Odds On Racing - Harness Racing

Why Windsongs Legacy Should Be
The 2004 Horse Of The Year
November 17, 2004
By Bob "Hollywood" Heyden

Controversy over a Horse Of The Year award is both good and healthy.

This year we have one, and a very good one. You can make a case for boy vs girl, vice versa, pacer vs trotter. It's come down to Rainbow Blue versus Windsongs Legacy, both coming off fantastic seasons. But there can only be one choice-and that is the boy, the trotter, Windsongs Legacy. Here's why.

Let's start off by making it perfectly clear that Rainbow Blue is a fabulous filly-the best female pacer I've seen since Tarport Hap. She's the best 3 YO filly I've ever laid eyes on, and next year is poised to-at least in my mind-become the single greatest female performer-EVER. She's already become the only 3 YO filly to TWICE win in under 1:50 and with a win in the Matron final (Monday-15th of November), will surpass Bunny Lake as the single season $$ record holder. If trainer and part owner George Teague, Jr. was on the ballot, I would have voted for him for President. He's as good a guy-and still as underrated a trainer-as there is in the business.

But-BUT-Windsongs Legacy has done what absolutely no one could have predicted as the year began. He only started 5 times at 2, was a non factor basically, and was off the radar when the year began-or barely registering at best. This after he sold for $27,000 at Harrisburg in 2002 and was a bottle-fed orphaned son of Conway Hall. Trond Smedshammer-his trainer AND driver, told me had he known that, he would NOT have bought him.

First, the obvious. Windsongs Legacy won the Trotting Triple Crown, something not done in the industry in 32 years. Not since 1972, has any trotter won the Hambletonian, the Yonkers Trot and the Kentucky Futurity. Super Bowl, for Stanley Dancer did it last in 1972. NONE have accomplished this since, and names like Mack Lobell and Muscles Yankee are included in that close-but-no-cigar category. One other thing, to put the 32 years in further perspective, Trond Smedshammer was 5 Years old and living in Norway and John Campbell-over $227 MILLION today-in his first year of driving, would finish with a grand total of purse earnings of $4,947. His CAREER $$ total. THAT long ago.

There are some people who think that it is more likely for a 3 YO colt trotter to be named Horse Of The Year than a 3 YO pacing filly. Not any more. In the past quarter century, there have been TWO of each named Horse Of The Year:
1981-Fan Hanover
2001-Bunny Lake
The fillies, now the colts:
1987-Mack Lobell
1997-Malabar Man

Both Rainbow Blue and Windsongs Legacy are going to end up 2004 as the single season record holder for $$ in their category. Windsongs's total of $1,744,644 supplanted Malabar Mans' 7 year old mark for one year of $1,679,856. But Windsongs Legacy did it in 4 LESS starts than Malabar Man, and his average of $145,387 dwarfs Malabar Mans' $106,798. These are the ONLY trotting colts to EVER average more than 100g per start during their sophomore years.
Windsongs Legacy is going to be the first division winner in 4 Years to have competed in the Hambletonian. S Js Caviar, Kadabra and Mr Muscleman were the last three winners of this division, and S Js Caviar and Kadabra weren't eligible and Mr Muscleman failed to qualify.

There is a certain advantage to winning the Hambletonian in the Horse Of The Year consideration. No one would dispute that fact. It is the sports highest profile event. But-just for the sake of argument-let's take OUT the Hambletonian earnings for the top 10 single season-$$ winners ever among 3 Year old trotters, and take a look at the new list. Here are the top THREE single season $$ winners-3 YO trotters-in the sports history-NOT counting their Hambo $$:
1) Windsongs Legacy $1,244,644
2) Kadabra $1,215,496
3) S Js Caviar $1,198,490

As you can see, EVEN IF you take out the biggest race of the year-the focal point of the season, the marquee event, he's still #1 -ALL TIME!!!

Some people say he LOST three races (12 9-2-1 for the year), and should not be HOY because of that. HELLO!!!!! The three losses came in the ELIMINATIONS of finals that he WON!!!!!! FINALS!!!!! He was 2nd twice (Dancer-Canadian Trotting Classic) and third (Hambletonian elim) once, and this all leading up to a mind-boggling 6-6 in the finals that he entered!! That's right, he did not lose ONCE-in ANY final-to ANYONE-And this was a crop that has three horses-OTHER THAN HE-going to stand stud-Tom Ridge, Cantab Hall and Cash Hall.

Does anyone anywhere know of someone who has ever said something like this? "Hey-who won the 1986 Hambletonian?" "Nuclear Kosmos"." NO-I'm sorry-I meant to say who won the eliminations that year." As soon as the elims for these big races are over, the field is set and wherever you have finished-especially with an open draw which the vast majority have-the elims are then forgotten. Pretty much forever.

There are some other people who think the feat of winning the Triple Crown was diminished because there were no half mile track races this year-the Yonkers Trot was moved to Hawthorne. Half mile tracks-of which Rainbow Blue also did NOT race on this year-are going the way of the dinosaur-extinction. Ever heard anyone in the past quarter century with a proposition for building a new 'half-mile track?' Neither have I.

