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Home , Bret Hanover, Cardigan Bay (horse), Stanley Dancer, Varenne

Sunday, February 15, 2015

With Superstars Abounding, 50 Years Ago, stretch at the Illinois State Fair to end the streak at 35. Was "America's Fastest That was shocking enough, but two weeks later the sons of Adios met again at the Indiana State Fair in a select Growing Sport five-horse field. Bret set honest fractions in the first heat as By Dean A. Hoffman Adios Vic rode the caboose, and Bret hit the wire more A half-century ago, giants roamed the landscape of slightly more than a length ahead of Adios Vic. American harness racing. The time of 1:55 was the fastest mile ever by a They are immortals now but they were living legends sophomore and it matched Adios Harry's during the 1965 season. It was a heady time in harness all-age race record. Bret and Ervin basked in the spotlight. racing when attendance and handle were soaring and the But not for long. Ervin put Bret in front the second heat but USTA issued decals with the slogan: "Harness Racing: set more moderate fractions with Adios Vic third along the America's Fastest Growing Sport." rail. In the stretch, Adios Vic shot past Bret to inflict a It was a time in America when LBJ sat in the White second humiliating defeat on the champ. House presiding over an escalating war in Vietnam, the Bret's misery wasn't over. In that era, stakes usually Beatles led an invasion of required a horse to win two heats, so Bret and Vic returned British music, and the Ford to the track for a raceoff. Ervin and Bret opted to trail Adios Mustang was the talk of Vic but couldn't catch him in the homestretch. For the first Detroit. time in his career, went back to the barn Who were these harness without a trophy. racing giants? Bret Hanover Three weeks later, the two heroes would lock horns again stood tallest of all. He came in the Little Brown Jug, a race that was delayed as heavy into the '65 season rains turned the county fair track at Delaware, Ohio into a unbeaten in 24 starts as a juvenile and as the first (continued on next page) Bret Hanover, the “Big Bum” 2-year-old ever to be voted (USTA photo) Horse of the Year. His supporting cast included the brilliant filly Armbro Flight, the flashy freshman pacer Romeo Hanover, the ageless gelding , the twin Castleton Farm champs Race Time and Dartmouth, Noble Victory, plus well-remembered names such Kerry Way, Adios Vic, Overcall, and True Duane. The cynosure of all eyes, however, in 1965 was Bret, aka "The Big Bum", as trainer-driver Frank Ervin called the lazy bay son of Adios. Bret had been the cynosure of all eyes from the time he went through the sale ring at Harrisburg, Pa., selling for $50,000. That made him the highest-priced yearling of 1963. The history of harness racing is replete with the name of premium-priced youngsters that never live up to their advance billing once they reach the racetrack. No one remembers so many big ticket yearlings and if you don't recall their names now it's likely because they attained their greatest fame in the sale ring, not in the winner's circle. Bret Hanover was different. He soon showed that he was worth every penny of his $50,000 purchase price---and then some. He began winning as soon as he got to the races in 1964 and just kept repeating. When his season was over, he had 24 straight wins. The pressure was on Bret to keep his unbeaten streak alive in 1965 although trainer-driver Frank Ervin knew that wasn't likely to happen. The inevitable occurred in mid-August of '65 when Adios Vic snaked past Bret in deep BOOK NOW FULL! THANKS FOR YOUR TREMENDOUS SUPPORT!

Bred on the same cross as Father Patrick, Pastor Stephen,and this year’s top 2yo, Billy Flynn.

