Thom Pye remembers: Naturally Niatross

The end of the undefeated year where Niatross, the magnificent son of Albatross, went 13-13 earning a then record $604,900 in purse earnings and the harness racing accolades included the two-year-old Pacing Colt of the Year award as well as Pacer of the Year and Harness Horse of the Year which, in my opinion, were still not enough.

This was a horse of a lifetime. Many people had said that “we’re gonna beat him” but I remained firm in my belief: they don’t beat that colt. His gait wasn’t perfect like Artsplace p4, 1:49.2m $3,085,083 but his 23 foot stride more than compensated for it as he ate up any racetrack.

Not wanting to endure another winter of training colts I headed for the Meadowlands armed with a wallet filled with thank yous and I made preparations for the promised five horses that were supposed to arrive the middle of January.

Long story short after numerous delays and excuses the horses never came and I was left high and dry and waiting, so I headed back to New Egypt just as the entourage returned from Florida.

I’m tellin’ ya I was always treated like family there, just like family… yeah, the unemployed nephew.

One of my new charges that spring was Gene Hanover, a $175,000 yearling by Albatross, (the other being a $105,000 full brother to Bonefish named Cheetah) and Gene had taken a 2yo mark of 2:00.4m earning just over $21,000 as he competed against Niatross and Whamo and the gang. As his previous caretaker Roy Penner (Surefire Hanover, Keystone Ore, Sugar Dust) had said “dis is a nice animal.” Gene had more raw speed than any horse I’d ever sat behind. The power was unbelievable.

Unfortunately, he was just one of those horses that was too hard on himself, and problems kept popping up with every step he’d take. It was like a ballplayer who’d hit a homerun and then pulls a hamstring as he trots around the bases and ends up on the 15-day disabled list.

It was a constant series of patching him together, but he was aimed for the $1,000,000 Meadowlands Pace coming up that July.

And Niatross was keeping his win streak alive at 19.

The week before the eliminations for the 1980 Pace we qualified Geno at the Big M on the morning of July 5th.

After setting him in a quarter in 30 seconds flat, Stanley rolled with the colt and finished the mile in a lifetime best of 1:57.2 on top by umpteen lengths. At that time, that mile in 1:57.2 was the fastest qualifying mile ever at the Big M and caused quite a stir. He looked like he could go in ’55 with ease. People were abuzz again. The buzz was short lived though.

That day Niatross went over the hub rail at Saratoga.

I’d seen the photos and heard the rumors that “he was a beat horse” when Trenton Time went by him but the image that stuck in my mind was the expression of exhaustion and bewilderment that was etched on Niatross’ face as he collapsed over the rail.

You didn’t want to see a great horse go down – literally and figuratively – like that and end his win streak and I hoped he was okay.

To see video of the race at Saratoga, click here.

The Pace eliminations were in two divisions as Gene drew in against Jerry Smith’s Storm Damage and Niatross headlined the other. Gene found another reason to strain a suspensory as he rapped his knee. He finished 7th.

Niatross made that break going into the first turn, regained his stride, was parked the entire mile and still qualified. An amazing feat.

Back at the ship in barn I asked his caretaker, a worried Marie Carson if he was okay.

“What happened last week?” I asked.

“He had a temperature of 102,” she softly said. “Clint wanted to scratch him but the powers that be were adamant: `No. Race him.’”

Note: as part of our daily regimentation on “the Circuit,” we take temperatures in the morning and evening and as we get ready to race. Anything over 101.3 is a red flag.

Looking back in retrospect these past few weeks I’ve found some good articles on that night, one of which was written several years ago by Bill Heller for Harness Racing Update. In it he quotes the Haughton’s, the connections of Trenton Time. Trainer Cammie Haughton noticed that Niatross had three blankets on him. “Now it’s good to keep a horse warm, especially if there’s a delay, for their muscles might tighten up,” Cammie said. “But they had three coolers on him.”

The late Billy Haughton, master horseman and driver, was up and challenging with Trenton Time said “I knew I could have gone by him at the three-quarters, I saw he was laboring. He just wasn’t right.”

After the race Galbraith left the paddock in tears and would say years later “Maybe he had a touch of virus”… ever the diplomatic gentleman.

A flurry of veterinarians had combed over Niatross because of that spill and pronounced him fit to race. But then came the break in the first turn at the M probably caused by a residual strain from his twist and tumble. Maybe it was on the medial femora-tibial ligament which would be like stubbing your toe and you’d hop it off. Just maybe.

As renowned caretaker Joe Wideman would say “don’t let the little problems become big problems.”

Maria put “da rub” to him and Niatross would air in the Meadowlands Pace over Storm Damage as well as go undefeated for the rest of his career. He would retire with 37 wins in 39 lifetime starts, earn $2,019,213 and become the first harness horse to eclipse the 1:50 barrier with a time trial of 1:49.1m.

He was dominant.

As a sire he would produce Nihalator p1:49.3m, $3,225,653 as well as numerous other good horses.

Thanks to the efforts of the late “Doc” David Meirs II at Walnridge Farm in New Jersey where he stood in his final years and the entire Meirs Family at Concord Stud, Niatross became an eloquent spokesperson for harness racing as he embarked on a multi-city publicity tour. Unfortunately, a growth in his intestines caused him to have to be put down at the young age of 19.

Yet to this day, whenever I think about “the Best ever,” who’s on top by five and drawing away?

Naturally Niatross.

by Thom Pye, for Harnesslink