#1-You can only race where the races take place. #2 I seem to recall the Cantab Hall worked out the perfect trip and was outkicked solidly by Windsongs Legacy to the wire in the Yonkers Trot. By a length. If the pocket-sitting two hole horse cannot hold off the three hole-sitting horse in a 395 g $ race, there can be nothing that resembles an excuse. Trond Smedshammer and the connections of Windsongs Legacy have no apologies to make to anyone about this. Not only did he beat all his rivals every time when it counted-he did it from OFF THE PACE-NOT ONCE was Windsongs Legacy in front at the half in ANY race all year, and only one time at the 3/4 pole. He did it fair and square, spotted the marquee horses early lengths and collared them each and every time. As in 6 for 6 in the finals he raced for.

The next time you see a trotter go 6-6 in these same races (Good Times, Yonkers Trot-Canadian Trotting Classic, Hambletonian, Kentucky Futurity and the Dancer)-take note. By my math-that's TWO Triple Crowns.

Trond Smedshammer is now the youngest of the 6 horsemen-at age 37-to have accomplished this feat.(Done 7 times-Stanley Dancer did it twice-1968-Nevele Pride-1972-Super Bowl) And Trond drove all year. Just in case you don't think this is a big deal, remember that Trond, always a capable driver, NEVER had a million $$ season prior to 2004 as a driver. This year, he's OUTEARNED Jack Moiseyev ($2.6 million-$2.2 million) in the bike, largely due to the spectacular campaign of Windsongs Legacy.

Trond managed this colt flawlessly. He should be not only the Trainer of the Year (FIRST EVER trainer to have THREE trotting division winners-Windsongs Legacy-Housethatruthbuilt and Stroke Play) which is a no-brainer, but Executive Of The Year as well. He did two things particularly well-he never rushed his colt at 2-giving him time for himself to find out if he indeed was any quality. He didn't leave any of his races on the track at 2. Trond is fully aware of how difficult it is to bring back a top freshman and get him to maintain his form at 3.

It is not an accident that all 23 years of Peter Haughton winners (at age 2) have either not raced in or flubbed it up in the Hambo at the very same track the following year (at age 3). Secondly, Trond did NOT race this year in the World Trotting Derby. Had he done so, it is almost a certainty that this conversation would NOT be taking place. That was the day and race that Tom Ridge set TWO world records-1:51 and 1:50.2. A wildly speed favoring track that not only did NOT favor the style of Windsongs Legacy, but has been the undoing of many a top trotter. Tom Ridge himself was not a force for what was left of his career after those two miles.
Continentalvictory and Lindy Lane were simply never the same after their grudge match in the 1996 World Trotting Derby, Lord Stormont's three heats with Malabar Man took a lot of starch out of him that was clearly evident come Breeders Crown time when Malabar Man trounced him, and Enjoy Lavec and Self Possessed also paid for their speed party down the road.

Self Possessed later became the single biggest favorite to bite the dust in the history of the Breeders Crown-AFTER the gruelling heats of the WTD. Remember this-NOT ONE Trotting Colt-in the 23 year history of the World Trotting Derby-has won this race and been named Horse Of The Year. NOT ONE! (Two fillies have-C R Kay Suzie and Continentalvictory). Simply put, Trond probably knew he wouldn't win it with speed carrying the day, and he wanted his horse fresh and ready for the rest of the year-the Triple Crown foremost on the "Must-Do" list.

Back to Rainbow Blue for a second. Some are saying she would be undefeated if not for her shying away from a cameraman on the infield that caused her to break in the Mistletoe Shalee on Hambletonian Day-August 7. This may be true. (Her only blemish at age 3) Even though George Teague himself said he wasn't so sure, here's why that doesn't wash. And only in THIS case it doesn't wash.

The SAME day-SAME track-SAME afternoon-Windsongs Legacy raced with 2-3 times as many cameramen situated here, there and everywhere. HE didn't break-or mind the photo-tarzans in the least-he won the biggest race of the year-overhauling the three pre-season Hambo Favorites-$310,000 Cantab Hall-the only 2 Year old trotter EVER named Trotter Of The Year (2003), $300,000 yearling Cash Hall, who was so impressive early he was the first of this foursome to be syndicated, and Tom Ridge, who was a dominant freshman at 2 for the summer and could uncork a big mile at any time. These are the three horses he rolled right by-and all with a world famous catch driver. The winningest $$-driver ever-John Campbell was handling Cash Hall, the 2nd winningest $$ driver-ever-Mike Lachance Cantab Hall and the runaway leading money-winning driver for 2004, Ron Pierce drove pace-setting Tom Ridge.

One of the reasons the Triple Crown has been so difficult to accomplish in recent years for trotters was the length of time from the first to last race. None of this seemed to bother Windsongs Legacy. Not only did he win those three Triple Crown races and all six finals he was in, but his best two races were likely his first and his last. (119 days from first to last of his six finals) When I asked Trond Smedshammer which was his best race, he said he thought the Good Times Final, when he closed strongly to nail a loose Cash Hall right on the money. Personally, I thought it was the final of the Kentucky Futurity, when he took over past the half and held everyone at bay. Either way-those were his first and his last of his SIX finals victories.
The most absurd of the contrarian reasoning-and these people seem to dot the internet chat lines-is that Windsongs Legacy did not race in the Breeders Crown, therefore he shouldn't be HOY. This one is so far off it is maddening. First, the PLAN was to retire the horse if and when he won the Kentucky Futurity. He did and they did.

