Eric Ell finds his perfect ‘Island’

Island Of The Sea (Always A Virgin-Trinity Islands) was recovering from an injury when harness racing trainer Eric Ell bought the unraced pacer as a 2-year-old in May 2019. He was told that Island Of The Sea needed time but would make a nice horse if Ell did right by him.

So, Ell, who is best known for his work with Dan Patch Award-winning millionaire trotter JL Cruze, took a shot.

“It took me a few months to get him healed up, but he raced late as a 2-year-old and showed a lot of potential,” Ell said. “And he’s been a good horse ever since.”

Island Of The Sea won two of three races at 2 and the next season was a winner on the Grand Circuit and multiple winner in the Indiana Sire Stakes series. Now a 6-year-old, the gelding has posted 24 victories in 90 career races and earned $317,165 for Ell and his wife, Lisa.

“He’s perfect. I love him,” Ell said. “He does everything right. You can’t help but like him around the barn and on the track. You can do anything with him. He’s just a nice horse to be around. I’ve been very happy with him.”

Island Of The Sea races Thursday in the $17,500 Maryland Preferred Open 1 Handicap at Rosecroft Raceway. He will start from post one with Russell Foster in the sulky and is the 3-1 second choice on the morning line.

In his most recent three starts at Rosecroft, two from outside posts, Island Of The Sea has raced on the outside for the entire mile. Ell gave the horse last week off to freshen up.

“He will give you everything he’s got, but it’s hard on them when they get parked like that,” said Ell, who lives in Maryland. “He finally drew inside, so if he does some damage this week, I’ll probably keep him at Rosecroft. If for some reason it works against him again, I might go back to Dover, or (Harrah’s Philadelphia) is opening soon.

“But I’d love to stay at Rosecroft if I could do some good. We’ll see what happens. I’m going to play it by ear.”

Just having Island Of The Sea in the barn is sweet music. Ell had offers to sell him, then then 3-year-old won a division of the Indiana Sire Stakes by a neck over Odds On Osiris in 1:48.4 at Harrah’s Hoosier Park, but a deal never came to fruition.

“I’m glad now,” Ell said. “Three-hundred thousand (dollars) later and I still have him. He’s a nice racehorse to have.”

Stag Party is the 5-2 morning-line favorite in Thursday’s Open 1 Handicap. Racing begins at 7:15 p.m. (EST) at Rosecroft.

For complete race entries, click here.

by Ken Weingartner, for the USTA