Busy times for Twins Kelly

Although he retired as manager of the Minnesota Twins following the 2001 season, Tom Kelly is keeping busy with his scouting duties. Although he’s occupied with trying to help the team make this year’s playoffs, he is also busy watching his small stable of Standardbreds race, usually doing so via computer at his Minnesota home.

Kelly currently owns several horses, all in training with Maryland-based Franklin Milby. Kelly said that he was traveling this past week and didn’t see his 7-year-old mare Shesa Troublemaker win at Rosecroft Raceway July 22. The 1:54.1 effort over a “sloppy” track was a second off her career best set a month earlier at Rosecroft. It was also the seventh win in 65 career starts for Shesa Troublemaker, who came to the U.S. in late 2004 after beginning her career in New Zealand.

“I haven’t seen anything this week, I’ve been working,” he told harnessracing.com Thursday morning. “I was at Rochester watching the AAA team. We’ve got one pitcher down there that’s pretty good.”

One horse that has been doing quite well for Kelly is Print It, a 4-year-old son of The Panderosa he purchased as a yearling for $38,000. Print It, a half brother to Shell I Scoot p, 1:54.1f ($233,862) and Finally Connected p,3, 1:53.2 ($124,896), has won five times this year and has earnings of more than $65,000, bringing his career bankroll to nearly $100,000. He won back-to-back features at Rosecroft a few weeks ago, both in 1:51.2.

“We’re OK with a couple and a couple aren’t OK,” said Kelly.

One horse Kelly said hadn’t done well but qualified Wednesday is Whambam N. The 5-year-old mare won her qualifier in 1:56.4. She is winless in 11 pari-mutuel starts on the year.

“I paid a lot of money for her and got her over here (from New Zealand) and she got sick,” he said. “We stopped with her and just got done bringing her back. She’s gotten sick three times. We put 100 pounds on her and rested her up. Hopefully this time around she’ll do something for us. She just hasn’t had any oomph at the end.”

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