One-horse barn snags elusive victory

Harness racing horseman Thomas Edler won his first race since 2019 on Thursday at Monticello Raceway, driving and training his only horse, Where It’s At, to victory as the longest shots on the board at 18-1.

Where It’s At began slowly, dropping eight lengths behind the leader and trailing in a six-horse field as they marched to the quarter mile pole in :29. Edler held his gelding on the pylons as the favourites battled for the lead in a :58.2 half.

Where It’s At made a move to the outside on the backstretch but made minimal gains in the third quarter, which the leaders passed in 1:28. He tailed Whitemountain Nemo (Jim Devaux) in hunting down the flagging frontrunners, one of which broke stride on the final turn. Where It’s At reeled in Whitemountain Nemo and leader Shadowofthenorth through the stretch, and the Edler-trained gelding produced a final push to soar past both for the win in 1:59.4.

Whitemountain Nemo got past Shadowofthenorth for second. The latter’s third-place finish was never in danger.

WHERE IT’S AT REPLAY

Edler has trained the horse for owner Trusty Acres Stable since it purchased the son of American Ideal for $3,200 from the 2012 Morrisville sale. Where It’s At has won 12 races in 135 lifetime attempts and has made $58,822. Neither Edler nor Where It’s At raced in 2020. They returned to the track on Jun. 23, 2021 and finished no better than fourth in all seven tries before the Aug. 12 score.

Edler has won 139 drives lifetime from 1,728 starts and has harnessed 85 winners in 1,384 attempts. The Napanoch-based horseman has raced only one horse since retiring his Trusty Izzy, whom Trusty Acres Stable bred and owned for the horse’s entire career, in 2018.

Monticello Raceway hosts racing again on Monday, Aug. 16. A Fillies and Mares Open Pace features on the card of seven races that begins at 12:10 p.m. EDT.

For full race results, click here.

by Nicholas Barnsdale, for Harnesslink