Is Marty Monkhouser harness racing’s last hero?

You have probably never heard of Marty Monkhouser.

Marty is a veteran war hero who has been in so many conflicts that it’s amazing he’s survived them all and still going strong at the age of somewhere between 50 and 60…he certainly won’t talk about it!

He’s competed with those much, much younger and proved superior to them on many occasions.

By the way, Mary Monkhouser has an “A” after his name and, yes, he’s a horse,

Marty came to the USA from Australia some years back and never really garnered any headlines. He was kinda shy about that—maybe a ‘whinny” or two—but, nevertheless, he’s a hero in these eyes and gets the headline in this Mane Attraction.

Marty Monkhouser A can only admit to being 15 years old and his racing career is probably over now that he’s gotten within $70 of the amount allotted for earnings at his age in amateur events at The Meadowlands.

Marty won his last start in 1:52.2, closing out his career with a :27 final quarter for driver Victoria Stratton, on behalf of the VIP Internet Stable, the Stratton Stable and trainer Cory Stratton.

The last time Marty Monkhouser A won in 1:52.2 was many moons ago—in fact, 1,026 moons ago—September 13, 2021.

He’s won five times this semester.

Marty was smart, too…He won 30 times or so at Yonkers, the vast majority on or close to the top on their half-miler. He won a bunch of times at Pocono Downs, the vast majority of those from off-the-pace.

He also charmed the winner’s circle at Monticello (his first success in the USA), Tioga Downs, Grand River up north of the border, Flamboro, The Meadows and Rosecroft.

With 61 career wins and $765,757 in lifetime earnings, Marty Monkhouser A is living amongst a dying breed in our sport…as far as durability is concerned.

Way back when, as late at the early 1950’s, there were many horses that raced in their “teens” and a handful or two in their 20’s…like Abax at age 26, Baldwin at 24, Ada Symbol being 23…

And then there’s Lord Sherbrooke who, at age 21, finished ahead of his five-year-old son, Lord Sherbrooke, Jr. in a race.

Guy Volo was 20 and started 73 times compiling a 13-16-12 scorecard and $1,540.26, an average of $21.09 per start.

Talk about durability…

Shirley Bellini was 20 when he made 33 starts—winning $678.75.

Doc B Grattan and Dizzy Dean were also active at 20, as was the mare, Highland Princess.

Probably THE definitive story of durability was the 14-year-old Tru Single G, starting 107 times while posting a record of 30-31-15, good for $2,875.36—$26.87 per start. That was back in the early 1950’s.

The seven-year-old gelding Tonymite won 45 times in 107 starts that same year and $2,296.93—-that’s $21.46 per start.

But “times” have changed.

In a randomly selected number of tracks over a recent weekend covering 176 races, covering 1,382 entrants, the findings are starting to reveal that the need for speed is beginning to take a toll on the entry boxes like the beginning of a waning moon—slowly but surely.

There were two 15-year-olds in the mix (both in amateur races) with one being at The Meadowlands and the other at Harrah’s Philadelphia.

In overnight races, there were two 14-year-olds, three 13-year-olds, five 12-year-olds, 24 11-year-olds and 43 10-year-olds in the box.

That equals 77 entrants 10-years-old and up…about 5 1/2% of the racing population from those random dates selected.

Add 67 nine-year-olds and 75-eight-year-olds to the mix and the percentage is increased only to 15.7%.

The breeders have concentrated on two-year-olds and three-year-olds with a stake or two for four-year-olds.

With speed beginning threatening to take a bite out of a standardbred’s career, breeders will have achieved their goals of speed and future yearling prices…

Their mentality is THE FUTURE IS NOW! The largest owners have the same mentality…THE FUTURE IS NOW!

That is understandable since legislatures and casinos have assured lofty purses—both overnights and stakes—THANK GOODNESS FOR THE HAMBLETONIAN SOCIETY!

But if dreams aren’t fulfilled when the horse reaches beyond the first few seasons, they are dispensable with their future unsure and in jeopardy…and we all know that that means.

There were 824 horses aged two, three and four in action on these randomly selected racing dates—about 60 percent.

That leaves 377 horses aged five, six and seven banging their hooves on the tracks in miles of 1:52 or faster…and many will bite the dust as speed takes its toll on their anatomy.

This leaves entry boxes with an entry or two less to fill races—just like that aforementioned waning moon.

This hurts our “spectator sport” because the bettor’s dollar—stretched so thin now because of the number of betting options available—becomes even weaker.

In a 10-horse field, the median odds figure is 8 to 1, meaning that if $2 was bet on every horse, the theoretical win price would be about $18,00…maybe a tad more if the “takeout id less than 20 percent.

That shrinks to 5 to 1 in an eight-horse field and 7 to 2 in a six-horse field.

That’s why we are losing patrons!!!!!

Boy, oh boy, do we need more Marty Monkhouser’s—with a A—IN A HURRY, say, 1:51 3/5!

May The Horse Be With You

by John Berry, for Harnesslink