid-December.

HOT     Ohio has been inundated with standardbred stallions, some young and untried and others not up to competing in Pennsylvania and New York. Although slots money will pump new life into the sire stakes program, there isn’t enough dough in the pot for all of them. Many of the holdover stallions and mares will be pushed out of state when the new group comes online. The musical chairs style culling of substandard stallions is a long time coming but that day is finally here. A few like Hypnotic Blue Chip, Santana Blue Chip and Foreclosure have been able to return to the races but most don’t have that option.

NOT     Ontario has seen Bettor’s Delight, Muscle Mass, and a slew of others head south. Glidemaster, with only one ace in his portfolio, is the only one headed there.

HOT     Art Major had a very good year on the Grand Circuit and in the NYSS. Precocious Beauty is a good bet to win her division and Shes Da Bomb was another top 2-year-old filly pacer. Also,  JK Endofanera emerged as a force in the freshman colt class in the late fall, winning the Elevation and the Governor’s Cup. Fool Me Once and Doctor Butch won lots of dough in the NYSS, and White Bliss, the snow white colt out of Coochie Mama, brought 240K at Harrisburg. Art Major was second only to SBSW among stallions that sold ten or more at Harrisburg.

NOT     After years of dipping his hand in the money room cookie jar at Plainridge, to the tune of a million dollars, Gary Piontkowski was forced to resign in disgrace from the track he helped found and served as president.

HOT     Hanover Shoe Farms hosts the breed’s hottest pacing stallion—SBSW—and his trotting counterpart—Cantab Hall.

HOT     Bee A Magician won all 17 starts and clinched HOY honors in the US and Canada.

NOT     Canadian Sportsman, which featured the premier visual presentation in all of harness racing, and served as a forthright voice for Ontario racing, is closing shop after 143 years.

NOT     George Teague Jr., who was twentieth on the trainers earning’s list last year, doesn’t even make the top 50 this year. His pride and joy, Somwherovrarainbow, has been switched to the Holloway barn.

HOT     Pet Rock set world records on half-mile and 5/8 mile tracks in 2013. He was much improved over his sophomore season, with wins in the Haughton, Roll With Joe and Winbak, among others, and he finished second to Foiled in earnings within the division.

NOT     Fourteen Mister Big yearlings sold at Harrisburg in 2012 and 85% of them brought less than 15,000. This year only one sold at Harrisburg and one at Lexington. Six averaged 7,500 at the Canadian Yearling Sale and three averaged 2,000 at Forest City. Mister Big comes up small in the eyes of buyers.

NOT     The Little Brown Jug was shunned by The Captain’s connections as they favored a soft invitational in Indiana—of all places—over the Delaware, Ohio classic. And as if that wasn’t bad enough, Richard Young ripped them a new one for shortchanging him on Nitelife’s Jugette purse, and, for keeping him waiting when he went to get his license renewed.

HOT     Cantab Hall, the top trotting sire in the sport, had his fee doubled to 20K, making him our highest priced trotting stallion. (Advertised stallion--Muscle Hill’s fee is not disclosed.)

NOT     Dewey has had his 2014 fee slashed to 7,500. That represents a 62.5% reduction from his opening fee of $20,000 in Kentucky.

NOT     After a perfect nine for nine freshman campaign that netted him a Dan Patch and an O’Brien, Wheeling N Dealin came up empty in 2013.

NOT     Wheeling N Dealin’s trainer, Dustin Jones, was fired by owner Serge Godin.

HOT     David Miller, number four in lifetime earnings behind John Campbell, Ron Pierce and

Mike Lachance, was voted into the HOF.

NOT     After an excellent freshman season, topped off by a dominant BC win and a Dan Patch, To Dream On managed only two wins, the Reynolds and the Kentucky Filly Futurity.

NOT     In an election for a seat on the board of directors of the Harness Breeders of New York, Joe Faraldo was trounced 80 to 32 by chief nemesis Jeff Gural.

HOT     After wins in the BC and the TVG, nine-year-old Foiled Again is the toast of the town, prompting a slew of silly season articles treating him like a legitimate HOY/POY candidate.

NOT     After being favored in the Meadowlands Maturity in the spring, while ARNRD went off at 46/1, the beloved speedball, Hurrikane Kingcole, saw his season go from bad to worse. He won one race after that—two for the season—and finished up on the losing end of an open at Tioga. He earned about $62,000.

NOT     The Credit Winner colt, Jurgen Hanover, who swept the Weiss Series and then won the EBC, was 7 for 7 going into his Beal elimination, but he lost that and a NYSS race as well, and was soon out of action for the season.

