FRIDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2020 ©2020 HORSEMAN PUBLISHING CO., LEXINGTON, KY USA • FOR ADVERTISING INFORMATION CALL (859) 276-4026 With New Incentive, Diamond Creek Brings ACCEPTING ENTRIES Gimpanzee To Kentucky The Standardbred breed in Ken- for the hottest sale this winter tucky received a big boost when it was announced on Monday that Gimpanzee will be standing at stud in the Bluegrass in 2021. The last farm to stand a major stallion in Kentucky was Walnut Hall Ltd., where Cambest stood at stud, with his last year being 2015. Gimpanzee’s owners, Anders February 9 & 10, 2021 Strom’s Courant Inc. and Lennart Agren’s SRF Stable, decided to retire their horse from rac- ENTER ONLINE AT ing and stand him at stud at Diamond Creek Farm in Ken- www.bloodedhorse.com tucky, an unconventional decision, but one made more financially attractive because of the recent changes in Ken- Sale entries will close around mid-January, 2021. tucky’s breed incentive program, which provides: “Beginning with the 2021 breeding season, any horse that resulted from a stallion standing in Kentucky and a mare re- siding in Kentucky for 180 days (and nominated to the pro- gram) is eligible to receive a 50 percent bonus if finishing 1st through 5th in any of the legs and the finals of the “There’s No Substitute for Experience” Championship and Commonwealth Series Programs.” JERRY HAWS • P.O. Box 187 • Wilmore, Kentucky 40390 Phone: (859) 858-4415 • Fax: (859) 858-8498 Diamond Creek Farm stands several stallions at its farm in Pennsylvania and had its Kentucky farm for sale for more than Adam Bowden about their property located in Georgetown, a year, but changed its plans to land Gimpanzee in Kentucky. Ky., right in the heart of the Bluegrass horse country. “We took the farm off the market this past fall, and “The resurgence of the Kentucky program is pretty cool changed our business focus,” explained Diamond Creek’s and we’re thrilled to be a part of it,” added Bowden. “Begin- ning next year, during the fall sale in Lexington, we plan to bring our stallions who don’t shuttle Down Under to Ken- tucky so people can come to the farm to see them.” Gimpanzee 4, 1:50, a winner of $2,701,075, is one of the few three-time Breeders Crown champions. He won the Breeders Crown Open Trot at Harrah’s Hoosier Park on Oct. 31. His owners then debated about whether to continue rac- ing the 4-year-old stallion or retire him to stud duty. Gimpanzee was test bred at Select Breeders in Maryland in mid-November, and the results did not immediately end Gimpanzee Continues on page 2 ›››› WHAT’S INSIDE . McClure has two Valedictory drives—pg. 4 Holiday racing schedule—pg. 10 $335,940 carryover Saturday at Mohawk—pg. 4 Amber Sawyer writes a book—pg. 12 Dec. 21 deadline for Caretaker award—pg. 6 Driver Jim Marshall III retiring Saturday—pg. 14 Joe DeFrank dies—pg. 8 Terror Of Thetrack wins in 499th start—pg. 16 HarnessRacing Weekend Preview, 2 of 20 December 18, 2020 www.harnessracing.com the debate about racing versus breeding. Gimpanzee’s fertil- ity tests indicated he could not breed a full book of 140 FREE THIS WEEKEND’S mares in his first season at stud. Program “He’ll breed 80 mares maximum for the first year,” said Pages FEATURED RACES Bowden. “That’s why his stud fee is $30,000. But the initial All times listed are local. tests are that we’ll be able to ship his semen.” Friday, Dec. 18 The announced stud fee of $30,000 makes Gimpanzee the most expensive trotting stallion to breed to in North America, 7:25p Wbsb2 Valedictory 3CP div. Trackmaster PPs excluding Muscle Hill, whose services are mostly used by 9:12p YR7 Open Trot Trackmaster PPs shareholders and thus stands at Private Treaty. That has 9:55p Wbsb8 Valedictory 3CP div. Trackmaster PPs prompted social media chatter and also reaction from breeders Click here to download all Friday PPs that the stud fee is too high. In fact, Gimpanzee’s stud fee is Saturday, Dec. 19 $5,000 more than his sire, the well-established Chapter Seven. 