Bongiorno's upstart Water Sports Teen posts fastest Adios elimination win
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Sunday,
Day, Month
July00,
25,2021
2021
Bongiorno’s upstart Water Sports Teen
posts fastest Adios elimination win
The colt dominated his division to improve to
three-for-three since moving to his new barn.
by Brett Sturman
Water Sports Teen won the third of three Adios eliminations in
an eye-catching time of 1:48.2. That time was easily the fastest
of the eliminations, besting the time of 1:49.1 in the second
elimination by almost a full second and crushing the time of
the first elimination by over two full seconds.
The way Water Sports Teen disposed of evidently higher regarded
foes is just as impressive as the race time itself. Making his third
start for the new barn and sent off at odds of 4-1, the strategy
was clear from the onset as driver Joe Bongiorno took Water
Sports Teen immediately to the front. Dexter Dunn attempted to
retake from the pocket approaching the quarter pole with even
money favorite Rockyroad Hanover, but he was quickly rebuffed
In a 3-year-old division that’s already seen its fair share of ups and had to settle to sit second. Showing no signs of slowing
and downs amongst the presumed best horses of the crop, it while coasting through fractions of :26.3, :54.2 and 1:21.2, Water
was Water Sports Teen (Somebeachsomewhere–Posey Tina) Sports Teen finished it off with a :27 flat final quarter.
who made his presence felt at The Meadows on Saturday after-
In that victory, he made second finisher Rockyroad Hanover and
noon (July 24).
third finisher Lou’s Pearlman look ordinary. Three races back
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Harness Racing Update
at this very track Rockyroad Hanover beat Perfect Sting for all
intents and purposes. Lou’s Pearlman was coming off consec-
utive 1:47.4 and 1:48.3 wins at the Meadowlands. The latter
was well-beaten almost five lengths in third and the former,
Rockyoad Hanover, was never going to catch the winner though
he did make some late inroads. It was the first career stakes
win for Water Sports Teen.
Powered by trainer Jennifer Bongiorno, Water Sports Teen ran his
record to three-for-three and has dropped his career best mile
JUJUBEE
3, 1:53.1f-’21 ($148,607)
by nearly three full seconds since moving to that barn for his
Creatine - La Cantera
first start earlier this month. And to assess this horse’s chances
in next week’s Adios final as well as his place in the division, $73,853 PASS division winner for 3yotc’s
it’s worth noting his rapid ascension. in a life best, July 23 at The Meadows.
To be clear, Water Sports Teen is a nice 3-year-old. After four Owned by Jon Erdner
starts to begin the year with Andrew Harris, Water Sports Teen
Trained by Greg Wright
went to Todd Luther and promptly won four in a row in non-win-
ners of 2 and 4 conditions, climbing the ladder at Miami Valley. Driven by Tony Hall
His best time in those wins came in 1:51.3. From there, though, Bred by Jon Erdner
Water Sports Teen seemed a couple steps behind the better
sophomores in Pennsylvania. For example, in a PA All Stars race
on May 8 he worked out a pocket trip to One Eight Hundred but
couldn’t do anything with that rival from the two hole and ran
second. Next out he took a good first-over run in a Pennsylvania
Sires Stakes (PASS) race against Southwind Gendry before tiring
to finish fifth. Then, as a 66-1 longshot in another PASS race, he
finished a never threatening last. In his final start prior to the
barn change, Luther took him to Scioto where he dead heated
for win in 1:51.1 in a NW6500L4 conditioned race.
From there, Water Sports Teen raced two weeks later in the
new barn. At Yonkers and over a sloppy rated track with a chart
showing a 2-second allowance because of the conditions, Water
Sports Teen blasted from post 7 through an opening quarter
of :27 flat and rolled all the way to an open length win in 1:51
flat. He was sent off at nearly 4-1 that night, but the cat was
out of the bag and in his next start the following week in the
same condition, Water Sports Teen jogged in the exact same
way, this time at rock bottom odds of 1-9.
Raging in career form and combined with how the other two
eliminations played out, I don’t think it’s an overreaction to
think that Water Sports Teen will carry Adios favoritism with
him in next week’s finals.
Both odds-on favorites went down in defeat in the other the two
eliminations. Beginning with the first elimination, Southwind
Gendry – coming off a bumpy gaited ride last weekend in the
Meadowlands Pace – was inexplicably bet down to 30 cents
on the dollar and faded late to be third despite being kindly
rated through soft fractions relative to the other eliminations.
Seemingly out of nowhere the Okusko-trained Natameri took
a bold run down the backstretch at odds of 74-1 and took it to
Southwind Gendry around the final turn. To his credit, Natameri
eventually wore down and got the best of Southwind Gendry
but lost to Abuckabett Hanover who capitalized on the two-
hole trip to get the lightning lane win. The final time of 1:50.3
wasn’t flashy, but it could give Abuckabett Hanover confidence
Harness Racing Update | Page 3 | July 25, 2021
Harness Racing Update
heading into next week’s final. Prior to his Adios elimination
win, he came off a couple of races with no-shot trips and in
between there was a softly run Meadowlands Pace elimination.
He was all the rage earlier in the season.
In the second elimination, the big surprise was 4-5 favorite One
Eight Hundred fading to last. After an innocently stated reason
for Tetrick having to take him to the inside last week in the
Meadowlands Pace, it was shades of last year when One Eight
Hundred set hot fractions on the front and tired. The race was
WHISKEY BLU
3, 1:53.2f-’21 ($175,003)
won by Hellabalou in identical fashion to Abucketabett Hanover
Southwind Frank - Kendall Blue
from the prior race. I don’t know if that win by Hellabalou dis-
pelled totally his 80-1 Meadowlands Pace elimination as a $73,853 PASS division winner for 3yotc’s
fluke, but there’s no question he gets along amazingly well in 1:54.1f, July 23 at The Meadows.
with McCarthy. He did capitalize off the trip, but he did have
Owned by Burke Racing Stable Llc.,
to leave into an opening panel of :25.4 to get that spot and
Kitefield Stable, Weaver Bruscemi
deserves respect for next week’s final. It was another bomb in
for second as Mysweetboymax was no factor in the Messenger Trained by Ron Burke
but prepped for the Adios with a confidence-inspiring win at
Driven by Ronnie Wrenn Jr.
Philly last six days ago. Chase H Hanover came first over but
flattened late; probably should have been a touch better. Bred by Crawford Farms Llc
The complexion of the Adios changed dramatically with the
results of the eliminations, but those results will only add to
the intrigue for next week’s final.
Harness Racing Update | Page 4 | July 25, 2021
Harness Racing Update
Indiana adds $2 million FAMOUS FATHER
to its breed development 2, 1:55-’21 ($10,000)
Father Patrick - Hollywood Hill
program for 2021 $20,000 Kindergarten division winner for
by James Platz 2yotc’s in his first career start, July 23 at
The Meadowlands.
