News Archive

Return Home

Jag de Bellouet wins
January 30, 2005
Jag de Bellouet captured the $1,300,000 Prix d'Amerique Sunday afternoon at Vincennes racetrack outside Paris. The 1-2 favorite dominated the race, pulling away in the stretch drive to win by approximately three lengths over Gigant Neo with Ilster d'Espiens third. A field of 18 went to the post
[read more]

Loyal Opposition ready
January 30, 2005
Loyal Opposition is ready for a comeback. The now 5-year-old mare qualified this past Wednesday at Balmoral in rein to Andy Miller, pacing in 1:57 for the one-mile test. "She qualified well on Wednesday at Balmoral, winning easily in 1:57, with :27 on the end of it," said Miller. "It'll take her
[read more]

Crombes Last Laugh sweeps
January 29, 2005
Crombes Last Laugh held off the late challenge by Buckeye One and captured the $56,300 ( C ) final of the Willowdale Pacing Series at Woodbine Saturday night in 1:51.4. Steve Condren was in the bike as the 4-year-old Abercrombie gelding swept into the lead in the homestretch past the pace-setting
[read more]

Hanover Chance N Wires
January 29, 2005
Hanover Chance N, driven by David Miller, scored a wire-to-wire victory in the $42,500 mares open pace Friday night at the Meadowlands. Miller picked up his third winner from the first five races, guiding Hanover Chance N in a well-rated mile in 1:55.2. "Looking at the program, I didn't think th
[read more]

Snowshoe Series begins
January 29, 2005
Night Sounds and Grand Bend Turbo scored opening round victories in the Snowshoe Pacing Series for 3 and 4 year olds at Woodbine Friday night. Night Sounds, with Mario Ballargeon in the bike, drew off to a 3 1/2-length victory over Pacific Jerry and Luc Ouellette in a lifetime best 1:55.1. It was
[read more]

Winning streak ends
January 29, 2005
Despite a valiant effort in the race, Hilarious Margie saw her seven-race winning streak come to a close Friday at Pompano Park, losing by a head to race favorite Susan M in 1:55.4. Susan M and driver Wally Hennessey went right to the front from the rail, with Hilarious Margie and driver Bruce R
[read more]

Moats to Illinois Hall
January 29, 2005
Tex Moats, a Standardbred trainer for 35 years and the current Illinois Department of Agriculture bureau chief of county fairs and horse racing, will be inducted into the Illinois Harness Horse Association Hall of Fame Saturday, Jan. 29, at Balmoral Park. Moats is known for training outstanding
[read more]

Life Source breezes
January 29, 2005
Life Source sat a pocket trip behind the pace-setting Make It Brief for three quarters of the mile then brushed into the lead inside the final furlong and won the postponed $50,000 second leg of the Presidential Series at the Meadowlands Saturday night in 1:50.1 George Brennan was at the lines of
[read more]

Complex to Rare Jewel
January 29, 2005
Rare Jewel and Brian Sears swooped into the lead at the :54.2 half and was never threatened the rest of the mile en route to a 1:51.1 victory in the $95,000 final of the Complex Series at the Meadowlands Saturday night. A 1:54.2 winner in last week's second leg of the series, Rare Jewel defeated
[read more]

Great Expense in upset
January 29, 2005
Great Expense rushed four wide to the wire and scored a 1:50.2 upset victory in the $90,000 final of the Clyde Hirt Series at the Meadowlands Saturday night. Going off at odds of 10 to 1, Great Expense and Daniel Dube were fifth at the tree quarters as Master This and Brian Sears were attempting
[read more]

AdvantEdge return tonight
January 28, 2005
AdvantEdge sulkies, made by Evolution Racing, will be back on the track at the Meadowlands, starting tonight. The sulkies, associated with driver-trainer Tom Harmer, were sidelined Jan. 15 in response to the collapse of a bike driven by Cat Manzi, which took place a few minutes before the Meadowl
[read more]

Serenity Seelster scores
January 28, 2005
Favored Serenity Seelster captured the $33,534 final of the Miss Vera Bars series at Woodbine Thursday night, defeating Lady D M by three quarters of a length in 1:55.4. Tony Kerwood was at the lines of the Camluck lass as she pulled first-over at the half and tracked down the pace-setting Lady
[read more]