7:25p Wbsb2 Niagara 3FP div. Trackmaster PPs “There has been plenty of demand for his services so far, 9:05p Wbsb6 Niagara 3FP div. Trackmaster PPs although we knew that many mares were already booked,” 9:12p YR7 Open Pace Trackmaster PPs said Bowden of the stud fee. “Most of the feedback we’ve Click here to download all Saturday PPs received indicates that people plan to send their mares here. And there are so many good mares already here in Kentucky; we already have Mission Brief booked and Stefan Balazsi (Order By Stable, the breeder of Gimpanzee) plans to breed mares to him as well.” World champion Mission Brief, whose yearling filly by Wal- ner topped the 2020 Lexington Selected Sale, selling for largest Standardbred broodmare band in residence in Ken- $725,000, is owned by the partnership of Hunterton Farm’s tucky, including mares owned by Gimpanzee principal Steve and Cindy Stewart, Glencairn Racing Stable, Martin Strom, who bought the Mission Brief yearling filly. Schmucker, Tom Schmucker, Black Creek Farm, Dublin Valley Hunterton plans to breed Evident Beauty to Gimpanzee, Farm and Maumee River Stable. The Stewarts have the while several of Strom’s 20-25 boarded at Hunterton will also be mated to the rookie stallion. Strom had sent 15 ad- ditional mares to Hunterton to breed to his stallion Green- shoe, who stands at stud at Hanover Shoe Farms. “Having a stallion, and not just any stallion but a horse like Gimpanzee, in Kentucky really helps the industry,” said Steve Stewart. “It gives the industry another viable location to stand a stallion. And there is a tremendous number of quality mares in Kentucky.” Hunterton Farm encompasses two separate properties in Paris, Ky., one of which is historic Stoner Creek Stud, which it leases from Margareta Wallenius-Kleberg. Stoner Creek Season’s Greetings was the home of the legendary sire Meadow Skipper and was managed by Steve’s late brother, Tom. Stoner Creek has not stood a stallion of any stature since Mack Lobell spent a couple of years there in the 1990s. Steve said he and Cindy debated the idea of making a play for Gimpanzee. “We decided that we need to stick with our broodmare model, which means we don’t stand any stallions, we just breed mares,” said Steve. Some other breeding farm news was shared on Facebook George by horseman Eddie Lohmeyer, who is married to renowned Ducharme equine veterinarian Dr. Patty Hogan. Lohmeyer said that on Friday, they hope to close on the purchase of the main Perretti Farms property in New Jersey. The farm has a classic wood- paneled stallion barn, adjacent stalls, large breeding shed, and attached offices, and Dr. Hogan plans to relocate and ex- pand her veterinary clinic to the farm.—By Kathy Parker r d HaHHappypys HHolidayHolidaysy q ATLAT ANTA v r DORSODURO HANOVER WARRAWEE UBEAUT q ASH Wishing you all the best in 20221. “ThankYo You” to everyone that’s been a part of the Burke Brigade, for making 2020 another q amazingg yeyear! s d RonBurke2020.indd 1 2020-11-24 12:14 PM HarnessRacing Weekend Preview, 4 of 20 December 18, 2020 www.harnessracing.com McClure To Drive Windsun Azar, Carryover of $335,940 Into Saturday’s What The Luck In Valedictory Splits Hi-5 Mandatory At Mohawk The penultimate legs of the Valedictory and Niagara series Woodbine Mohawk Park on Saturday night will have a for 3 year olds will be contested this weekend at Woodbine mandatory payout in the last-race Jackpot Hi-5. There is Mohawk Park, with the finals of both events scheduled for a carryover of $335,940 into the Jackpot Hi-5 pool, which the Boxing Day program on Saturday, Dec. 26. has a 20-cent minimum and 15 percent takeout. A pair of compact six-horse fields will battle in the Valedic- The Jackpot Hi-5 requires horseplayers to select the top- tory Series for 3-year-old male pacers on Friday night. Bob five finishers in order. A bettor can only win the entire McClure has a drive in both $17,000(C) splits, leaving from jackpot if they hold the only winning ticket for that post 3 with both Windsun Azar and What The Luck. evening’s wager, but the entire pool—the carryover and In the first Valedictory division (Race 2), Windsun Azar all new money—will be paid out on Saturday comes into the race off a career-best 1:52.4 victory in a $16,000 conditioned pace on Dec. 11 at Mohawk, closing from sixth at the midway point with a last half of :54.3 and Mohawk in the gelding’s only three career victories, said last quarter of :26.4 to seal the 3 ¼-length decision. Windsun Azar could be his own worst enemy. “He got spotted OK and ended up being second-over, so I “He’s a fast horse but the odd time he’ll make a break,” said wouldn’t say the trip was too bad,” said McClure, who is McClure. “I don’t know if it’s soundness or gait, but he’s always third this year in the Mohawk dash standings with 201 victo- been a pretty quick horse so hopefully he holds together.” ries and first on the earnings list with $5.9 million in purses.