Harness Racing Museum & Hall of Fame

ALWAYS B MIKI FILLIES AGAIN DOMINATE IN POCONO'S WEISS SERIES by Jerry Connors for PHHA / Pocono (Curtis Salonick) WILKES-BARRE PA A pair of Always B Miki sophomore pacing fillies, So Irresistible and Incaseyoudidntknow, came right back to run their Bobby Weiss Series records to 2-for-2 with tallies in their respective $17,500 second preliminary legs Monday afternoon at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono. ... So Irresistible came with an uncovered sweep on the second turn to grab command early in the backstretch, pacing out her own back half in :54.3 to stop the timer at 1:53, a length ahead of 35-1 shot Beach Crazy. Scott Zeron was again behind the Bruce Saunders trainee as she remained perfect in three seasonal starts for owners Charles and Julie Nash. Incaseyoudidntknow became the fifth nose winner within a span of nine races at Pocono when she outdueled 28-1 shot Carrington after that one had gotten to equal terms with her in the Pocono Pike, with another first-week winner, Milieu Hanover, settling for third in the 1:53.1 mile. Marcus Miller, a three-time winner on the day, kept the career winner of 6-of-7 starts alive late to win for trainer Les Givens and owners James Magno and Joseph Fonte. The Weiss subtheme of chalk defeats longshot also played out in the other series cut, as the Roll With Joe filly Roll On Mama made a successful debut for owner/trainer Gilbert Garcia-Herrera. The 8-5 chalk defeated 15-1 shot Baci Baci by 1 lengths in taking a new mark of 1:53.1 under the guidance of George Napolitano Jr. Also deserving mention is Toronto, another Always B Miki offspring, a sophomore colt out of double champion See You At Peelers. Toronto sped his individual back half in :54.2 brushing to the lead heading to the three-quarters for driver Tyler Buter and then breaking his maiden in 1:52.2 in just his second lifetime start. Robert Cleary conditions this talented individual for Royal Wire Products Inc. Anthony Napolitano was star driver of the day with four visits to Pocono’s Victory Lane. Tuesday’s 12:30 card will feature the second Weiss prelim round for sophomore trotting fillies, going in three $17,500 divisions. The only one of the first week’s three winners coming back on Tuesday, the Chapter Seven miss Trip Sevens, could be very tough to deny in her tenth race cut. Program pages will be available at https://www.phha.org/downsmsppps.html.

Tyler Miller is making his own way April 12, 2021, by Rich Fisher, USTA Web Newsroom Senior Correspondent (Chris Tully photos) Trenton, NJ In any profession that takes place in the public arena, an offspring trying to follow in their famous parents’ footsteps usually has advantages and disadvantages, such as the pressure of living up to their predecessors’ accomplishments....Continue reading

2nd race Trotters behind the gate at Monticello.

TOP ME OFF, HOOLIE N HECTOR 2-FOR-2 IN POCONO WEISS SERIES by Jerry Connors for PHHA / Pocono (Curtis Salonick photo) WILKES-BARRE PA The impressive Top Me Off is now 2-for-2 in the Bobby Weiss Trotting Series for sophomore trotting males after winning in 1:57.1 over a good track Sunday at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono, with Hoolie N Hector joining him with two Weiss wins after a 1:57.4 clocking in his division, all four of which carried a purse of $17,500. ... The Bar Hopping ridgling Top Me Off showed his maneuverability in this week’s Weiss event, for after racing in front in his previous two 2021 starts trainer/driver Todd Schadel raced him in the pocket behind his fair circuit foe of last year, Killer Instinct. Come the stretch, though, Schadel right-lined his three-year-old, and he went right on by for his ninth win in 19 lifetime starts. Todd’s wife Christine owns the swift youngster along with Rick and Regina Beinhauer. The Muscles Yankee gelding Hoolie N Hector was let go at 19-1 when he won last week, but this time the crowd sent him off as the favorite, and the trotter rewarded their insight, sweeping wide on the final turn for Anthony Napolitano to win going away over the off going for trainer Andrew Adamczyk and owner Joseph Meaney. Fastest Weiss winner on the card was the Credit Winner gelding Credit Con, and technically you could say that he too is undefeated in the series and the season since his 1:57 victory came in his first start in seven months minus a day. Tyler Buter coaxed enough out of the 11-1 shot to record the triumph and a new mark for trainer Todd Buter and owner Lee Sitto. Ceffyl Dwr got a big second quarter breather on the lead, and then scooted home in successive quarters of :29 to win his Weiss section in 1:57.1. Named after a water horse in Welsh folklore, Ceffyl Dwr may have had an advantage over the wet going as he posted a lifetime best for driver Jackie Ingrassia and trainer/husband Frank Ingrassia; Jackie also shares in the ownership with Donna Franchetti and Thomas Doran. George Napolitano Jr. followed up a five-bagger on the Saturday card with four more victories on Sunday. Weiss Series competition carries on during the Monday afternoon card at Pocono, with three sections carded for the second prelim for pacing fillies, and the middle contest matching first-week winners So Irresistible and Milieu Hanover is perhaps the most competitive. Post time for the Monday card at the Downs is 12:30 p.m.; program pages will be available at https://www.phha.org/downsmsppps.html.