Call him Coach Teague
January 28, 2005
Trainer George Teague Jr. has been honored by the Delaware Sportswriters and Broadcasters Association with the Tubby Raymond Coach of the Year Award. At festivities Thursday night in Delaware, Teague accepted the award, the first time it has ever been given to someone other than a regular team coach
[read more]

He's a champion on ice
January 28, 2005
Carry The Mar captured Thursday night's $12,000 Champion On Ice Trotting Series final at Balmoral Park. Trained and driven by Homer Hochstetler, Carry The Mar prevailed by a half-length over John R Yankee in 1:58.4 despite being parked the entire mile and moving three wide in the final turn. A 5-
[read more]

Malabar Man, Plesac to NY
January 28, 2005
Reports of Malabar Man being exported or not being exported to Italy have continued through the month, but Winbak Farm of New York has reported that the trotting stallion will definitely continue to stand at that site. Also standing at stud this year at WInbak of New York will be the stakes-winni
[read more]

Willow Wiper dies
January 28, 2005
Willow Wiper, the 1982 Aged Pacer of the Year in Canada, has died at the age of 27. The son of Windshield Wiper was in Thorndale, Ont., at the farm of Richard Griffiths. Willow Wiper retired with a mark of 1:53.2, 43 wins and $606,395 - more than $417,000 earned in 1982--for owner Robert Hamath
[read more]

Pacific Illusion Rallies
January 27, 2005
Pacific Illusion, driven by John Campbell, followed the outside flow and moved five-wide in the stretch, getting up for a three-quarter length victory in the $54,250 White Ruffles final at the Meadowlands Wednesday night. Pacific Illusion paced the mile in a lifetime best 1:54.1, edging Wind Stor
[read more]

Ind. pull-tab update
January 27, 2005
The push to put pull-tabs at Indiana's two pari-mutuel tracks may quickly stall if a consensus is not reached. That was the message from Rep. Robert Alderman during a three-hour meeting of the House Public Policy and Veterans Affairs Committee Wednesday, Jan. 26. Alderman, the committee chairman, is
[read more]

White Birch honored
January 27, 2005
The Standardbred Breeders and Owners Association of New Jersey has announced Joe Parisi's White Birch Farm in Allentown as breeder of the year for 2004. A special presentation will be made Saturday, Jan. 29, at the annual New Jersey Equine Awards dinner at the Freehold Gardens Hotel. Usually list
[read more]

Kadabra has 1st foal
January 27, 2005
World champion trotter Kadabra's first foal came at 5:30 a.m. Thursday at Concord Stud Farm in Cream Ridge, N.J. The filly is out of the stakes-winning mare Odessa Drummond, who is owned by Lee and Linda DeVisser. "Lee was very excited when I told him. He told me to call The Horseman and call eve
[read more]

More slots in Florida?
January 26, 2005
According to reports in South Florida, as Broward and Miami-Dade counties prepare to vote on adding slot machines at local pari-mutuel tracks, the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians has written Gov. Jeb Bush a letter, arguing that putting the slots referendum on the ballot gives them the green light for sl
[read more]

Rumsfeld wins Super Bowl
January 26, 2005
Rumsfeld had the strategy and the firepower to win the $71,035 Super Bowl Final Tuesday night at the Meadowlands, turning in a 1:56 effort for owner Antoinette Nigito. John Campbell sent the 4-year-old trotter three wide on the final turn, taking the lead in the final strides for a three-quarter
[read more]

PPK slots by November?
January 26, 2005
Bernie Goldstein, chairman of Isle of Capri Casinos, which owns Pompano Park, was quoted in Wednesday's Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel that he hopes to have 3,000 slot machines operating by December at the racetrack. Final approval for the slot machines still must come from Broward County voters, who
[read more]

Pacers fly to wins
January 26, 2005
The honors of the continent's fastest miles Tuesday might lead to a person wanting to take to the friendly skies. Pacing to 1:52.3 victories, Jett Away captured the $22,000 Mares Open Handicap Pace at Dover Downs while Armbro Airborne captured a conditioned pace at the Meadowlands. For Jett Away,
[read more]

Girls sweep Aussie card
January 26, 2005
It was definitely girl's night out at the Ararat racetrack in Australia Tuesday night as female drivers swept all eight races on the program. Australia's leading driver Kerryn Gath accounted for six of the wins while D'Arne Bellman and Brooke Hansen captured the other two events. For Gath, her wi
[read more]

