Quick note to congratulate the connections of Mr. Feelgood, the upset winner of the Interdominion Final Saturday evening.  Hoping to get some video of the win soon.

Also must add that Auckland Reactor finished last in the race, a huge dissappointment to the great pacer and his connections.

More details will come as posted.

Saturday night was especially sweet for Angela Harness, the 22-year old from Beaver, Ohio with a name very fitting for a standardbred driver, as she guided Rif Raf Star to victory in the Mildred Williams Driving Series at Pompano Park.

The victory was the first par-mututel win for the 22-year old Harness, who clocked the win in 1:56.2.

Expect more down the road from harness, and for more on the story click here.

Las Vegas, NV - Today marked the official opening of panel discussion at the 2009 HTA/TRA Racing Congress at the Bellagio Resort and Conference Center in Las Vegas, and differing views on live attendance at racetracks were abound.

In his opening remarks, Hugh Mitchell of Harness Tracks of America warned that “serious changes to the status quo” are needed now to save the industry, a theme that has echoed throughout the Congress.

“Availability of the signal is a good thing and a bad thing” in regards to live attendance at racetracks stated Phil Langley, President of the United States Trotting Association and standardbred owner. “I am typical of a lot of owners” stated Langley, who admitted that the distribution of the signal has allowed him to attend less live racing, instead watching more racing on television and mobile devices.

While big events still draw many to racing, these should only be part of the equation cautioned Dennis Robinson, President and CEO of the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority, and former executive of the National Basketball Association. “Big (NBA) events sell…but big events are only one small part of their business model,” said Robinson. Robinson urged that racing must move past selling itself on the big events, and make each and every day of racing important, just as the NBA has done.

Robinson discussed a several areas where racing could learn from other sports, including fantasy sports, which Robinson explained “actively engage the fans by creating an emotional bond to the sport.”

Lee Amaitis, President of Cantor Gaming, agreed, but cautioned that live attendance is not enough. Our game is a bet, and we have to make sure that we bring more players and add more people to the seats that will bet,” warned Amaitis. “If people don’t put money through the windows, we cannot afford to sustain the game.”

The 2009 HTA/TRA Racing Congress continues through tomorrow, and is highlighted tonight by the Night of Stars Dinner, honoring the owners of the Champion Harness Horses of 2008 and other racing dignitaries. For continued reports from the Congress, please check back to the USHarnessRacing blog at usharnessracing.harnessracingblog.com, and for up-to-the-minute accounts from the Congress please subscribe to the Twitter feed at http://twitter.com/usharnessracing

As I overhear conversations regarding incorporation in Delaware, a trip back from the Super Bowl by a couple of friends, and a craftsman speaking on his exceptional trade of shining shoes, all while constantly being reminded overhead that the current threat level is Orange, I cannot help but think that the upcoming days are going to be interesting.  No doubt I am at an airport, Tucson International Airport to be exact, and I am headed to Vegas for the HTA/TRA Congress at the Bellagio Hotel and Casino.

I have been honored with the blessing and support of Harnesslink.com to bring the happenings of the Congress to people around the world.  If you are unfamiliar with the meeting, you can find a complete schedule of the events at the Harness Tracks of America website, or by following this direct link to the PDF copy of the agenda.

Feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns over the next few days, and if there is a burning question from a harness or thoroughbred fan that you think should be addressed I will attempt to do so, and check back to the blog where I will attempt to update the blog as often as possible.

Many around The Meadowlands the last few days might have been thinking like television network executives, because it seemed to be Sweeps Week around The Big M.

Sweeps action started on Thursday night, where Diamond Hunter grabbed career win #14 with a sweep of the Super Bowl Series, a lower-tier early season conditioned series for trotters, producing mild upset as Diamond Hunter came home in 1:56.2 to take the $67,500 final.

In the co-feature for the strong Thursday night card, the sweeps trend began to take shape as Orphan Annie paced home in 1:53.2 to take the $53,000 White Ruffles Final for driver Yannick Gingras and trainer Ron Burke.  The win over  Erv Miller-trained entry of Tammibest and Thong Song gave Orphan Annie her 8th win in 20 starts.

The action continued on a big Saturday night card at The Bi M.  While the previous 2 sweeps involved mild upsets, there was nobody upsetting Dave Miller and Rocknroll Band, who who edged out second choice Oliver Cleo in the $94,600 Clyde Hirt Stake Final for a sweep of the series.  The win gives Rocknroll Band 11 wins in 35 starts, and the pacer has now amassed $164,839 in career earings.