2, 1:54.2, 3, 1:52.3F, 4, 1:50.3F ($1,290,660) HarnessRacingUpdate.com • 2/15/15 PAGE 2 of 8 quagmire. Thanks to a miraculous track maintenance job, When the list of great trotting females is compiled, the soggy clay was peeled from the surface and racing was Armbro Flight deserves a high rank. able to take place. When the freshman pacing No one could catch Bret on Jug Day in 1965 as the big classics were contested, if freight train bulled his way past his pesky rivals to win in someone asked, "Romeo, Romeo, 1:57, the fastest race ever on a twice-around oval. Bret wherefore art thou Romeo?", they returned in the second round to win in 1:57.2 and wrap up would have found Romeo Hanover the Jug trophy. Adios Vic struggled with the turns and was on top by several lengths at the never a factor. wire. While the rivalry The chestnut son of Dancer between Bret Hanover Hanover ignored his suspect hocks and Adios Vic was to dominate the major stakes for playing out on the 2-year-old pacers, such as the Fox 1965's best 2-year-old, Stake and Roosevelt Futurity. A pacing gait, the Romeo Hanover sophomore trotters were (USTA photo) year later Romeo would go on to led by the filly Armbro win the Triple Crown. Flight and Noble Victory. The top freshman trotter in 1965 was the filly Kerry Way Noble Victory was the and a year later she would go on to win the '66 trotting counterpart of Hambletonian. Bret Hanover. He was The best older trotter in harness racing was the jet black Armbro Flight was one of many blessed with a wonderful Victory Song stallion Dartmouth, who elbowed his bigger stars that graced the sport 50 pedigree (his dam and older stablemate Speedy Scot out of the way. Speedy years ago (USTA photo) Emily's Pride won the Scot was a 5-year-old and past his prime in 1965, although Hambletonian) and he won 18 of 19 starts as a freshman, he did represent the USA in the International Trot at losing only a heat when his hock hit the sulky and he broke Roosevelt. He was making a three-wide move for the lead stride. when he broke stride. Pluvier III won that race. The '65 Hambletonian was practically conceded to Noble Dartmouth was the "Steady Eddie" type of trotter for Victory after he was unbeatable in his starts prior to the Castleton and trainer-driver Ralph Baldwin and Castleton Hambo. Like the Jug track that year, the DuQuoin oval (continued on next page) came up a quagmire and the bar shoes that Noble Victory wore in front anchored him in the sticky clay. He failed to win a heat but his stablemate Egyptian Candor took home the trophy in a four-heat struggle that ended in darkness. (There were no lights at the DuQuoin track.) In the Hambo raceoff, Egyptian Candor edged the tough filly Armbro Flight, but she shrugged that defeat off and simply got better. Five days after the Hambletonian, Armbro Flight beat Noble Victory in the Horseman Stake at Indianapolis. She won a heat in 1:59; Noble Victory won a heat in 1:57.2. and then Armbro Flight came back and won the raceoff and trophy. What always amazed me is that the Indianapolis raceoff was the seventh heat that Armbro Flight had raced in five days---and yet she trotted her final quarter in :26.2. Amazing! Armbro Flight and Noble Victory met again in the Kentucky Futurity. drove Noble Victory and he varied his tactics. In one heat, he sent Noble Victory to the front. In the other heat he trailed Armbro Flight. The tactics made no difference: Armbro Flight whipped Noble Victory both heats. "I tried her on the front end, and I tried her from behind, but I just couldn't beat her," Dancer told O'Brien after the race. Armbro Flight again beat colts in the Dexter Cup and then went to California and beat the best older trotters on the continent in the American Trotting Classic. (When have you ever heard of a 3-year-old filly beating the best older horses in training?) HarnessRacingUpdate.com • 2/15/15 PAGE 3 of 8