4,000 wins for Stillings
January 25, 2005
Richard "Dick" Stillings, 60, who began his career in the 1970s with Ohio horseman Dick Buxton, drove his 4,000th winner at The Meadows Monday night. Stillings achieved the milestone win with Goodly Chip. Stillings and Hall of Famers Billy Haughton and Herve Filion are the only drivers to have tr
[read more]

Big night for Roberts
January 25, 2005
Johnny Roberts, who had just four wins to his credit at Maywood Park this year, scored a four-bagger on Monday night's card. Roberts captured the second race for his father, trainer Ronnie Roberts with Steven Leita's Big Spiel in 2:03.2, and followed that up by winning the fifth race in 1:57.3 w
[read more]

USTA picks Sharbaugh
January 25, 2005
Eric M. Sharbaugh, 47, a vice president of a Pennsylvania information technology firm has been recommended by a search committee to fill the post of executive vice president of the U.S. Trotting Association. Sharbaugh is the son of Richard E. Sharbaugh, a former chief executive of the Pennsylvania H
[read more]

3,500 wins for MacDonell
January 24, 2005
When Paul MacDonell drove Rockingham, a 4-year-old pacer, to the wire first on Sunday at Woodbine, he also hit a milestone: It was his 3,500th career win in the sulky. MacDonell, who will turn 42 on Saturday, started from the outside post position nine with Rockingham, a 12-1 longshot. MacDon
[read more]

Jim Crane dies
January 24, 2005
Jim Crane, the developer of such stars as Nero, Royce, Andrel, Radiant Ruler, Judge and Black Ace, died Friday, Jan. 21, from complications due to myelodysplasia, a bone marrow malfunction. He was 82. Mr. Crane's first horse was Dark Satin and for several years he trained at a farm in Maryland. H
[read more]

Rich race under saddle
January 23, 2005
The $900,000 Prix de Cournulier was won by Jag de Bellouet, the favorite for the Prix d'Amerique on Jan. 30 but he was tested by Scarlet Knight, the winner of the 2001 Hambletonian, who finished a strong second in his first race ever under saddle. The time was a mile rate of 1:59 over 2,700 meter
[read more]

Lachance driving in Paris?
January 23, 2005
European trotting journalists were reporting Sunday evening (Jan. 22) that Swedish trainer Stefan Melander has said he has talked to North American driving ace Mike Lachance about driving one of his entries in the Jan. 30 Prix d'Amerique at the Vincennes track in Paris. Melander will not be start
[read more]

Meadowlands cancels
January 22, 2005
Racing at the Meadowlands has been canceled for Saturday night, Jan. 22, delaying the Presidential Series. "All the weather forecasts indicate that by post time...we will be in the middle of a significant storm," said vice president and general manager Chris McErlean. "We're making this call earl
[read more]

Kisses wins Big M Open
January 22, 2005
Stonebridge Kisses surged passed Jet Lag N in the final strides to capture the $47,500 mares open feature by 1 3/4 lengths in 1:52.4 Friday night at the Meadowlands. It was 2 1/2 lengths back to Female Champs in third. Driven by Yannick Gingras and trained by Mark Ford, Stonebridge Kisses posted
[read more]

Complex Series continues
January 22, 2005
In the first of two $20,000 divisions of the Complex Series Friday night at the Meadowlands, My Buddy Bob edged JK Royal Flush by a nose to score in 1:53.2. Prince Vince was third. My Buddy Bob, was driven by Patrick Berry. The 5-year-old son of Cole Muffler is trained and co-owned by Rick Dane J
[read more]

Mack named Red Mile GM
January 22, 2005
Hoosier Park has announced Tom Bannon has been promoted to vice president of operations and communications and Kevin Mack, director of operations for Standardbred racing at Hoosier, has accepted the position of general manager at The Red Mile in Lexington, Ky., for a portion of the year. Bannon w
[read more]

A hilarious 7th win
January 22, 2005
Despite being parked the last half mile, Hilarious Margie went on to post her seventh straight victory in a lifetime-best 1:54 at Pompano Park Friday night. Driven by Bruce Ranger, Hilarious Margie is a 6-year-old Village Connection mare owned and trained by Don Cromer. Sunduel A and driver B
[read more]