STRAIGHT TALK, MAD MAN HILL REPEAT IN WEISS SERIES by Jerry Connors for PHHA / Pocono (Curtis Salonick photo) WILKES-BARRE PA Straight Talk and Mad Man Hill are now 2-for-2 in the Bobby Weiss Series for sophomore pacing males after four $17,500 second round prelims were held Saturday afternoon at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono. ... Straight Talk was one of two Sweet Lou-sired winners trained by Ron Burke to take Weiss divisions; the colt left the field behind with a :26.4 third split under the direction of Matt Kakaley en route to taking a lifetime best of 1:51.4 for Burke Racing Stable LLC and Weaver Bruscemi LLC, William Switala and James Martin. The other Burke Brigade member to win was the gelding Emblaze Hanover, who bounced back from a break in the first leg to also reduce his mark to 1:51.4 for driver Joe Bongiorno and the partnership of Burke Racing Stable LLC, Dr. Bridgette Jablonsky, Jason Melillo, and J&T Silva- Purnel & Libby. The Somebeachsomewhere colt Mad Man Hill, the only Weiss chalk to get home first, is perfect after two trips behind the gate this year as he came home in :55.4 to tie his mark of 1:52.4 for driver George Napolitano Jr., who had five winners on the card, trainer Chris Ryder, and owner Tom Hill. The fastest Weiss winner was the American Ideal colt Trevor’s Ace, who lowered his speed badge by four seconds as he impressed in 1:51 for driver Jason Bartlett, trainer Jean Drolet, and the ownership of Stephen Schneider, Bill Siegel, and Marthe Drolet. Babes Dig Me recorded the fastest mile of the season at Pocono when he posted a lifetime 1:49.4 best as he joined up with trainer Darren Taneyhill and owner Eric Provost after a claim. Jim Pantaleano sent the pacer zooming to the lead late on the backstretch around hard-used frontenders and had no problem in the latter stages. Another non-Weiss race deserves mention because it created some unusual numeric situations. Rockin Inthe Hills, who had been placed first at a $174.00 win mutuel two starts back, again didn’t get much respect in his first start after a claim by trainer Dan Maier and he came up the inside to win in 1:51.2 and return $51.80, becoming the first horse to pay $50+ twice this year. Also, the four-year-old American Rebel became the largest-priced claim in Pocono history, as owner William Emmons gave $50,000 to lead him back to the barn after the race. In all, twelve claims during the card produced $316,000 changing hands, sending the seasonal claiming total over $5 million via 275 transactions. (This was card 24.) The trotting males take over the Weiss spotlight for Sunday’s twilight card, with four $17,500 divisions of their second preliminary round. Post time Sunday is 5 p.m.; program pages will be available at https://www.phha.org/downsmsppps.html.

2021 Stallion Breeding Auction to Benefit the Harness Racing Museum & Hall of Fame The Harness Racing Museum & Hall of Fame has an outstanding list of stallions for this year’s breeding auction. The complete list of the 2021 stallions, along with conditions and bidding form has been posted at www.harnessmuseum.com under the Fundraising tab or CLICK HERE: https://harnessmuseum.com//2021%20Stallion%20Auction%20Ad%... To date the list of stallions includes Always A Virgin, Andover Hall, Art Director, Artiscape, Artspeak, Betting Line, Boston Red Rocks, Captain Ahab, Credit Winner, Domethatagain, Don’t Let’Em, Fool Me Once, Glidemaster, Helpisontheway, Heston Blue Chip, JK Endofanera, Let’s Drink On It, Lost In Time, Manningly, Mister Big, My MVP, New Jersey Viking, Possess The Will, Racing Hill, Royal Mattjesty, Somestarsomewhere, So Surreal, Sportswriter, Stevensville, Stormin Normand, Triumphant Caviar, Well Said, Western Vintage, We Will See and World of Rocknroll. We want to thank those of you who have donated breedings. If you have a breeding, or know someone not using a breeding, and want to donate to this important fundraiser please contact Joanne as soon as possible. This list will be updated as additional breedings are donated please check the Museum website under the Fundraising tab. Bids must be called in (Joanne at 845-294-6330), emailed ([email protected]) or postmarked (Harness Racing Museum, 240 Main St., Goshen NY 10924) by Saturday, February 13, 2021. Any breedings not receiving successful bids may still be available after that date.