The sweeps kept coming two races later as heavy favorite Allamerican Idol and driver Brian Sears took an early lead and held on to take the $72,500 final in The Complex Series, a conditioned stakes series for 5YO and under pacers, coming home in a strong 1:51.2.

Finally, the big story of the weekend was in the $125,000 final of the Presidential Series, where Winback Speed and driver Ron Pierce battled early and often only to hold off George Brennan and Western Shore by a neck for the win.  The 1:51.2 win gave Winback Speed his 4th straight win, and gave Pierce his 5th Presidential Series crown.

The win was especially pleasing for Delaware-based trainer Wayne Givens and Niel Gargiulo, who picked up Winback Speed as a $30,000 claim in January of last year.  That turned out to be quite an investment, the pacer hit the board in 17 of 30 starts in 2008, winning seven races and $173,080 through the year.

Looks like the top horses are dominating the early year series, but expect alot more out of the other contenders as 2009 heads to February…

USHarnessRacing would like to wish everyone a very Happy New Year.  2008 was an amazing year for Harness racing around the world, and I think that we all have a great deal to look forward to in 2009.

Looking forward to going all-out with the blog in 2009, and remember to check the USHarnessRacing Twitter page, too, at http://twitter.com/USHarnessRacing.

Thanks alot, and have a Great New Year…

With the holidays here, putting an end to racing across the United States and Canada for a couple of days, I thought I would take a few minutes to look back on 2008 and compile my top Harness events of the year.

2008 was an amazing year for thoroughbred racing, and even more amazing for in the world of Harness racing.  The stars of our sport were out in full-force all year, and I think that as a harness fan that I and all other harness fans have alot to be thankful for this year, and that we have a great deal to look forward to next year.

In fact, the year was such a great year that I simply couldn’t limit it to 10 races, so I have included an 11th race, and there are many, many that easily could have made the list.

So, here is my list, at least the first half.  Feel free to leave a comment or two to say what you think about my list and the great races of 2008.

#11 - Major in Art holds off Nebupanezzar in the $1,000,000 Metro Pace at Mohawk

The well-bred Major in Art gave us a great stretch run this year in the Metro Pace for 2YO colts.  As Annieswesterncard and Well Said dueled throughout the race, it was Nebupanezzar and Major in Art pulling through in the end, with Major in Art pulling it out in the end.

Of course, Well Said would have the final say of 2008, making a galant return to the Winner’s Circle at the Breeders Crown that provided another great stretch run.

Still, my choice at #11 goes to Major in Art…..

#10 Won the West wins the $200,000 Dan Patch Invitational at Hoosier Park

OK, this might be a little biased since Won the West is one of my personal favorite pacers and Greg Grismore is still one of my favorite drivers, dating back to his days at Northfield that got me hooked on racing.  But beside that, Won the West provided a few memorable moments in 2008, and my choice at #10 is his win in the Dan Patch at Hooier Park.

The Dan Patch didn’t quite have the biggest stars in the game, but the stretch run was nonetheless exciting.  Sam Widger and Booze Cruzin took the early lead and held the lead for most of the race.  But Grismore held Won the West tight with 2007 Dan Patch winner Artistic Fella and Tim Tetrick, and finally opened up late in the race down the middle of the track for the win.

Of course, the Dan Patch win was not just a flash in the pan for Won the West, who followed up later in the year with a great win in the $200,000 American National Pace over superstar Mister Big and company.

But in the #10 position is Won the West taking the Dan Patch Invitational.

#9 - Somebeachsomewhere ends season on high note in 2008 Breeders Crown 3YO Pace

Somebeachsomewhere provided harness fans with so many amazing races throughout the 2008 season, making it hard to pick just a few of the great moments.  But in the #9 position is his win in the Breeders Crown, ending his season on a very high note.

#8  - Muscle Hill sets 2YO trotting mark in 2008 Breeders Crown Final

The Breeders Crown is always where Harness fans expect to see the best of the best as far as athletes and performances, and the 2YO trotting final did not let anyone down.  Muscle Hill, the highly touted 2YO son of Muscles Yankee, not only won in easy fashion, but he did so in 1:53.3, besting the previous record for 2YO trotters of 1:53.4, belonging to Muscle Mass, another Muscles Yankee colt.

Now, lets just hope that Muscle Hill can finish up 2009 a little better than Muscle Mass.  If so, he might give Deweycheatumnhowe a run for the best trotter in recent ages…

#7 - Good News Lady wins raceoff in the 2008 Jugette

Raceoff.  This is a term that Harness racing fans drool over.  Rarely do we see a true raceoff anymore, but the 2008 Jugette provided fans just that.