Farm. The same connections also campaigned the “We don’t want to come home until we’ve put some 4-year-old Race Time in 1964 and he was one of the best money in the bank,” Takter said. “She has been so unlucky older pacers in North America. over there. The next two races are at a mile and that should Race Time's toughest foe in '65 was the help her. She is really good right now. We just need a race import Cardigan Bay, just as Cardigan Bay had been a where we finally have some luck.” formidable foe to Overtrick the previous year and just as Cardigan Bay would be to Bret Hanover in 1966. When the Yonkers Cancels Saturday Live Racing, Evening pundits list the best pacing geldings in harness racing Simulcasting history, Cardigan Bay surely deserves a spot near the top. By Frank Drucker It was a epic season for harness racing. Business Publicity Director, Empire City @ Yonkers Raceway barometers for the sport all pointed up, new tracks were Yonkers Raceway has cancelled its live racing program opening, and giants roamed the land of harness racing. (and evening simulcasting) for tonight (Saturday, Feb. 14), Will the harness racing stage in 2015 be graced with giants due to the wintry (and blustery) conditions anticipated for of such enduring stature? the greater New York area. It is the sixth weather-related cancellation this season. Live racing is scheduled to resume Monday (Feb. 16), with first post at 7:10 PM, the first night of the Monday $10,000 guaranteed Pick 5 pool (50-cent base wager, but now changed to races 7 through 11). Program pages are available at www.yonkersraceway.com .

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Maven’s European Campaign to Continue For Some Time as Has Come Calling Maven isn’t coming home any time soon. Though she is winless from four tries since being sent to , Maven will continue to knock heads with the best trotters in Europe and trainer Jimmy Takter is far from ready to concede that she can’t make it to the winner’s circle. Her next start will be on Maven’s European March 8 in the Gran campaign will take her to Criterium de Vitesse at Italy Cagnes-sur-mer in France. Takter said his brother, Johnny, will likely drive the mare in that race. “The race at Cagnes-sur-mer is a mile race and she should be much better suited to that,” Takter said. Takter recently received the good news that Maven has been invited to compete in Italy in the Gran Premio Lotteria in , Italy. The purse is 1 million Euros and it will be held May 3. The distance is 1600 meters or one mile. The race has been won by greats like Varenne, , Pace Corps and Une de Mai. Mack Grace Sm has won it in each of the last three years. Takter said he will look for a prep somewhere in Europe in between the Gran Criterium de Vitesse and the Gran Premio Lotteria. HarnessRacingUpdate.com • 2/15/15 PAGE 4 of 8