When the Indiana Standardbred Breed Development Advisory
Owned by Goran Falk, Christina Takter
Committee worked to craft a plan for the 2021 racing season,
the members did so with a conservative approach in mind. How Trained by Nancy Takter
COVID-19 would impact business levels at the casino operating at
Harrah’s Hoosier Park was unclear, making it hard to estimate just Driven by Jimmy Takter
how much revenue would be allocated to the program. Now, armed
Bred by Goran Falk,
with actual numbers, the committee recently amended the 2021
Christina Takter
program, adding $2 million in new money and raising the total
value of the program to $14.3 million. The plan was approved by
the Indiana Horse Racing Commission (IHRC) on Thursday (July 15).
In the request submitted to the IHRC, the committee wrote: “In
planning the program, all involved utilized very conservative
projections for gaming adjusted gross receipts (AGR) for 2021. At
this time, casino operations for the past three months have been
much higher than anticipated. Deposits made through June 15,
2021 have resulted in the Standardbred Breed Development Fund
receiving over $1.8 million dollars in excess of our projections.”
The program that was approved on March 2 operated on projec-
tions of $877,099 in monthly revenue generated by slots. While
the actual revenue paid in January (from December business)
lagged behind projections, every month since then has exceeded
the mark. The deposits in April, May and June have ranged from
$1.375 to $1.465 million, signaling an increase, on average, of
just over $550,000 in each of the last three months.
The slots performance over the first half of 2021 prompted the
committee to meet June 25 and amend the program. The group
drafted a revised program that allocates an additional $2 million in
money, raising it from the $12,336,000 previously approved. Of the
Harness Racing Update | Page 5 | July 25, 2021
Harness Racing Update
new money, $1.7 million is earmarked for Indiana sired overnight
supplements and mini series. Breeders awards will be boosted from
$700,000 to $1 million with the addition of $300,000.
According to Jessica Barnes, director of racing and breed devel-
opment at the IHRC, the committee worked to place the new
funds where they would have the most impact. The Indiana Sires
Stakes program is valued at just under $8 million this season.
She pointed out there is a large segment of horses that do not
fit the fair program and are not stakes caliber horses. The added
NIKI HILL
p,2, 1:53.1-‘21($10,000)
money nearly doubles the amount of $2 million previously allo- Always B Miki - Road Bet
cated that Hoosier Park can use when writing races.
“We felt like the area that needed the most support was that middle $20,000 Kindergarten division winner
for 2yopf’s in her first career start,
group of horses that are not stakes horses,” said Barnes. “This is
July 23 at The Meadowlands.
how we can push the most money to that group and benefit them.”
The money directed to Indiana sired overnight supplements Owned by Tom Hill
allows Hoosier Park’s director of racing, Scott Peine, to write Trained by Chris Ryder
races that are partially or fully paid with breed development
dollars, lessening the drain on the track’s purse account. For Driven by Dexter Dunn
instance, on Friday’s (July 23) program, a $10,000 event was
Bred by Stephen Day
carded for Indiana-sired freshman trotters that had yet to win
in a pari-mutuel race in 2021. A $17,500 conditioned event
was also included for Indiana sired 2-year-old colt trotters that
excluded horses finishing first or second in the opening round
of Indiana Sires Stakes competition. The $27,500 in purses for
the two races were paid with breed development funds.
Barnes said that the new funding will not have an immediate
impact on purses due to the nature of the fund and how it
operates. She noted that typically Hoosier Park spends all the
money allocated to supplements and mini series by mid-August
or early September. Now, Peine will have the ability to utilize the
supplements later into the meet, which traditionally concludes
in November, but this year is extended into early December.
Another item of note from the July IHRC meeting is the addition
of winter training at Hoosier Park once the 2021 race meeting
concludes. As part of the sale agreement and final order trans-
ferring the racing permits of Hoosier Park and thoroughbred
track Indiana Grand to Eldorado Resorts Inc., a provision was
included that cleared the way for winter training at both facilities.
However, in December 2020, ERI, with the support of the Indiana
Standardbred Association (ISA), requested the requirement be
waived for the 2020-2021 offseason at the Anderson track.
Prior to the July meeting, the ISA submitted a letter stating that
the board of directors had voted May 3 to pursue the option of
winter training. Joe Morris, Senior Vice President, Caesars Racing,
submitted proposed costs of $65,000 to winterize five barns at
the track. Since opening in 1994, Hoosier Park has never remained
open for winter training. This season, the barn area opened
Saturday, March 6 in advance of opening night on March 26.
Harness Racing Update | Page 6 | July 25, 2021
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Harness Racing Update
On Thursday evening I saw a horse who I thought was live the
week before; she was boxed and looked like a use for the last
Give us a reason Pick 5. Lo and behold I was watching the Mohawk simulcast
show and Chad Rozema highlighted the horse, too (much to my
(any reason) to bet chagrin Chad!) The filly again raced well and came second at
25-1. If someone watched Chad and used the filly, they had a
reason to bet and feel good about it.
Competition is fierce and harness tracks have
Signature bets – a bet, especially a small track, focuses on – can
to work harder than ever to attract betting pay big dividends for handle and interest. People are attracted to
dollars. a wager with pool size, along with handicapping materials or ideas
attached as a part of the marketing. Gabe Prewitt at Pompano has
proven this a sound strategy, as have some others. The Hoosier
by Dean Towers
Park Super High Five (thankfully a non-jackpot wager) meets the
I was preparing to play the races (primarily Mohawk) this past Thursday $10,000 guarantee most weeks; the Pick 4 at Cal-Expo, expertly
evening (July 22) and noticed a track had a Pick 4 that I thought might handled by Gary Seibel and team, is another success story.
be worth looking at. Unfortunately, I did not have a program. The $2 Others are not so fortunate, but as Gabe and Gary know, it’s not
or $3 to buy one should not have been a big barrier, but it was. easy. If you’re offering a Pick 5 with a $4,000 pool, get to work
Maybe it seems weird to you, but it is not uncommon. giving us a reason to bet and maybe good things will happen.
