Youths and Standardbreds give hope for the future

From boiling blood to chilling out…that was the range of emotions recently as our sport faces uncertain “times” in the future.

The “boiling blood” was the result of a farm manager stating the preference of the kill pen over those entities rescuing our beloved standardbreds after their racing careers are over to train them for a second vocation as a riding horse, show horse or one used for therapeutic services to “children of all ages”—meaning two to 92!

The recent National Standardbred Horse Show in New Jersey, covered in a prior Mane Attraction, provided that needed chilling of emotions along with all of the great contributions of our amateur clubs.

It takes an army of personnel to conquer an ounce of “kill pen” thoughts.

And it’s time to salute those in this army to save standardbred lives and promote goodwill in— and for—our grand sport.

As previously mentioned, this National Standardbred Horse Show celebrated its 30th anniversary this year with well over 100 standardbred horses—MOST of which are retired from the wars of racing—yes, there were a couple of these warriors “in-to-go” after the show’s completion—competing in over 300 classes and featuring equine enthusiasts of ALL ages.

Among the sponsors this year was the United States Harness Drivers Club (USHDC), a platinum sponsor of the three Equitation/Horsemanship events for 13- to 18-year-olds.

Another amateur club, the American Harness Driving Club (AHDC) also participated, sponsoring the “Rookie/Green in Harness” class and the “Novice and Senior In Harness” grouping.

We begin this Mane Attraction saluting our sponsored winners—the Contardo Sisters—Audrey and Charlotte—Madison King and Sasha Kononov…representing the youth of America and the prayer that they, along with a million others, will have an interest in carrying the torch of the entire equine industry—harness racing included—forward forever.

The Contardo sisters, Audrey, 15, and Charlotte. 12, both competed in the show with Audrey annexing two blue (Champion) ribbons with Racingdownadream and another with Poker Shark.

While Racingwithadream received many accolades at this prestigious Standardbred show, winning six Blue Ribbons, this now six-year-old daughter of Racing Hill raced for only two seasons—at age two and three—and was unable to crack the 2:00 barrier (Q,2:00.2) while earning just $2,486.

She could well have faced a very uncertain future in the wrong hands—draw your own conclusion—but, instead, has become a champion in her second career, giving a “million dollars” worth of pride to those that have had the privilege of guiding her in shows like the National Standardbred Horse Show.

Audrey also was Reserve Champion in the USHDC sponsored event riding Chocolate Delight, a now 14-year-old gelded son of Chocolatier that last raced from 2012 to 2017, taking a 1:56.3 mark while earning $85,87—a winner of eight Blue Ribbons.

The “icing on the cake” was when she won the Hunt Seat Equitation Challenge (against mainly adults) with the now 18-year-old Poker Shark, a 22-race winner of $263,139 with a mark of 1:52.2 at Chester way back when…

Sister Charlotte also rode Poker Shark to the championship in a “12 and under” Equitation Challenge.

Both won many additional ribbons during the three-day competition.

Mom Jeanne beamed over her daughters’ performances remarking, “The pride I have for my daughters and their exceptional way with horses, well, there are no sufficient words. They have a special devotion—a bond—to their horses.”

Jeanne continued, “The turnout this year was amazing, and I credit the sponsorship for the huge response.”

(Helene Gregory was the Sponsorship Chairperson and did a superb job in receiving grand support from the entire industry…and beyond!)

Jeanne continued, “I will tell you that this show brings out the very best character in one’s life and the overall equine industry does the same for everyone.”

Madison King was Champion of the 13-18 English/Western Pleasure 2 Gait while handling Go Daddy Go, a now 12-year-old gelded son of Ponder that won $365,567 as a two-year-old in 2014 and took a half-mile mark of 1:50.1h at Yonkers Raceway in 2016.

His racing career came to an abrupt end after suffering interference in a race on October 5, 2021, in Canada resulting in injury that could very spell a tragic ending in the wrong hands.

Nursed back to health, Go Daddy Go found his second career and now, a Champion in that second career.

Sasha Kononov was in the saddle in the “Junior” Dressage Intro Class with Hanover’s Miracle winning the top award and also took top honors with that same horse in winning the “Green Horse English Pleasure 3 Gait event.

She also won with Hanover’s Miracle in the aged 13-18 English/Western Pleasure 3 Gait Class, proving the agility and versatility of the breed.

Describing her daughter, Colleen Kononov lamented, “Sasha was born with the love of horses in her veins.

“She was sitting on horses before she could even sit up on her own. She helped break and train ponies for many years and has been riding ‘Miracle’ since the filly (now mare) was three.”

Hanover’s Miracle, a foal of 2019 and daughter of Betting Line, never made it to the races but, under the tutelage of one Sasha Kononov, won six Blue Ribbons during the show, proving agility, versatility, manners and courage every step of the way.

Even our own great standardbred veterinarian Michelle Clarke took a few days off from her exhaustive schedule to participate in the show…and she won a Blue Ribbon with her own Rockette Baby.

Of course, there were many, many others—of all ages—that competed in this grand event, which has proven, over the years, to save the lives of horses…and enrich the lives of those who compete in these shows.

Besides Racingwithadream, Poker Shark, Hanover’s Miracle and Go Daddy Go, a few of the leading standardbred performers in this show were—and you will recognize many of them—Wisenheimer, a now 15-year-old gelded son of Revenue S that earned $510,908 with 39 career wins in a career encompassing 221 starts over 11 seasons, Windsurfer, now 19-years old—this gelded son of Muscles Yankee winning $950,473 with 50 lifetimes wins during his 11 seasons and 282 starts and Luckbealadytonight, now 25 years-of-age (yes, 25), a daughter of Camluck that last raced in 2003!