American wins Count B
January 22, 2005
Favorite American Ideal had no problems Friday night in winning the $45,800(C) Count B Series final at Woodbine. The 3-year-old son of Western Ideal settled into the early led and led throughout for driver Mark MacDonald to win in 1:55.2 in bitterly cold conditions. Owned by Mac Nichol, American
[read more]

Snow shuts down racing
January 22, 2005
The major snowstorm that swept through the Midwest and East Coast has prompted the cancellation of racing Saturday at Freehold, Yonkers, Dover Downs as well as Northville Downs in Michigan, The Meadows in Pennsylvania and Balmoral Park in Illinois. Canada hasn't escaped the wrath of Mother Nature as
[read more]

Second Hirt leg
January 21, 2005
Master This got to the front in the first turn, led at every quarter, and easily won the first of three second-round divisions of the Clyde Hirt Series Thursday night at the Meadowlands. Master This scored in 1:51.4. Master This has now won both of his Clyde Hirt Series starts and has a three-rac
[read more]

Indiana mayor's plan KO'd
January 21, 2005
Indianapolis Mayor Bart Peterson's plan to finance a new stadium by adding 1,500 pull-tab machines downtown was dismissed Thursday. Indiana House Speaker Brian Bosma labeled the proposal, introduced in December, as "dead." However, there are still other plans for slots at the state's racetracks.
[read more]

Lexington sale dates set
January 21, 2005
The Lexington Selected Yearling Sale has set its dates for its first auction this fall. The sale will begin the night of Thursday, Sept. 29, and run through Monday, Oct. 3. Evening sessions will take place the first three days with full day sessions on Sunday and Monday. A total of 800 horses are
[read more]

Mich. has new commissioner
January 21, 2005
Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm has appointed Christine C. White as acting racing commissioner in the Wolverine State. Ms. White is currently deputy director of the Michigan Dept. of Agriculture and a former administrative officer with the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture Veterinary Services.
[read more]

Ill. owners make donation
January 21, 2005
Illinois-based owners Bernie and Deb Paul, who own pacer Fox Valley Tsunami, are donating the earnings produced by the 5 year old in his next four starts to the Red Cross Relief Fund for victims of the recent tsunami in South Asia that took the lives of more than 220,000 people. "My wife and I we
[read more]

Minnesota track approved
January 20, 2005
The Minnesota Racing Commission on Wednesday gave its approval to a new harness racetrack, reversing its decision last October to deny the license. The Commission voted 5-3 to grant the license for the new $47 million racetrack to be build in Anoka County.
[read more]

White Ruffles winners
January 20, 2005
The three $12,500 divisions of the White Ruffles Series for 4-year-old pacing mares at the Meadowlands Wednesday night were won by Smashingpringipisa, Annie Russ and Wind Storm. Smashingpringipisa, driven by David Miller, paced the mile in 1:55.2, winning by a length over Forloveofthegame. Owned
[read more]

Third case of EHV-1
January 20, 2005
The third case of equine herpes virus has been confirmed at Northville Downs in Michigan. One barn at Northville Downs has been placed under quarantine while the source of infection and extent of spread is investigated by regulators. On Jan. 14, animal health surveillance detected a horse, Pam's
[read more]

Windsor to open Jan. 23
January 20, 2005
Windsor Raceway has agreed to a 2005 race schedule approved by the Ontario Racing Commission, thus the track will open Sunday night, Jan. 23, for the first of 131 programs. Windsor will race Sundays, Wednesdays and Saturdays through April, when it will switch to a Sunday-Wednesday schedule in May
[read more]

Hoffman wins Messenger
January 20, 2005
Dean A. Hoffman, executive editor of Hoof Beats magazine for the last 24 years and one of the world's most respected authorities on harness racing, is the 2005 winner of Harness Tracks of America's highest honor, the Stan Bergstein Messenger Award. Hoffman is the author of three books, with a fo
[read more]

Cold cancels Moh. qualies
January 20, 2005
With temperatures expected to reach zero Fahrenheit with a wind chill of about 15 below, Mohawk Racetrack has canceled its Friday qualifiers (Jan. 21) and rescheduled them for Monday, Jan. 24.
[read more]