In the opening heat, Good News Lady and Greg Grismore did what the filly had done most of the year - win, and win at low odds.

But in the second heat, which Good News Lady needed to win to claim the Jugette title, Good News Lady went off stride behind the starting gate, opening the race to Sprig Hanover.  In the video, you can definitely hear the crowd and their displeasure with Good News Lady, but opening the door for Sprig Hanover in a very exciting photo finish.

After the photo determined that John Campbell and Spring Hanover in fact won the 2nd heat, at odds of 13-1, the scene set up for an exciting raceoff in the Jugette Final.

In the final, Greg Grismore and Good News Lady pulled it together.  Grismore allowed Campbell and Sprig Hanover to lead the majority of the race, and down the stretch Good News Lady pulled through on the outside in a thrilling finish to the Jugette.  This was the first Jugette win for Grismore with Good News Lady, who won in 2;05.1…

Perhaps this was also a sentimental win for me, since it was the first Jugette win for Grismore, and one of the biggest wins of his skyrocketing career, but it did make for a great run, and comes in as in 7th place…

#6 - Mister Big catches Artistic Fella in the 2008 Breeders Crown Open Pace

What more do I need to say.  Mister Big, who has dazzled Harness fans all year in route to probable Older Horse of the Year honors, seemed to always win when it mattered in 2008, and his performance in 2008 is indicative of that.

Chasing Artistic Fella, the 2007 running of the Breeders Crown Open Pace, Mister Big turned it on down the stretch, pulling away for his 5th straight win under minimal urging by Brian Sears.

The always impressive Mister Big rates 6th in my list of Harness Races of the Year for 2008…

#5 - Deweycheatumnhow wins Kentucky Futurity Final at The Red Mile

Deweycheatumnhowe provided Harness fans with so many great memories in 2008, and one of the best was his performance in the 160th Kentucky Futurity Final in October at The Red Mile.

In the opening heat of the Futurity, Dewey stalked the pace in somewhat typical fashion, catching Clerk Magistrate at the wire for a thrilling win.

But in the second heat of the Futurity, Celebrity Secret wound up victorious, pulling away from Crazed and Dewey in the final strides.

Of course, that set up a raceoff, which ranks 5th on my list of 2008 Harness Races of the Year.

Drawing the outside post, driver/trainer/co-owner Ray Schnittker took tucked behind John Campbell and Celebrity Secret and the soft fractions set by the pace-setter.  Of course, that was until the two reached the top of the stretch, where both great colts dug in.  Both drivers threw their mounts into high-gear, and Deweycheatumnhow pulled away at the end, winning the Kentucky Futurity in 1:59.3. 

Dewey thrilled fans throughout his career, and his in in the Kentucky Futurity definately left most fans happy.

#4 - Shadow Play wins the Little Brown Jug

One of the great moments every year in Harness racing is the Little Brown Jug, a true piece of Americana found at the Delaware County Fair in Delaware, Ohio.  This year Harness fans were blessed with three good eliminations, and a single final that left fans wanting only more.

The opening elimination was basically a 2-horse race, with Shadow Play sitting just behind favorite Badlands Nitro throughout the majorit of the race, until Ohio native Dave Miller and Shadow Play reached the top of the stretch, where the colt dug and and pulled away from Badlands Nitro to win in 1:50.0.

Dave Miller obviously hadn’t had enough, coming back in the 2nd Elimination with Lonestar Legend, who didn’t thrill the fans with the actual race but instead with his time, winning the race in 1:49.3, giving Miller the big choice in who to ride late in the day.

Triple Crown implications sat on the 3rd elimination, as Cane Pace winner Art Official faced off against the likes of Dali and Santana Blue Chip.  In what was by far the ugliest Jug elimination on the day, Art Official kept the Triple Crown hopes alive by pulling out a great photo win in 1:52.3 over Santana Blue Chip.

The three winners would not let the 50,976 fans in Ohio down, but not unti a little drama unfolded in the backstretch. 30 minutes prior to the Final, it was reported that Shadow Play had a painful hoof separation and talk of him scratching from the Final circulated.  Trainer Ian Moore quickly contacted farrier Eric Wilt, who applied a leather patch to the hoof, and just before post time Shadow Play was set to go.

In the Final, the three elimination winners battled for the lead throughout the race, until finally Dave Miller and Shadow Play, bad hoof and all, pulled away to an impressive win in 1:50.1

After three great eliminations, followed by patching a bad hoof, the win by Shadow Play was impressive enough to rank #4 on my list of 2008 Harness Races of the Year.

