Somebeachsomewhere, Deweycheatumnhowe and Mister Big, who held the top three positions in the sport’s weekly Top 10 poll for much of the season, each will receive a Dan Patch Award from the U.S. Harness Writers Association for the second consecutive year. Division winners for the awards, given annually to the leading vote-getters based on gait, sex and age, were announced Monday.
Horse of the Year, Pacer of the Year and Trotter of the Year will be announced on Feb. 4 at the Night of Stars banquet at the Bellagio hotel in Las Vegas.
Somebeachsomewhere, who set a single-season record with $2.44 million in purses, was named 3-year-old colt pacer of the year while Hambletonian winner Deweycheatumnhowe was voted 3-year-old colt trotter of the year. Mister Big, who was named older male pacer of the year for the second time, joins Red Bow Tie (1998-99) as the division’s only back-to-back winner in the last 30 years.
Deweycheatumnhowe was named on all 158 ballots returned while Somebeachsomewhere got 155 votes and Mister Big received 153.
Somebeachsomewhere won 14 of 15 races this year, including the $1.47 million North America Cup, the Breeders Crown, the Messenger Stakes, and the Confederation Cup. He was last season’s 2-year-old division champ and finished his career with 20 wins in 21 starts and $3.22 million in earnings. Only a loss to Art Official by a neck in the Meadowlands Pace, in a then-world-record 1:47 mile, separated “The Beach” from perfection.
Earlier this year, he equaled the fastest race mile in history with a 1:46.4 victory at Lexington’s Red Mile and also set the world record for 3-year-old pacers on a half-mile track. He was trained by Brent MacGrath and driven by Paul MacDonell. Deweycheatumnhowe became only the second trotter to reach $2 million in a single year, earning $2.2 million, and was the first trotter in history to reach $3 million in lifetime purses at the age of 3. Trained and driven by Ray Schnittker, the colt’s victories included the Hambletonian and Canadian Trotting Classic in addition to a three-heat triumph in the Kentucky Futurity. He finished 2008 with 12 wins in 15 races and closed his career with 22 victories in 25 starts and $3.1 million.
Mister Big, trained by Virgil Morgan Jr. and driven by Brian Sears, became the first pacer in history with million-dollar campaigns at both ages 4 and 5. This season, he won 11 of 14 races and $1.5 million (a record for older horses). His victories included the Canadian Pacing Derby, William Haughton Memorial and Breeders Crown. The complete list of division winners follows:
2-YEAR-OLD COLT TROTTER OF THE YEAR
Muscle Hill (155 votes) Muscles Yankee-Yankee Blondie-American Winner Breeder: Winbak Farm
Owners: Jerry Silva, TLP Stable.
Trainer: Greg Peck. Driver: Brian Sears. Races: 9-8-1-0. Purses: $817,301. Mark: 1:53.3 at the Meadowlands (world record). Top wins: $700,000 Breeders Crown; $500,000 Peter Haughton Memorial.
2-YEAR OLD FILLY TROTTER OF THE YEAR
Honorable Daughter (154 votes)
Malabar Man-Honorable Mother-Mr Vic Breeder: Kentuckiana Farms General Partnership. Owners: Paolo Rosanelli, John Siena. Trainers: Larry and Ray Remmen. Driver: John Campbell. Races: 11-9-1-0. Purses: $835,555. Mark: 1:55.1 at Dover Downs (world record). Top wins: $700,000 Breeders Crown; $523,600 Merrie Annabelle.
Others receiving votes:
Up Front Annika (2)
Margarita Momma (1)
3-YEAR OLD COLT TROTTER OF THE YEAR
Deweycheatumnhowe (158 votes) Muscles Yankee-Trolley Square-Speedy Somolli Breeder: Steve Jones
Owners: Ray Schnittker, Ted Gewertz, Charles Iannazzo, Deweycheatumnhowe Stable.
Trainer: Ray Schnittker. Driver: Ray Schnittker. Races: 15-12-1-2. Purses: $2.21 million. Mark: 1:50.4 at DuQuoin. Top wins: $1.5 million Hambletonian; $930,000 Canadian Trotting Classic; $684,000 Kentucky Futurity.
3-YEAR OLD FILLY TROTTER OF THE YEAR
Lantern Kronos (139 votes) Viking Kronos-Bell Power-Pine Chip Breeder: K Breeding SRL. Owner: Falkbolagen AB. Trainer: Jimmy Takter. Drivers: Jimmy Takter, Paul MacDonell. Races: 18-12-2-1. Purses: $914,854. Mark: 1:52.3 at the Red Mile. Top wins: $576,932 Elegantimage; $185,000 American-National.