Big M suspends bet outlets
January 20, 2005
The Meadowlands has announced it has suspended its simulcasting relationship with a trio of wagering outlets named in federal indictments against 17 individuals alleged to be involved in race fixing in New York. Euro-Off-Track on the Isle of Man, International Racing Group (doing business as Holi
[read more]

March 8 vote in Fla.
January 19, 2005
Florida's Broward County has set a date of March 8 for voting on a referendum to allow slot machines at racetracks and jai-alai fronts in the county. If the referendum passes, slots will be allowed as early as July 1 at Pompano Park as well as Hollywood Greyhound Track, Gulfstream Park and Dania
[read more]

131-day meet for Windsor
January 19, 2005
A four-hour meeting of the Ontario Racing Commission Tuesday night has led to the approval of a 131-date meet at Windsor Raceway. The track has not held a live program yet in 2005 due to a lack of an approved license by the commission. The track initially applied for 121 days, which was reduced t
[read more]

Pa. breeders add website
January 19, 2005
The Standardbred Breeders Association of Pennsylvania has developed a website available to serve its membership and any interested parties throughout the Standardbred industry. In addition to news and information concerning the organization, the website will cover developments related to the soon
[read more]

Albert Albert retired
January 19, 2005
After a 16-year stallion career, Albert Albert has been retired by Glengate Farms of Ontario and syndicate manager David James. A world champion on the racetrack, Albert Albert was retired to Stonegate Farms in New Jersey at the end of his 3-year-old season in 1988 and was relocated to Glengate F
[read more]

$220,000 top price
January 18, 2005
The Tattersalls January Select Mixed Sale at the Meadowlands took place Monday with 354 horses sold, generating a gross of $5.9 million for an average price of $16,689. The sale topper was the 4-year-old pacing stallion You Rock, who brought a winning bid of $220,000 from Bob Feldman of Gladwaye, Pa
[read more]

New home for Tom Ridge
January 17, 2005
Tom Ridge, the fastest trotter of all time, will stand at stud in 2005 at Nandi Farm in New Freedom, Pa., under the management of Walnut Hall Ltd. The announcement was made by Alan J. Leavitt, president of Walnut Hall Ltd., which is owned by his wife, Meg Jewett. A son of leading sire Muscles Yan
[read more]

Castens now at NJSS
January 17, 2005
Christopher C. Castens, who has had extensive experience in racing with racetracks and horsemen's associations, has been appointed to the position of executive director of the New Jersey Sire Stakes Program in the State Department of Agriculture. Castens, who is a graduate of Rutgers University a
[read more]

Gregory hurt in wreck
January 15, 2005
Driver Jeff Gregory will be out of action indefinitely as the result of injuries he sustained in an accident in the 10th race at Freehold Friday. The mishap took place when the leader, Fairy Tale Merit, driven by Yannick Gingras, went offstride and started a chain reaction of interference among
[read more]

Manzi's bike breaks
January 15, 2005
The popular AdvantEdge sulky promoted by horseman Tom Harmer has been banned at the Meadowlands after a sulky Cat Manzi was riding in collapsed during the post parade for the sixth race Friday night at the track. When horsemen reported for qualifiers at the track Saturday morning, they were advised
[read more]

First Presidential leg
January 15, 2005
Eaton Road Kill, a 7-year-old gelding, benefited from a second-over trip to win the first leg of the Presidential Series by 1 1/4 lengths in 1:51.3 Saturday night at the Meadowlands. Brian Sears drove Eaton Road Kill, who started from post six and was lucky to slip in behind Royal Mattjesty, who
[read more]

Two in a row in series
January 15, 2005
Crombes Last Laugh now has two wins in a row in the Willowdale Pacing Series at Woodbine. He won the second leg by one length in 1:53.4 Saturday night. The Willowdale Series is for 4-year-old pacers. Crombes Last Laugh, a son of Abercrombie, defeated Armbro Balmoral with Rapid Dialing, who was ra
[read more]

Horsemen suspended in NY
January 14, 2005
The New York State Racing and Wagering Board announced on Friday that it has suspended the racing licenses of Thoroughbred participants Gerald Uvari and Gregory Martin and harness driver Rene Poulin based upon allegations set forth in an indictment released Jan. 13 by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
[read more]

