Schnittker voted Trainer of the Year, Good Guy of the Year

Ray Schnittker, who campaigned the brilliant sophomore trotter Deweycheatumnhowe this past season to a hugely successful, extremely media-friendly year of racing, has been voted two awards in balloting by the U.S. Harness Writers Association: the Glen Garnsey Trainer of the Year and the W.R. Haughton Good Guy Award.

Schnittker opened his campaign with Dewey on June 5 at the Meadowlands, and kept him sharp through almost six months of grueling racing, marred only by a throat abscess before the Breeders Crown and the horse’s subsequent third-place finish–the only stake final lost all year.

Otherwise, he was as healthy as a horse could be, with Schnittker judicious with his racing schedule and innovative in his training routine with the trotter, which included swimming and being ridden. Dewey’s exploits on the track reflect the good care that he received throughout the year from his Trainer of the Year.

The Good Guy award, given to a person who shows the media savvy and cooperation of the late, great Hall of Famer Haughton, also went to Schnittker. He did yeoman’s work with Dewey and the media during probably the most stressful week of his career–before the Hambletonian–and refused no opportunity to accommodate the folks from NBC and other journalistic enterprises. The horse was kept in front of the public the entire year, and Schnittker was also gracious with his time, even while the last chapter of the year’s book did not end successfully.

Schnittker will receive his awards at the Night of Stars awards banquet on Wednesday, Feb. 4, at the Bellagio hotel in Las Vegas. (USHWA)

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