A Charley Barley surprise?

Two-year-old colt pacer Charley Barley’s name may be similar to basketball star Charles Barkley, and co-owner John Ezzo is hoping for a slam dunk in Saturday’s $600,000 Breeders Crown at Woodbine. But Charley Barley isn’t named for Barkley; he’s named for a fictitious person invented by Ezzo’s father.

“We have a volunteer fire department in the town—it’s only about 5,000 people—and when the train whistle goes off to call all the fireman, it used to scare my sisters,” explained Ezzo of Canastota, N.Y., to harnessracing.com. “My father would tell my sisters that it was just Charley Barley coming.”

Charley Barley, a son of Western Hanover, was originally named Night Ofall Nights when purchased by Ezzo and his wife, Lisa Adkins, for $47,000 as a yearling from breeder Kentuckiana Farms.

“His real name was….hard to pronounce, so I named him Charley Barley,” said Ezzo with a laugh. “Plus I have two Shih Tzu’s and I named one of them Charley Barley and the other Georgie Porgie.”

Charley Barley—the horse—has a freshman slate of 8-1-3-2 and earnings of $70,814 coming into the Breeders Crown final; he finished third in his elimination to qualify. His lone win of 1:55.1 came in a Pennsylvania Sire Stakes contest at Pocono Downs in early August. The bay colt is now being trained by Kimberlie Miller, the sister-in-law of trainer Doug Miller.

Ezzo said his best horse prior to Charley Barley was 1996 Little Brown Jug starter Bubb Gump, who went on to post a mark of 1:50.3 and earnings of $453,150.

Ezzo is now a consultant for a Columbus, Ohio-based sausage company he once owned. Ezzo’s brother, Billy, was a star football player at The Ohio State University, playing alongside two-time Heisman Trophy winner Archie Griffin in the early 1970s.

“Woody Hayes came to our house and recruited (Billy),” said Ezzo of his heavily-recruited brother.

Ezzo said he won’t be able to travel to Woodbine for Saturday’s race, but he’ll make the trip nine miles down the road from his home to Vernon Downs to watch. He said after watching the colt finish a two-move third in the elim, he’s hoping for the best in the rich final.

“He went the first quarter in :26.4 and the last quarter in :26.4,” noted Ezzo of the Crown-elim effort. “They went by him at the half and he got back out again. Mike (driver Mike Lachance) said he was just right and he loved him. Don’t be surprised if Charley wins (the final).”

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