GD WESTERN JOE DOMINANT IN MIAMI VALLEY OPEN LEBANON, OH. Despite ducking to the back of the pack from an assigned outside post position, razor sharp GD Western Joe circled the entire field to win Miami Valley’s $22,000 Open Pace on Saturday (Jan. 16), his fourth win at the head of the class to go with one runnerup finish in his last five starts. After leaving the gate for good early position in his last six starts, driver Chris Page implemented a different strategy in t...his outing. Starting a length off the gate, Page guided the six-year-old son of Real Desire to the pylons trailing all eight of his adversaries when the quarter was reached by favored Stars Align A (Dan Noble) in :26.2. Sensing a rapid pace, Page was content to keep his charge in arrears past the halfway juncture in :55.1. It wasn’t until the field was nearing the 1:23.1 three quarter mark that GD Western Joe was moved into the outer flow. Moving wider and wider around the final turn, Page was five wide as the stretch drive got underway. When the early fractions took their toll on Stars Align N a cavalry charge to the wire ensued. GD Western Joe prevailed in 1:52, followed by Tivo Hanover (Kayne Kauffman) and The Dark Shadow (Trevor Smith). The winner, trained by Ron Burke, paid $8.40. A $2 exacta was worth $49.40, a 50-cent trifecta returned $97.10, and a correct 10-cent Buckeye High 5 ducat returned $1,263.43. Five $22,500 divisions of the final preliminary leg of the Claim To Fame series for $20,000 horses and geldings determined the finalists for next week’s $32,500 championship tilt. Saturday winners were Ron’s EOM (Trace Tetrick, 1:51.3, $9), Jet Rock (Tyler Smith, 1:52.2, $3.60), Cyclone Kiwi N (Tetrick, 1:52.4, $4.20), Polak A (Tetrick, 1:53, $10.20) and Townline Flight (Josh Sutton, 1:53.3, $6). Repeat winners Jet Rock and Townline Flight tied for the most series earnings and will be joined in the final by Dubious Claim, Polak A, Windsun Gotham, Ron’s EOM, Absolut Rocks and Jeremes General.

DUNN WINS 4 AT BIG M AFTER BEING NAMED DRIVER OF THE YEAR By Dave Little, Meadowlands Media Relations (Lisa photo) EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ Before the start of Saturday night’s card at The Meadowlands, driver Dexter Dunn was named the United States Harness Writers Association’s Driver of the Year for a second consecutive season in a virtual Dan Patch Awards ceremony that the entire sport could view on the internet or at any simulcast venue.... Then Dunn went out and showed why that considerable amount of hardware sits on his mantle. The 31-year-old New Zealand product, whose 131 wins during 2020 led all Big M drivers, registered four scores on the 15-race program after winning three on Friday to seize control of the top of the Meadowlands’ standings with 15 victories in the early stages of the Winter-Spring-Championship Meeting. Dunn scored with 4-5 favorite Some Chapter in the opener, a high-end conditioned trot, and followed that up by guiding 7-1 shot On Accident to the winner’s circle in the third in a low-end conditioned pace. Thndrfrmthethron N, the 9-5 second choice, was winner No. 3 in another low-end conditioned pace in the fourth, before Dunn capped his grand slam with 3-2 public choice Italian Delight N in a mid-range conditioned pace in the eighth. HANDLE TOPS $3 MILLION AGAIN: For a fourth consecutive Saturday, all-source wagering surpassed $3.4 million, as a total of $3,458,896 was put in play. Over the last four Saturdays, betting at The BIg M has totaled $15,386,226, an average per card of $3,846,556 at the industry’s handle leader. THARPS IS THE KING: Backers of provisional driver Devon Tharps may not have known that the 27-year-old Ohio native who works for Tony Alagna had never won a pari-mutuel race in his previous 52 tries, and when the second race was over, those who bet him didn’t care either way. Tharps guided Acting Out to a victory from off the pace in the Martin Luther King Remembrance Race, an event that pays tribute to the civil rights leader that features African-American drivers. Tharps and Acting Out were fifth at the three-quarter-mile mark before pacing home in :28.3 to upset the field of $12,500 claimers at odds of 9-1, returning $21.60 to win after completing the mile in 1:54.4. A LITTLE MORE: Shnitzledosomethin worked out a perfect pocket trip and took the featured $22,500 high-end conditioned pace in 1:49.4 for trainer Dylan Davis and driver Corey Callahan. The 12-1 outsider returned $26.80 to his backers in upping his win streak to three. Callahan finished the night with three winners. If you missed the Dan Patch Awards show, you can see it from start to finish by going to The Meadowlands YouTube channel. Racing resumes Friday at 6 p.m.