There is a Powerful New Stable of Race talented 2014 Dan Patch Award recipient won 15 of 17 Horses Coming to Town...a Stable of Horses starts and $1.23 million, en route to U.S. Trotter of the Year That God Loves (press release) honors. The owners of some of the best trotters and pacers to For additional information: look through a bridle will come together during the Bill Galvin - [email protected] or upcoming 2015 Canadian racing season to implement a Ken Middleton - [email protected] major fund-raising program for the Standardbred Rockeyed Optimist Super-Impressive in Chaplaincy of Canada. Sonsam, Major Uptrend Repeats Uxbridge, Ontario horseman and philanthropist Norm Clements, well-known in the world of harness racing as the By Darin Zoccali co-owner of the famed , will chair a like-minded Steve Elliot trainee powers home in a 25.4 final quarter to group of horsemen to raise funds for Chaplain Ken score. Coming off his first loss since December 13th, Rockeyed Carter's homeless Standardbred Chaplaincy. Optimist returned with a vengeance, winning his division of A small group of horse owners will be asked to donate to The Sonsam pacing series in 1:50.3. the Chaplaincy a small percentage of the purse earnings of The first $17,500 division went post-ward as race two on one (or two) of their horses to the program and the Stable the Saturday program with a field of six and Rockeyed of Horses That God Loves. Optimist was sent off as the 3/5 betting choice from post "We want their best horses," said Chairman Clements position one. The early speed came from Bettorever, fresh The program, created by harness racing publicist Bill off his runner-up effort in round one with Corey Callahan. Galvin, is designed as a fund-raiser for the Chaplaincy, but In fact, Bettorever would proceed to cut the mile, also to provide a good news story for the sport on a establishing fractions of 26.3, 55.4 and 1:24.4, stealing a continuing basis throughout the entire racing season. 58.1 middle-half under no pressure, that is until Rockeyed When the backstretch facilities closed at Mohawk Optimist and Brett Miller made their move. The favorite sat Raceway in Campbellville, ON., in 2012, the Chaplaincy's back in fourth position early on and was guided to the facilities, once provided by the Woodbine Entertainment outside approaching the half-mile pole where he would Group (WEG), were not replaced. proceed first over, eventually racing on even terms with the Chaplain Carter is a career horseman. His Chaplaincy is pace-setter. Turning for home, Rockeyed Optimist a non-denominational, non-profit charity dedicated to exploded and powered away from the field winning in a providing for the emotional, spiritual, physical and human sparkling 1:50.3, pacing the final quarter in an absurdly-fast needs of the workforce in southwestern 25.4. The win was one of four on the card for Brett Miller Ontario. Food and clothing, recreation and health-care, on the heels of his four-win performance Friday night. legal and financial, referrals, and counseling are just some Rockeyed Optimist is trained by Steve Elliot for Anthony of the services and activities provided 24-7. Chaplain Perretti, Virginia Berkner, A and B Srable and Joseph Carter also visits the sick and injured workers in hospital, Battaglia. officiates at horsemen's weddings, funerals, baptisms and With the win, Rockeyed Optimist has surged past memorial services, among a host of other day-to-day $100,000 in lifetime earnings while earning his ninth win of duties. his career from 23 starts. Norm Clements epitomizes the type of selfless, Major Uptrend will be shooting for the series sweep, charitable work that has helped so many people. He is the following his win in the second division of The Sonsam on founder of the Jennifer Ashleigh Children's Charity which Saturday night. After briefly allowing JK Patriot to claim the assists seriously ill children and their families. He provides (continued on next page) Christmas dinners for shut-ins and the homeless, has opened up his farm property to homeless youth for summer camp experiences, and spends his free time in Bolivia to assist in missionary work and outreach programs for the homeless. Brant County, Ontario horseman Harry Rutherford, whose Cool Creek Farm Standardbred breeding operation in Mt. Pleasant, ON., has produced a host of the sport's trotting champions, will join chair Norm Clements, Dr. Roly Armitage, WEG race announcer Ken Middleton, and recent Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame inductee Bill Galvin on the fund-raising committee. To date, the owners of a dozen classy trotters and pacers have pledged their support for the program. Tops on that impressive roster is Toronto owner John Fielding's champion three-year-old trotting filly Shake It Cerry. The HarnessRacingUpdate.com • 2/15/15 PAGE 5 of 8 early lead, Yannick Gingras quickly guided Major Uptrend 2) On Jason Settlemoir running for USTA president. This to the lead before the opening quarter and would click off game is in a major decline (nobody will dispute that). These fractions of 28, 55.4 and 1:23.4 before facing just mild guys (owner/trainers/drivers) think it's going to last forever pressure from Company Man who moved first over. In the with the handouts from slots. Eventually, the politicians are stretch, Gingras called to his gelding and the response was going to say since all this money is going to harness racing, evident as there was never an anxious moment through the which has no interest with our constituents, the money can stretch. Major Uptrend won while racing well withing be better used by the state instead of going into their himself equaling the mark of 1:50.3, identical to the winning (owners/trainers/drivers’) pockets. time of Rockeyed Optimist in the first division of The Obviously, the current president has presided over a Sonsam. downward spiral for quite a while. A fresh face/approach is Major Uptrend is trained by Ron Burke for Howard surely needed. I fear though this might be political where Taylor. voting members might do what's politically expedient for In other racing action, National Seelster, the three year them instead of what's needed. old colt that opened eyes winning upon debut two weeks As far as the continuing decline President Truman's ago returned to the races on Saturday night and returned famous quote during his presidency was "The Buck Stops with another win. Allowed to sit the pocket throughout the Here." mile, National Seelster found room late in the stretch up the Mr. Langley, are you listening? pylons and accelerated rapidly to win again, in 1:53.1. John Christiansen National Seelster, a son of Bettor's Delight is now two for two to start the career. An intriguing match-up could be on the horizon between © Copyright Harness Racing Update. a pair of undefeated and lightly raced three olds in the This newspaper may not be reproduced in any form or by William "Buddy" Gilmour series between National Seelster any means, electronic or mechanical, without prior written and Wiggle It Jiggle It. The latter won a division of the first permission of the copyright owner, MB Publishing Inc. round of the Sonsam series and will square off with Information as to the races, race results and earnings was Rockeyed Optimist and Major Uptrend in the final of that obtained from results charts published by the series before tackling National Seelster in the Gilmour. Trotting Association and utilized here with the permission of The fifth race Jackpot Super Hi-5 went unclaimed, but the copyright owner. there were only two winning tickets which were paid a dividend of $4,257. The last race jackpot also carried over to the tune of $123,827 into the last race on the Thursday program, which will begin at 7:15 P.M.

