KATHY PARKER Youth Beats editor Letter from the p4 Editor Perfect Sting and his connections in the Breeders Crown winner’s circle Almost a year ago everything changed. The coronavirus was affecting people all over the world. People were Inside this issue getting sick, businesses were shutting down and no one was really sure what Star in the Making p.2 Harness racing YouTuber has big to expect. plans and big talent to match Like many people, I thought we BY KYLE SCHMIDT would be “back to normal” in a few months, but that didn’t happen and Perfect Combination p.4 p2 now, nearly 12 months later, we are Perfect Sting and his connections have been an unbeatable team still learning to do life during a BY KYLE SCHMIDT pandemic. It’s been a difficult time but it hasn’t been all bad. Posterized! p 6 Pull-out poster featuring Dexter Dunn I was encouraged, as I hope you were, to see the way horsemen rallied p10 together during these hard times. Youth Bits p.10 Eventually, after being shut down for Mary McDermott and Alex Urbanski months, racing came back and we were able to have marquee events like Capable of Anything p.12 the Little Brown Jug and the Talented Ohio teen is off to a fast start BY KYLE SCHMIDT Hambletonian— and we did it p12 together. We’ve come a long way since March 2020, and while there is still a long PUBLISHED BY THE U.S. TROTTING ASSOCIATION way to go, we have many reasons to 6130 S. SUNBURY RD., WESTERVILLE, OH 43081-6309 l WWW.USTROTTING.COM feel hopeful in this new year. PH: 877.800.8782, ext. 5352 l [email protected] Born To Be An Athlete Youth Bits IDr. hope Lindsay you and Hagemeyer your family are safe page 2 page 8 page 10 SUPPORTING OUR Standardbred ATHLETES on & OFF THE TRACK It wasn’t until the past few years that she really being around the horses and racing.” began to pay attention. Cheyenne, now 17, has showed a continued Before, it was just about the incredible horses: interest in racing, which recently took an the beautiful manes, their strength, and the thrill interesting turn. As she thought about how to get of victory in a big race. But now things have more involved – especially at such a young age – changed - harness racing has taken a new role in she came up with the idea of combining her two Cheyenne Christman’s life. passions: creativity and harness racing. Cheyenne’s family has raised, trained, and “I love being creative in any way, shape, or driven horses for decades and her childhood form,” Cheyenne said. “That’s why I first got into included numerous trips to racetracks on the YouTube. That’s why I got into horses, as well. weekends. Harness racing was a family affair and Being able to combine the two, I think, is really Cheyenne spent a lot of time observing her awesome.” parents, Mark and Jolene Christman, as they Cheyenne’s first official video was published on drove and trained Standardbreds. her YouTube account more than four years ago, Jolene said Cheyenne was around 11 or 12 but Jolene said she’s been making them since she when she really started to show an interest in the was 8 years old. sport. Since then, her channel has grown to nearly “She always went to the track with us,” Jolene 300 subscribers and has more than 20,000 views. said. “She enjoyed spending time with me and Her videos cover a range of topics, featuring titles riding together. I think it was a combination of like “Car tour 2019” and “The TRUTH about To learn more, visit us at www.standardbredtransition.org Jennifer Daniels | Administrator Inspect - Accredit - Grant [email protected] STA-HBY-08032021.indd 1 2021-08-03 10:21 AM KATHY PARKER Youth Beats editor Letter from the p2 Editor Hot Mess Express and her connections in the Mistletoe Shalee winner’s circle LISA PHOTO Welcome back to Youth Beats! The remaining adjustments from the COVID‐19 pandemic delayed Youth Inside this issue Beats, but we’re back and here to help you learn about harness racing and the She’s no hot mess p.2 Standardbred horse. The 3-year-old pacing filly Hot Mess Express One of this season’s biggest racing made a victory in the $174,400 Mistletoe stars is the 3‐year‐old filly on our cover, Shalee her sixth win in as many starts in 2021 BY MALIA MINCKLER Hot Mess Express. You can learn all about her humble beginnings at a farm in Illinois to the sport’s biggest stage, p2 Standardbred Spotlight p.4 the Meadowlands racetrack in New