2020 DAN PATCH AWARDWINNING RACEHORSES ANNOUNCED -- TALL DARK STRANGER IS HORSE OF THE YEAR Harrisburg, PA --- Tall Dark Stranger, a 3-year-old male pacer who was harness racing’s lone millionaire last season, cashed in on his winning ways Saturday when he was named 2020 Horse of the Year by the U.S. Harness Writers Association. Trained by Nancy Takter and driven by Yannick Gingras, Tall Dark Stranger won 11 of 13 races and $1.30 million last year. He also was named Pacer of...Continue reading

THEY ARE HERE!! The 2021 Standardbred Stars Calendar is our seventh edition of the popular showcase of Harness Racing's brightest during the past Grand Circuit season. It features exclusive Chris Tully photographs of Tall Dark Stranger, Ramona Hill, Party Girl Hill, Manchego, Bettor's Wish, and many more!... Of course, all current Harness Racing Museum members get a copy mailed to them FREE...which should go out on Friday, Dec. 11. Online customers can purchase and receive before Christmas if they act NOW !!! (click link below). Supports the Museum and makes a GREAT GIFT! The RETAIL price for this popular item is $10.00, however, we have reduced the ONLINE price to $7.00, therefore, with the $7.95 shipping & handling fees added, the total cost is just $14.95. https://harnessmuseum.com//2021-standardbred-stars-calendar

Congratulations to all the connections of the E. Roland Harriman Harness Horse of the Year for 2020...TALL DARK STRANGER

Sharing the bedding.

RAMONA HILL beat the boys to win the $1,000,000 Hambletonian. The 2-5 favorite became just the 15th filly to win the signature event in its 95-year history. The 1:50.1 clocking equaled the stakes mark set by her sire Muscle Hill in 2009. Ramona Hill won 6 races in 10 seasonal starts, and earned over $915,000. She was trained by Tony Alagna for owners Brad Grant, Crawford Farms Racing, Robert LeBlanc and In The Gym Parnters. She was also bred by Crawford Farms. The month... of August 2021 in our Standardbred Stars Calendar is sponsored by the Hambletonian Society. To order your copy, click this link: https://harnessmuseum.com//2021-standardbred-stars-calendar

Dan Patch Awards Virtual Presentation --- starting at 5 pm

Breeder, owner, gambler Seth Rosenfeld has had a rich life in the game

GD Western Joe,Cops Open; Brett Miller Wins Six GD Western Joe wins the $18,400 Open Pace at Hollywood Dayton in 1:50.2, eclipsing the $100,000 earnings plateau for the third consecutive season. Conrad photo DAYTON, OH. - A pair of ultra-consistent performers shared the spotlight at Hollywood Dayton Raceway on Saturday (Dec. 12). One was GD Western Joe who won the $18,400 Open Pace in 1:50.2. The other was driver Brett Miller, who notched six victories on the card to in...crease his meet leading total to 113. Driver Chris Page wrestled GD Western Joe into the two-hole behind Tellmeaboutit (Tyler Smith), last week's winner, in the early going. The 5-year-old son of Real Desire was on the iron as the field approached the :27.2 first quarter station, however, so Page opted to quarter move back to the front with the 6-5 favorite. With the field content to race single file, Page and GD Western Joe cruised past the halfway beam in :55.2, then sped up when Tivo Hanover (Kayne Kauffman) mounted a charge down the backstretch prompting a :27 flat third panel. It took a :28 final quarter for GD Western Joe to hold off Tellmeaboutit, who had shadowed the winner throughout and mounted a mild stretch challenge. With the triumph GD Western Joe raised his 2020 earnings to $108,849, surpassing the $107,615 he banked in 2019. His career bounty now stands at $549,800. Brett Miller has widened his lead in the dash derby to 29 with just a dozen programs left in the meet. Jeremy Smith is second in the current meet standings with 84 victories, while Josh Sutton has scored 83 wins. Miller triumphed on Saturday with the trotter Air Assault (1:57, $3.40), and pacers Fox Valley Hustler (1:52.3, $3), Major Nemesis (1:52.4, $18.20), Loutenant (1:52.1, $4.80), Outspoken Man (1:54.2, $8.40) and Classy Hill (1:54.2, $18.20). At his current pace, Miller will surpass the $1 million purse earnings plateau by the end of the year.

