Odds On Racing - Harness Racing

Race Fan Smith's Hambo Hopefull

April 12, 2006

In 2003, Stephen Smith had a taste of Hambletonian hoopla when Garden Spot finished fifth in his elimination but failed to qualify for the final. This year, Smith is setting his sights on the first Saturday in August with a promising three-year-old trotter named Race Fan.
The $1.5 million Hambletonian, harness racing's most coveted prize, will be contested on Saturday, August 5 at the Meadowlands.

"We deal mostly with trotters because it's something that works out better for us," Smith said. "We tried the Hambletonian once a few years ago. We had Garden Spot racing in it, who didn't fare too well. Race Fan is pointed for the same thing. We have a few three-year-olds coming back, but the one we've got all our money banked on is Race Fan."

At two, the son of Yankee Glide won the William Wellwood Final in 1:56.3 at Mohawk and was second in a Reynolds division at Pocono and a Matron elimination at Dover. He made a break at the start of the Matron Final, but did receive a fifth-place check when another horse was disqualified. Smith is planning on a late start this spring with Race Fan.

"I purposely started racing them late," he said, "to keep them back, take it easy with them like Hall of Fame trainer Chuck Sylvester does, try to get them ready for all the big ones. That's what I'm trying with him. I found racing him last year that he had five or six weeks where he was really strong. I'm sure he'll mature to be a little better for a longer period this year, but to campaign all the big ones with an early start, I haven't seen too many of them do it."

Smith ended 2005 with career stats of 233 wins, 251 seconds and 238 thirds. His $1.7 million bankroll was second only to his 2004 total of $1.8 million. The 45-year-old Boston native is a regular force in the Freehold driving colony and a steady presence at the Meadowlands. Although Smith has had his ups and downs, nearly $3 million of his $12.8
career total was earned at the Meadowlands.

"It's worked out well at Freehold," Smith said. "I have plenty of work every day, some live mounts. I'm still trying to get rolling up here at the Meadowlands."

Smith first came to the Meadowlands in 1997 for what he figured would be a six-week campaign with the precocious two-year-old pacer Shady Character, whom Smith purchased as a yearling for owner Sandy Goldfarb. Those six weeks turned into a decision to move to New Jersey. Shady Character earned $155,000 as a freshman for Smith, then moved into Brett Pelling's barn for his sophomore season, where he reached $1 million in earnings.