Fanning solves crisis

Although trainer Tom Fanning had a tough day Wednesday having to scratch two horses "injured" out of races at the Meadowlands, he quickly left that crisis mode when his 4-year-old mare Crisis won Thursday night at the Big M.



Crisis was North America's fastest performer on Thursday with a 1:52 gate-to-wire effort in a $12,500 conditioned pace. It was the daughter of The Panderosa's first win in four starts after being purchased in late January and sent to Fanning's barn at Gaitway Farm in New Jersey. Crisis had been racing in Illinois before being bought privately by Ed Bardowski of New Jersey, who later sold three-quarter interest to VIP Internet Stable, a group managed by Tom Janes of New Jersey.



"My owner Ed Bardowski bought the mare, he really liked her. I have to give him 100 percent credit because I wasn't crazy about it," said Fanning. "He sent her back here and she is accepting her job. Every week she seems to be a little bit more relaxed and willing to cooperate."



Fanning said that Crisis had been trained by Illinois-based conditioner John Butenschoen before being purchased, and he gives credit to his peer for helping settling down the rambunctious distaffer.



"They wanted to sell her, but I don't think there was a lot of interest in her. She had problems with the gate," said Fanning. "She wouldn't make the gate or wouldn't go behind the gate. She was also a very hard horse to control. She had all kinds of baggage but she has a very good pedigree. And Butenschoen did a good job getting her to the races.



"We made some changes," he added. "We put an ear hood on her and screen over the eyes. We let her head down a little bit. We tried to keep her happy."



Bardowski had previously owned horses that Butenschoen trained, and he felt familiarity would also help in the sulky. That is why Andy Miller was named to drive in her first three starts at the Big M, before Miller had to pick off to drive his brother Erv's mare Gro on Feb. 23. Yannick Gingras picked up the mount and he drove her to a second-place finish, losing by a nose to Gro. This time around the tables were turned as Gro finished third behind the winning Crisis.



"She has a tremendous upside," said Fanning. "I wanted to put her in a $20,000 claimer when I got her but the owners wouldn't let me. They were right. And I'm glad they were right. As long as she behaves herself she can be a pretty tough horse."

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