FALL 2020 | VOLUME 50 | NUMBER 3 The Official Publication of the Ohio Harness Horsemen’s Association CATCH THE FIRE Wins the 54th Adios Table of Contents 3 Catch The Fire Wins the 54th Adios 19 Noble Collects Win 6,000 Breeders Awards Requirements/ OHHA Membership Application 5 Charlie May Wins Next Generation 19 GLADA Donates to OHHA In Debut 25 Nomination for the Terry Holton 20 Ohio Awards 8 Scholarships Youth Award 6 Winella Hanover Captures Filly Next Generation 21 Hershberger Trains Both 26 Nomination for the Dick Brandt, Sr. Winners of Dead Heat Extra Effort Award 7 Be There! 22 20 questions with Chris Beaver 27 Nomination for the Ohio Outstand- 9 Ohio State Fair Stakes ing Groom Award at Scioto Downs 23 Condolences 28 Ohio Breeders Awards Program 10 Sire Stakes 23 Calendar of Events Form 12 Buckeye Stallion Series Winners 23 Track Notes 32 Regularly Scheduled Meeting Recap 16 Fair Racing Update 24 Advertising Opportunities/Ohio 34 P.A.C.E.R Office Staff Track Representatives Executive Director Renée Mancino Benefits Administrator Linda Nance Miami Valley, Scioto Downs Office Administrator Cheri Johnson Project Coordinator Susan Schroeder & Hollywood Gaming at Dayton Brett Merkle Outreach and Public Brand Ambassador Roger Huston Relations Coordinator Frank Fraas Northfield Park Amy Hollar OHHA Board of Directors President Steve Bateson Vice President Randy Leopard 2020 2021 2022 Track Directors Advisory Committee Breeders Breeders Breeders Miami Valley Gaming Active; Past Presidents Randy Haines Senena Esty Scott Hagemeyer Mike Polhamus Dr. Al Gabel R. Kevin Greenfield Dr. Randy Hutchison Joe McLead MGM Northfield Park R. Kevin Greenfield Ayers Ratliff, Sr. Brad Wallace Jacob Mossbarger Kurt Sugg Donald “Skip” Hoovler Owners By District Owners By District Owners By District Hollywood Gaming (2) John Ryan (3) Mary Jo Bross John Konesky, III (1) Scott Cox Dayton Raceway Melsheimer (6) Randy Leopard (4) Suanne Kochilla Mike Polhamus Steve McCoy (5) Dayle Roof (9) Kent Saunders (7) Steve Bateson Dr. John Mossbarger (8) Emily Hay Eldorado Gaming Trainer / Driver Trainer / Driver at Scioto Downs Robert Sidley Jim Arledge, Jr. Dan Ater Trainer / Driver Hugh "Sandy" Rick Martindale Chris Beaver Brian Brown Beatty, Jr. Virgil Morgan, Jr. Roy Burns Scott Mogan Mark Winters, Sr. CHANGE OF ADDRESS If your mailing address has changed or is changing, please contact the OHHA at 614-221-3650. Without an updated mailing address, you will not receive OHHA publications and delivery of breeder’s award checks may be delayed. The Buckeye Harness Horseman 120-850 (ISSN 0194-7842) is published four times annually by the Ohio Harness Horsemen’s Association, 2237 Sonora Drive, Grove City, OH 43123. Phone 614-221-3650 or 800-353-6442. Single and back issues, if available, $2.50. Periodical postage paid at Columbus, OH. Postmaster, send address changes to OHHA, 2237 Sonora Drive, Grove City, OH 43123. THE BUCKEYE HARNESS HORSEMAN The Offical Publication of the Ohio Harness Horsemen’s Association 2237 Sonora Dr. Grove City, OH 43123 614-221-3650 | 800-353-6442 | (f) 614-221-8726 www.ohha.com | Facebook: OhioHarnessHorsemensAssociation Cover photo: Frank Fraas Catch The Fire Wins the 54th Adios BY FRANK FRAAS old. He loves what he does. He doesn’t get opportunity to choose post position. That tired and has a big heart.” choice went to Catch The Fire, which won a drawing with The Greek Freak since Papi Catch The Fire has been heavily staked Rob Hanover was out. Wilder made the as a two and three-year-old. “People were choice to start from the three hole. shocked at how heavily we staked him. That should tell you how early on we knew how “It’s kind of a disadvantage to be down special he was. We staked him to everything in the one or two hole at The Meadows. as a two-year-old and a three-year old.” I took the three hole rather than the four hole because I didn’t want The Greek Freak The son of Captaintreacherous-Dream Out- underneath me. He has great gate speed loud won his first career start at Eldorado Jason Moore with Catch The Fire and knowing he had a pick I wanted to pick Scioto Downs in June. Two races later, he under him. I was pretty sure he wouldn’t won in the Pennsylvania All-Star series. He For the connections of Catch The Fire, take the one or two hole.” added a win in the Kentucky Sires Stakes reality is starting to set in that they won the