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On Gural and Settlemoir There have been a few opinions in HRU about when Gural's horses race what happens when there is an inquiry. Enough already. This is very common in both the runners and the trots. Frank Stronach owns many tracks and when his horses ran at his tracks under the care of Joe Orseno for a lot more money than Gural's horses run for there was never an issue. Plus, since the Meadowlands prides itself on integrity there will not be a conflict of interest in the event of a inquiry. Last, but not least, most of his horses are partnered with other people and he does not need the money. HarnessRacingUpdate.com • 2/15/15 PAGE 6 of 8

The Problem With Dean Towers Don't Totally Bank on Social Media as the Cure-All Dean, there you go again. Your last column in HRU, An article in Hoof Beats last year titled "Winning the about a small tax that would help accrue a decent sized Future" paints the potential of a very rosy future for pile of money the sport could use for myriad purposes, was Harness Racing in the USA based upon engaging the well thought out, rational and, if implemented, would no social media phenomenon currently engulfing the doubt do the sport of harness racing a world of good. marketing world in tsunami-like proportions. Every time you write something of that sort, which is No one in their right mind would deny the rapid and quite often, you prove that you are positive impact this communications medium is having on absolutely bat @#$@! crazy. the many successful businesses and brands who choose to Seriously, Dean, do you really harness its power. expect people in harness racing to Nor would any sensible person criticize the USTA for do something that is smart and investigating the opportunities it may provide to reverse the good for the sport? Where have downward trend evident in North American harness racing you been for the last 30 years? for some three decades Have you paid no attention to the After reading the Hoof Beats article, it would be very easy complacency that has driven this to form the view that everyone can sit back, relax and reap The subject of Dean sport to be slightly less relevant the rewards to be generated by the forthcoming social media initiatives - but can they? Towers’ next than jai alai? Have you not noticed So what is social media in its simplest form? column? that all the horsemen care about is It's today's high-tech enhanced version of yesterday's grabbing every possible slot dollar "Word of Mouth" communication. Positive "Word of Mouth" they can get their greedy hands on, the future of the sport third-party recommendation has always been the cheapest be damned? Exactly what drugs have you been taking? and most potent tool for company brands and products to Or maybe I’m being unfair. Maybe you’re not nuts but increase business and profitability some sort of eternal optimist that thinks there is still some But in 40 years of strategic-brand consulting I have never way to rescue the Titanic of sports. I guess being naive is a seen one example of positive word-of-mouth whole lot better than being crazy or stupid. recommendation creating a successful brand or product All kidding aside, I really enjoy your writing. But stop that was not relevant in satisfying the needs and wants of wasting your time. The leaders of the industry are not potential new customers. listening and never will. They’re not going to change (continued on next page) anything. A tax and a marketing plan? What’s your next column going to be about? Flying pigs? Thomas J. Young

