Odds On Racing - Harness Racing

Gallo Blue Chip

Photograph

Bay Gelding, Foaled April 28, 1997 at Wallkill, New York

Driver: Daniel Dube Trainer: Mark Ford Owner: Martin Scharf
Breeder: Dan Gernatt Farms

With earnings of $4.2+ million, Gallo Blue Chip reitred on March 12, 2005 as the richest pacer of all time.

In a seven-year racing career this World Champion has recorded 53 wins and captured numerous honors in both Canada and the U.S. His last win was at the Meadowlands on February 26, 2005.

Gallo Blue Chip recorded his career best mark of 1:48.4 as a four-year-old in 2001, and among his many career triumphs were victories in the $1.1 million Meadowlands Pace, the $1 million North America Cup and the $600,000 Breeders Crown.

He was also named 2000 Horse of the Year and was an O’Brien Award winner as well that season. The rawboned, three-year-old bay won plenty of races and money while dominating the sport of harness racing in 2000, winning million-dollar events in both Canada and the United States. That year Gallo Blue Chip became the richest harness horse in a single season with earnings of over $2.4 million.

In 2002 Gallo Blue Chip was honored with his second consecutive O'Brien award and scored 10 wins in 19 starts and earning $1,123,940 in 2000. His impressive season included wins in the Invitation at Pocono, the Graduate Series Final at the Meadowlands, the Lake Erie Stake at Northfield, and the Canadian Pacing Derby at Mohawk, plus a second in the U.S. Pacing Championship Final at the Meadowlands.

Late in his seven-year-old season Gallo Blue Chip qualified impressively at Mohawk Racetrack on November 19, 2004 for driver Mario Baillargeon. He made a move to the front at the half-mile mark and pulled away for a five and a quarter-length victory in 1:54.2. He then went on to score his first victory as an eight-year-old at The Meadowlands on February 26, 2005, pacing in 1:51.3 for Dube after a first-over trip in a conditioned pace.

"He's a peculiar old bird,'' Ford said. "I really can't say what makes him tick. At this stage of his career, there's no rhyme or reason to his performance. The best I can figure is that sometimes he goes and sometimes he doesn't.''

"He has won free-for-alls or invitations against older horses at the Meadowlands at 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7,'' Ford said. "To win against the best older horses at [the sport's] toughest venue is a remarkable testimony to his longevity. Unless you train here (at The Meadowlands), you just don't realize what an accomplishment that is.''

Gallo Blue Chip's Career Statistics
Year starts/wins/2nds/3rds Money Won Record Time Track Record Date
2005 6        1   0   0   $10,312     8,1:51.3   Meadowlands 2/26/05
2004 14      4 1   0   $86,178     7,1:50.2   Meadowlands 1/17/04
2003 33      5   8   6   $219,957   6,1:51.1   Meadowlands 1/25/03
2002 23      6 1 1   $240,401    5,1:49.2   Meadowlands 6/29/02
2001 10      10 4   1   $1,123,940 4,1:48.4   Meadowlands 6/30/01
2000 29     19 5   1   $2,428,816 3,1:50.0   Scioto Downs 9/9/00
1999 8       8   0 0    $151,355    2, 1:54.4   Saratoga 8/14/99
Totals 132 53 19 9 $4,260,959

On March 12, 2005 the decision was made to retire Gallo Blue Chip. Trainer Mark Ford and owner Martin Scharf of Lawrence, New York, made the decision after the eight-year-old gelding finished seventh in a non-winners of $10,000 condition pace on Saturday [March 12] at Freehold. Gallo Blue Chip is the richest pacer of all time with earnings of $4,260,959.

"I want it to be known that physically he is fine," said Ford. "He is just older, lost a few steps. We don't want to do anything to cheapen him, and we are looking into the real possibility of getting him into Kentucky Horse Park."

Currently there are two standardbreds residing at the Kentucky Horse Park, 1993 Horse of the Year Staying Together and 1997 Triple Crown winning pacer Western Dreamer. The other occupants of the Hall of Champions are thoroughbreds Cigar, John Henry and Da Hoss and American five-gaited saddlebred Gypsy Supreme.