With dozens upon dozens of racetracks competing for the I was chatting on the Harness Racing Alumni show this week
betting dollar, even a seemingly tiny barrier like paying for a (listen here), and Bob Marks mentioned the past when he’d visit
program can cost eyeballs and wagering dollars. Aqueduct in the afternoon where bettors pushed $4 million
through the pools. Then he’d head to Yonkers, where they’d bet
Tracks, in my view, need to know one simple rule – you have to another $2.5 millions (probably $16 million and $10 million,
give us a reason to bet. And that can mean myriad things; some respectively in today’s dollars). Without casinos and scratch-offs
of them, like a free past performance page, relatively small. and slots and sports betting, this is the way it was at a track like
On-air analysts can play a role in attracting dollars, by high- Yonkers – they merely had to fling the doors open to compete.
lighting (either in print or on the pre-game show), bad trips or It’s clearly not like that anymore. Today tracks have to fight, not
slam dunk pick “n” keys. These horses can generate interest and only for slots players and sports bettors, but amongst breeds.
can give someone an idea to open the book. It’s more important than ever for harness tracks to give us a
I remember one instance, at a local simulcast center, a thorough- reason to bet. If they do it well enough, we will.
bred player stormed in completely excited to bet a Pick 3. He’d
heard there was a can’t lose horse in the 8th and he wanted
to play his Pick 3 around her. It was Ramona Hill at 1-9. Now, it
was probably a bad Pick 3 with spread-key-spread, but he was
slinging money into the harness pools, which he never does.
Harness Racing Update | Page 8 | July 25, 2021
Harness Racing Update
The positive – and
polarizing – influence of Dave Landry
Jeff Gural Jeff Gural (right) in the winner’s circle at the Red Mile
in 2017 with trainer/driver Ake Svanstedt (left) after Ice
Attraction won the Kentucky Filly Futurity.
The owner of The Meadowlands, Vernon
a most dire situation, that I for one would not have liked to
Downs and Tioga Downs has both his have been witness to.
supporters and detractors. Some, even, who Jeff Gural has both his supporters and detractors. Some, even,
are both, depending on the subject. But no who are both, depending on the specific subject.
one has had a greater influence on the sport Shortly following Gural's much deserved installation in
our sport's Living Hall of Fame, we had a long overdue
in recent years. conversation.
by Murray Brown
Jeff, how did this all begin?
The argument could be made that nobody since George
Morton Levy with his establishment of Roosevelt Raceway “I was just a kid who started going to the harness races with
has had a greater positive influence on harness racing than my friends. I loved the sport from the very beginning. That
Jeff Gural. It’s also probable that nobody has had a greater love just grew and grew. Many people love to go to or partici-
love of the sport in that time period. It’s certain that without pate in other sports. My passion from the very beginning was
Gural, the most important harness racetrack in North America, harness racing. I am from Long Island, so Roosevelt Raceway
The Meadowlands, would be gone. Even more certain, Vernon was a natural. My buddies and me would go there and also to
Downs in Vernon, NY would have been the victim of bank- Yonkers every chance we got. Back then Monticello Raceway
ruptcy, and Tioga Downs would still be a non-existent junk was a summer haven for the sport. So many people spent
pile in Nichols, NY. parts of their summers in the Catskill Mountains. Monticello
Raceway was a natural gathering place. Those who were
Thus, the number one track in North America, arguably the
unfortunate enough to not experience those days have no
world and a significant percentage of the tracks that con-
idea how much fun they missed. It was glorious.
tribute to the New York Sires Stakes and that state's harness
racing program would be gone. My family would rent a summer bungalow close by. Kids
would spend their days playing all sorts of sports or vacation
Could our sport have survived those losses? This scribe
at the many resorts. Those who were lucky enough to be able
would prefer to believe that it would have, but to a much far
to go to Monticello at night had a great new world open to
lesser success than it does now.
them.
Where and under whose sponsorship would our greatest
You would eat at The Chateau, a restaurant just above the
event The Hambletonian and its affiliated events take place?
backstretch at the track, either before or after the races — or
How big a hole would the absence of Tioga and Vernon leave
both. It was a well-known gathering spot for horseman and
in the New York Sires Stakes (NYSS) events held at those
owners. We kids would try to pick up tips on "ready" horses.
venues, plus the other stakes and perhaps most importantly
Sometimes we even did.”
the lifeblood of those horsemen who earn their living racing
in overnights racing at those venues? What would its effect
have been on the breeding industry? It would have created How did you get involved as a participant?
Harness Racing Update | Page 9 | July 25, 2021
Harness Racing Update
“I couldn't afford to buy a horse myself, so some friends and
I decided to claim a horse between us. The horse's name was
Shadydale Yankios. We were going to claim him from Billy
Myer. I'm guessing he got wind of the impending claim, so
the horse was scratched. That didn't deter us. We saw that he
had been entered in a claiming race at Liberty Bell. We gath-
ered the necessary cash and drove to Philadelphia and bingo,
I owned my first horse. He did very well for us. I was hooked.”
Until Bob Bencal's recent retirement, you had only
one trainer – him — for well over 30 years. How did
the association come about?
“It was kind of a coincidence. I was working for a company
called Diesel Construction. I was at Roosevelt one night and
met Don Pizer who also worked there. I didn't know him well.
I asked him what he was doing there. He was interested in
getting a horse. He knew this trainer who was working for
Billy Haughton. His name was Bob Bencal. He suggested we Courtesy The Meadowlands
buy a horse or two to give to Bencal. I said ‘Sure’ and I never Gural said there is “no way” he ever envisioned owning
had another full-time trainer until Bob retired. We are still three racetracks.
the best of friends and we talk frequently.”
“I was involved in a large real estate deal. Those who know
To some degree your game plan changed. You went me know that I am much more a buyer or ‘holder’ than I am a
seller. I hate to sell, specifically real estate. In this particular
from racing overnights at the New York tracks to situation, because of the intricacies of a partnership, I had no
buying yearlings and trying to race stakes horses. choice but to sell. I did and came out of it well financially. But
I wasn't happy. What would make me happy? I asked myself.
I had always wanted to take the extra step of breeding my
“That is pretty much where I've been since. I love the chal- own horses, so I bought my own farm. As far as trotters were
lenge of getting young horses, trying to develop them and concerned, I looked upon them as being easier to breed than
reaching for the brass ring. We had some luck and a few nice pacers. I figured, all you had to do was breed your mares to
horses. I especially loved the western trek of Springfield, Speedy Crown, Super Bowl or Speedy Somolli. It was easier
DuQuoin, Delaware, Ohio and Lexington. We never made than picking pacers, which I felt was more involved. I also
much money racing until the last few years where we had a thought that if the market collapsed, it would be easier to
few ‘big horses.’” sell a whole lot of trotters overseas given that there was at
the time a very strong overseas market for them in Europe
than there was one for pacers.”
Since Bob Bencal retired, you've now diversified some-
what. Instead of owning your horses solely with one Let's talk about racetracks. Did you ever foresee a time
trainer, you now own parts of many horses with several when you would control three racetracks?
trainers.
