Can Once In A Lifetime continue winning ways?

WASHINGTON, PA, June 2, 2023 — “Sophomore Slump” is a term used in many sports to describe a condition that causes rookie phenoms to tail off in their second years. Don’t bother telling that to Once In a Lifetime (Father Patrick). Pennsylvania’s harness racing champion freshman male trotter has launched his 3-year-old campaign with what might be called a “Sophomore Strut” — two victories in as many races.

He’ll be looking to extend that streak when he headlines the field in Saturday’s (June 3) Hickory Smoke, a $142,946 PA Sires Stake at The Meadows. The 13-race card also features a $60,000 PA Stallion Series event for 3-year-old colt and gelding trotters. First post is 12:45 PM.

A $50,000 yearling acquisition, Once In a Lifetime rolled to earnings exceeding $226,000 as a freshman, but he hit a speed bump in two late-season stakes at the Red Mile, finishing seventh and sixth.

“He scoped with mucous after that first race there,” says Jim Campbell, who trains the son of Father Patrick-Sherrys Lady for Sad Frog Farms. “We thought we had it cleared up but bringing him back in a week against horses of that caliber wasn’t a good idea.”

Campbell reports that the colt has come back “about the same as he was last year.”

“He was pretty laid-back last year. He’s kept that same composure. And he has a very good gait,” Campbell says.

So far this year, the champ has captured a tough overnight at Harrah’s Philadelphia and a PA All-Stars division at Pocono, where he took his lifetime mark of 1:53.3. Campbell seldom over-touts the talent and potential of his young horses, but he allows that Once In a Lifetime is eligible to most of the season’s rich stakes — including the Hambletonian. If he gets that far, he’ll give Campbell the chance to go back-to-back in the sport’s most prestigious race; he won it last year when 52-1 Cool Papa Bell pulled off the biggest upset in Hambletonian history.

“The Hambletonian is a tough one to win, but when it does happen, it’s an unbelievable feeling,” Campbell says.

Once In a Lifetime goes from post 3, race 5, with Ronnie Wrenn, Jr. piloting.

Also in that division is Crantini (International Moni-Peach Martini ) from post 5 for driver Scott Zeron, another of the state’s top 2-year-olds who chased Once In a Lifetime home in the PASS championship and their PA All-Stars split, finishing second on both occasions.

Megan Scran, who conditions the gelding for Thestable Crantini Group, said she didn’t throw up her hands and curse the Racing Gods after seeing that the draw pitted Crantini against Once In A Lifetime again.

“We haven’t seen the best of Crantini yet,” she says, noting that he’s Hambletonian eligible. “It’s early in the year, and we’re not going to the well with him yet.”

However, she says the chestnut Crantini is “sometimes his own worst enemy.”

“What kind of tricks does he pull? Any one you can think of. You never know what shade of red he’ll be on any given day.”

For complete Saturday race entries, click here.

by Evan Pattak, for The Meadows Standardbred Owners Association