Robert O'Donnell named to Ohio Harness Racing Hall of Fame

Robert O’Donnell has been selected as the 34th inductee into the Ohio Harness Racing Hall of Fame in balloting of the Ohio Chapter of the United States Harness Writers Association. O’Donnell’s selection will be announced at the Ohio Harness Horsemen/United States Trotting Association District One banquet Saturday night, Jan. 19, in Dublin.

Other Ohio USHWA award winners are Lew Williams, elected into the Immortal Hall of Fame; Courageous Lady, elected into the Standardbred Hall of Fame; Brad Wallace, winner of the Rambling Willie Award for the Ohioan who has done the most for harness racing over the past two decades; Jim Arledge Jr., recipient of the Winner’s Circle Award for the Ohioan who has achieved outstanding accomplishments in the past year; and Matt Kakaley, who will receive the Peter Haughton Memorial Award as the young Ohioan who is an “up-and-coming” star among harness horsemen.

A native of Cadiz, Williams rose to prominence driving at the Ohio fairs and at Northfield Park. He steered such outstanding pacers as Real Hilarious and Whata Baron. When The Meadowlands opened, Williams quickly established himself among the driving stars there. He drove 2,023 winners in his career to earnings of more than $8.8 million.

Courageous Lady was a winner of 28 of 113 lifetime starts. The daughter of Captain Courageous earned $418,256 in her career and had a time trial record of 1:54.4 as a 3-year-old. She produced five 2:00 pacers including $700,000-plus winner Uptown Swell. Northfield Park annually presents a top stakes race for 3-year-old pacing fillies that bears her name.

Wallace, who serves as farm manager of Hickory Lane Farm in Findlay, has 28 years of farm management experience and is widely recognized as one of the most knowledgeable and respected farm managers in the Standardbred industry. He managed Hill Farms from 1993-96 before returning to Hickory Lane, where he has been responsible for a large number of successful stallions standing in the Buckeye State.

Arledge had another fantastic season and is one of the top trainers in the sport. He had a career year in 2007 as his pupils banked more than $1.9 million. Among his top horses in 2007 were Bluegrass winner and Breeders Crown runner-up Sand Shooter, Stanley Dancer Memorial runner-up Mythical Lindy, and Little Brown Jug runner-up Hot Rod Mindale.

At the tender age of 19, Kakaley had a tremendous year as a driver at Northfield Park, finishing fourth in the standings at the Route Eight oval. Overall, he posted career-best numbers of 192 wins and earnings of $614,093. (Ohio USHWA)

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