NOT     San Pail made a couple of starts in the preferred class at Mohawk late in the season, and then disappeared again. Seven of his eight career open wins occurred in 2011.

HOT     He’s Watching went 8 for 8 in the NYSS and set a world record for his age group at Tioga. Despite his restricted environment he stood out amidst a weak group of GC colts and will no doubt win his division.

NOT     The Shadow Play filly Book Babe went a big :52.4 mile winning a Gold Leg at Mohawk on July 1 for Billy Davis Jr., but she broke a sesamoid bone in her left hind leg and may not race again.

NOT     Walter Case Jr. was denied a license again, this time in Pennsylvania.

NOT     David Brooks was sentenced to 17 years in prison for running a 185 million dollar stock swindle.

HOT     American Jewel was pronounced in foal to SBSW.

NOT     Odds On Equuleus and Wake Up Peter went a combined 0 for 34 in 2013.

NOT     Crazed has been deported to Ohio after a general failure to produce and a disappointing Harrisburg sale.

NOT     Ontario stallion, Vintage Master, has been exiled to New Jersey. He went from the Titanic to the Andrea Doria.

NOT     Shark Gesture has been relocated from Pennsylvania to Ohio. His stud fee was lowered from 6K to 4K. The WEG preferred pacer, Piston Broke, is probably his best performing offspring.

HOT     Baberhood, the dam of He’s Watching, was sold to Hanover for 130K by Perretti. She’s in foal to Rocknroll Hanover.

HOT     Ron Burke set new records for wins and earnings in 2013. He became the first trainer to win 1,000 races in a single season, and he broke his own 20 million dollar earning’s mark.

HOT Jimmy Takter trains the outstanding pair of freshman trotters, Father Patrick and Shake It Cerry. He will finish second to Ron Burke with more than 700 wins and about eight million dollars earned.

HOT     Team McNair, trainer Gregg and his son Doug, had a great year and are among the leaders in the trainer/driver categories in Canada thanks to the likes of Precocious Beauty, Three Of Clubs, Crafty Master and Luck Is All Indeed. Doug is the only one of the top six WEG based drivers from 2012 to improve his position on the money list in 2013. Jamieson, who finished seventh, is currently in twelfth; Filion dropped from ten to fifteen; Scott Zeron went from ninth to seventeenth etc. McNair made a modest jump from eighteenth to sixteenth. All of this with two weeks left.

NOT     2011 Hambletonion winner, Broad Bahn, was withdrawn from the stallion ranks in New York and given a one way ticket to Europe. There was a chilling lack of interest in breeding to the son of Broadway Hall.

HOT     Jeff Gural. The Meadowlands enjoyed an increase in handle and interest as the new grandstand was completed and opened for business on schedule. He also brought the TVG race concept to fruition and won the public over with it.

NOT     Alan Leavitt, the only standardbred member of the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission, was voted down when he advocated for separate medication rules for thoroughbreds and standardbreds. Instead the commission adopted the new RMTC rules package for all breeds. Beyond that, Leavitt has watched his stallion, Deweycheatumnhowe, struggle to establish himself as a credible sire.

HOT     Bettor’s Delight, the sire of Vegas Vacation and Shebestingin, was inducted into the Living HOF this year. He leads all pacing sires on the all age earning’s list in 2013.

NOT     More was expected from Jimmy Takter’s trio of four-year-old trotters than what they delivered. Little Brown Fox couldn’t cut it in the FFA class; Guccio only won twice for 210K; and while Uncle Peter earned good money and did establish a new world record for 4-year-old stallions at Pocono and established a track record for his class at Hoosier Park, he had no stakes wins aside from the Centaur. Add to this the lack of participation by Goo and Intimidate and we see why this division as a whole didn’t meet expectations and only contributed seven starters for the TVG final when ten were called for.

HOT     Marvin Katz owns pieces of Captaintreacherous, Father Patrick and Uffizi Hanover.

HOT     Driving all those Burke horses has been a boon for Matt Kakaley. Last year he finished seventeenth on the money list, but with a couple of weeks to go he currently sits in eighth, just behind George Brennan and in front of Andy Miller. He’s 320 short of last year’s total number of drives right now but has won about 60 more races and earned 1.4 million more in purse money.

NOT     The Trackmaster Predictive Rankings had Odds On Equuleus, Doctor Butch, Rockin Amadeus, Windsong Jack, Somewherovrarainbow, Mach Pride, Dovuto Hanover and Johns Polyview in this year’s pacing top ten. And on the trotting side their top ten contained To Dream On, Dontyouforgetit, Fashion Athena, Wheeling N Dealin, Angies Lucky Star, Royal Assets and Fashion Blizzard. It’s time for a new approach.

JF