Odds On Racing - Harness Racing

Vivid Photo and his trainer-driver Roger Hammer have become the epitome of what dreams are made of in harness racing. The ever-modest Roger and his striking brown gelding have taken harness racing's trotting ranks by storm in 2005 after having a somewhat non-descript freshman season.

At three, Vivid Photo's career really took off, beginning when he scored a winning 1:57 effort at the Poconos on April 29 with Roger at the lines. He then secored ten straight wins, beginning on May 21, including a Pennsylvania Sires Stakes in 1:56.4, a Tomkin-Geers at Scioto in 1:55, and his $100,000 Hambletonin elimination in 1:53.2.

His biggest triumph came on August 6 at The Meadowlands, when he captured the $1.5 million Hambletonian for Hammer, stopping the clock in 1:52.3, besting rival and favored Classic Photo in a much-anticipated stretch duel. After his Hambo victory he returned to his home track at the Meadows to win a $33,996 PASS event in 1:57.3. His winning streak was snapped, however, in a re-match with his rival Classic Photo in the $150,000 American National Three-year-Old Trot on August 27 at Balmoral Park. The gutsy gelding attempted to steal the race with a pace-setting front end effort, but got bested by the other "Photo" in the final yards of the event.

"It's no shame to finish second in here," Hammer said afterward his American National race. "You can't win every race, and tonight I tried a different strategy and it just didn't work out. He still put in a great effort. I put a grab on his (Vivid Photo) shoes for this race and I probably shouldn’t have changed him.   It effected his gait a little bit and he started hitting his shins as a result. The track was pretty deep too and that didn’t help us."

"Coming to the wire I just turned his head loose and got after him a little bit," Hammer said. "I figured at that point that I didn’t have anything to lose. I wanted to be on the front end early in the race. As it was Classic Photo laid back and was able to get to us at the wire."

Vivid Photo was foaled at Maryland's Winbak Farm, an inquisitive youngster who grew into an impressive yearling. His dam, Miss Garland, took a five-year-old record of 2:00f and earned $91,356 during her racing career. Vivid Photo is her fourth foal and has half-siblings in: Here To Impress (by Program Speed) a 1999 foal who took a freshman record of 2:02 and earned $21,143; Good Lookingirl (by Giant Hit) a seven-race winning mare who earned $154,088 with a mark of 4,Q,1:59.4; JJ's Pad (by Donerail) 3, Q1:57.2, a two-race winner of $11,444 in 2005. Vivid Photo also has a yearling sister by Giant Hit named New Royalty.

Vivid Photo's Lifetime Statistics Through September 1, 2005
Year Starts/Wins/2nds/3rds  Money Won   Record/Time/Track   Record Date
2005     14       11       2      0       $896,572         3, 1:52.3M       M          08/06/2005
2004      6       4      1     0         $19,819          2, 2:02.2F       RCR       06/24/2004
Total    20      15       3                $916,391         3, 1:52.3M

To view our previous drivers of the month from 2004 and 2005, go to the About Harness Racing Tab at the top of this page and scroll down to our Famous Driver Roster.