Unbeaten pacer loved by his fractional owners

Saturday at Exhibition Park Raceway in Saint John will see a treat for harness racing fans as American Risk (American Ideal), one of the most popular horses in Nova Scotia will make his first start in New Brunswick in Saturday’s top overnight event.

As with any business, horse racing comes with many “risks” but for this particular horse and fractional ownership group, business is booming.

In four starts this season, the six-year-old is undefeated and has two victories over the Bible Hill, Nova Scotia half-mile of Truro Raceway in 1:56.2

He sports a lifetime mark of 1:53.2 taken at Woodbine Mohawk Park in Ontario. Purchased for just $13,000 as a yearling, the pacer would find his way to the Maritimes after he was claimed in Ontario for $10,000 by a group of enthusiastic new ownership group known as the ” Risky Bizz Group ” of Truro, N.S.

Although it’s a well-known story that few owners get rich in the harness racing game, especially in the overnight racing ranks, that’s not what this whole experience is about for those connected to American Risk. Horse Racing New Brunswick caught up with part owner Andrea Rennison, and Todd Trites, who will drive the pacer Saturday at E.P.R.

Rennison, whose husband George trains the pacer, knew they had something special from day one. ” We were looking to get a horse that we could sell shares in to get more people involved in the industry, new people” says Rennison. Ownership groups are getting more popular here in the Maritimes and Saturday features Well Did from the Paul Langille stable, who also came to the Maritimes under the same circumstances and has a group share ownership.

“One of the great things about ownership groups such as American Risk’s, it brings new people around the barn and bring with it a spirit of comradery among the owners, win or lose, ” Risk has owners that have never owned their own horse before and also brought back some who had been out of the game for as many as ten-years”, Rennison says with pride. “They have simply just fallen in love with him “.

Not only is Risk bringing people together, but he is also helping others who have been looking for a distraction away from the everyday life struggles. “He’s the type of horse that never quits, and that inspiration brings many of his owners to tears as they battle things going on in their own life. To say he is an escape, is an understatement”, Rennison says. On the track the ownership group has started the 2022 campaign with American Risk with four straight wins.

One thing that Rennison loves about the pacer is that he doesn’t go out and win many races by ten-lengths, but he hates letting another horse pass him” and has shown that fight in many of his starts. ” Although he was purchased in Ontario in a $10,000 claimer, he is so much more than that to the group. He has been referred to by some in the business as just a claimer, but I can tell you 100 % that horses don’t know the price you paid for them. He has great pedigree and shows it every week”.

Driver Todd Trites, who has driven the horse on many occasions says ” Risk is just a real solid horse. He has great gate speed which often results in front end efforts, but he can also come from off the pace when called upon to do so”. Trites says that he likes the ownership group trend going on, but admits that sometimes with so many people involved, it can add a bit more pressure to perform, but he states that ” he thrives on that”.

With this much success in 2022 will American Risk be part of the tough free-for-all class in the Maritimes, Trites isn’t too sure. ” I am not sure what the summer holds for Risk. I feel he is more of a top-class horse than an invitational. He continues” Could he keep up with the big boys? Pethaps, but he is in a stable that manages their horses well and it’s probably in his best interests to race within himself”.

Trites, a former dash winning champion in Atlantic Canada would love to see more ownership groups like this in the Maritimes. ” I hope to see an increase in the ownership groups and if they are fortunate enough to get a horse like American Risk with a stable like the Rennison’s, it’s great for the industry”. When asked about this Saturday’s race in Saint John, despite the outside post, Trites remains confident.

“It should be a fun race this Saturday (June 4th) with a nice field of horses. I drew outside one of my favorite horses ( Woodmere Ideal Art ) who has great owners and I hated to have to choose between the two but he is in the capable hands of Kyle Mason, a great young driver coming into his own. It is shaping up to be a great battle, Trites continues, and ” I am looking forward to getting back driving in New Brunswick again this season.”

American Risk has drawn post-six in the $2,600 overnight top-class on Saturday at Exhibition Park Raceway in Saint John, as part of the action-packed race card which gets underway at 1:00 P.M on Saturday, presented by Horse Racing New Brunswick.

by Scott Waddell, for Horse Racing New Brunswick