“No way. I did think that with the exception of perhaps The
“It’s worked out pretty well this way. It has spread the risk Meadowlands that I could improve upon running any race-
factor and also allows for more fun and participation. There track then in business. I made a run at Saratoga when it
can be a whole lot more fun and action owning a chunk of came up for sale. I was deeply disappointed that I didn't get
40 some horses than all of 10. In recent years, I've had most it. Then Vernon came up. It was bankrupt and perhaps more
of my horses with Ake Svanstadt, Linda Toscano, Julie and importantly, at the time, looked to be the only track that
Andy Miller, Nifty Norman and Ray Schnittker. They and the might become available. I took a stab at it and bought it out
partners I've had with them have lent themselves to even a of bankruptcy. I immediately ran into trouble with the horse-
greater love of the sport and the so many good people in it.” men's association then being advised by Joe Faraldo. Thus
began the serious problems between Joe and me. Joe advised
the horsemen to not EVEN MEET with me until I had signed
How did you get involved in the breeding business and
a contract with them. I assured them that I would sign it by
more specifically breeding just trotters? the following Monday. It was a Friday and I only had bought
Harness Racing Update | Page 10 | July 25, 2021Harness Racing Update
the track a day ago. I was already on my way to meet with What about the future of harness racing, Jeff?
them. As it turned out some met with me and many did not.
I still find it difficult to reconcile their stance. Assuming that “It might be too late, but our major problem is that we have
Joe was right in telling them not to meet with me, can you refused to invest in ourselves. We have a great sport, but
imagine how they would come to the conclusion to not MEET very few people even know that we exist. Even those that
when their only other option was to have no racetrack and
do, know very little about it. We are much more interesting
thus no means of making a living?
than the thoroughbreds, but they probably have 10 times
“Then came The Meadowlands which was on the verge or more the recognition and audience than us. I've been
of being closed. It was probably a bad gamble given that
preaching this same tune for decades. I still think if it were
a casino was an underdog to come about. Some may not
believe this. But I did it for two reasons: 1. I love the sport, its taken to those involved in the sport, they would feel as I do.
people and its horses. I thought, and still do, that the sport Unfortunately a few think otherwise and they believe the
without The Meadowlands would become a dead issue. 2. I opposite. I've offered to pay to have USTA poll its member-
really believed that with a new smaller grandstand which ship, but I've been met only with deaf ears.”
catered to its audience, we would be able to draw substantial
numbers of people to the racetrack again. I was obviously
wrong on that. The bottom line has been that with all sorts Beyond that, where do your three tracks go after Jeff
of off track wagering and other forms of gambling, we have Gural?
made it far too easy for people to NOT come to the racetrack.”
“I think that both The Meadowlands and Tioga will continue. I
You mention your long lingering feud with Joe Faraldo. don't see Vernon surviving under present New York law given
Don't you believe that it’s terrible for everybody the advantages that the Turning Stone Casino has over it. I
— you, Joe and everybody else in the sport? Don't hope that my son Eric and Jason Settlemoir will continue to
you think that everybody would be aided, not only by lead all the tracks in the right direction.”
some sort of reconciliation, but more importantly by
two extremely capable and talented people putting I'll end with the question I've asked most people
their means and talents together for the betterment during this terrible scourge called COVID-19. How
of the sport? did it affect you, both personally and business wise?
“Of course. A few years ago I encountered Joe at an event. I “My wife Paula and myself were not personally affected
approached him and told him that our animosity was doing nearly as much as most people. We moved to our New York
nothing but causing harm to the game. Wasn't it time to just Farm and it became a rather pleasant, yet perhaps unex-
put our hate behind us and work together of the betterment citing, existence. There's something nice about waking up
of the sport? My answer was him just walking away.” surrounded by beautiful countryside in the midst of a group
of gorgeous horses. Like Mr. Churchill was known to have
said, ‘There's something about the outside of a horse that is
It appears, thanks mostly to sports betting, The good for the inside of a man.’ We'd swim each day and watch
Meadowlands is now on solid financial footing. movies on Netflix. Perhaps a little boring, but life could have
been a whole lot worse for two older folks wanting to stay
“We have actually been making money for the last two years. healthy. As far as business was concerned, for a 79-year-old
I still believe that we will eventually also have a racino here.” guy who has worked all of his life, I've never worked harder
or gone through more stress in all my life. The racetracks did
as well as they could have considering the restrictions that
we followed to a tee.
“My other and major business, real estate, was chaotic, to say the
least. It isn't even close yet to shaking out. It probably won't be
until we are entirely rid of this terrible plague and its after effects.”
Have a question or comment for The Curmudgeon?
Reach him by email at: hofmurray@aol.com.
Harness Racing Update | Page 11 | July 25, 2021Harness Racing Update
If you’re still with me, and I probably should have provided
a map, Cassin Hanover was owned by Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence
Sheppard, and they were honoring their daughter Sug Devan,
when they named those two fillies after her.
Which, after a long detour over old roads, brings us back to Guilty
Of Love, the dam of Love You. In the third generation of his Tail-
Male, or top sire line, is Quick Song, a strictly American-bred
horse by Victory Song. And the horse he sired, who is Guilty Of
Love’s grandsire, Sharif Di Iesolo, was one of the greatest Italian
racehorses of all time, and then one of their greatest sires.
Meanwhile, the plot thickens even more when you see that
Amour D’aunou, the dam of Guilty Of Love, is by Speedy Somolli.
A million Frenchmen can’t Here, this kid takes a little credit, because I syndicated Speedy
be wrong Somolli before he won the Hambletonian, and was proud to
stand him throughout his career as a sire. Didn’t do too bad,
either, in that department, with three Hambletonian winners.
by Alan Leavitt
Many years ago, Jim Harrison predicted that the results of meld-
Love You, the French trotting stallion, is playing an increasingly ing American and French trotting blood would be synergistic.
important role here in the United States. He came dangerously As usual, Jim was right, and Love You is the living proof.
close to having a Hambletonian winner in International Moni, It happens that this kid has a personal connection to Love You.
who won his elimination but then was interfered with in the The horse was bred and is still owned by Jean Pierre Du Bois,
final. Last year, Julie and Andy Miller’s Venerate won the Mohawk J. P. to his friends. Jean Pierre and I have been good friends
Million, among other stakes races, and is one of the favorites ever since we met when he brought Coktail Jet to race at The
for this year’s Hambletonian. Taken all together, it cried out for Meadowlands in the mid-‘80s. J. P. is the leading figure in French
an in-depth look at Love You’s pedigree. harness racing, and I mean every phase of it, by at least an hour
For starters, Love You is by Coktail Jet, who was an outstanding and a half.
racehorse with earnings of $2,376,219, almost all of it in Europe, A few years ago, my wife, Meg Jewett, and I spent a week in
although he did race a few times here in the United States. Paris, where we had gone to experience the Prix D’Amerique
Wherein lies another story, but that comes later. in person. I should add that Meg is fluent in French, and I am
His dam is Guilty Of Love, by And Arifant, and unfortunately there not. This despite having taken two years in French at Andover,
are no racing records available for her or any of the other mares where it is taught by the direct method, meaning only French
in her Tail-Mare line. For the record, I just invented that term. is spoken from the time you say, “Bonjour, M. Forbush,” to the
But you don’t have to look far to see that Love You has almost moment you say, “Adieu, Monsieur.”
as much American blood as he does European. His sire, Coktail While we were in France, we spent a delightful day with Jean
Jet, is entirely American-bred on his dam’s side, being out of Pierre. It started with croissants at a little café where a talking
Ambro Glamour, who is by Super Bowl, and out of Speedy Sug, parrot, who was not caged, kept urging us to eat with, “Mangey,
by Speedy Count, out of Sug, by Hickory Smoke. Monsieur. Mangey, Madame.”
