Every time Andrew Steinberg goes to the racetrack, his family is on his mind as much as his harness racing horses.
Steinberg, who in his professional life is COO of the Villa Restaurant Group and counts an appearance on āJimmy Kimmel Live!ā among his credits, is in his third year of horse ownership as Shermay Stables. The moniker combines the names of his late parents, Sherman and May.
Sherman, who passed away in 2010, owned an industrial paint manufacturing company, but his love was horses. Sherman operated Plumsted Farm in central New Jersey and enjoyed working with Standardbreds as a breeder and trainer.
Among his breeding successes was millionaire Giant Force, who won the 1993 International Trot at Yonkers Raceway. As a trainer, Sherman won a Breeders Crown elimination in 2000 with 2-year-old female trotter Golda Plumsted and finished fourth in the final.
āI blame him, and credit him as well, for getting me into this,ā Andrew said with a laugh. āI grew up with the horses with my dad. Thatās where I got my love for it. It was a lot of fun.
āAfter my parents passed away, I was driving home one day from work, and I called my wife and said Iāve got to reconnect; I want to get a horse. She said I should. Itās my passion. Itās the best thing Iāve done, truly.ā
Andrew, a New Jersey resident, bought his first horse for Shermay Stables in 2019. He spent $37,000 on a filly trotter named Elsie May Hanover at the Standardbred Horse Sale and changed the name to May Karp (Cantab Hall) in honor of his mom, who passed away in 2018. Her maiden name was Karp.
May Karp, trained by Lucas Wallin, had success on the Pennsylvania stakes circuit and finished third in the 2021 Kentucky Filly Futurity. She also hit the board in divisions of the Delvin Miller Memorial and Bluegrass Stakes on her way to $281,408 in lifetime earnings.
āNo one wanted her because she was small,ā Andrew said. āBut she had the heart of a lion.ā
Last fall, Andrew purchased a filly trotter named Livonia at the Standardbred Horse Sale and renamed her Ruth Honig (Chapter Seven) in memory of his fatherās mom.
āI was at the sale with Lucas, and she was the last filly I liked,ā Andrew said. āWe thought she was going to someone else, but right before the gavel hit, they said there was a mistake and we ended up being lucky enough to get her.
āWe thought we had lost her, and then we got her. Walking out, I told Lucas it was karma; that she was going to be good because we shouldnāt even own her.ā
Ruth Honig has three wins and two seconds in seven races, and earnings of $122,248. She captured two preliminary divisions of the New York Sire Stakes and finished second by a head in the final. In her most recent start, she was second by a half-length to Brunella in the Standardbred Stakes at the Delaware County Fair in Ohio.
āSo far, the names have helped; theyāve brought me luck,ā Andrew said. āI get very emotional when my horses race, and when they do well. I really think about my dad and mom. Even though Iām 56, I miss them every day. I tear up. Iām not trying to be corny here, but I hope theyāre proud and happy to see this.
āYou just donāt get two fillies like this. Iāve been very lucky; Iām not ever going to discount that.ā
On Friday, Ruth Honig returns to the Grand Circuit when she competes in the second of three $118,000 divisions of the Bluegrass Stakes for 2-year-old female trotters at Lexingtonās Red Mile. Brian Sears will drive the filly, who leaves from post four and is 8-1 on the morning line. Tony Alagna-trained Mambacita, who finished second in the Jim Doherty Memorial and New Jersey Sire Stakes championship, is the 4-1 favorite.
āSheās racing well,ā Andrew said of Ruth Honig. āWeāll see how she does. Itās going to be tougher, but I think if we get a good trip, she can be right there.
āWe really like her. I donāt know if weāve seen the best out of her yet. Sheās a very honest filly, very handy, and very professional. Itās like sheās been doing it forever. And sheās a sweetheart. Everyone loves her at the barn. Sheās very personable.ā
Andrew will be looking to add another trotting filly at this fallās yearling sales while continuing to savor in the joys of horse ownership.
āI enjoy the whole process as much as the racing,ā he said. āI showed up in zero-degree weather every weekend during the winter and watched them get her ready. It means so much more to be involved in all of it. I told Lucas I want to keep learning. Heās been great to me. He communicates with me; he teaches me things.
āI donāt know how I got so lucky, but Iām very fortunate. I just love it. I can never see myself without horses.ā
Racing begins at 1 p.m. Friday at the Red Mile. For more about the dayās races, click here.
For complete race entries, clickĀ here.
by Ken Weingartner, for the USTA