#3 - Deweycheatumnhowe wins the 2008 Hambeltonian

Harness racing gets little national attention, well, at least far less than I and many Harness fans think it deserves.  But the Hambeltonian is a race that always gets National TV coverage, and on big days, big horses like Deweycheatumnhowe come to perform.

In the 2008 running of the Hambo at the Meadowlands, Dewey was of course a heavy favorite.  The then-undefeated trotter went off at 2-5, and was taken immediately to the lead.  Dewey maintained the lead throughout the race, setting very fast fractions on route to a final battle down the stretch with Crazed. 

Dewey held on, and his gutsy performance in the Hambeltonian earned him the #3 position on my Harness Races of the Year.

#2 - Somebeachsomewhere takes the Bluegrass Stakes in 1:46.4 - 3YO World Record Time

Somebeachsomewhere has had numerous accolades bestowed upon him as 2008 ends.  Dan Patch Award Winner. Nova Scotia Newsmaker of the Year. Probable Harness Horse of the Year.  SBSW has undoubtably been the best 3YO pacer of 2008, and in the Bluegrass Stakes at The Red Mile, The Beach official stamped his place in the record books with his awesome win.

Driver Paul MacDonell took Somebeachsomewhere straight to the lead and never looked back.  Althought it was a somewhat easy looking 6-lenght win over Mystery Chase, it was the final time that made the win impressive, finishing the race in 1:46.4, which not only set a World Record for 3YO colts, outrunning his rival Art Official, but also tied the All-Time, All-Age fastest mile race time in Harness history.

While not the most thrilling race of the year for Somebeachsomewhere, it was a historic win for the pacer, and ranks #2 on my list Harness Races of the Year.

#1 - Art Official upsets Somebeachsomewhere in the $1.1 Million Meadowlands Pace

Somebeachsomewhere has been constantly mentioned among the great pacers of all time. But his record was not completely unblemished, and the upset win by Art Official has earned both horses the top spot as my 2008 Harness Race of the Year.

Somebeachsomewhere battled early, taking the lead at the half-mile mark in 51.4, and held on to it until deep in the stretch.  After being used quite early in the race, SBSW tried with all his might to hold on to the lead, but couldn’t hold off the late charge of the 11-1 Art Official, who pulled ahead at the wire to win by a head.

The win was quite impressive by Art Official, who was officially clocked at at 1:47.0, which was at that time a World Record time for a 3YO pacer.  Somebeachsomewhere would of course come back with a vengance in the Bluegrass Stakes to reclaim the World Record, while Art Official would of course return later to win the Cane Pace, while falling to Shadow Play in the Little Brown Jug, while Somebeachsomewhere would return to dominance throughout the remainder of 2008.

But the 19th of July was all about Art Official, and his victory over Somebeachsomewhere in the Meadowlands Pace will always be remembered by me as the 2008 Harness Race of the Year.

Well, I hope that everyone has had a wonderful Christmas 2008.  I know that it has been awhile since I have had a blog post, but I have been very sick over the past 2 weeks.  I am home now, and ready for the New Year and the racing that will come along with that.

I am currently working on my 2008 Races of the Year, so please check back soon for my list, complete with video replays. It has been fun, but difficult to nail down my Top 10 list.

So, here it is 10:32 Mountain Standard Time in Tucson, AZ, and I am only through the 5th chapter of my racing law exam.

For those that don’t know me (which is most people on here), I am currently a graduate student at the University of Arizona Race Track Industry Program. I am about halfway through my studies here, and tomorrow I will have one of my toughest final exams, which is my Racing Regulation and Enforcement class.  Very interesting class.

We begin by defining what is found in the Constitution of the United States and the Charter of Rights and Freedoms in Canada that deal with racing. Then we go through a great number of racing related regulatory issues, such as licensing, drug testing, and interstate wagering to name a few.  Really cool classs, although this final is going to be tough tomorrow.

Well, back to studying…

I must take a moment to apologize to anyone that might be reading thsi blog, and even expecting something to be posted on the blog.  Today was the final day of the 2008 Symposium on Racing and Gaming in Tucson, Arizona, and quite frankly, I am absolutely exhausted.

I have made so many good contacts throughout the past few days, though.  I have met so many significant people in the harness, American Quarter Horse, and thoroughbred industries.  I am thinking that between all of these guys we can have a strong, new blog that brings information to harness racing fans.

Expect more on here over the next few days…