Mares battle at Big M
January 14, 2005
Four Starzzzz Ittt, a 5-year-old mare by Falcon Seelster, stepped up in class and won the $47,500 Open for mares Friday night at the Meadowlands in 1:51.2. Odds On Charmaine was second while Jet Lag N finished third. Four Starzzz Ittt, driven by George Brennan, won for the second straight time th
[read more]

New series at Delaware
January 13, 2005
The New Century Championship Series for Ohio-sired 2 and 3 year olds of both gaits will debut at the Delaware County Fair this year. The series will replace all late closing and overnight events as well as the Ohio Breeders Championship (OBC) consolation races previously held during the fair's Grand
[read more]

Hervey winners announced
January 13, 2005
Brad Schmaltz, writing for the Columbus Dispatch and Bernard Tobin, writing for The Canadian Sportsman, have won top honors in the 2004 John Hervey Awards competition; Tom Wolski, producer of Sport Of Kings on Citytv Vancouver, is the winner of the 2004 Broadcasters Awards competition; and Mark Hall
[read more]

Northville Downs cancels
January 13, 2005
Northville Downs has announced Thursday night's card has been canceled due to poor weather in the Detroit area. Heavy rain was expected throughout the day, coming days after a snowstorm. Qualifiers on Friday (Jan. 14) have also been canceled.
[read more]

HHI announces winners
January 13, 2005
Harness Horsemen International president Dominic Frinzi has announced retiring U.S. Trotting Association executive vice president Fred J. Noe as its 2004 Man of the Year. HHI is also honoring Michigan Harness Horsemen's Association general manager Larry Mallar with its Appreciation Award. Mallar
[read more]

New goal for Scarlet Knight
January 13, 2005
The 2001 Hambletonian champion Scarlet Knight will be competing under saddle in the richest race for trotters at that discipline, the $900,000 Prix de Cournulier, set for Jan. 22 at the Vincennes track in Paris, France. Scarlet Knight's owner and trainer, Stefan Melander, had the top French jocke
[read more]

Milestone for Hall of Famer
January 12, 2005
Hall of Famer Cat Manzi drove his 3,000th winner at the Meadowlands Tuesday night, steering Lhasa Muscles to victory in the third race. Manzi, 54, became only the fourth driver to win 3,000 or more races at the Meadowlands, joining John Campbell, Bill O'Donnell and Mike Lachance in that select club.
[read more]

Services for Gladys Bell
January 12, 2005
Gladys Bell, 81, the secretary of the Hambletonian Society for 45 years, died Monday night at her home in Lexington, Ky. Funeral services for Mrs. Bell will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, Jan. 14, at Kerr Brothers Funeral Home-Main in Lexington, with visitation on Thursday night from 5 to 9 p.m. The f
[read more]

Florida vote not certain
January 12, 2005
The South Florida Sun-Sentinel has reported that Broward County commissioners on Tuesday delayed a decision on whether to conduct a March 8 gambling referendum until negotiators can finalize a deal with the pari-mutuel industry over how many millions it will pay to install slot machines. Pompano Par
[read more]

Rosecroft sale approved
January 12, 2005
The Maryland Racing Commission on Tuesday granted unanimous approval for the sale of Rosecroft Raceway to Georgia K. Angelos, the wife of Baltimore Orioles majority owner Peter G. Angelos. Operating as Rosecroft Holdings, Georgia Angelos is expected to complete the purchase in 30 to 60 days. Docu
[read more]

Thomson in Ohio Hall
January 12, 2005
W. D. "Tom" Thomson has been selected as the 31st inductee into the Ohio Harness Racing Hall of Fame in balloting of the Ohio Chapter of the United States Harness Writers Association. Thomson's selection will be announced at the Ohio Harness Horsemen/United States Trotting Association District One b
[read more]

New joint Lexington sale
January 12, 2005
After weeks of speculation and rumors, the Tattersalls and Kentucky Standardbred sales companies have announced that they have joined forces to manage and operate a combined yearling sale in Lexington. The new yearling sale, the Lexington Selected Yearling Sale, presented by Tattersalls and Kentu
[read more]

Gladys Bell dies
January 11, 2005
Gladys Bell, who ran the offices of the Hambletonian Society for many years from its previous headquarters in Lexington, Ky., died Monday night in Lexington. Mrs. Bell had been ill for several years. She was 81.
[read more]