Here a word about the genesis of the names Speedy Sug, and J.P. spent the day showing us all his many properties and telling great
Sug, whose dam is Cassin Hanover. Lawrence Sheppard, the stories that went with them. As the day was coming to an end, we
founder of the Hanover Shoe Farms, had three daughters, Alma, drove into still another farm, and by then it was raining fairly hard.
Sug and Patricia. They were all horse-women. As a little boy, We came to a large paddock in which there was one horse. He
my father took me to the Shoe Farms to watch Alma Sheppard was standing in the rain, nibbling at a round bale of hay that
drive Dean Hanover in an exhibition mile. Earlier, she had set a was just barely covered by a little open sided shed. I asked J.
world’s record with the horse in a time trial. If memory serves, P. who the horse was, and he answered proudly, “Coktail Jet!”
Alma was 11 at the time.
And then, as we continued to watch one of the greatest French
Sug, who was married to a Hanover doctor, Todd DeVan, is the horses who ever lived chomping away in the rain at the round
mother of Larry DeVan. Larry has been an activist in our business, bale, Jean Pierre said, with a big grin, “Self-serve!”
with numerous important contributions.
And finally, Patricia is the mother of the leading figure in
American harness racing today, Russell Williams. Russell is both
the sole proprietor of the Hanover Shoe Farms and the president
of our registry, the United States Trotting Association (USTA).
Harness Racing Update | Page 12 | July 25, 2021Harness Racing Update
Six eliminations were held on Friday (July 16) and the contend-
ers must be in great shape to perform at their best just nine
days later over the pretty long distance.
This year’s edition contains some of the best mares in the
Swedish 4-year-old crop, which is proved by the high average
purses among the 12 trotters.
Last year’s dominant Eagle Eye Cherry ($636,000) is the most
merited horse in the field, but many SEK millionaires are in the
race. Nine out of 12 trotters have earned more than one million
Swedish crowns.
The eliminations told us that today’s final should be an excit-
Today’s 1.6-mile ing story with several horses that are ready to fight for the
victory. Muscle Hill mare Hall Of Am started her career in
Stochampionatet for Marcus Melander’s barn in New Jersey and claimed a victory in
mares is wide open a Kindergarten Classic elimination before she followed up as
fourth in the final and third in Goldsmith Maid in her last start
by Thomas Hedlund as a 2-year-old.
Hall Of Am has really become one of the hottest horses ahead of
Today (July 25) the $550,000 Stochampionatet for 4-year-old Stochampionatet and she (and Jerry Riordan trained Globalizer)
mares over 2,640 meters (approximately 1.6 miles) closes a came home in the fastest mile rate of the elimination winners:
three-day meeting at Axevalla racetrack in Sweden and 12 1:58.
well-merited mares will battle over some 2 1/2 laps.
ALN
Hall Of Am, owned by the Courant Stable, is one of the favorites to win today’s $550,000 Stochampionatet.
Harness Racing Update | Page 13 | July 25, 2021Harness Racing Update
Stochampionatet
2,640 meters
Horse (Sire) - Driver
1. Global Brilliance (S.J.’s Caviar) - Ulf Ohlsson
2. Hall Of Am (Muscle Hill) - Magnus A Djuse
3. Sayonara (Donato Hanover) - Carl Johan Jepson
4. Loaded Maria (Trixton) - Markus B Svedberg
5. Chablis Ribb (Raja Mirchi) - Claes Sjöström
6. Hill’s Angel (Muscle Hill) - Johan Untersteiner
7. Helluva Am (Readly Express) - Jorma Kontio
8. Eagle Eye Cherry (Bold Eagle) - Björn Goop
9. Globalizer (Bold Eagle) - Stefan Persson
10. Barbro Kronos (Trixton) - Erik Adielsson
11. Honey Mearas (Readly Express) - Örjan Kihlström
12. Tilda Express (Readly Express) - Rikard N Skoglund
Tuesday night rumble in Malmö
The $365,000 Hugo Åbergs Memorial mile race highlights the Tuesday
night (July 27) race card at Jägersro racetrack where 10 horses are invited.
Swedish-bred trotters dominate the race and most probably one
of them will be the race’s first choice. Svante Båth’s Very Kronos
(Ready Cash) drew post 2 behind the gate and it looks like the
7-year-old colt has a great shot claiming his first win for the year.
Very Kronos is, by many fans, considered as one of the best horses
in Sweden and Europe, but 2021 has not been as successful as
last season, when he dominated several big races in Sweden.
Tuesday night might be the night when Very Kronos shows the
great capacity he holds.
The $161,000 second final of Breeders Course for 3-year-olds
is held the same night in Malmö and Italian trainer Alessandro
Gocciadoro has two great chances in the race. Gocciadoro drives
Readly Express son Colibri Jet while Örjan Kihlström sits behind
Cash Maker. Love You Too (Love You), who claimed the first final
in Breeders Course (1.3 miles) at Solvalla on Elitloppet day, starts
from post 9. The distance on Tuesday night is 1,640 meters.