A couple others of note are Xing The Delaware, an 11-year-old Majestic Son gelding that won eight Blue Ribbons in the show, Crosby, a 10-year-old altered son of Keystone Velocity and a $69,000 inner at age two, winning five Blue Ribbons, and the multiple Blue-Ribbon winner, Mr. Bill G, with five.

You get the idea…our standardbreds are durable, agile, smart, athletic and more—and thriving in loving hands that have kept them out of a “kill pen.”

As mentioned, this show had strong backing throughout the entire industry, including equine clinics, adoption agencies, noted stables and farms, racetracks, horsemen’s associations, many of the leading horsemen and women in our sport, The USTA, Hambletonian Society and, of course, the participants—both human and equine.

Yes, it takes an army to put a spectacle as rich in tradition as this in motion.

And while “youth” participation is essential to carry the torch to the future, it is necessary to have that army in place to fight for future success by giving harness racing a meaningful place—from community outreach programs to and through events and donations that receive national, attention and coverage.

That’s where the value of our amateur clubs comes to light.

But, even before that, it begins with the creation of the condition sheet listing the types of races available to be placed on the racing program at our racetracks.

Yes, that task is in the hands of the racing secretaries, aficionados like Scott Warren, Karen Fagliarone, Tom Leasure, Dave Biancone, Kevin Mack, Dee Lineweaver, Joe Frasure, Paul Verrette (and others I may have missed) that place these events up for grabs for horsemen and women to “fill” with their horses in these amateur events.

There are several amateur clubs throughout the United States in harness racing with membership totaling more than 500 amateur drivers, each member competing donating 100% of earnings in these amateur events and earmarking those funds for charitable donations.

With the closure of Pompano Park in late 2022, that track’s Florida Amateur Driving Club had to be “re-incarnated” as the United States Harness Drivers Club with their races now at venues in Kentucky and Virginia.

Amateur racing can be found at tracks in Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania with well over a dozen tracks participating in this program.

They are highly competitive events but, most important, pave the way for harness racing to provide goodwill through donations while attracting interest in our sport.

USHDC President Dein Spriggs has said that, since its inception, the Club has donated over $325,000 for charitable causes ranging from equine sanctuaries, therapeutic riding venues, humane societies, protective shelters, youth programs, the Make-A-Wish Foundation, community “back-pack” programs, the American Cancer Society and countless others.

Treasure Tom Eichas added, “Our Club has always supported youth participation in our sport. Over the years, we have taken great pride in providing the first steps for many of our young drivers to carry the torch for harness racing forward and, most recently, in the National Standardbred Horse Show, our outreach in the 8-13 equitation age group to honor our young that are involved to insure and promote a lifetime love of the standardbred horse.”

Veteran Amateur driver Steve Oldford, an amateur driver that who has been driving in races for close to a half century, succinctly said, “We have a combined fraternity-sorority—yes, we have great women in our Clubs, too—that unselfishly donate their earnings in these amateur events and have them earmarked for charitable distribution and, over the years, the donations from our Clubs have been very substantial and have resulted in life saving measures—both equine and human..

“We take pride in donating to sanctuaries that save the life of a standardbred when their racing career is over…

“We take pride in coming to the rescue when unforeseen situations arise.

“We take pride that our membership throughout the land has included doctors, lawyers, computer geniuses, pilots, sports men and harness racing trainers, willing to join the cause for those in need…some young and some older…but all with a heart of gold.

“It makes all of us feel great to be able to serve those in need through our member generosity and donations.

There’s even more.

When making these donations, large contingencies of folk associated with the recipients come to the track for a winner’s circle presentation, a ride in the starting gate and a visit to the announcer’s booth, among other treats.

As one visitor remarked, “This were some of the greatest experiences in my entire life.

“To see those horses coming to the gate with their nostrils flaring…why, it’s just a remarkable thing to experience…and everyone else feels the same way!”

Amateur racing has a unique value to our sport that is immeasurable, including helping to fill races in an era where field size is shrinking due to extreme speed.

Yes, amateur racing has a value reaching far beyond the finish line!

Finally, one last thought on the importance of this youth movement in harness racing…

A few years ago—early in 2020—a young, polite, soft spoken 18-year-old teenager came into our office at Pompano Park trying to get a foot in the door of our sport.

We spoke of the demands, determination and hard work it takes to become successful in this industry.

Today, he has established himself as one of the up-and-coming stars in harness racing with 222 wins and $3,206,346 in purse earnings for owners—in the top 50 list on both lists—in a group of horsemen considered among the very best in the business.

His name is Marvin Alfredo Luna.

Other young stars that come to mind are Braxton Boyd, Brett Beckwith, Carson Conrad, Adarryl Gates, Geremy Bobbitt, Joey Putnam, Mitch Cushing…just to name a handful or two.

With less than two percent (2%) of all registered trainers and drivers at or under the age of 25, this sport has to lure new, young blood to survive and shows like the National Standardbred Horse Show is a very valuable asset…but it is not enough.

Educational programs and classes must be developed in high schools and colleges in locales within “shouting distance” from pari-mutuel tracks and fairgrounds to attract new interest in our sport.

One-by-one, we are losing our tracks…and the bettors…we are losing our trainers and drivers…and we are losing our horses…and there’s not much “TIME” left to turn the tide the other way.

Yes, now, we need are an avalanche of interest to experience that same feeling that WE have for harness racing…from start to finish!

May the horse be with you!

by John Berry, for Harnesslink