She's no trashy queen

Despite her name, The Queen Of Trash had a sparkling season at three and she will try to build on that success racing against older mares this season at the Meadowlands. The Queen Of Trash makes her next start in the second leg of the Cape & Cutter Series on Friday night at the Meadowlands.

She will start from the rail in the evening’s third race for the father-and-son team of trainer Les Givens and driver Brandon Givens. The Cape & Cutter concludes with an $81,200 final on Feb. 23.


The Queen Of Trash won 11 of 21 starts last year and finished her sophomore season with $330,894 in earnings. At the Meadowlands, she won five of six races, including the $175,000 New Jersey Sire Stakes final on June 23.

“She won her first four starts at the Meadowlands, and I knew she was going to be a nice filly right away,” said Givens, who was speaking on his cell phone from a vacation spot in the Dominican Republic. “She’s a little funny leaving the gate but with the long straightaway at the Meadowlands, starting she’s fine. She kind of surprised me with a couple of miles she went. Her most impressive mile was winning the Sire Stakes final when John Campbell drove her. We supplemented her to the American National at Balmoral Park ($200,000, July 15). She was going to win anyway and was second, placed first through a disqualification.”

Unraced at two, The Queen Of Trash was purchased privately for $18,000 from breeder Fred Hertrich III on Feb. 23, 2006 by Givens' wife Teresa, who races as Nanticoke Racing Inc. of Seaford, Del., his son, Brandon Givens, and Donna Messick of Delmar, Del.

“We bought The Queen of Trash with that name,” Givens explained. “Her breeder named her and I bought her privately right after she qualified as a 3-year-old from him. At two, I think they trained her down to two minutes. She wasn’t mature enough, so they turned her out.”

The Queen Of Trash has made three starts in 2007, but has yet to pick up a check. She finished eighth in last week’s opening leg of the Cape & Cutter.

“She’s about the same as she was last year in terms of size,” Givens said. “She’s good and sound with no problems at all and not racing as a 2 year old probably helped her. We’ll nominate her to these late-closers (stakes series for pacing mares). She’s in with some nice mares right now. If she draws well and gets away close, she can go with them. She’s the best horse I’ve had; made the most money.”

Les Givens’ son, Brandon, will be in the sulky behind The Queen Of Trash on Friday night. Brandon, 20, was already well on his way to stardom as a catch-driver when he broke one of his legs in the tragic accident on May 15, 2006 at Harrington Raceway that killed veteran reinsman Hal Belote. Brandon returned to the racetrack six months later and still finished the year with 104 wins and $1.2 million in earnings. In just under four years, he has amassed nearly $3.5 million in purses won.

“Brandon is going to continue to drive her,” Givens said. “He’s back full time at Dover Downs. While I’m down here on vacation, he stayed home to take care of the ranch. I have a farm in Seaford, Del. That’s where I’m from. We have 34 horses in training. I have a lot of young Delaware stakes horses and hopefully some will surface at the Meadowlands.” (Meadowlands)

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