Hugo Åbergs Memorial
One mile
Horse (Sire) - Driver
1. Who’s Who (Maharajah) - Örjan Kihlström
2. Very Kronos (Ready Cash) - Erik Adielsson
3. Night Brodde (Up And Quick) - Conrad Lugauer
4. Upstate Face (Joke Face) - Adrian Kolgjini
5. Calle Crown (Great Challenger) - Johnny Takter
6. Gareth Boko (Make It Happen) - Magnus A Djuse
7. Alrajah One (Maharajah) - Alessandro Gocciadoro
8. Cokstile (Quite Easy) - Jorma Kontio
9. Cyber Lane (Raja Mirchi) - Johan Untersteiner
10. Hickothepooh (Triton Sund) - Vidar Hop
Harness Racing Update | Page 14 | July 25, 2021Harness Racing Update
4YO Mare — 1:48.4 Carolina Sunshine; granddaughter of Cam
Fella by Cambest
4YOG — 1:48 flat Color Me Best; grandson of Cam Fella by
Cambest
4 YO or Older Horse — 1:47.4 Four Starzzz Shark; grandson of
Cam Fella by Cams Card Shark
4 YO or Older Mare — 1:48.4 Frightening P; granddaughter of
Cam Fella by Camtastic
4 YO or Older Gelding — 1:46.4 world race record from 2006
Holborn Hanover a grandson of Cam Fella by Cams Card Shark
Prime time players — Stanley Take (post) five
Dancer and Cam Fella The 2020 and 2021 Meadowlands Pace winners had post
by Bob Heyden 5. The 2020 Hambletonian winner had post 5. The last five
Hambletonian winners have come from 5-6-7. This year, for the
Let’s talk about a couple of prime time player: Stanley Dancer first time ever, the inside five posts got all five Meadowlands
and Cam Fella. Pace checks.
On July 25, 1927 Dancer was born. The same year, Babe Ruth
hit 60 home runs and that record stood 34 years. He wound up Can you top this?
with 714 career homeruns retiring in 1935 with a record that
stood 39 years. I doubt it. Mark MacDonald has just won the Meadowlands Pace,
his first, at age 42. If you look back to 2005, when MacDonald
Dancer’s record of three Triple Crown wins — that he trained and
set the world 3YOCP world record of 1:47.4 on Oct. 1 at The
drove — still stands 49 years later. Only twice since has a trainer/
Red Mile, you will see a startling stat. His first three wins in the
driver won just one Triple Crown — 1980 Clint Galbraith with
USA were all-sub 1:50:
Niatross and 2004 Trond Smedshammer with Windsongs Legacy.
Rare Jewel — Meadowlands, 1:48.4
Not only did Dancer win the Triple Crown with Nevele Pride in
1968, Most Happy Fella in 1970 and Super Bowl in 1972, he American Ideal — Tattersalls, 1:49.2
very nearly had five in that nine year span from 1968-1976. American Ideal — Red Mile, 1:47.4 to lower Jennas Beach Boy’s
Albatross was second to Nansemond as the huge favorite to mark from five years earlier (9/30/00) of 1:48.
complete the 1971 Triple Crown in the Jug and Keystone Ore
missed a neck of overcoming the second tier to Windshield
Wiper in the 1976 Messenger. Summer of 1991
July 25, 1983 was the date of The Match Race everyone wanted Thirty summers ago, Miss Easy was dominating the ladies. She
(actually it was a field of 10). It was contested on a Monday as never lost a Meadowlands race against the girls only (18-for-
Pat Crowe had a previous obligation on the Saturday two days 18). She wound up-in a six week period that summer of paying
before. It was the first ever matchup between Its Fritz and Cam the minimum $2.10 five times in six tries. She would go on to
Fella. Cam won this matchup and would take the next two, also. set the pacing mare money mark of $1.777 million that would
For those who are time crazy, consider this. Cam Fella was the be topped several years later by rival Shady Daisy who, unlike
easy choice in 1983 for his second straight Horse of the Year Miss Easy, retired after 3 and continued on to be a super mare.
and wound up surpassing Niatross at year’s end on the all-time
earnings list with $2.041 million — or 11 times what Ist Fritz
earned in his entire career. Yet, Its Fritz was the fastest performer Back-to-backers
in 1983 at The Red Mile and The Meadows. He won in 1:52.1 at
The Meadows on Aug. 27 and in 1:51.4 in Lexington. With Manchego at Plainridge today (July 25) for the $250,000
Spirit Of Massachusetts, she will try to duplicate her 2020 effort
Two decades later, Cam Fella simply outdid himself. He sired four
at the same track where she posted her season’s best 1:49.3. If
straight Meadowlands Pace winners from 1991-1994 (Precious
you remember, that was the all-age track record — and Shartin
Bunny, Carlsbad Cam, Presidential Ball and Cams Card Shark).
N did the very same thing on the pacing side — in back-to-back
Take a look at the world race record holders among the 4- and races; all-time marks both lowered with 30 minutes.
5-year-old and older set entering the 2007 season:
This takes me back to Aug. 6, 1994, when the very same thing-
4YO Horse — 1:47.3 Lis Mara; grandson of Cam Fella by Cambest — almost — happened at the Meadowlands. Beat The Wheel
Harness Racing Update | Page 15 | July 25, 2021Harness Racing Update
— who four weeks earlier, had become history’s fastest trotter at he won the Lady Liberty with three-time division winner Pure
1:51.4 beating Pine Chip no less — and Staying Together were Country. He set the Adios record of 1:47.4 — also the world mark
in consecutive races. He of the 1:48.2 world record from 1993 — in 2012 with Bolt The Duer.
his HOY season. Oh, they both finished off the board.
BRENNAN:
Quiz Got his start in the Metro-New York area in 1994 with veteran
Indianapolis. He drove both 2YO division winners in 1995 with
Q. Which father and son were the first to each score 1,000 Chippies Ruler and A Stud Named Sue for Liz Quesnel. He won
driving wins? both the Woodrow Wilson (A Stud Named Sue-1995) and the
A. Garland and Glen Garnsey. Glen completed that daily double Meadowlands Pace (Hot Lead-1996) debuting in both. He just
in 1968. missed with Fit For Life by a nose in the 1998 Meadowlands
Pace. He was second in the 1998 Jug. He won the 2004 and
2011 Hambletonian Oaks at $37 and $57 with Silver Springs
Five hour window like no other
and Bold N Fresh. He set the Meadowlands track record for
3YOCP on Hambletonian Day 2005 with American Ideal roaring
On July 17, 2021, the winner of the Haskell was disqualified.
past HOY Rocknroll Hanover in 1:48.1. The next year he set the
The winner of the Meadowlands Pace was disqualified and the
all-age world record with Holborn Hanover of 1:46.4 also on
leading active driver by earnings was disqualified (in Stanley
Hambletonian Day. He did great work with free-for-all Shark
Dancer first elim).
Gesture. He took the 2006 Yonkers Trot with Glidemaster to com-
plete the Triple Crown and HOY. He won the 2011 Hambletonian
Melander on course again? with Broad Bahn the same year he captured the Oaks.
Could trainer Marcus Melander have three favorites in the
Hambletonian again this year?
He did it at age 27 in 2019 with Green Shoe (second), Gimpanzee
(third) and Green Manalashi (fifth) as the 1-2-3 betting choices.
Jimmy Takter did it in 2014 with 2-5 favorite Father Patrick
last, Trixton the winner at $10.60 and Nuncio third choice and
second best at 4.60-1.
