Holton into Ohio Hall

Terry Holton has been selected as the 32nd inductee into the Ohio Harness Racing Hall of Fame in balloting of the Ohio Chapter of the United States Harness Writers Association. Holton's selection will be announced at the Ohio Harness Horsemen/U.S. Trotting Association District One banquet on Saturday night.



Other Ohio USHWA award winners are Jim Rhodes, elected into the Immortal Hall of Fame; Stienam, elected into the Standardbred Hall of Fame; Dr. John Mossbarger, winner of the Rambling Willie Award for the Ohioan who has done the most for harness racing over the past two decades; Kelly O'Donnell, recipient of the Winner's Circle Award for the Ohioan who has achieved outstanding accomplishments in the past year; and Keith Kash Jr., who will receive the Peter Haughton Memorial Award as the young Ohioan who is an "up-and-coming" star among harness horsemen.



Holton is a veteran trainer-driver who has won more than 1,700 races in the sulky, with earnings of over $4.7 million. The Newark native has campaigned such standouts as Playboy Hanover, OK Dick, Life Work and Kuzzin Kat. His first horse was Wanda's Melody, who he campaigned during his days at Newark High School. Holton campaigned horses for Bill Kraner, Charlie Hill, Jerry Kaltenbach, John Hazard, Bob Kauffman, and many of the sport's other top owners throughout his career. Holton is a longtime Ohio Harness Horsemen's Association director and chairman of the OHHA Banquet Committee. He currently is training a dozen horses in Florida.



Rhodes, the former governor of Ohio, was instrumental in the creation of the Ohio Sires Stakes and insisted on $100,000 finals being part of the program. He was a staunch supporter of the sport and was the inaugural winner of the OHHA's Dr. John Stevens Humanitarian Award.



Owned during her racing career by Gil Short, James Leadbetter and John Powell, Jr., Stienam earned $1,355,474. She took her 1:53.4 mark in 1985, the same year she won a Breeders Crown. As a broodmare, the daughter of Falcon Almahurst has produced 10 2:00 pacers and four winners of over $100,000.



Mossbarger is the past president of the Ohio Harness Horsemen's Association (serving in that role for six years--the longest ever), is a USTA director and is the OHHA's Senior Officer for Legislative Affairs. He has met with farm bureau groups across the state to gain support for VLTs in adoption of farm bureau policy.



O'Donnell enjoyed his best year as a trainer thanks to Little Brown Jug champion P-Forty-Seven, who banked $566,174 in '05. Overall, O'Donnell's trainees earned more than $1.5 million this year, a new career high.



At the age of 26, Kash had a terrific campaign in '05, with 294 victories and more than $1.17 million in earnings. His biggest victory came when he captured the Ohio Sires Stakes 2CP final with Osborne's Bullet. (OHHA)

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