More Meadowlands on TV
January 11, 2005
HorseRacing TV ("HRTV") has expanded its coverage of racing by adding harness racing's premier racetrack, the Meadowlands, to its daily "morning after" replay lineup. Effective immediately, the Meadowlands kicks off HRTV's two-hour expanded block of replays when the New Jersey track's previous night
[read more]

Horsemen's Trot action
January 10, 2005
Just A Lad and Abbey Road C both found the winner's circle Sunday afternoon at Woodbine in a pair of $55,000 second leg divisions of the Horsemen's Trotting Series. Driven by Rick Zeron, Just A Lad went to the lead after the half in the first division and held off the rest of the field for a one-
[read more]

Bail out cruise ships?
January 10, 2005
The Florida Sun-Sentinel newspaper is reporting that Broward County officials may soon have to decide if they should bail out the gambling ships that sail out of Port Everglades because of declining business. Port administrators are warning the three daily cruise lines will fall more than $700,000 s
[read more]

New baby for trotting
January 10, 2005
Nancy Takter, the daughter of horseman Jimmy Takter and his wife Christina, and the wife of driver Marcus Johansson, gave birth to her first child, a baby girl, Sunday night at a New Jersey hospital. Christina Takter reported that the baby girl, her first grandchild, weighed 7 lb., 5 oz. at birth
[read more]

Malabar Man to Italy?
January 10, 2005
According to reports in Europe, the Italian Breeders Association is close to a deal to purchase the trotting stallion Malabar Man. Malabar Man currently stands at stud at Winbak Farm in New York for owner Mal Burroughs, who also bred the horse and drove him to a victory in the 1997 Hambletonian.
[read more]

Hambo winner under saddle?
January 10, 2005
The $1 million Prix d'Amerique is the feature of the prestigious winter meet at the Vincennes track in Paris, but first up on Jan. 22 is the $900,000 Prix de Cornulier with trotters racing under saddle, and Scarlet Knight may be one of the starters. Nathalie Henry, the talented female who rode Va
[read more]

Ford sweeps features
January 09, 2005
Whosurboy captured the $47,500 Open Pace with a 1:49.4 mile at the Meadowlands Saturday night, giving trainer Mark Ford a sweep of the weekend features. Ford won the mare open the night before with Stonebridge Kisses. Whosurboy's victory in 1:49.4 was the first sub-1:50 mile ever posted in the mo
[read more]

Gallo paces home strong
January 09, 2005
Gallo Blue Chip, the sport's richest pacer of all time with $4.2 million in earnings, made his first start of 2005 at the Meadowlands Saturday night and paced his final quarter in :26.1, although it only netted him a sixth-place finish. With regular driver Daniel Dube aboard, Gallo Blue Chip star
[read more]

Escape The Wind prevails
January 09, 2005
Escape The Wind prevailed by a head this time at Woodb ine instead of being edged at the wire. He won the track's $50,000 Open Saturday night in 1:51.1 over Admirals Express. Escape The Wind had a string of victoreis going from November through mid-December before he had to settle for second and
[read more]

Woodbine series starts
January 09, 2005
The Willowdale Pacing Series for 4 year olds got underway at Woodbine Saturday night and Crombes Last Laugh won by a head over Brandon's Cowboy in 1:52.2. Crombes Last Laugh, a 4-year-old gelded son of Abaercrombie, took a mark of 1:50.3 at The Red Mile last fall. He is now trained in Canada by B
[read more]

Armstrong wins Cam Fella
January 07, 2005
Standardbred Canada has announced that Armstrong Bros. Farms of Inglewood, Ont., has been voted the 2004 recipient of the Cam Fella Award. Named in honor of the world class Standardbred racehorse and stallion, the award recognizes extreme and recent meritorious service to the Canadian harness racing
[read more]

Illinois drivers move east
January 07, 2005
Racing at the Meadowlands will have a slightly Chicago flavor when the sport's premier racetrack opens its doors for the 2005 season Friday night. The already-tough driving contingent has gotten even tougher with the arrival of Chicago-based drivers Eric Ledford, Patrick Berry and Brent Holland.
[read more]

Palone wins HTA honors
January 07, 2005
Dave Palone has been named the winner of Harness Tracks of America's 2004 Driver of the Year Award, the second straight season he has captured the title and fourth time in the last five years. Based at The Meadows, Palone, 42, won the HTA title by finishing first in wins in North America with 669
[read more]

