The best memories from 2022

Harness racing provided many memorable events in 2022. And it would be impossible to list them all in 100 Mane Attraction columns, much less one.

So, I’ve tried to cull it down a bit of the ones that, to me, we’re noteworthy in that they either brought tears to my eyes or provided that special something that will remain with me until my last breath.

Only number one is listed as NUMBER ONE with the others interchangeable but, to me, worthy of note.

Here goes…

FRED GRANT one of the premier trainers in harness racing during a career spanning over a half century, has had some health issues recently but that didn’t stop him from enjoying a stellar year in 2022 sending 65 horses to the starting gate and winding up with a 19-22-9 scorecard with a “batting average” of .526—his best ever! His starters earned $431,807, his best since 2009 and second best since 1995. Remembered, most likely, for Cambest, who time trialed in 1:46.1 at Springfield in 1993—almost 30 years ago—his stars this year included Saint Trixie, Luisella and Aggiornamento.

BILLY “ZEKE” PARKER hung up his colors recently after a 52-year career in the sulky and winning 11,315 wins, benefitting the owners with “raceway” horses to the tune of $31,270,213. He spent just about all of his career in the northeast, especially Maine, but was equally effective when he travelled to Foxboro, or even farther south to Yonkers Raceway. As Bruce Ranger lamented, “Zeke never hit a grand slam with his stock, but he sure hit a ton of singles, doubles and triples. He kept a lot of owners from drowning in debt!”

WALLY HENNESSEY, at age 66, had yet another amazing year in 2022, winning 348 races and earning $3,188,364 for the owners—his best year since 1999. The Charlottetown, P.E.I. native now has 11,454 wins, benefitting owners to the tune of over $76 million. Of course, this Hall of Fame horseman is best known for his handling of the great Moni Maker, but he’s won over 50 headline stakes events, including the Woodrow Wilson, Kentucky Futurity, Hambletonian Oaks and several Breeders Crown events. He closed out his campaign this year by winning 25 Florida Stakes events in less than a month, but his proudest moment may have been April 17, when he won the final race ever in the 58-year history of Pompano Park.

LARRY FERRARI is an amateur driver from the Cleveland area who rarely travels outside of his hometown, but he did this year, in fact, more than 4,500 miles to Italy to compete in the Centennial Amateur Driving Championship contest in Rome, Torino and Florence. Starting from the second tier eight post in the final event, Ferrari wended his up close and then was patient enough to slither through along the inside in deep stretch to win. Not only was it a proud moment for Ferrari, but it was also a proud moment for the U.S.A. to have someone reach the winner’s circle and claim individual honors for the red, white and blue.

WALTER CASE, JR. after a hiatus since 2003 and only a few drives until last year, finally got some decent opportunity up in his home State of Maine and won 166 races (19.4%), earning $841,105 for owners—his best year in two decades. Walter now has 11,230 wins and earnings for owners approaching $45 million. Casey’s earnings loomed even more impressive as he drove in only a handful races with purses $15,000 or more—winning two at the Fryeburg Fair, one at Bangor and one at Cumberland. In a recent interview, he explained, “I finally got the rust out of my system, and it was a good feeling to be competitive again, especially against a talented driving colony we have here like Bruce (Ranger and Dave (Ingraham), among others.” Future plans for Walter are a toss-up right now as he has options to train the babies in Bell, Florida or head out west to Cal-Expo.

JUSTIN MULLETT was a commodity unknown heading into the Florida stakes season at Sunshine Meadows. The 36-year-old trainer-driver started training on his own in 2021 with nary a win on either side of the ledger. He only had a few arriving for the FSBOA’s fall stakes season. But he performed a feat that will never be eclipsed…driving in six races and winning them all and sending 10 to the gate during the six-program season and winning them all, too. Yes, a .1000 batting average driving and training winning purses totaling $51,562. He then went up to The Meadows with G’s Independence with her five-race win streak and made it six-in-a-row with the odds 14 to 1. Very impressive!