Chuck Sylvester did them one better in 1998 with the four top
choices. Muscles Yankee was the winner at $2.60, Silver Pine and
Armbro Rotary were last and next to last at 4.70-1 and David
Raymond was second as the fourth choice at 6.10-1.
Keep them in mind
Keep these two drivers in mind when betting the last two weeks
of the Championship Meadowlands Meet and the Grand Circuit
— Mark MacDonald and George Brennan.
MACDONALD:
Two-time Canadian Driver of the Year, in 2006 was second in
wins in North America with 745 and fourth in earnings at $10.2
million. He picked up the drive late in the 2011 Breeders Crown
series on Betterthancheddar and posted one of the greatest per-
formances from a near impossible spot to win the 3YOCP BC. He
won his first Crown in 2008 (Tim Tetrick and he both scored their
first Crowns in consecutive races) from last to first with Moving
Pictures. He won the Metro and NA Cup with Sportswriter in
2009-2010. That Artsplace colt is one of the only handful of
pacers in history to average $100,000 per career start. He had
the sport’s fastest winning drive 15 years apart in 2005 and
again in 2020. The last time he drove on Hambletonian Day
Harness Racing Update | Page 16 | July 25, 2021Harness Racing Update
JK First Lady favored in
Clara Barton at Plainridge
by Tim Bojarski for Plainridge Park
Fresh off her eye-popping 1:47.4 mile that set a new world
both. But now as an older mare she looks like she could have
record for 4-year-old pacing mares at the Meadowlands last
really moved to the next level based on her performance in
week in the $178,500 Dorothy Haughton Memorial, JK First Lady
that Meadowlands win.
will be shipping to Plainridge Park today (July 25) to compete
in the $100,000 Clara Barton Distaff Pace where she has been “Honestly we were hoping this could be a career year for her,
made the morning line favorite. otherwise we wouldn’t have brought her back at 4 because
she’s very valuable as a broodmare, too. The thing was at 2 and
Leading up to her record-breaking start, JK First Lady was racing
a little bit at 3, she was a little hard to manage, a little bratty.
very well this year. But she had encountered some very difficult
We tried to keep her covered up a lot and teach her to race
trips that left her winless going into last week. Despite those
because she was a little aggressive early in her career. But now
tough outings her mare had been dealing with, trainer Nancy
she’s more manageable and can leave and let a horse go. If you
Takter knew JK First Lady’s fortunes would soon change.
would have tried to do that with her at 3 she would have been
“I was really expecting her to perform well in the Haughton and off. She’s matured with age,” said Takter.
knew she was sitting on a big race. She was loaded with pace in
With JK First Lady coming in off such an impressive victory, it
her last start in the Artiscape but had to move late and a little
could be easy to overlook other mares in this race. And one
wide down the stretch. So I knew she was coming in with real
of those is her Breeders Crown champion stablemate, Peaky
good form. She’s a good mare, she just needed a trip to work
Sneaky.
out for her,” said Takter.
Peaky Sneaky was a bit of a slow starter at two and really never
JK First Lady’s 2- and 3-year-old years almost mirrored each
came on strong at three until the last half of her season. In fact
other for performance and earnings and she was very good in
she made 80 per cent of her total 2020 earnings in the last six
Michael Lisa
JK First Lady (Dexter Dunn) winning the Dorothy Haughton on July 17 at The Meadowlands.
Harness Racing Update | Page 17 | July 25, 2021Harness Racing Update
starts of the year. Bartons, and in consecutive track record times.
In her last three of those starts she upset the heavily-favored Shartin N, who has since retired, spent her entire North American
Party Girl Hill in the Breeders Crown at Hoosier Park, finished racing career in the stable of Jim King Jr. And although the
second to JK First Lady in the USS Indianapolis at Hoosier and pacing queen is not in Massachusetts this year, Jim King is and
finished second in the TVG final at the Meadowlands to stable- he’s loaded for bear once again.
mate Kissin In The Sand, who was later named the Dan Patch King’s top pacing mare this year is Lyons Sentinel, who set a
older female pacer of the year. world record for 4-year-old female pacers with a 1:48 clocking
“Physical maturity had a lot to do with it, she had a lot of grow- at the Meadowlands in May. That record has since been broken
ing pains at two. And she wasn’t always the soundest thing at by JK First Lady with her 1:47.4 effort at the Meadowlands last
two either. If you would have told me she would still be around Saturday (July 17), where Lyon’s Sentinel finished a very close
at four and a Breeders Crown champion I would have said you fourth after an absolutely brutal trip.
were crazy,” said Takter. This rematch could be one for the ages.
“Looking back I would have bet my house that she was going Lyons Sentinel has been coming on strong since early in the
to win the Breeders Crown. I told Yannick earlier that week she year. In her third start in May she won in lifetime best 1:48.2 at
trained so well and was that sharp. She was racing good horses the Meadowlands which was her fastest mile since October of
in that race but also a really good group of older mares in the 2020. Three weeks later at the Meadowlands she finished third
TVG final the next week. She beat Shartin N and Warrawee by a length behind Racine Belle, who tied the world record with
Ubeaut and that’s tough for a 3-year-old to do.” a 1:48.1 clocking.
However, this year didn’t start out like last year ended. Peaky “It’s hard to get horses ready for those kinds of miles. She wasn’t
Sneaky finished third behind JK First Lady in that record last over-raced in her first two starts but those races got her ready
week and that was the best mile she paced since last November for that third start and she came out strong and went 1:48.2,”
and may have been a turning point of her year. said King.
“She came back from her vacation very fat this year. She had Then two weeks later she returned to the Meadowlands and
a good foundation under her but she needed to tuck up and went another link getting mark and broke the world record with
lose a little bit of weight and with the racing so far I think she’s a 1:48 mile in a race she dictated from the quarter pole on.
done that,” said Takter.
“That night she was fully in race shape and it was time for her
“JK and Peaky are very comparable mares and whichever one to do that and she went a pretty good trip up there. If she ever
has the better day, will outperform the other because in ability, got a two hole trip I don’t know where she would go. But I’m
I think they are very close.” satisfied with what she’s doing for sure,” said King.
JK First Lady leaves from post two for driver Dexter Dunn at Last week in the Dorothy Haughton Memorial at the
2-1 and Peaky Sneaky starts from post six with Todd McCarthy Meadowlands, Lyons Sentinel finished fourth behind JK First
aboard at 7-1. Lady, who won and lowered Lyons Sentinel’s world record to
1:47.4. But JK First Lady was able to get a close early position
Lyons Sentinel gunning for King’s third and a good trip. Lyon’s Sentinel had post 10, was parked out
straight two and three wide the entire mile and still only got beat 2-3/4
lengths. She paced in 1:48.2 with a :26.1 final quarter in a
Meanwhile, Lyons Sentinel hopes to pick up where her former driving rainstorm.
stablemate Shartin N left off. Shartin N won the first two Clara Was that possibly the best race of her career?
