Kleinhans “Strikesitrich” in USHDC action

Oak Grove, KY…May 21, 2024…As the sun was beginning to set on a great day of harness racing at Oak Grove Racing and Gaming on Monday (May 20), the United States Harness Drivers Club (USHDC)—specifically Club member Peter Kleinhans—was about to put icing on the cake!

Kleinhans, whose history in harness racing stretches back nearly four decades, was in the sulky back of his newly acquired six-year-old gelding Jim Strikesitrich (Sunshine Beach) and proceeded to scorch the Oak Grove oval in a lifetime best 1:52.1.

The margin of victory was a “neck” short of 10 lengths as Jim Strikesitrich was “on-the-bit” leaving and, after a quick yield to Ayr Pioneer GB at the sizzling :26.3 opener, reclaimed command and carded subsequent fractions of :54.4 and 1:23.3 before a :28.3 finale pierced the wire in 1:52.1.

Not only was this a seasonal best, but it was also a lifetime best performance, three-fifths of a second faster than his previous best over the larger Hoosier Park oval last season.

Left in the wake of Jim Strikesitrich was Captain Mckee, driven by Jafari Frazier with She’s A Fireball, handled by Cassidy Whitton, third with Mingo, teamed up with Jill Brown, fourth. Danza, with John Mungillo handling the lines, picked up the nickel.

Roni Vandervort trains for Kleinhans as Jim Strikesitrich won for the second time in nine starts this semester and 21st time career-wise, sending his lifetime earnings to $117,098.

Driving sparingly in amateur events, Kleinhans now has six wins this year in 27 starts—his most successes in a season since 2005 when he won 10 times.

He now has 70 career wins—and his second straight success over the past two amateur sessions, having won with Paperback Thriller last week.

The winner went off at 53 cents to a dollar—penny breakage in Kentucky—and paid $3.06 to win.

For complete race results, click here: US Trotting results.

by John Berry, for USHDC