2011 North America Cup post positions drawn

Mohawk to host $1.5 million race on Saturday, June 18

Campbellville, July 14 - Ten of the continent's finest three-year-old pacers, headed by Up The Credit, Big Bad John and Powerful Mist, will contest Saturday's $1.5 million Pepsi North America Cup at Mohawk Racetrack.

The 28th edition of the Cup is the richest pacing event in North America, with the winner earning $750,000. The Score will air a special one and one-half hour telecast nationally from 8:30 - 10:00 pm ET.

Post positions were drawn today at Mohawk, with Luke Schenn, defenceman with the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League, as guest drawmaster.

The final post positions and morning line odds are listed below:

1) Big Jim (7-1)
2) Up The Credit (5-2)
3) Powerful Mist (6-1)
4) Big Bad John (2-1)
5) Shadyshark Hanover (5-1)
6) Rockabillie (15-1)
7) Roll With Joe (8-1)
8) Eighteen (25-1)
9) Dutch Richman (30-1)
10) Foreclosure N (25-1)

January 2011 Harness Racing News; Jeff Gural interviews

North American Standardbred Pacing and Trotting News

Alexie Mattoosie and Bettor Sweet dead heat in 1.49.4 in Presidential


Tim Tetrick nears 6,000th win, will break age record held by Walter Case Jr


Twin B Warrior wins Willowdale Stakes at Woodbine


Trainer Brent McGrath buys Somebeachsomewhere colt




YouTube.com videos of new Meadolands investor Jeff Gural


Meadowlands Racing interview with Jeff Gural, Part One:







Meadowlands Racing interview with Jeff Gural, Part Two:

Best of Harness Horses Info Blog; 2010

I realize it can sometimes be difficult to find a post from an earlier month, so please find below some of my fave posts from 2010.

Racing

Casie Coleman and Mark Macdonald win NA Cup with Sportswriter

Doug McNair youngest driver to win 1,000 standardbred races


Breeding

Top standardbred sires of 2010

Standardbred Pacing sirelines 101

Standardbred Trotting Sire Lines 101

Standardbred Stallions of the Year - 2010 Pacing and Trotting

Valley Victory trotting sire lines

Western Hanover versus Artsplace versus Cam Fella


Maritimes / PEI

Photos and Videos of Somebeachsomewhere weanlings and yearlings

Mark Macdonald responds to Driver of Year nominations controversy

28DEC: 2010 Dan Patch Division Winners announced

Here are the 2010 Dan Patch Divisional winners:

TWO-YEAR-OLD MALE TROTTER OF THE YEAR

Pastor Stephen (56 votes)
Cantab Hall-Gala Dream-Enjoy Lavec
Breeder: Brittany Farms.
Owners: Christina Takter, John Fielding, Brittany Farms.
Trainer: Jimmy Takter. Driver: Yannick Gingras.
Races: 11-6-4-0. Purses: $653,748. Mark: 1:56.0 at Mohawk.
Top wins: $485,000 William Wellwood Memorial; $98,489 Champlain.



TWO-YEAR-OLD-FILLY TROTTER OF THE YEAR

Crys Dream (94 votes)
Taurus Dream-Crystas Image-Balanced Image
Breeder: Reve Avec Moi Dreamwithme.
Owners: Reve Avec Moi Dreamwithme, Deo Volente Farms, TLP Stable.
Trainer: Henrik Hollsten. Drivers: Jean Dubois, Luc Ouellette.
Races: 8-7-0-0. Purses: $584,392. Mark: 1:54.3 at Woodbine.
Top wins: $502,000 Goldsmith Maid; $452,020 Peaceful Way.



THREE-YEAR-OLD-MALE TROTTER OF THE YEAR

Lucky Chucky (108 votes)
Windsongs Legacy-Aerobics-Muscles Yankee
Breeder: Perretti Farms.
Owners: SGS Partners, Perretti Racing Stable, Lindy Racing Stable
Trainer: Chuck Sylvester. Driver: John Campbell.
Races: 11-5-3-1. Purses: $1.43 million. Mark: 1:50.4 at the Red Mile.
Top wins: $970,000 Canadian Trotting Classic; $500,000 Colonial.