Second-this is the first time in 32 years we've had a Trotting triple Crown winner-and he couldn't possibly be any more valuable than he was at that exact moment. He had just run the table for the year, and there are some who seem to think he might have been 'ducking' someone. In your wildest dreams, can you imagine Yankee Slide defeating Windsongs Legacy in the Breeders Crown? You can't blame the ownership for being greedy-they could have gone to the Breeders Crown, added several hundred thousand and became the first EVER $2 million-one season trotter, but they didn't. They would have been 1-5 (odds) in the Crown had they raced, won that and made it 7-7. If you have even the slightest idea of what you're looking at out there on the track, Windsongs Legacy could have won this years Breeders Crown with a leg or two tied behind his back. Yankee Slide-at 39-1-was even further proof of that. For this, some people are chastising the owners for not racing in the Crown?? The decision was made BEFORE the Kentucky Futurity to do this, and you saw how he raced sweeping both heats.

Maybe the best way to measure the season of Windsongs Legacy is to look at the duration of his excellence. There were only two horses who faced him in the first AND the sixth final. The Good Times and the Kentucky Futurity. Coventry and Justice Hall. ONLY two. That is a testament to the incredible way that Trond Smedshammer had him primed and ready-for primetime. The rest were literally falling by the wayside throughout, and remember we're talking about a dead serious group of trotters. This years runnerups to Windsongs Legacy included the ONLY freshman ever named Trotter Of The Year (Cantab Hall), and the fastest trotter in the HISTORY of the sport (Tom Ridge). He didn't hand pick any rivals-he just mowed them down.

From June 12-October 9, Windsongs Legacy had a stranglehold over the trotting world, and by the end of this incredible streak, the entire sport of harness racing. When Stanley Dancer, listening by phone to the Kentucky Futurity, congratulated Trond Smedshammer, Stanley was especially happy that Trond drove AND trained the colt.

ALL SEVEN trotting Triple Crown winners were trained AND driven by the same man. In the world of harness racing dominated by catch-drivers, this is nothing short of extraordinary. When Trond crossed the wire first in this years richest trotting event-the Hambletonian, he became just the second driver SINCE Stanley Dancer in 1983 (Duenna) to train AND drive his own horse-Stephan Melander did it in 2001 with Scarlet Knight.

To some of those who love to drag down, to nitpick, to find fault with anything-EVEN a colt who won 6 Finals in the same year, when it had been 32 years since any trotter had won the big 3-this is for you. Yes-Windsongs Legacy was not the fastest of the year. But he was the richest. To quote George C Scott from the 1960 movie The Hustler, "They don't pay you for yardage-after the game they add up who has the most money and that is the winner." I don't see where that has changed.

In summation, here's what we have-a $27,000 yearling that was orphaned early on, bottle fed and basically raised by hand by the Spears family at Hanover Shoe Farms, a colt that more than likely was not on a lot of 'wish-lists' at Harrisburg two years back. A colt who was ordinary at 2 (5 1-0-2 $30,838-1:57.3 at Lexington), and who blossomed into one of the super and great stories of the past decade or two.

A colt driven by a trainer who insisted on handling him himself, even though Brian Sears (2nd leading $$ driver in North America-2004) drove Housethatruthbuilt and Stroke Play for Trond to strong seasons. A colt that had the imposing task of dealing with not one, but three marquee trotters who stood in his path to ONE stakes win, let alone a half dozen. And one whose style was from off the pace, this in an era when every champion you can think of in the past two decades was either a front runner or close to it.

He scoffed at a speed favoring sport, laughed off his humble beginnings, teamed with a 37 Year old Norwegian whose Hambletonian favorite from the year before came up on "E" (Power To Charm), and then proceeded to dominate the heavywieght division of the sport, the division which is traditionally the most fragile, that of sophomore trotters knocking heads at speeds of today not seen by their forefathers.

In 1982, there emerged upon the scene another horse who was outdone by a few others in the time department, and who wasn't on the top of the list for speed numbers. You might remember him-his name was Cam Fella. Its Fritz was the fastest horse that year on ALL size tracks. In their three meetings-guess who won all three-on three DIFFERENT sized tracks? (Blue Bonnets-5/8ths, Yonkers 1/2, Meadowlands mile track) Cam Fella. Cam Fella did something you cannot argue with-no matter the time frame. He won, and continued to do so.

He is to this day the last pacer to repeat as Horse of The Year winning it in both 1982 and 1983. And-he did something that I never would have guessed. He outdid himself-he BETTERED his racing career-in the stud barn. Windsongs Legacy has a lot of Cam Fella in him. Just win baby-or in this case bottle-fed baby-and that's exactly what he did. Early, late and often, against everything thrown in his direction on the biggest stages of all.

And THAT is my final answer-Windsongs Legacy is the 2004 Horse Of The Year.