Standing Up For the Many Good People in Harness Racing Mr. Pete Grandich, I do not know you, but I do know one thing about you. You are wrong, incredibly wrong when you brand the sport of Harness Racing as having a minority of good people. I have spent over a half-century in this sport. The reverse of your statement is factual. There is a significant majority of good, honest, honorable and hard-working people in it. The small minority are the wrongdoers; those who not only cheat the sport, but also cheat their fellow horsemen are small in number but unfortunately sometimes large in influence. I am certain that in no other profession would I have met the numerous and varied number of great and wonderful people that I have met and known in my life in Harness Racing. Indeed, those who you mention are good people, who are and have been of great benefit to the sport. But they are far from being the only ones. There are thousands of others who I can assume that you have not had the privilege of knowing who fit the same description. How can you possibly brand the majority of those in racing as being bad, without coming even close to knowing them? Murray Brown HarnessRacingUpdate.com • 2/15/15 PAGE 7 of 8

Every brand and business success is the result of customer awareness, involvement, patronage, loyalty and endorsement To achieve this, the business must have a customer- focused vision; a mission and strategy which culminates in branded products or services that actually satisfy or create a relevant need in the minds of the public. Trainer Nifty Norman No amount of marketing will substitute for a failure to HRU: Spider Blue has gone from satisfy this mandate. one of the best 3-year-old trotters By way of an extreme example, how would a massive in the sport to a horse racing at a social media campaign ever sell more black and white much, much lower level as a 5- televisions than colour sets? year-old. You didn’t have him at 3, Could the well-intentioned USTA social media initiative Chuck Sylvester did, but why do be a case of putting the cart before the horse? you think this horse has had such There seems to be a presumption amongst the trouble maintaining his form and leadership that the USA harness racing brand positioning class? and product offer is relevant to today and is what potential NN: He had a great year at 3 but new fans are seeking in a discretionary income activity. did a lot of his racing on the front If this is correct, the social media initiative will work its end that year and when Chuck socks off to the relief of all involved and to the rightful sent me the horse at end of last applause of all USA harness racing industry participants. year he was very hot. We figured if But if the current brand positioning and product offer is he were going to have a career as an older horse he relevant and engaging to potential new fans, why hasn't couldn’t be racing on the front all the time. We've been yesterday’s word-of-mouth third party recommendation trying to teach him to come off the gate but he's a five year driven the sport forward over the past thirty years? old and to teach an old dog new tricks is something that The next 18 months has been defined as the time frame takes a little while. He seems to be getting the hang of it before true return on this investment is realized. Obviously, and we'll keep taking him off the gate and see of we can it is in the best interests of the sport for all participants to change his style. back this new social media initiative to the hilt because at (continued on next page) the very least it positions the current harness racing brand "on trend" in so far as communication technology is concerned. But to emphasize, as Conversion founder Rob Key has, that "the goal of this campaign is not to fill grandstands" or to state much like USTA CEO Mike Tanner that harness racing leaders "must skate where the puck is going" could well be skating on very thin ice if there is an over-reliance on social media as the cure all for Harness Racing's prosperous future. Industry leaders cannot downplay the need to place major emphasis on brand repositioning, product reinvention and marketing strategies that drive new customers to experience the atmosphere/involvement of harness racing at the track - for this is where the owners and breeders of the future are more likely to come from. Marketing has never been a successful substitute for a flawed business and brand strategy (just ask Kodak) but initiatives like a social media campaign can "super charge" the business if the brand's product offer is relevant and delivers what today's and tomorrow's customers want - that's what 'Winning the Future" is really all about --Ray Chaplin

Harness Racing Update is distributed each and every day on the grounds of the Lexington, Harrisburg and the January Select Mixed Sale. HarnessRacingUpdate.com • 2/15/15 PAGE 8 of 8