THREE-YEAR-OLD FILLY TROTTER OF THE YEAR

Bar Slide (69 votes)
Yankee Glide-Marla Bar-Malabar Man
Breeder: Fair Winds Farm.
Owners: Fredericka Caldwell, Bluestone Farms.
Trainer: Joe Holloway. Driver: Tim Tetrick.
Races: 14-5-2-1. Purses: $568,529. Mark: 1:52.4 at the Meadowlands.
Top wins: $750,000 Hambletonian Oaks; $70,500 Bluegrass.



OLDER MALE TROTTER OF THE YEAR

Enough Talk (73 votes)
Enjoy Lavec-Fashion Setter-Donerail
Breeder: Perretti Farms
Owners: Peter Kleinhans Racing, Jerry Silva.
Trainer: Peter Kleinhans. Driver: Ron Pierce.
Races: 17-5-4-1. Purses: 641,022. Mark: 1:51.0 at the Meadowlands.
Top wins: $600,000 Breeders Crown; $235,750 Titan Cup.



OLDER FEMALE TROTTER OF THE YEAR

Buck I St Pat (131 votes; unanimous)
Jailhouse Jesse-Name It Something-Speed In Action
Breeder: Ron Fuller.
Owners: Howard Taylor, Edwin Gold, Abraham Basen, Ron Fuller.
Trainer: Ron Burke. Driver: Tim Tetrick.
Races: 19-9-3-4. Purses: $715,135. Mark: 1:51.0 at the Meadowlands.
Top wins: $340,470 Armbro Flight; 250,000 Breeders Crown.



TWO-YEAR-OLD MALE PACER OF THE YEAR

Big Jim (120 votes)
Western Ideal-Bold Pink-Big Towner
Breeder: Hanover Shoe Farms.
Owner: Jim Carr.
Trainer: James “Friday” Dean. Driver: Phil Hudon.
Races: 10-6-1-2. Purses: $827,204. Mark: 1:49.1 at Woodbine (world record).
Top wins: $709,000 Governor’s Cup; $600,000 Breeders Crown.



TWO-YEAR-OLD FILLY PACER OF THE YEAR

See You At Peelers (99 votes)
Bettor’s Delight-West Side Glory-Western Ideal
Breeder: Christina Takter.
Owners: Christina Takter, John Fielding, Jim Fielding.
Trainer: Jimmy Takter. Driver: Jim Morrill Jr.
Races: 13-13-0-0. Purses: $581,649. Mark: 1:51.3 at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs.
Top wins: $600,000 Breeders Crown; $200,000 New York Sire Stakes championship.



THREE-YEAR-OLD MALE PACER OF THE YEAR

Rock N Roll Heaven (129 votes)
Rocknroll Hanover-Artistic Vision-Artsplace
Breeders: Steve Stewart, Charles “Cotton” Nash, Julie Nash, Francene Nash.
Owner: Frank Bellino.
Trainer: Bruce Saunders. Driver: Dan Dube.
Races: 21-16-2-1. Purses: $2.15 million. Mark: 1:47.3 at the Meadowlands.
Top wins: $604,100 Little Brown Jug; 604,000 Tattersalls; $500,000 Breeders Crown.



THREE-YEAR-OLD FILLY PACER OF THE YEAR

Put On A Show (118 votes)
Rocknroll Hanover-Stienams Place-Artsplace
Breeders: Green Mountain Farms, Kentuckiana Farms General Partnership.
Owners: Craig Henderson, Richard Young, Joanne Young.
Trainer: Chris Ryder. Driver: Tim Tetrick.
Races: 16-12-3-0. Purses: $1.16 million. Mark: 1:49.4 at the Red Mile.
Top wins: $500,000 Breeders Crown; $350,000 Valley Forge.



OLDER MALE PACER OF THE YEAR

Won The West (90 votes)
Western Hanover-Gabrielle-Dragons Lair
Breeder: Fair Winds Farm
Owners: Strollin Stable, William Robinson, James Koehler.
Trainer: Ron Burke. Driver: David Miller.
Races: 19-7-8-3. Purses: $1.36 million. Mark: 1:48.1 at the Meadowlands.
Top wins: $748,800 Canadian Pacing Derby; $500,000 Breeders Crown.



