Four siring wins & feature on the same card? Racing Hill rarity!

Deep in the files of something not seen every day in harness racing lays a folder, likely covered in dust, with information on stallions racing on the same card as several of his progeny.

Even deeper in the filing cabinet, likely yielding cobwebs, is the folder containing information that not one but four of his progeny would wind up being individual winners on the same card in which a stallion featured!

In possibly a world first, Ohio pacing stallion, Racing Hill (Roll With Joe) did just that with his daughters Rose Run Zane (1:53), Daisy’s Star (1:53.1) and Irreplaceable (1:55) winning 2YO filly divisions of the Ohio Sires Stakes while his son Racing Rebel (1:52.4) was a winner of the colts division on the 16 race programme at Scioto Downs on Saturday (July 8.)

The winner of more than $1.7 million on the racetrack retired to stud in 2016 on the back of career victories that included the Breeders Crown, Adios, Hempt Memorial, Messenger and Tattersalls Pace in 2016 as a 3-year-old.

While standing stud at Hickory Lane Farm, Racing Hill–the richest and second-fastest son of Roll With Joe produced 327 live foals, with total progeny earnings of more than $10million. His fastest offspring were Taurasi and Walknafter Midnite, who each took a mark of 1:48.3, while his richest progeny was Odds On Shaggy, the winner of $304,365.

While it’s fair to say he never reached the same dizzying heights of his racing career, Racing Hill produced 31 $100,000 earners and 53 in 1:53 or better.

However late last year, with his book of mares on the decline, Racing Hill was sensationally brought back into work as a ten-year-old where at Hollywood Gaming at Dayton Raceway, he finished second in a qualifying race, race-timed in 1:54.3 while beaten two lengths.

At the time, his current caretaker, Virgil Morgan Jr had the following to say;

“They talked about it last year and I’m in the business of training horses, and they asked if I’d train him and I said I’d be more than happy to try,” explained Morgan of the phone call he received from The Racing Hill Syndicate’s Tom Hill, the breeder and sole owner of Racing Hill during his prior racing career.

“He’s kind of the unknown of what we’re doing as there aren’t too many horses that have been to stud, had the success he had, and go back into training. But he’s sound, he looks great and his attitude is great.”

Racing Hill has been to the winners circle twice since from eleven starts as a ten-year-old, with a mark of 1:50.4 showing the old boy still has a bit of magic left in the tank on occasion.

And while he wasn’t able to produce the fairy tale of winning on the same card as four of his progeny, it was a magical moment that will be a long time coming before we see anything of the sorts again.

ROSE RUN ZANE REPLAY

DAISY’S STAR REPLAY

IRREPLACEABLE REPLAY

RACING REBEL REPLAY

For complete race results, click here.

by Brad Reid, for Harnesslink