CURTIS CAREY was another one who caught my eye this semester, especially at Sunshine Meadows during Stakes season. Admittedly, fields were small but in 11 starts, his horses had a win and 10 seconds, a UTRS over .595. But, in looking over his records, which go back to 1999, his last six seasons show batting averages of .526, .469, .481, .476, .501 and this year’s .507. with purses totaling just a tad over $1,000,000 racing in Iowa with a trip or two to neighboring States. The year 2022 was his best with purses totaling $244,681 while winning at a rate of over 33%, a rate he has maintained over the past six years.

DEXTER AND BULLDOG were a great team trained by a great conditioner that captivated the harness racing world with unparalleled speed. But the one race that deserved the most attention was NOT the won he hit the wire in 1:45.4 but, rather, the race he lost to Allywag Hanover at The Red Mile in 1:46. While hard pressed to take the lead at the opening :26.2 marker and subsequently sawing through panels of :52.2 and 1:19.1, pocket-sitting Alleyway was ready to pounce…and he did. As the two raced on even terms for a second or two, Allywag got by and began edging away and Dexter Dunn, showing professionalism and class, just sat in the bike not asking for the Bulldog to go any more than he could go…no chirping…no whip…no urging, in other words, Dex had the keen sense to do the right thing. He went all he could and, upon returning trackside back to the paddock, everyone knew that, too, and the ovation was deafening and well deserved.

JESSICA HALLETT, NATHAN BAIN, EDISON HATTER, ACE BARNSDALE…These four are the future of our sport. Jessica has a talent is so many ways—from the written word to the fabulous sketches to her magic with her camera. She brings so much to the sport and she, indeed, is a blessing to all of us.

Nathan Bain up north of the border carries on the grand tradition of harness racing in Canada whether it be in the announcer’s booth, conduction interviews or sensibly handicapping for the patrons.

Edison Hatter is one of the most brilliant people I have ever met and adds so much great analysis to harness racing covering all angles of the sport.

Ace Barnsdale has computer knowledge way beyond his years and Harnesslink is as great as it is because of his enthusiasms and knowledge and low-key approach knowing that anything can be fixed, if necessary.

And, finally, my number ONE…

JACOB FOX is a hardworking, low key, humble kind of a guy who started driving a bit in 2002 and took up the training route in 2013. He does have 70 lifetime wins scattered throughout the past two decades and, since he took up training, has 55 training successes. This year, though, has been kind of a breakout year for the 38-year-old with 26 wins and $255,918 in purse money garnered—more than three times his previous best. But Jacob Fox is more than a horseman.

In June of this year, Jacob Fox noticed a horse being loaded onto an Amish truck and, upon inquiry, found out the horse was the 12-year-old Feelin Lika Winner—a warhorse if there ever was one. He had an ankle the size of a grapefruit and Jacob Fox knew the outcome facing this $600,000 winner and asked what it would take to get the horse off the truck and avoid the “pen.”

“$5,000!”

It only took one-fifth of a second for Jacob Fox to say, “done deal” and Feelin Lika Winner was safe.

Jacob sent the horse to his grandpa—Mike Murphy—who nursed it back to health, winning over $30,000 in about five months.

“Horses like this should never face the end like this horse did,” he lamented, “and, being the warhorse that he is, he’s enjoying some well-deserved rest and relaxation and it looks like he’s feeling really good. Since he likes Oak Grove so much, we’ll get him ready for that meet and, when his racing days are over, he’ll reside in luxury at the Kentucky Horse Park.”

Thus far, Feelin Lika Winner has 277 starts, 47 wins, $609,205 in earnings for 14 different trainers to go along with a 1:49.2 mark.

Jacob was the subject of a Harnesslink article entitled “The Horseman Who Was Twice a Hero” as he donated his kidney to Grandpa Mike Murphy (a non-blood related donor overcoming 1,000,000 to one odds).

To read the Jacob Fox article, click here.

So that’s a wrap on 2022.

May The Horse Be With You in 2023…and forever!

by John Berry, for Harnesslink