Top Garden State Sire Stakes horses are named

Deweycheatumnhowe, the undefeated 2-year-old trotting colt who dominated his opposition in New Jersey and nationally, has been selected New Jersey Sire Stakes Horse of the Year for 2007.

The award, which is voted annually by the Sire Stakes Board of Trustees, is based only on performances in races for New Jersey-sired horses, including New Jersey Sire Stakes events and other major stakes for New Jersey-sired horses.  In addition to the top honor, Deweycheatumnhowe, a son of Muscles Yankee, was chosen NJSS two-year-old trotting colt of the year.

Deweycheatumnhowe, trained and driven by Ray Schnittker, won all 10 of his career starts, earning $936,191 and taking a mark of 1:54.2. He won all three of his NJ-sired races, including the $175,000 NJSS final at the Meadowlands.  His other major victories included the Breeders Crown Championship and the Valley Victory. The colt is co-owned by Schnittker with Ted Gewertz, Charles Iannazzo, the Deweycheatumnhowe Stable, Jerry Silva, Tad Egloff and breeder Steve Jones.

Other divisional winners of Sire Stakes horse of the year honors are the million-dollar winner Snow White (Self Possessed), 2-year-old trotting filly; Artcotic (Artiscape), 3-year-old pacing filly; Always A Virgin (Western Ideal), 3-year-old pacing colt; Princetonian (Dream Vacation), 3-year-old trotting colt; Spice Queen (Yankee Glide), 3-year-old trotting filly; Duneside Perch (Cam’s Card Shark), 2-year-old pacing colt; and Dreamlands Latte (Artsplace), 2-year-old pacing filly. 

Snow White, a millionaire with $1,252,646 in purse earnings, won 11 of 13 races and took a mark of 1:52.4. She dominated the 2-year-old trotting fillies in New Jersey and nationally. The filly won all three of her NJSS starts, including the $175,000 NJSS championship, in addition to the Breeders Crown, Goldsmith Maid and Oakville Stakes. Driven by John Campbell and trained by Kevin Lare, the filly is owned by the North Street Stable, Harness The Power and Jerry Silva.

Artcotic is a rare repeat winner of NJSS “Horse of the Year” honors, having been chosen 2-year-old filly pacer of 2006. She won four of six races in NJ-sired competition in 2007, including the $85,000 NJSS final at Freehold Raceway, and nine of 19 overall, including the Breeders Crown. The filly earned a total of  $600,468 in purses and had a mark of 1:51f.

Honors for NJSS 3-year-old pacing colt of the year went to Always A Virgin, another million-dollar winner who took two legs of the pacing Triple Crown, the Cane Pace and the Messenger. He earned $1,022,703 overall with 13 victories in 20 starts and had a mark of 1:48.4. In New Jersey-sired competition, the colt won the $175,000 NJSS championship at the Meadowlands. Always A Virgin was driven by Brian Sears and trained by Joe Holloway for the partnership of the Bluewood Stable, Roll The Dice Stables and Val D’Or Farms.

Princetonian earned the NJSS 3-year-old trotting colt award on the strength of his 1:57 stakes record win in the $100,000 Charles I. Smith Memorial Trot at Freehold. He was in the money eight of nine times, winning three races, and earned $147,277 overall for trainer Ray Remmen, who co-owns the colt with John Lichtenberger. Catello Manzi and Daniel Dube drove the trotter.

Spice Queen, trained by Erv Miller for owners Norman and Gerald Smiley, took 3-year-old trotting filly honors winning five of her six NJ-sired races, including the $85,000 NJSS final and $85,000 Helen Smith Memorial Trot at Freehold. She won 10 of 16 overall, earning $145,290. Driving duties were shared by David Miller, Brian Sears and Andy Miller.

The NJSS 2-year-old pacing colt of the year, Duneside Perch, won all three of his NJ-sired starts, including a record 1:50.2 in the $175,000 NJSS final at the Meadowlands. His earnings for the year totaled $160,325 for Only Money Inc., Rodney Mitchell, Inc., and Teague, Inc. George Teague trained and Ron Pierce drove.

Dreamlands Latte, NJSS 2-year-old pacing filly of the year, won four and was in the money in six of seven races in NJ-sired competition. Bob Baggitt Jr. trained the filly and Jack Baggitt Jr. drove. She won five of 11 overall, earning $118,062 for Dreamland Farms.

The horses will be honored at the annual New Jersey Equine Awards dinner on Jan. 27 at the Ramada in Hightstown. (with files from NJSS)

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