Odds On Racing - Harness Racing

Harness Happenings
For June 16, 2004

Field Set for North American Cup
Georgia Pacific was made the 9-5 morning line favorite to win the $1.6 million (Canadian) Pepsi North America Cup after his connections selected post four at the draw Tuesday afternoon (June 15) at Woodbine Racetrack near Toronto.

The winners of the Cup's four elimination races on Saturday (June 12) got to select their posts, and Georgia Pacific, trained by Randy Bendis, was the first name among the elim winners to be drawn from a hat. Georgia Pacific, driven by Brian Sears, has won his last two starts in 1:49.4. Metropolitan, who finished second to Georgia Pacific, was the 3-1 second choice and will start from post eight.

Winning the other elims last weekend were Panspacificflight, Rogue Hall and Western Terror. The connections of Rogue Hall were the second to select a post, followed by Western Terror and Panspacificflight.

Following is the field in post position order, with morning line odds:
1. Western Terror (15-1)
2. Panspacificflight (4-1)
3. Rogue Hall (12-1)
4. Georgia Pacific (9-5)
5. Village Hero N (15-1)
6. Mantacular (25-1)
7. Rapid Dialing (25-1)
8. Metropolitan (3-1)
9. The Preacher Pan (25-1)
10. Camelot Hall (9-2).

Armbro Amoretto Retires
"An exceptional filly like this comes along once in a lifetime if you are lucky. The fact that I was able to own a horse of this caliber and race her so successfully over the last two years has been a dream for me and a memory that no one can ever take away."

This was the reflection of Allan "Big Al" Saul, owner of Armbro Amoretto, as he announced her retirement on Tuesday night.

"She has raced her hardest at two and three and some of the wear and tear is beginning to show this year," Saul said. "I have always said that she would only race if she was 100% and the first sign that she was not herself would be the time to retire her. She owes me nothing and I refuse to go on with her. This is the best time to take her to the breeding shed. It is a luxury to have a mare of this ability combined with the opportunity to breed her at this young age. Most vets agree that you have a great shot when you breed a mare sooner over one that races until they are 7 or 8. If we quit with her now she’ll be sound as a mother and be able to reach her full potential as a broodmare."

Besides winning the 2002 Breeders Crown and finishing second by only a head in the 2003 edition (after winning the elimination), Armbro Amoretto was a multiple stakes winner at two and three. She took a lifetime mark of 1.50.1 at the Meadowlands in the Mistletoe Shallee in 2003 and amassed lifetime earnings of $1.3 million.

"She will stay with us here in Toronto through September when we will have a going away party and take her to Kentuckiana Farms to place her in the capable hands of Bob Brady. There she will be bred and live out her life enjoying the bluegrass with her full sister, Artistically Inclined."

Western Hanover, Camluck, and Cambest are being considered as possible stallions for her at this time.

What a Date!
June 19, 1993, was a very big day in harness history, especially for trainer Bob McIntosh. It was on that day that Staying Together won in 1:48.2. He took the final in a sweep the very next week 6/26/93-in 1:49.2. Bill O'Donnell drove for McIntosh and owner Robert Hamather. The ironic part was that in the same weekend the year before--in the SAME race and same leg--Artsplace set the world race record of 1:49.2--again for Bob McIntosh. That was the very mark that Staying Together broke, and BOTH horses would later be named Horse Of The Year. Only Jimmy Takter since has won the Horse Of The Year award consecutively with two DIFFERENT horse-in 1997 with Malabar Man and in 1998 and 1999 with Moni Maker.

Lady Liberty
This year’s Lady Liberty (5th year) matched up Eternal Camnation and Bunny Lake--for the first time in history two mares competed against each other and had over $6 million in earnings between them!! It is also the only filly/mare event in harness history that went in under 1:50 three straight years (2001-2003). Bunny Lake needed a top three finish to become the 15th pacer, and second female pacer, to surpass the $2.5 million mark. Eternal Camnation, second twice after winning it in 2001, was heading towards her sixth straight $500,000 season, unprecedented territory in the history of the sport.