HRU: While he may never be a major Grand Circuit horse again can he at least develop into one of those tough old pros who puts $200,000 or more a year on his card? NN: That's what I’m hoping for. I want to turn him into a 1, Wdb, $18,000, P, ONTARIO BOYS - 2ND LEG - 4 Yonkers horse and if he could get to be a good winners YEAR OLDS. ONTARIO SIRED NW $100,000 LIFE OR over type of horse he could make that type of money. $50,000 IN 2014 AS OF OCT 31, 2014. 28.3, 57.4, 1:26.2, That’s what I’m working on. He went ok last week at 1:55.2 Yonkers: he was not real handy getting around there but I 1-Ideal Jet (br,h,4 - Jeremes Jet-Ashlees Luck - think he'll get better as time goes on. Camluck) O/B-Nurko Sokolovic, Craig A Barss T-Craig A HRU: Spider Blue Chip was entered in the January sale at Barss D-Randall Waples $9,000 Lifetime Record: 31-4-5-5 the Meadowlands but came out. Why? $96,630 NN: He was kind of disappointing last year and we weren’t To watch the race replay click here really sure what he was going to be at 5, especially since we hadn’t really trained him down yet. We thought we’d put 3, Wdb, $18,000, P, ONTARIO BOYS - 2ND LEG - 4 him in the sale and if we didn’t like what we were seeing YEAR OLDS. ONTARIO SIRED NW $100,000 LIFE OR we’d sell him. But he started training back well and had a $50,000 IN 2014 AS OF OCT 31, 2014. 27.3, 56.1, 1:25.1, couple of good races at the Meadowlands. We thought 1:54.3 we'd keep him because he was starting to look again like 1-Nirvana Seelster (b,g,4 - Camluck-No Strikes Against the kind of horse who could pay a few bills. - Western Hanover) O-Bruce E Davy B-Seelster Farms T- HRU: Bring us up to speed on Bee A Magician. NN: She’s here with me. We just got her back. She went William Budd D-Phillip Hudon $9,000 Lifetime Record: 38- down to Carter Duer’s at Peninsula Farm for the winter and 9-2-10 $133,416 had 2 ½ months off. She looks great and is doing good. I To watch the race replay click here think she'll have a big year this year as a 5 year old. I wasn't expecting a big year last year but I do expect some more from her this year. Want to Subscribe for FREE? HRU: Considering she didn’t have the best of years were Visit www.harnessracingupdate.com/websignup.cfm you surprised she won the Breeders Crown? and fill out the free subscription form. NN: That was kind of nice. I didn't really expect it. It was kind of a pleasant surprise. Brian (Sears) decided to be aggressive with her and it worked out. But that’s the kind of horse she is. She has a lot of class and you can never count her out.

2, M, $17,500, P, SONSAM Stallions & Geldings N/W 3 Extended PM Races or $50,000 Lifetime Up to & Including 12/1/2014 Winners Over $125,000 Lifetime Ineligible 2nd Leg, 26.3, 55.4, 1:24.4, 1:50.3, FT 1-Rockeyed Optimist (g, 4, Rocknroll Hanover--Art Amour, by Artsplace), $10,000 2012 SHS-HBG O-Anthony Perretti & Virginia C Berkner & A And B Stable & Joseph D Battaglia. B-Perretti Farms. T-Steve Elliott. D-Brett Miller, $8,750, Lifetime Record: 23-9-3-3, $102,045 To watch the race replay click here

11, M, $17,500, P, SONSAM Stallions & Geldings N/W 3 Extended PM Races or $50,000 Lifetime Up to & Including 12/1/2014 Winners Over $125,000 Lifetime Ineligible 2nd Leg, 28.0, 55.4, 1:23.4, 1:50.3, FT 1-Major Uptrend (g, 4, Somebeachsomewhere--Tricky Tooshie, by Rumpus Hanover), $177,000 2012 SHS - HBG O-Howard A Taylor. B-Hanover Shoe Farms Inc. T-Ron Burke. D-Yannick Gingras, $8,750, Lifetime Record: 26-10-2-1, $76,042 To watch the race replay click here