WHAT's INSIDE . . . Leading Michigan Trainer Watson Ventures to The
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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2012 ©2012 HORSEMAN PUBLISHING CO., LEXINGTON, KY USA • FOR ADVERTISING INFORMATION CALL (859) 276-4026 Leading Michigan Trainer WHAT’S INSIDE . Watson Ventures To The Big M Mr. Dennis a maturing 3YO—pg. 2 Although trainer Mike Watson won multiple dash and Gingras to defend Big M title—pg. 3 earnings titles over the years at racetracks in his home state “Classified” at the Big M—pg. 4 of Michigan, the declining industry in the Wolverine State Recking Ball is a special horse—pg. 4 led to his decision last year to move his base of operations News Digest—pg. 5 to Pennsylvania, where he could be located in close proxim- ity to several racetracks. Moon, who was pretty damn good. She set the track record Those tracks include the Meadowlands, where Watson will at Northville as a 3 year old but she also broke her knee at start two horses this weekend, including the 7-year-old trot- three so she didn’t get to race long.” “We lost him and ter Nordic Venture on Friday night With slightly more than $300,000 in career earnings at the then I took him and the 6-year-old pacer Go West time of the purchase, Nordic Venture has added only modestly back for $20,000. Lucky Cam on Saturday night. to that total in seven starts for his new connections. Although I like Camlucks; Both horses are owned by long- he has missed a check just once, none of the others were win they are nice time Michigan owners Mel Fink paydays. Nordic Venture’s work will be cut out for him on Fri- racehorses.” and Cliff Grundy. day as he starts from post 10 with Matt Kakaley driving. Although Watson raced a hand- Watson claimed Go West Lucky Cam for $15,000 on Aug. – Mike Watson on ful of horses at the Big M last 17 at Harrah’s Philadelphia for Michigan-based owner Phil Go West Lucky Cam year, this will be the first time he Schultz. The horse was claimed away for $15,000 in his next plans on racing on a regular basis at that track since 1985. start at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs, but then Watson— “I left Michigan in 1984 to go to Gaitway Farm in New Jer- this time for Fink and Grundy—reclaimed the son of Cam- sey, where I raced at Yonkers and Roosevelt, and also some luck for $20,000 the following week. at the Meadowlands,” remembered the 51-year-old Watson, “Phil called me and wanted to claim some horses,” Watson who most recently won the trainers’ dash title at Hazel Park explained. “Then he wanted to put this horse back in for and the dash and earnings title at Northville Downs in 2011. $15,000, but I liked the horse. I told him we would probably Since the U.S. Trotting Association began keeping trainer lose him when we took him to Pocono. We lost him and stats in 1991, Watson has won 100 races or more in a single then I took him back for $20,000. He’s made money right year eight times, including a career-high 134 in 2001 and along. I like Camlucks; they are nice racehorses.” most recently 123 in 2010. Watson currently has 20 horses in Go West Lucky Cam, who has career earnings of more than his barn at F&M Farms in Wind Gap, Pa., with another six $215,000, will start from post four with David Miller driving. turned out in the field. With his most recent win coming Dec. 8 at Yonkers, Go West Nordic Venture will get Watson’s new Big M venture Lucky Cam was classified B-1 by the Meadowlands’ race started in the opening race on Friday’s opening night card. secretary Peter Koch, who is using classified racing for the “We bought him privately (in October) in a package deal first time. Nordic Venture was placed in a B-2 contest. (with two-time Michigan Sires Stakes champion Lucky “I know how the system is rated so I had an idea where he Roll),” said Watson of the son of Keystone Nordic out of the (Koch) would put them,” said Watson. “I figured they’d be in Joie De Vie mare Allegheny Moon. “I raced Allegheny the Bs somewhere.”—By Gordon Waterstone HarnessRacing Weekend Preview, 2 of 11 December 28, 2012 www.harnessracing.com Mr. Dennis A Maturing 3YO Among the horses classified as “B-1” by Meadowlands WEEKEND FEATURED RACES race secretary Peter Koch is Mr. Dennis, a 3-year-old pacer All times listed are local. who has been improving with virtually every start. He’ll be Friday, December 28 making his very first start at the Meadowlands on Saturday 8:55p M6 A-2Trot Trackmaster PPs night in race eight and comes into the race off of a lifetime- 9:35p M8 A-2Trot Trackmaster PPs best 1:51.1 victory at Harrah’s Philadelphia. 