OLDER MALE TROTTER OF THE YEAR
Enough Talk (79 votes) Enjoy Lavec-Fashion Setter-Donerail Breeder: Perretti Farms. Owners: Peter Kleinhans Racing Inc., Jerry Silva. Trainer: Peter Kleinhans. Drivers: Ron Pierce, George Brennan. Races: 25-9-5-5. Purses: $851,865. Mark: 1:49.3 at Colonial (world record). Top wins: $190,000 American-National; $100,000 Patriot Invitational; $100,000 Oleg Cassini Invitational.
OLDER FEMALE TROTTER OF THE YEAR
Buck I St Pat (131 votes) Jailhouse Jesse-Name It Something-Speed In Action Breeder: Ron Fuller Owners: Howard Taylor, Edwin Gold, Abraham Basen, Ron Fuller. Trainer: Mickey Burke. Driver: Tim Tetrick. Races: 14-10-2-1. Purses: $411,724. Mark: 1:52.2 at Harrah’s Chester (world record).
Others receiving votes:
Falls For You (20)
Brigham Dream (3)
Susie's Magic (1)
Godiva Hall (1)
Bruschette (1)
Exotic Destination (1)
2-YEAR-OLD COLT PACER OF THE YEAR
Major In Art (86 votes) Art Major-Miami Spice-Jate Lobell Breeder: Southwind Farm. Owner: Major In Art Stable
Trainer: Justin Lebo. Driver: Brian Sears
Races: 10-6-1-2. Purses: $849,154. Mark: 1:50.4 at the Meadowlands.
Top wins: $950,000 Metro Pace; $350,000 Woodrow Wilson.
2-YEAR-OLD FILLY PACER OF THE YEAR
Fox Valley Topaz (74 votes) Sportsmaster-Theladyappealstome-Jate Lobell Breeder: Fox Valley Standardbreds
Owners: Engel Stable, Rucker Stable
Trainer: Ken Rucker. Drivers: Mike Oosting, David Miller.
Races: 15-10-2-2. Purses: $628,880. Mark: 1:52.1 at Springfield. Top win: $700,000 Breeders Crown
Others receiving votes:
Hawaiian Drink (45)
Pedigree Snob (12)
St. Lads Popcorn (17)
Twist N Clout (3)
Indulge Me (2)
Warrawee Kay (1)
Thou Shalt Not (1)
3-YEAR-OLD COLT PACER OF THE YEAR
Somebeachsomewhere (155 votes) Mach Three-Wheres The Beach-Beach Towel Breeder: Stephanie Smith-Rothaug
Owner: Schooner Stables
Trainer: Brent MacGrath. Driver: Paul MacDonell
Races: 15-14-1-0. Purses: $2.44 million (record). Mark: 1:46.4 at The Red Mile (world record).
Top wins: $1.47 million North America Cup; $650,000 Messenger; $500,000 Breeders Crown
Others receiving votes:
Shadow Play (2)
3-YEAR-OLD FILLY PACER OF THE YEAR
Tug River Princess (112 votes) Badlands Hanover-Aucryifiwanto-Au Crombie Breeders: Bobby Mills, Michael Tait
Owners: Let It Ride Stables, Robert Cooper Stables, Jerry Silva.
Trainer: Ross Croghan. Driver: John Campbell
Races: 19-12-4-2. Purses: $870,450. Mark: 1:50.0 at The Red Mile.
Top wins: $350,000 Valley Forge; $253,400 Nadia Lobell.
Others receiving votes:
Native Bride (31)
A AndG's Confusion (6)
Happy Dreamer (3)
Artimittateslife (2)
Good News Lady (1)
Chancey Lady (1)
OLDER MALE PACER OF THE YEAR
Mister Big (153 votes) Grinfromeartoear-World’s Sweetheart-Jate Lobell Breeder: Kentuckiana Farms General Partnership. Owner: Joe Muscara
Trainer: Virgil Morgan Jr. Driver: Brian Sears
Races: 14-11-2-0. Purses: $1.53 million. Mark: 1:48.1 at Harrah’s Chester.
Top wins: $659,880 Canadian Pacing Derby; $600,000 William Haughton Memorial; $500,000 Breeders Crown
Others receiving votes:
Artistic Fella (2)
Won The West (1)
Always A Virgin (1)
OLDER FEMALE PACER OF THE YEAR
My Little Dragon (141 votes) Dragon Again-My Little Pretty-Jate Lobell Breeder: White Birch Farm
Owner: Adam Victor & Son Stable
Trainers: Noel Daley, Mike Vanderkemp. Driver: Brian Sears
Races: 22-10-4-5. Purses: $817,567. Mark: 1:49.4 at Vernon Downs.
Top wins: $331,500 Breeders Crown; $250,000 Classic Series Distaff
Others receiving votes:
Darlin's Delight (12)
Hana Hanover (2)
Symphony In Motion (1)
(Harness Racing Communications)
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