Some bragging rights for the Standardbred

With all the hoopla in the thoroughbred industry continuing with the tragedies at Saratoga on Travers Day, I got a call about the same situations that arise in harness racing, although on a seemingly lesser scale.

“You’ll find the same situation with our two-year-olds,” was the cry from this astute member of the BDHC (Broken Down Horseplayers Club).

I didn’t agree or disagree (avoiding a confrontation) but I did have some quick stats about our breed and its differences with the thoroughbred breed and other sports, something I touched upon in a recent Mane Attraction entitled “Lumping Horse Breeds Together…Not a Good Idea.”

The BDHC member then went on to say, “Just take a look and you’ll see that they can’t hold up to the strain and punishment of the wars in racing at two (years-old).”

Well, I did a bit of research on this subject and was pleasantly surprised at the results.

I, myself, have even suggested to start two-year-olds a bit later, space out their races a bit further, maybe limit their starts at two.

Judging by what I have seen so far this year, things are moving in a positive direction with strong purses necessitating fewer starts and the breed—still hearty—becoming a rare form of athlete.

Of course, many of us grew up with the 2:10 two-year-old (list), which, by the way, was quite good back a half century ago, and realize that the breed of the younger drivers and trainers on today’s roster think a 1:54 or 1:55 two-year-old is just a normality these days and those, say, 50-years-old and up—David Miller and Wally Hennessey to name a couple—had to adjust from the “old days” to be competitive with the speed crazy rabble rousers in today’s world.

Here we are at the end of August—early September and we have 51 two-year-old pacers with a mark of 1:52 or faster with an eye-popping 1:49.4 at the top of the list…a two-year-old…a FILLY!!!

The list features 20 fillies, 14 colts, 16 gelding…and a ridgeling.

Only one has 10 starts or more—Janelle Granny (Fear The Dragon) — with 11, showing a scorecard of 4-7-0 and $149,222 to go along with a mark of 1:51.2 over a five-eighths mile track.

Only two have eight starts—Aintbluenomore (Heston Blue Chip)—whose mark is 1:51f with 2-3-3 on the books and $63,635 and the gelding Silken Sweet (Betting Line) with 2-0-1 on his card and $24,614 and a 1:51.4f mark.

Nine juveniles on the list have seven starts, seven have only six starts, 16 have five starts, 11 have four starts and five have only three starts this young semester.

Of course, the grand filly Geocentric (Sweet Lou) is that aforementioned juvenile with that 1:49.4 performance over Lexington’s Red Mile on August 1 and is a perfect 5-for-5 with her last two winning performances featuring final panels in :25.2 and :25.4. She’s banked $168,501 thus far.

Captain Albano (Captaintreacherous) and Legendary Hanover (Huntsville) are colts next on the list with a identical records of 1:50—the “Captain” wrestling his way to the wire in Philly and now showing three wins in four starts, recovering from being scratched “sick” and missing his start in PASS action at The Meadows in late July. He’s now on a two-race win streak and is 3-for-4 during his brief career with over $70,000 on his card.

Legendary Hanover has been a perfect 4-for-4 up north of the border at Woodbine’s seven-eighths oval with his scintillating brushes carrying him from off-the-pace while earning $79,614 thus far.

Occupying the four and five spots on the list are filly, Caviart Belle (Captaintreacherous) and the colt Newsroom (Always B Miki), both with records of 1:50.1.

Caviart Belle has shown remarkable agility by winning on three different size ovals—5/8ths, 7/8ths and mile—and shows a 4-2-0 card in six starts while banking $125,148 with her mark taken north of the border and Newsroom taking his mark at The Meadowlands. With big stakes season ahead, Newsroom took almost a month off and just tightened up with a 1:52.1 qualifier highlighted by a :26.3 finale.

Lyons Legend (Stay Hungry) is next on the list and is undefeated in six lifetime starts while competing on the Pennsylvania circuit over all of that States five-eighths mile tracks. Her 1:50.2 win for the “filly”—her best yet—was in “Philly” and was followed by a 1:50.3 win at The Meadows. She’s banked $156,696 so far.

Funtime Bayama (He’s Watching) has but four starts this semester and, after two straight second place finishes to start his career, the gelding took three weeks off before returning to Sire Stakes action at Woodbine to chalk up two straight wins, the last one in 1:50.3-:26, the gelding’s lifetime best. He’s banked $83,102.

Booming Economy (Captaintreacherous) is lightly raced with only four starts showing a 2-1-1 scorecard and $59,260 but those two wins were his latest races with a rugged 1:50.4 win last time out. He’s also shown agility racing on the lead or well back. That latest win, by the way, was after a three-week layoff.