STALLION BREEDING AUCTION - TODAY’S FEATURED STUD Betting Line p, 3,1:47.2f ($1,879,061)) Bettor's Delight - Heather's Western by Western Hanover Brown Horse, foaled 2013 | 15-1 Hands Standing at Hanover Shoe Farms, PA: 2021 Stud Fee: $7,500... In 2020 Betting Line ranked 4th among 2-Year-Old Pacing Money Winning Sires with $1,403,573 earned and an amazing 93 starters form 119 foals. Betting Line's freshman performers was led by Abukabett Hanover p, 2,1:50.3 ($162,335) (12 starts-4-1-2) Winner of Pennsylvania Sire Stakes, Metro Elimination, Nassagweya Stakes, and Champlain Stakes. Other notable freshman performers include: Paulas Bet Hanover (filly) p,2,1:55.1 ($128,445) (11 starts-1-2-5) 2nd in Matron Stakes, 3rd in Great Lady and Breeders Crown Elimination. Darby Hanover (filly) p,2,1:52.4f ( $110,150) (10 starts-5-2-2) Winner of John Simpson Memorial Division, Keystone Classic, and The Stallion Series. 2nd in The Stallion Series and PA All Stars. 3rd in Matron Stakes and PASS. Let’er Buck (filly) p,2,1:53.4f ($102,532) (11 starts-3-1-1) Winner of Liberty Bell and PASS. 3rd in John Simpson Memorial Division. BETTING LINE was a World Champion performer. At 2, winner Ontario Sires S. - Super Final at Woodbine, Champlain S., leg Ontario Sires S. - Gold at Mohawk (2), elim. Metro S.; second in Final Metro S., leg Ontario Sires S. - Gold at Mohawk; third in elim. Breeders Crown at Woodbine. At 3, winner elim. and Final North America Cup, Final Battle Of The Brandywine P., Carl Milstein Mem., Little Brown Jug, Ontario Sires S. - Super Final at Mohawk, Simcoe S., leg Ontario Sires S. - Gold at Georgian, Mohawk (3), Somebeachsomewhere P.

ANA AFREET N COMES IN AS FOG ROLLS OUT AT BIG M By Dave Little, Meadowlands Media Relations EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ On a Saturday evening that looked more like a scene out of the Stephen King novel The Mist than a night at the races, Ana Afreet N came blazing out of the pocket to gun down American History in the $28,000 Preferred Handicap for pacers at The Meadowlands....Continue reading

Legendary Meadowlands executive Joe DeFrank dead at 87 Hall of Famer Joe DeFrank died peacefully Saturday (Dec.12). He was 87. DeFrank had been in failing health for some time and was in hospice care at home in New Jersey.... The announcement was made on Facebook by DeFrank?s daughter, Michelle Goudreau. DeFrank, who was inducted into the Harness Racing Hall of Fame in 1994, is perhaps best known as the first director of racing at The Meadowlands when it opened in 1976 - remaining in that position throughout the track's golden period. He introduced the Meadowlands Pace, the sport's first million-dollar race and the Woodrow Wilson, which grew to a purse of more than $2 million. DeFrank was also instrumental in bringing the Hambletonian to the Meadowlands, as well as convincing numerous star horsepeople - Hall of Famers John Campbell and Ray Remmen among them - to relocate to New Jersey to race at The Big M. When Garden State Park opened in 1985,DeFrank was appointed racing secretary in addition to his responsibilities at the Meadowlands. A biography on the Harness Racing Museum's website (link below) said DeFrank: "became addicted to harness racing as a youngster at Batavia Downs, near his home in Holly, NY. There he met his mentor and long-time friend Don D'Andrea, who later recommended to 1985 Hall of Famer Jim Lynch that DeFrank be given a chance as an assistant in the race office at Hilliards Raceway, Ohio in 1956. Four years later DeFrank had already taken entries at Baltimore Raceway, Green Mountain Park, Grandview, Northfield, The Meadows, Painesville, Windsor, Freehold, Brandywine and Ponce DeLeon." The Meadowlands followed and cemented DeFrank's legend in the annals of the sport. FULL BIO: https://harnessmuseum.com/content/joe-defrank