Pierce Making His Own History
Ron Pierce--on the week of June 15-20--was about to become the eighth driver in Meadowlands history to hit 200 wins in a single meet. At age 48 (6/21/56), he is also on pace to become the oldest first time Meadowlands leading pilot. John Campbell currently holds the unique distinction of being both the youngest and oldest to do so. (John at 24 in 1979, then 46 in 2001). This is the 46th time a driver has reached 200 wins in the 28-year history of the Meadowlands.
1) John Campbell 19 times
2) Mike Lachance 8 times
3) Bill O'Donnell 7 times
4) Luc Ouellette 5 times
5) Jack Moiseyev 4 times
6) George Brennan 1 time
7) Dave Miller 1 time

North America Cup: The Frustration Of It All
This years North America Cup final had a chance to end the frustration of several drivers and horses. For instance, if Richie Silverman (runnerup-Tyberwood-2000 to Gallo Blue Chip) and Village Hero N won, it would have been the first time ever a Down Under-bred won a million dollar event. It would have also given Richie the distinction of having the longest time between million dollar wins. He last won in 1990 in the $1 million Woodrow Wilson with Die Laughing. Richie already holds that same distinction in the Breeders Crown--13 years, in 1986 with Masquerade and in 1999 with Tyberwood.

Cat Manzi in his 30th million dollar drive is looking for his first win. Cat is the richest driver--$2.7 million--of all of those who have competed in but did not win in any seven-figure race.

Steve Condren can do Richie one better. He won this very final in 1989 with Goalie Jeff, and now with Rapid Dialing--another longshot--could make that a very pleasant 15 year wait.

The Quietest Millionaire
With well over 300 millionaire trotters and pacers in harness racing’s rich history, is there one who has done it with less fanfare and with less publicity than Millers Scout? He raced from 1978 through 1984 and won $1,162,061, and NEVER beat Cam Fella.

In 1983, when Cam Fella was voted the Horse of The Year for the second straight time, they met in the same race 19 times!!! However Millers Scout could not get by the "Pacing Machine". Buddy Gilmour drove and trained the son of Tarport Effrat-Keystone Saphire (Tar Heel). His best year was 1980, when he started 32 times, with a 12-9-0 record and $112,100 in earnings. 1982 was his biggest money year with $343,910. He wound up his career with a strong 209 starts, 47 wins, 40 seconds and 32 thirds and a 1:54.4 mark taken at Rideau Carlton.
Oh, and one more thing, he's still alive and kicking at age 28.

Happy Birthday Stan Bergstein!!
June 19, 2004 marked the 80th birthday for Stan Bergstein. Happy Birthday Stan!! Stan is the only member of both Hall Of Fames--who among us has worn more hats than Stan? What is it that he has not done in this business? On top of that, he has remained a gentleman through all these years, and his fight for what's right and what should be done has never wavered.

Notes From Around The Ovals
It has been 14 years now since Bud Fritz won with Apaches Fame, and since then, no nightly regular on the circuit has won the most prestigious race in Canada. Conversely, the Meadowlands signature event, The Meadowlands Pace, has been captured by a local catch-driver every year since 1990--when Ray Remmen won with Beach Towel. Not since 1987, when Trevor Ritchie won with Frugal Gourmet, has an "out-of-towner" taken home the trophy.

Eternal Camnation is on the verge of doing something unprecedented again. How about winning over $1 million at two different tracks? She's just under the number at Mohawk, and $175,000 away at the Meadowlands entering the $237,000 Lady Liberty.

Cat Manzi's biggest wins--one in NJ and the other in NY--In NJ-his biggest ever win actually came via DQ-2000 Wilson-Whitefish Falls-703g. In New York-it was the 1983 Sheppard-for $669,000-when he won it with Trutone Lobell...

Jim Doherty is the ONLY trainer ever to have a sub 1:52 pacer AND trotter in a race. Townation in 1:50.4 and Governors Choice in 1:51.3, and Fools Goal in 1:51.3 twice.

Gallo Blue Chip is heading to the shelf shortly and will return in November. That means that with another stellar season Eternal Camnation can make up the $650,000 or so difference and become the sports all-time leading money earner. No female has ever been atop the all-time list in the sport in the last 40 years.

San Pellegrino is back at age eight but was sick in his last start at Freehold, according to trainer Jimmy Takter.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of Sonsam’s Meadowlands Pace victory. Sonsam overcame post ten, circled the field three and then four wide past the half, opened up and won by four against Hot Hitter. That colt would later be voted the Sophomore Of The Year, and the time of 1:53.2 was not only a stakes record, but an all-age track record at the Meadowlands.

As a side note, there was little mention that year when George Sholty also won the Hambletonian with Legend Hanover in addition to his winning the Meadowlands Pace with Sonsam. The first of four drivers to do so--and the only one to do it at two different tracks. DuQuoin hosted the Hambo that year, and again in 1980 until it then moved to the Meadowlands in 1981.

Trainer-driver Pat Lachance is heading to Toronto after the Meadowlands meet ends August 7.