Odds On Racing - Harness Racing

Quick Pulse Mindale Back in Action

March 28, 2005

By Kimberly A. Rinker

Quik Pulse Mindale returned to action on March 19 at Balmoral Park, pacing to a sizzling 1:51.2 effort with Tony Morgan at the lines. Trained by Mike Arnold of Beecher for owner Lloyd Arnold (no relation), it was the first start of the year for the four-year-old speedster.

"He’s a much sounder horse this year," Morgan said. "Last year he was so good, but he always had some lameness issues. Over the winter we had a chip removed from an ankle, and that’s really seemed to make a difference with him. He’s straighter and just is so much better. Last year we figured, well, he’s this good and goes with his problem. Now, that the problem is gone, it’s amazing just how much better he really is."

"This horse never ceases to amaze me," Morgan said. "We just wanted him to get around the track in good shape, and to be on both lines and traveling straight. He did that and more, and didn’t have an easy trip."

Quik Pulse Mindale scored his victory over Illinois champion Color Me Best. The gelding’s effort came after he had scored a pair of qualifying efforts at the Crete oval on March 2 and 9th, when he paced in 1:55.3 and 1:56.1 respectively.

Quik Pulse Mindale shown winning here at Balmoral in 2004

"Those qualifiers were just tighteners for his debut," Morgan said. "I really thought he was a bit short going into this first race, but after looking at the fractions that he went, I am just so impressed with him. In between that last qualifier and his start Mike (trainer Arnold) had only trained him 2:18, so that was the reason I thought he’d be short."

If all goes well, Quik Pulse Mindale will vie for just over $5 million in purses this year.

"Last year I was really concerned about him paying for himself," Morgan said. "This year, now that he’s completely sound, we’ll concentrate on making some real money."

Lightly raced at two, Quik Pulse Mindale earned only $20,355, before being purchased privately by Arnold for a six-figure sum. Last year, with Morgan in the sulky for all of his starts, the son of Jenna’s Beach Boy won 12 of 19 starts and earned $702,225.

As a sophomore Quik Pulse Mindale took a record of 1:48 at Balmoral on September 25, 2004, establishing a new track record for three-year-old pacers.

That clocking matched the fastest mile ever by a sophomore pacer (PB Bullville, 2000) in harness history, and it replaced the track standard of 1:49.2 co-held by Big Tom (6/27/98-Joe Anderson) and Blissful Hall (7/31/99-Dale Hiteman).

At three Quik Pulse Mindale also won the $235,000 American National Colt Pace at Balmoral in 1:51.4, and later in the season finished second in the $555,000 Breeders Crown Pace in 1:50.2. Owner Arnold had supplemented the then-sophomore for a mere $62,500 for the Breeders Crown after he won the elimination in 1:51.

He also won the $466,000 Provincial Cup in Canada and the $100,000 Motor City Pace Final in Detroit at age three, and to date has a 15-4-1 record from 24 career starts.

"This horse can be a little lazy and that’s probably his only weakness," Morgan said. "He’s a very smart horse and doesn’t take a lot of hard work, and is pretty easy on himself in a race. He’s a very fast finisher."

Quik Pulse Mindale is now in Canada, where he finished fourth Saturday night in a $55,000 first leg of the Spring Pacing Championship for Morgan, with the second leg set for April 2, and the $117,500 Final set for April 9.