Harness Racing Update | Page 18 | July 25, 2021Harness Racing Update
“In my opinion it was the mile of her life. It was kind of hard
to fault her for that, wasn’t it? In those kinds of races you can’t
just float them out there and get a spot, it’s not an overnight.
Those races are raced differently and that’s the way it is. They’re
raced hard because that’s where the money is and those are the
races we all want to win,” said King.
“This week there is a lot of speed in the race but Lyon’s Sentinel
is versatile, so with post three she has options. I expect she has
a better chance than most in there. I know they have JK ahead
of her morning line but I can’t imagine her going off shorter
odds than Sentinel. Those two are going to take the brunt of the
money and they’re not going to be too far apart. I think Sentinel
went a better trip than the horse that got the money last week,
but the fact is…the other one got the money.”
King’s also has Soho Burning Love A in the Barton, but she comes
in winless in her last four starts after having a stellar spring
Earlier in the year, Soho Burning Love A was on fire, winning three
straight races and taking three straight seasonal marks. She won
the Blue Chip Matchmaker consolation in a runaway 1:51.4, 7-1/2
length romp that went faster than the final. Then she won back
to back starts at Harrah’s Philly and the Meadowlands in 1:50.1
and 1:48.2. At that point she looked like one of the best mares
of the season. But subsequent starts didn’t go as well.
“She has some trouble with breathing and when she goes a trip that
goes too fast to the half like the :53.4 clip at Harrah’s a few weeks
ago, she surrenders. And most horses don’t get over that quickly.
She’s kind of fragile anyway and although she’s very fast, she’s not
very forgiving when you have to race her very hard,” said King.
“She’s so much better when she gets a break in the mile. When
she went that trip at Yonkers she was at the top of her game.
That’s why she won her next couple of starts easily because
of the way they went. When she gets away poorly or from an
outside post, she can come from behind and beat lesser horses.
But she can’t in those kinds of fields.”
Today, Soho Burning Love A starts from post one and should
benefit from a lot of speed in front of her and King thinks she’s
in the perfect spot.
“I fully expect to get paid; I think she’ll be good. And if she
prevailed, it certainly wouldn’t come as a surprise to me. I don’t
expect her to, but if everything falls into place for her, she’s good
enough to finish the job.”
“Both mares trained up good and we’re a long way from home,
but that’s the way it is and we’ve managed to make that trip
before and make it work.”
King also reflected on his champion Shartin N had and said
she was incomparable.
“So far we’re undefeated in this race, with Shartin winning the
first two. I’ve got two girls here this year that are nice girls, but
they’re not Shartin. Shartin was few and far between. She was
really, really special.”
The $250,000 Spirit of Massachusetts Trot is also on today’s card
with post time for the first race set at 2 p.m. The card is also
highlighted with the $50,900 Bert Beckwith Memorial Pace and
with total purses totaling in excess of $500,000, it’s the biggest
day of harness racing in Massachusetts this year.
TrackMaster PPs available here.
Harness Racing Update | Page 19 | July 25, 2021Harness Racing Update
HRU Upcoming Stakes
Sunday, July 25
Purse Race Track Age, Sex, Gait Race #(s) 1st Race Post
$100,000 The Clara Barton Distaff Pace Plainridge Park FFA PACING MARES 7 2 p.m.
$50,900 The Bert Beckwith Memorial Plainridge Park OPEN PACE 8 2 p.m.
$250,000 Spirit of Massasschusetts Plainridge Park FFA TROT 9 2 p.m.
$99,800 Ontario Sires Stakes - Gold Georgian Downs 3YOCP 4, 6 6 p.m.
$96,000 Indiana Sires Stakes Harrah’s Hoosier Park 3YOFP 7 6:30 p.m.
$35,000 Indiana Sires Stakes Harrah’s Hoosier Park 3YOCP 9, 11, 12 6:30 p.m.
$17,500 Buckeye Stallion Series Northfield Park 3YOCT 4, 6, 8 6 p.m.
$15,000 Erwin Dygert Memorial Hawthorne 3YOCT 5 6:30 p.m.
$15,000 Beulah Dygert Memorial Hawthorne 3YOFT 7 6:30 p.m.
$9,742 ME Standardbred Breeders Stakes Bangor Raceway 3YOFT 1 Noon
$10,197 ME Standardbred Breeders Stakes Bangor Raceway 3YOCT 1 12:15 p.m.
$8,100 Ralph Klein Memorial - eliminations Century Downs 3YOCP 2, 3 2:15 p.m.
$8,100 Gord & Illa Rumpel Memorial - elims Century Downs 3YOFP 9, 10 2:15 p.m.
$12,000 PEI Colt Stakes - Gold Red Shores Summerside 2YOFP 1, 9 1 p.m.
$7,000 PEI Colt Stakes Red Shores Summerside 2YOCT 2, 6 1 p.m.
$6,000 PEI Colt Stakes - Grassroots Red Shores Summerside 2YOFP 3, 11, 14 1 p.m.
$7,000 PEI Colt Stakes Red Shores Summerside 2YOFT 4 1 p.m.
$6,000 PEI Colt Stakes - Grassroots Red Shores Summerside 2YOCP 5, 8, 15 1 p.m.
$12,000 PEI Colt Stakes - Gold Red Shores Summerside 2YOCP 7, 13 1 p.m.
$9,200 PEI Colt Stakes - Gold Red Shores Summerside 3YOCT 10 1 p.m.
$9,200 PEI Colt Stakes - Gold Red Shores Summerside 3YOFT 12 1 p.m.
Monday, July 26
Purse Race Track Age, Sex, Gait Race #(s) 1st Race Post
$114,000 New York Sire Stakes Monticello 3YOFT 8 12:10 p.m.
$15,000 New York Sire Stakes - Excelsior A Monticello 3YOFT 2, 4, 8 12:10 p.m.
$6,000 New York Sire Stakes - Excelsior B Monticello 3YOFT 1 12:10 p.m.
$20,000 Dream Maker Pacing Series Woodbine Mohawk Park 2YOOP 9 7 p.m.
$10,000 Battle of the Belles Grand River Raceway ON-SIRED 2YOFP 2, 6 6 p.m.
$15,000 Battle of the Belles Grand River Raceway ON-SIRED 2YOCP 4, 8 6 p.m.
$15,000 Kentucky Championship Prep Red Mile 3YOCT 1 1 p.m.
$15,000 Kentucky Championship Prep Red Mile 3YOFP 2 1 p.m.
$15,000 Kentucky Championship Prep Red Mile 3YOCP 3 1 p.m.
$15,000 Kentucky Championship Prep Red Mile 3YOFT 4 1 p.m.
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