Dan Garnett Sr. has passed away earlier this week at the age of 97, The owner of Dan Garnett Farms was known for the 'Collins' horses, especially on the NYSS where his farm's off-spring were very successful.
I usually don't mention breeders passing so what makes me mention Garnett? One of those Collins horses, Corky Collins to be precise. The foal of 1977, a daughter of Lieutenant Grey and Soida Collins, was one of the fastest, if not fastest New York sired fillies as a 2 and 3yo in her years racing. While the filly scored victories at tracks like the Meadowlands and Yonkers, she was a monster at her home track Monticello Raceway where as a 3yo filly she would often draw post 8 in the weekly Open Handicap (back when Monticello's stock was better than it is now) and she would eat those boys for dinner. She continued to have success at Monticello through her five year old season before retiring after her 6 year old campaign. Not that she couldn't be defeated but often if she put in a bad performance, you could bet her the following week because it seemed she was embarrassed by her previous performance. Looking back now, her lifetime mark of 1:56.1m, at the age of 5 and career record of 140-22-16-23 and earnings of $180,192 may seem pedestrian but most of her races were against the boys.
Corky Collins was my favorite pacer which came out of Monticello (Nevele Typhoon was my favorite trotter) and brings back many great memories of Sunday afternoons in the Catskills. For those days of my youth I say thank you Mr. Garnett and may you rest in peace.
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