OLDER FEMALE PACER OF THE YEAR

Dreamfair Eternal (123 votes)
Camluck-J Cs Nathalie-Flight Of Fire
Breeders: John Lamers, Mary Lamers
Owner: John Lamers
Trainer: Patrick Fletcher. Driver: Randy Waples.
Races: 22-16-4-1. Purses: $925,575. Mark: 1:49.4 at Tioga Downs.
Top wins: $364,560 Milton; $300,000 Breeders Crown.

Meadowlands harness racing to continue in January 2011

Great news out of New Jersey in that a tentative deal has been reached to continue standardbred racing at The Meadowlands in 2011, starting in January. Though New Jersey Governor Chris Christie announced the deal including NJ State-backed financing through March 2011, there was no commitment for slots to go in.

Standrdabred Canada story on Meadowlands resuming harness racing

USTA US Trotting website article on Meadowlands NJ deal for 2011

Commentary on Interview with Ron Pierce, urging rule

In a revealing and insightful interview with Standardbred Canada's Trot Insider, top harness racing driver Ron Pierce provides heartfelt and worthy reasoning on historical whipping rules versus the wider-ranging set of regulations out there now. I will present some of his words with commentary, then discuss how these rules help us protect the downside, and finish with a world of opportunity for standardbred racing fans, handicappers, breeders, owners, trainers, drivers and industry folk.

Ron Pierce discusses new urging rules with Trot Insider

"I've been driving horses for 33 going on 34 years now and it is our job to know how to make horses go fast. Now, all of a sudden, they take that away from us, and now we have to learn how to make horses go fast all over again. I feel along with all the other top drivers -- except for maybe one or two…maybe just one -- that it puts us in a dangerous situation out there. I mean, there are a lot of loose lines out there now. It is just a matter of time before a horse trips because of a loose line and a driver isn't able to pick him up in time, and I think it is going to cause a serious crash.


"I think if a driver could talk to a horse after he races -- even after say the driver was licking on him pretty good in the lane -- and the driver could ask him what hurts, the horse would probably say that his feet are stinging him really badly after having raced on a hard track; or that its upper back hurts because the bike puts too much pressure on it; or that its knees are really stiff. I think the last thing that horse is going to complain about is that whip. I really don't think the horse would say, 'my side hurts from the guy hitting me,' or 'my back hurts from that guy hitting me.'"

Trot Insider asked Pierce if the urging clampdown is going to have a positive effect on the industry going forward

"I believe that it is not going to help us one bit," Pierce said. "It's great for mommy who brings her little girls down to the grandstand to watch her horses race, but for the gamblers -- the people who are our bread and butter -- we are losing them every day. Before the slots came [the gamblers] were all we had to live on, the people who came to bet on us. They are going elsewhere. It is just going to hurt us, and hurt us, and hurt us.

"What are we going to do when we don't have slots? If we don't have the gamblers and then we don't have the slots, it will just be a matter of time before we don't have racing."

- Ron Pierce, Interviewed by Trot Insider


Full article about whipping rules, Ron Pierce

I understand that many will just view this above pessimism as realism, but it is in fact the former. The loose lines are something that has to be dealt with, but the industry is not on the ropes to the degree portrayed in the last paragraph. I used to be an investment advisor and my biggest job, other than ensuring client diversification and quality of investments, was to help them fight their emotions. I'd say, next time the market is down 30% and you wfeel like you want to sell everything, call me and say Joe, what should we buy? And if the market is up 20% in seven months, maybe call and ask if we should rebalance something that just rose with the tide but wasn't really outperforming. I know I digress, but just keep in mind that the darkest hour is right before the dawn.

First, let's talk about downside protection. Even though race horses are probably the best treated mammals on the planet, getting better round-the-clock care than virtually all other domesticated creatures, possibly excepting dogs and cats though not necessarily so, standardbred horse racing is an exciting public event and so must be aware of the times. Decisions are not always made by people who live with and understand animals, so there is an aspect of transition that is inevitable. Younger drivers will be more used to the new rules and more consistent under them, as will younger horses. Some old horses may not go as fast but who is to say they would have stayed as sound? There's always another side to things that needs to be looked at.