10:05p Wdb9 3YO Filly Pace Trackmaster PPs Mr. Dennis has the pedigree to be a top performer. He is a Click here to download all Friday PPs son of Dragon Again and Lisheen, thus he is a half brother to Saturday, December 29 “Mr. Dennis $2.1 million winner Lis Mara p,4, 1:47.3, 8:55p M6 A-1 Pace Trackmaster PPs has just been as well as other notably fast siblings, 9:58p BlmP9 Invitational Pace Trackmaster PPs an immature among them Lisjune p,4, 1:50.4, Lis Deo 10:05p Wdb9 Preferred Pace Trackmaster PPs colt. He was p,2, 1:50.2 and Lisagain p,4, 1:49.1f. Click here to download all Saturday PPs sore in his Erv Miller trains Mr. Dennis and he also knees and we trained Lis Mara, Lisjune, Lis Deo and Visit www.trackmaster.com had to wait Lisagain. With the exception of Lis Deo, and subscribe to download Miller agreed that Lisheen’s foals seem on him.” full cards from your favorite tracks! to do better as 4 year olds than at ages – Erv Miller two and three. “Mr. Dennis has just been an immature colt,” said Miller. HarnessRacing Weekend Preview “He was sore in his knees and we had to wait on him. He’s Kathy Parker Suzy Hall gone some pretty good trips in the last few starts.” [email protected] [email protected] Editor/ General Manager Although Mr. Dennis took his lifetime mark on Dec. 16 at Har- Production & Design Lynne Myers rah’s Philadelphia, Miller noted a Nov. 16 victory at Mohegan Stephanie Condron-Hall [email protected] [email protected] Sun at Pocono Downs is also indicative of the horse’s progress. Advertising Manager Editorial Art Director “He was first-over in that race (winning in 1:51.4),” he added. Gordon Waterstone [email protected] Sherry Lane Bred by Tim Rooney, Mr. Dennis was a $65,000 yearling [email protected] Associate Editor purchase by Mystical Marker Farm, Ken Duffy and Mary Accounting & Circulation Suzanne Starbuck Jane Anderson back in the fall of 2010 and thus far has [email protected] earned $47,120 in 18 starts. He was named Mr. Dennis at the For mail sent via U.S. Postal Service, Production Manager either P.O. Box 8480, Lexington, KY insistence of Mike Anderson’s sons. “They always call Den- Heather Kemper 40533, or via U.S. Postal Service or nis Lakomy (of Mystical Marker) Mr. Dennis, so that’s how [email protected] courier, 1910 Harrodsburg Rd., Suite 200, Lexington, KY 40503. (859) 276-4026 this horse got his name,” explained Miller. Assistant Production Manager Mr. Dennis is one of 40 horses based at Miller’s training © Copyright Horseman Publishing Company. complex in Pennsylvania, about an hour-and-15-minute A product of Horseman Publishing Company, publishers of the website www.harnessracing.com and The Horseman And Fair World magazine. drive to the Meadowlands. He also has another 76 young This newspaper may not be reproduced in any form or by any means, horses at Southern Oaks Training Center in Florida. electronic or mechanical, without prior written permission. “I’ve been going back and forth,” said Miller via phone from Arthur, Ill., where his family spent the Christmas holi- To sign up for the Weekend Preview please visit day, “but once we get going with the babies I won’t do www.harnessracing.com/members_sign_up.php much traveling from Florida.”—By Kathy Parker HarnessRacing Weekend Preview, 3 of 11 December 28, 2012 www.harnessracing.com Gingras Set To Defend Big M Title Following a season of career firsts, Yannick Gingras is anx- ious to defend his Meadowlands driving title when live rac- ing returns opening weekend, Friday, Dec. 28, and Saturday, Dec. 29. Post time is 7:15 p.m. Gingras has firmly established himself as one of harness racing’s rising stars, and at age 33, the Quebec-born driver continues to soar at a record pace. In 2012, the “Green Hor- net” earned more than $13 million in purses for the first time, ranking him second in the nation. Gingras also won his first Meadow- lands Pace with A Rocknroll Dance and earned his first Big M driving title by edging Tim Tetrick in wins 125- New Image Media Photo 123. He passed 4,000 career wins, winning over 400 races for the fifth time in six years, and also hit the $85 million mark in career earnings. Yannick Gingras “2012 was absolutely a dream year for me,” said Gingras.