Odds On Racing - Harness Racing

Red Bow Tie was one of the gutsiest laterally gaited Standardbreds of the late 1990s and early New Century. The son of Raging Glory paced the then-fastest mile by a three-year-old in 1997, with a 1:50 clocking en route to winning a $20,000 open pace for three-year-olds. Early in the season Red Bow Tie established himself as a top contender for the Meadowlands Pace.

"He's just not one of the glamour horses," trainer Joe Holloway said of Red Bow Tie, who won a division of the Burlington Stakes on May 31 of that year. "But I think you've seen the real horse in this Burlington."

In 1998 Red Bow Tie kicked off The Meadowland's meeting, winning in 1:50.3 on opening night for driver John Campbell. He returned on Janauary 3 to win in 1:51.2 in the opening leg of the Presidential Series. He would go on to win the Breeders Crown Open Pace that same year in 1:50.1.

In 1999, Red Bow Tie was scratched from the Pacing Classic and after his owners had plunked down the $50,000 supplemental fee had to the Breeders Crown due to a bout of colic. He was sent to the New Bolton Equine Center in Pennsylvania and then returned after a 29-day layoff to win his Crown title easily in 1:50.

The post draw put Red Bow Tie on the rail, and he was the definitive favorite at post-time. After the first Crown event had produced a 108-1 winner, the chalk players were looking for relief. They got it as soon as Red Bow Tie cleared the pace-setting Color Me Best just before the half in :54.4. Once driver Luc Ouellette put Red Bow Tie on the lead, the battle was joined. Color Me Best came back at him and the pair paced for the glory down the stretch with Red Bow Tie's lead diminishing as the track unrolled. Ouellette had the finish line measured and waved his whip in triumph, knowing no one could catch him.

The Crown win was the second Crown trophy for the Marfisi/Gelrod stable, who sent Red Bow Tie postward in 1998 as well. Though Red Bow Tie continued to race and win after the Crown, he suffered a minor injury that cut short his year.

Red Bow Tie's Career Statistics
Year   Starts/Wins/2nds/3rds   Earnings    Age/Record  Track & Date of Record
2002    14        2      3      2           $48,595      8, 1:50.4M      M 04/20/2002
2001    19        2      2      5           $110,860      7, 1:50.3M      M 05/12/2001
2000     17        5      4      0           $288,802      6, 1:50.3M      GSP 09/02/2000
1999     16        9      1     0           $818,250      5, 1:48.2M      M 06/25/1999
1998     30        17    4      2           $839,137      4, 1:49.1M      M 06/20/1998
1997     23        12    4      1           $438,800      3, 1:50.0M      M 06/28/1997
1996     17        12   2      1           $129,476      2, 1:52.3F      PPk 10/18/1996
Total    136      59   18     16          $2,673,920 5, 1:48.2M