Broodmares of the Year
January 07, 2005
The late trotting mare Yankee Windsong and the pacing mare Windsun Dee have been elected as the winners of the Broodmare of the Year Award as voted by the U.S. Harness Writers Association. The awards are given to two broodmares, one of each gait, whose offspring had an extraordinary season. The c
[read more]

Another Kiss win
January 07, 2005
Stonebridge Kisses closed from last to first to take the $42,500 Open Pace for mares Friday night at the Meadowlands. The 5-year-old daughter of Artiscape paced the mile in a lifetime best of 1:51.3. Driven by Yannick Gingras and trained by Mark Ford, won by a half length over Jet Lag N while Fea
[read more]

Casino at Red Mile?
January 06, 2005
A bill to allow Kentucky voters to decide whether to legalize gambling--including the addition of casinos at the racetracks--in the Bluegrass State is once again being hotly discussed by legislators. According to Thursday's Cincinnati Enquirer, the bill would allow nine casinos across the state,
[read more]

Plainridge dispute continues
January 06, 2005
According to Thursday's Boston Herald, a Massachusetts Appeals Court judge has ruled that Louis Giuliano, an original investor in Plainridge Racecourse, is entitled to stock shares, a decision that could lead the way for a possible ownership change of the track. That could be another major obstacle
[read more]

Capitol leases Idaho track
January 06, 2005
According to reports, Capitol Racing has reached an agreement to purchase the operating lease for Les Boise Park in Idaho. The track is located in Ada County, with the county owning the track and the surrounding Western Idaho Fairgrounds. The county commissioners had a previous lease agreement wi
[read more]

USHWA honors Governors
January 06, 2005
Delaware Gov. Ruth Ann Minner and Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell have been named recipients of 2004 President's Awards by U.S. Harness Writers Association (USHWA) president Gordon Waterstone. Minner, who in November was elected to a second term, was instrumental in getting another $1 million added
[read more]

Bigger purses at Big M
January 05, 2005
Bolstered by the second purse increase in three months, the entry box for opening weekend of the Meadowlands' 2005 harness meet received a strong response from horsemen. When racing resumes on Friday night, it will be with the second purse increase since November, and will lift the overnight purse d
[read more]

Seminars to be sponsored
January 05, 2005
Hanover Shoe Farms will sponsor a series of seminars in 2005 for those considering first time purchase of a Standardbred. The Pennsylvania breeding farm will support the seminars, begun by the USTA in 1999, to educate potential horse owners before they make their first purchase. "Hanover Shoe Far
[read more]

Kohlers express interest
January 05, 2005
Trainer Bob McIntosh has told The Horseman that Michigan-based owners Ron and Mike Kohler have expressed interest in purchasing Windsor Raceway, which has been shut down since Jan. 1 after being denied a 2005 racing license from the Ontario Racing Commission. "It's just turned into a bad situatio
[read more]

Late horseman honored
January 04, 2005
Carl Allen, whose life was exemplary on and off the racetrack, has been selected for the prestigious Proximity Award by the U.S. Harness Writers Association (USHWA). Allen, who passed away this past year at age 74, got into the harness game after the riots in Detroit in 1967. That prompted Allen
[read more]

Horsemen's Trot underway
January 03, 2005
The $55,000 opening leg of the Horsemen's Trotting Series was contested Sunday afternoon over a very sloppy Woodbine oval, a fact confirmed by the five seconds in time was allotted by the judges. But the conditions did not stop either Y Chance It or Chip Dot Com from winning in 1:57.4 and 1:58, resp
[read more]

Windsor ceases racing
January 03, 2005
Windsor Raceway has announced all live racing and simulcasting has been canceled due to the lack of a 2005 license. The track has requested 112 live racing dates while the Ontario Harness Horse Association has stipulated that the track race 153 days. The Ontario Racing Commission has denied Winds
[read more]

Matinee at Woodbine
January 01, 2005
By the calendar he turned one year older today, but even so, the classy veteran Admirals Express was his usual relentless self at Woodbine on New Year's Day as he won in 1:55.3. The "Grey Gladiator," as he's fondly referred to by track announcer Frank Salive, celebrated his ninth birthday with a
[read more]