before winning the $300,000 Kentucky As for the race, both Wilder and Ackley Delvin Miller Adios on August 1st. “Pretty Sires Stakes Finals. said it played out like they planned. Tickled” is the way trainer John Ackley de- scribed the feeling. For driver Mike Wilder, This year, Catch The Fire placed third in “I thought Captain Barbosa might leave it is a dream come true. For Charles Taylor, this first outing of the year. Next up was the and go forward. I wasn’t surprised to see the the owner of CT Stables, and his wife Va- Meadowlands Pace, where he finished sev- Burke horses out front early in the fight,” nessa, he’s not sure it will ever sink in. enth in an elimination race and then sixth in said Wilder. the finals. Despite the finishes, Taylor said The story of Catch The Fire is one that they aimed for the Adios. “He didn’t get a Elver Hanover was sent to the lead, almost didn’t happen. As Taylor tells it, the chance to race in the Meadowland Pace. We followed by The Greek Freak. Catch The purchase at the 2018 Lexington Sale is a just didn’t get the trip,” said Taylor. “I don’t Fire dropped in third as they passed the funny story, “We had looked at him several think the horse got used in either race. He’s quarter-pole. times in the barn, but we didn’t think we very durable. We felt it wasn’t going to hurt could afford him. We thought he would go Ackley says he left it up Wilder to retake or him. If he had gotten used in the Pace; we for a lot more money than what we paid.” set and Wilder decided to retake the lead. would have sat out the Adios.” “I didn’t want to be first up, but once I Catch The Fire was headed to the sales ring The decision to enter the Adios is one Tay- landed third, I took my shot and it paid off,” and Taylor had just purchased another horse lor, Ackley and Wilder will never regret. said Wilder. about 20 minutes earlier. “We had no food, we were tired and hungry, and John said, After winning one of the three eliminations, Catch The Fire got to the top easily after ‘let’s go get something to eat.’ I told him I Catch The Fire was tabbed as the morning the first quarter in :26.3. Wilder says his was going to stick around to see what he line favorite with Papi Rob Hanover out of horse reacted very well being on the engine, went for.” the finals due to injury. “I looked over at the half and saw 54.1.and we were in the slop. It felt like he was They thought Catch The Fire would go for “I was kind of surprised we were the favor- getting to the half in a minute, but he was about $70,000 - $100,000. Taylor said the ite,” said Wilder. “After Papi Rob Hanover floating on air. He was doing it so easily.” bidding stalled so he jumped in and the next was scratched, obviously they would list us thing he knew he had bought the horse for or The Greek Freak as the favorite.” Catch The Fire lost the lead just before the $15,000. three-quarter pole but dug deep to retake Wilder says he thought Catch The Fire for the last quarter. “No Losing came at us “We had him ranked fifth and we didn’t deserved to be the favorite think we would have a chance to get him but was not too thrilled since we spent our money on other horses. being the top choice. “I He was a little small, but we loved the con- hate being targeted as formation and the breeding.” the favorite; you get all the hype. I had a lot of Before the start of the two-year-old season, confidence in my horse Taylor says they thought they had some- and then to go off as the thing special. “We knew in February or favorite means everybody March he was a little different. We had thought the same thing, a couple of other nice two-year-olds that but you still have to get couldn’t pace with Catch The Fire. They just the job done.” couldn’t go with him.” Taylor says the horse is so mature “That’s the biggest thing he has One of the perks of win- shown us. He has the mind of a six-year- ning an elimination is the FALL 2020 • THE BUCKEYE HARNESS HORSEMAN 3 hard and got about half, three-quarter of the way by me, but that was by choice,” said Wilder. “I didn’t want to go toe to toe with him because we were pacing so fast.” At that point, Taylor thought Catch The Fire was done. “Truthfully, I thought that was it. I thought the 1.21.1 at the three-quarter pole had put him away.” Taylor said he was watching Wilder’s hands “with Mike being the professional he is, he knew what he was doing.