Dog tracks have been closed down because of outside pressure, and though that is not the fate of the Sport of Kings, dwindling attendance at some tracks must be addressed. First of all, we haven't lost all of the gamblers, but have experienced a diminishing market share in a rapidly expanding gambling market, particularly among those under 30 years of age.

More input from horsemen, on a regular basis, is required on the urging issue, and the loose lines issue, but all horsemen must come to understand that there must not only be the appearance of improved rules, but they should exhibit more care and respect for the animals in the industry. Even though 99.9% of the time nothing untoward ever happens, it's because of the whipping rules that drivers are kept in line. Things must be kept in perspective, however, as there is a strong argument that in the Trevor Ritchie disqualification case, bettors and the horses owner were unfairly penalized for a minor infraction. Perhaps a warning or a warning and a fine for first violation, and fine and disqualification for 2nd violation (in trailing 18 months). Here we are not talking about excessive whipping that is alreadsy covered under the previous rules, but rather minor infractions from new rules.

So let's start talking about the many opportunities for harness racing to bottom out the handle and begin growing the industry again.

Celebrate Somebeachsomewhere and Muscle Hill


Yearling prices are firm in 2009 during a year of great economic tumult, and in Kentucky the median price at the standardbred sale was higher than that of the thoroughbreds, possibly for the first time ever.

Gambling is more socially acceptable than ever. When i was a child, horse racing was the only legal game going but that all changed with the massive debt of the Montreal Olympics, which launched LotoCanada and it was all giant downhill from there. Our handle has been dropping in recent years and market share for even longer. First it was lotteries and the NFL, now it is poker and slot machines. I don't have Ron's negative attitude about the slots. I believe they have kept harness racing and breeding healthy in troubled times because of the symbiotic nature of the industries. Most small casinos can't get the big name talent that Casino Rama gets, but if they can get a racetrack involved...

Our relationship with hockey can be deepened, as major harness tracks are usually close to thriving hockey markets. Hundreds of young standardbreds are named after Beatles songs and other classic rock tunes yet the harness racing industry has barely scratched the surface of co-branding and promotional opportunities with bands and artists. It doesn't always have to be a big show, it can be an indoor acoustic performance and an autograph signing, let's be creative here.

An upside of the new urging rule is greater potential for headcams, a la Nascar and Formula One. If the morning line favorite and fifth favorite were each required to have a driver wearing a helmet camera, some incredible imagery would be emerging on a daily basis. View the cleaning up of the homestretch as preparation for headcams, instant replays, highlights and video games and you are now understanding where the second and third decades in the first half of the twentieth century will take us.

We need a Canadian Harness Racing Channel, and a USA Harness Racing Channel. We can benefit from handicapping teams representing different tracks, possibly even some sponsored by larger farms, in league style play, with playoffs. More handicapping tournaments are required, for both individuals and teams, and we can learn a lot from the various poker formats.

The Internet is the future; note the new October 2009 Betfair deal with Breeders Cup as harbinger of better times ahead for us, mark my words.

WORLD CHAMPIONS Muscle Hill, Well Said both racing at Mohawk Tonight

Ontario harness racing fans are in for a treat this evening as the sport's two superstars, trotter Muscle Hill and pacer Well Said, each face off against three year old rivals in standardbred stakes races.

Full Entries for Mohawk Saturday September 12, 2009

March Standardbred News; Harness Racing Roundup

Here are some stories from today, the past week and the month of March 2009 to keep pacing and trotting fans informed as the stakes season approaches.

Standardbred Racing Recap - March 2009

Shadow Play trained down to 2.15 despite rough weather in PEI

Wildcat Shoes (68,000), Space Walk ($66,000) and Chief Karen ($64,000) top Flamboro's March Madness sale

Legendary sire Beach Towel dies in New Zealand at 27

Mr Feelgood wins Inter Dominion in Australia

Ramegade Bruiser wins opening round of Spring Pacing Championship

Michel Lachance enjoyed winter off, readying for return to stakes racing

Blueridge Western dominates in Levy Memorial Pacing Series opener

Chancey Lady wins fastest division of Blue Chip Matchmaker at Yonkers

Pocono Downs to host Breeders Crown in 2010, Woodbine in 2011