Jersey. You could say her story is a bit like Cinderella being able to go to the Posterized! p.6 Pull-out poster featuring Hot Mess Express ball. Naturally, we have a poster photo of Hot Mess Express inside for you. As you learn about horses and harness racing, you might decide you Youth Bits p.8 like the combination so much that you p8 A HHYF camper shares her big day at the Meadowlands want to make it a career. That’s what BY LILLY KAIREWICH happened to Dr. Lyndsay Hagemeyer, who grew up on a Standardbred farm in Ohio. Lyndsay shares how she Equine enthusiast p.10 Dr. Lyndsay Hagemeyer’s early life with decided to become a veterinarian, and Standardbred horses inspired her to since you’ll need scholarships to become a veterinarian pursue that career, we have a listing of BY MALIA MINCKLER p10 opportunities on page 13. Hopefully, everyone can be back at school after a great summer. I think you PUBLISHED BY THE U.S. TROTTING ASSOCIATION will find interesting people to read 6130 S. SUNBURY RD., WESTERVILLE, OH 43081-6309 l WWW.USTROTTING.COM about inside, and there are a few things PH: 877.800.8782 l [email protected] you can learn as well. LISA PHOTO Born To Be An Athlete Former pro basketball player Sam Bowie appreciates his filly Hot Mess Express BY MALIA MINCKLER What’s the difference sacrifices that it requires. between a former NBA player and a The 3-year old pacing filly Hot Mess Express racehorse? Turns out, the two share many fell into the similarities. “We are both athletes,” says Sam ownership of the Bowie, the second overall pick of the 1984 NBA now seasoned draft, which included Michael Jordan. racehorse owner Not only does Bowie relate to horses as and University of athletes, but he admires them as well. Kentucky “They are all individuals and have to be Basketball alum treated that way,” he shared. after previous Bowie explained that he has come to this owners Amy and realization through years of owning Nick Giberson Standardbreds. and trainer “I played for three different professional Jamaica Patton basketball teams and all the players train agreed to sell the differently and act differently,” Bowie added. filly for six “There’s so much that goes into preparing before figures. At the Amy and Nick Giberson’s children, Nathan and Madeline, the race or before the game before the ball’s even time, this red-hot visited with Hot Mess Express before she was sold thrown up. Seeing what takes place prior to filly was coming off putting the horses behind the gate, I had the of an explosive start to her own athletic career. appreciation for the work that goes in and the She had won her first two starts. 2 Sam Bowie and his wife, Stephanie, were at the Meadowlands to see Hot Mess Express win on July 17. LISA PHOTO Below, the filly with her caretaker, Ana Gonzalez. The Gibersons, however, still have one horse, “She is very nice,” she said. “You can put the broodmare by the name of My Heart Was on her harness without any crossties on.” True, who is the mother of Hot Mess Express. She also shared that Hot Mess Express has Amy Giberson and her children were there to see quite the appetite. “She goes directly to the the filly named Hot Mess Express born, and Amy grass, she doesn’t see anything more than gave the filly her name. grass,” she added. “She is anything but a hot mess. She is very This “angel of a horse” continues to find professional on the track and in the barn, and success on the racetrack, stunning race fans. she’s great with kids. She’s an angel of a Bowie recognizes and appreciates the time horse,” said Amy. and effort that is necessary for producing In July of last year at Hoosier Park, Hot optimal results on the court, and the Mess Express’s racing talent showed early racetrack. when she overcame sloppy track conditions “I’ve always said that success doesn’t and the trailing post 10 to rally for an happen by accident and it’s the same thing impressive three-length victory in 1:53.4. with these horses”, said the former Today, trained by Tony Alagna, on July 25 McDonald’s All-American and All-NBA Rookie Hot Mess Express won her seventh race in as First Team member. many starts this season when she scored at Hoosier Park. Prior to that race she won the $174,400 Mistletoe Shalee at the Meadowlands, so her bank account for 2021 now totals $314,590. “She’s great to be around,” said Alagna about Hot Mess Express.