Mirage Hanover (Bettor’s Delight), a six time starter, has won three times with his fastest being in 1:50.4s at Woodbine. This colt has won $118,456 and rides a two-race win streak as of this writing.

Better Is Nice (Bettor’s Wish) is the richest of the two-year-olds thus far with $218,600 on the strength of four wins in five starts and a 1:50.4 mark at The Meadowlands taken in the $240,000 NJSS Final. He’s followed that up with two more wins extending his winning streak to four and his last win at The Red Mile was in 1:51.2—:53.1—:25.4.

Huntingforchrome (Huntsville) is 3-for-5 so far with a 1:50.2 mark at The Meadowlands and showed great gameness in a Kindergarten event that featured a final panel in :26.1. After extending his winning skein to three at Vernon after being confronted at the quarter pole, another :26.1 finale put that issue at rest. Things didn’t go so well on the Yonkers half-miler so it remains to be seen if this gelding can get back on the right track.

All-in-all, these 51 pacing juveniles have, collectively, 271 starts and one would be hard pressed to find even a handful of “clunkers” on their lines.

On the trotting side of the ledger, there are 35 youngsters that have records in 1:55 or faster—that list consisting of 18 fillies, 12 colts and five geldings.

Only one has as many as 12 starts—Dashing Danny (Dover Dan)—with no other in the list having as many as eight starts. A total of two have seven starts, three more have six starts, two have five starts, nine have four starts, 12 have but three starts and five have only two starts, including the one at the top of the list record-wise—Karl (Tactical Landing).

By the way, there is one filly on the list with just a single start—a winning one in 1:54.1—and that is Honey’s Sweet (Chapter Seven), whose career just began a few days ago at The Red Mile.

Dashing Danny has been enjoying the stakes program in Indiana competing at Hoosier Park with an occasional journey to some of the fair tracks and State Fairgrounds.

The gelding has banked $76,087 and just recorded his lifetime best performance of 1:55 showing prolonged brushing power over Hoosier Park’s long stretch.

Karl got a bit of a late start compared to some others but won his maiden on Hambletonian Day at The Meadowlands by scoring in 1:54.1—:26.3. He then traveled to The Red Mile a couple of weeks later and romped in 1:52.1 in the $80,000 Kentucky Sire Stakes. All-in-all, two starts, two wins and $50,000 in the bank to go along with the top mark of any two-year-old trotter.

The richest juvenile trotter thus far is T C I (Cantab Hall) who sports a 6-1-0 card in his seven starts, bringing the colt’s earnings to $341,470.

After a second-place finish in a Kindergarten event at The Meadowlands, he’s reeled off a half-dozen straight wins—the most notable in the $458,800 Wellwood Memorial at Woodbine.

The filly Drawn Impression (Muscle Hill) is a perfect 3-for-3 to start her career while taking a mark of 1:54 while earning bounty of $174,725 while racing north of the border—her biggest success in the $314,500 Peaceful Way at Woodbine.

All of her wins, by the way were from well off the pace with all last quarters around :27 1/2.

No trainer name has been a part of this story as they are all equal in ability to give their equine athletes the utmost in complete care—from the caretaker’s role to the training, the proof is in the pudding and their records speak for themselves.

So, what’s it all mean?

The Standardbred is, in these eyes, the most rugged, hearty, docile and trustable breed on any racetrack!

Sure, there may be an incident here and there that is tragic but that can happen in any athletic event.

It has happened on the football field where resuscitation was necessary to save a life. Players are carted off the field on stretchers with injuries that leave them motionless.

It just happened on the basketball court, as well. Take a look at what happened to “Bronny” not too long ago…and he’s 19-years-old.

In fact, around 3,500,000 young athletes are injured every year…and these are kids 14-years-of-age or younger.

Many—over 21%—suffer from traumatic brain injuries and “overuse” injuries are common.

During the 2018 Olympics, 12% of Olympians were injured.

From strains and sprains to career ending and life-threatening situations, athletics is dangerous.

Talk about hiding the injury reports…

Our industry is no different BUT I see no evidence of any of our two-year-old equine athletes being subjected to overwork loads which endanger their lives.

Yes, if and when a tragedy occurs on a Standardbred track, there should be no secrets and no shame in covering it in its fullest detail.

It’s happened to our horses…It’s happened to our drivers…it’s happened to our trainers.

It’s called athletics…a grand fiber of North American and life in our world.

Ours appears safer than most.

Any way you look at it…just look at the record!

by John Berry, for Harnesslink