Odds On Racing - Harness Racing

Odds On Racing's

Trainer of the Month
for December 2008

Brent MacGrath

Brent MacGrath is a part-time Standardbred trainer who is also a car dealer from Nova Scotia. But it's not cars he'll be remembered for, but for the colt that he trained to greatness: Somebeachsomewhere.

Driver Paul MacDonell & trainer Brent MacGrath

MacGrath and driver Paul MacDonell have been friends for more than 25 years, and together this dynamic duo partnered with Somebeachsomewhere for a fairy tale story that ends with a world champion racehorse, and perhaps one of the greatest horses of all time.

"The sun and the stars and the moon all lined up the right way," MacGrath said. "I loved the horse. I’ve seen horses sell for $150,000 that weren’t as good looking as him."

Schooner Stables of Nova Scotia is made up of MacGrath and several auto dealership co-workers and clients, plus one owner of a rival car business.

Somebeachsomewhere was bred by Stephanie Smith-Rothaug of Ohio. He was the only yearling on which MacGrath bid at the 2006 Lexington Selected Sale and MacGrath bought him for $40,000 – which happened to be his spending limit.

The sun and the stars and the moon all lined up the right way," MacGrath said. "I loved the horse. I’ve seen horses sell for $150,000 that weren’t as good looking as him.

Somebeachsomewhere is the fastest 3-year-old in history thanks to his 1:46.4 win in a Bluegrass Stakes division at The Red Mile in Lexington. The time equaled the fastest race mile in history, which was set by Holborn Hanover in 2006. Holborn Hanover was five at the time of his record.

The win in the Breeders Crown final allowed Somebeachsomewhere to pass 2000 Breeders Crown champ and Horse of the Year Gallo Blue Chip for the top spot on the single-season earnings list. Gallo Blue Chip earned $2.42 million in 2000; Beach reached $2.44 million with the victory.

Somebeachsomewhere’s only loss came at the Meadowlands in the final of the Meadowlands Pace. He was beaten by a neck by Art Official in a then-world-record 1:47. Since then, Beach has won nine in a row.

In addition to being the fastest 3-year-old in history, Somebeachsomewhere is the fastest 3-year-old on a half-mile track (1:49.2) and set the record for fastest time by a 2-year-old when he won the Metro Pace last season in 1:49.3.

Somebeachsomewhere was not paid into the Breeders Crown as a two-year-old, when that event was at the Meadowlands in November 2007. His connections planned on only racing him about six starts. They did make the future eligibility payment for him to race in the Crown as a three-year-old.

Brent MacGrath's Career Training Statistics Through December 2, 2008
Year     Starts/Wins/2nds/3rds   Earnings       UTRS
2008      15         14       1       0      $2,448,003      0.970
2007      0           0       0        0      $0 0.000
1996        5        1       3        1      $2,031         0.600
Total                 15                         $2,450,034