Odds On Racing - Harness Racing

Odds On Racing's

Trainer of the Month
for December 2011

Jim Morand

Ontario native Jim Morand has been working around horses all of his life, and he was introduced to the Standardbred business through his stepfather Gerry Bookmyer.

Jim Morand

At the age of 15, Morand began to prepare for a career in harness racing. He took his training very seriously. He enrolled in a work study program in his junior and senior years of high school so that he could attend classes in the morning, and then work at the track in the afternoon.

“I started grooming and helping Gerry in the paddock with his horses. I watched him and learned a lot,” Jim said.

Morand’s future looked promising from the start. He won the Ohio Harness Horsemen’s
Association Youth Driving Championship in 1981, and he also gained considerable experience on the Ohio fair circuit. He received the chance to prove himself at Northfield Park in 1983. Unfortunately, it was through Bookmyer’s misfortune.

“It was opening night,” Morand said, “and I had just gotten my ‘A’ license. Gerry got kicked out of the bike and suffered a separated shoulder.”

Morand took over the stable and challenged top Northfield reinsman Don Irvine, Jr. for the dash title. In the fall of that same year, Morand made the move to Rosecroft along with several other Ohio horsemen. He received many drives from transplanted Buckeye trainers Garry Martin and Doug Hinklin. Morand did quite well at Rosecroft over the next two decades, frequently finishing at or near the top of the driver’s standings.

Morand’s best horse over the years was Kiev Hanover. They were in the national spotlight in
the fall of 1990 when the sensational sophomore pacing colt scored two upsets of Horse of
the Year Beach Towel in a one month span.

Morand’s first drive ever on Kiev Hanover was in an elimination for the Messenger Stakes at
Rosecroft. The result was a 1:53 victory over Beach Towel and Jake And Elwood. A month later at Lexington, Kiev Hanover scored a 1:50.1 triumph over Beach Towel in the $130,000 Bluegrass Stake. In between those two starts the pair finished third in the Messenger Final; won the $39,100 Bret Hanover at Northfield Park; captured an elimination of the Little Brown Jug in 1:55.2, while finishing third in the final; and won an elimination of the Tattersalls Pace at Lexington, again finishing third in the final. Kiev Hanover and Morand also combined to win their $150,000 division of the Cleveland Classic in mid October at Northfield.

These days Jim, 45, spends the majority of his time on the Delaware circuit of Dover Downs and Harrington Raceway, and last fall scored his 8,000 career win, ranking him No. 17 in lifetime wins among all North American drivers in history.

“I thought 3,000 was an accomplishment,” Morand said. “After that, I had a lot of good horses to drive and a lot of good trainers to drive for and they just kept adding up.” He added with a chuckle, “I’ve been doing it for a while, too.”

Morand’s top season for wins was in 1997, with 469. The total was good enough to rank sixth in North America that year. From 1991 through 1998, he was a fixture among the top 15 drivers each season. In his career, horses driven by Morand have won $52.3 million.

“I’ve had a good time so far,” said Morand. “You have to have good trainers and good horses to drive. I’ve driven some good horses. Everything has worked out good.”

In recent years, Morand, the father of three children ages 9 and under, has cut back somewhat on his schedule. He has started owning more horses, including Delaware standout Juanita.

“I try not to travel as much as I did, so owning horses can help make up the slack,” Morand said. “I like staying close to home with the kids now.”

Keepin The Faith, Hostile Takeover, Shipps Fella, Super Speedy, Sleep Talk, Trimtex, Gingin Hanover, Miss Debbies Best, Run The Gauntlet, Armbro Keepsake, Pine Chip, Lovin Yankee, Courteous Mark, Happy Sunbird, Hi Lan Tye, Lifestyler, Nick’s Fantasy, Armbro Monarch, Mark Wight, Nostopinhernow, Presidential Lady, G H Tungsten, Under Your Spell, Jimmy’s Lost Buddy, He’s In Charge, K F Pro Sam, Nuclear Folks, Buddha Baby, Next Flight, He’s Personal, and Valerin K are other top horses that captured stakes events with Morand in the sulky.