by Ken Weingartner, Harness Racing Communications

Ken Weingartner

Freehold, NJ — Sam DePinto wanted to see how We Will See would be this season as he made the jump to facing older horses.

So far, the trainer likes what he has seen.

We Will See has won three of 10 races this year and earned $164,550 for owners Shannon DePinto, Earl Smith and Jerry Silva. The 4-year-old horse has won 11 of 36 career starts and banked $1.03 million.

On Sunday, We Will See will race in the $500,000 Ben Franklin Pace at Harrah’s Chester. He finished second to Aracache Hanover in his elimination race on June 26. Starting from post seven, We Will See raced first over to the lead as the field reached three-quarters in 1:21.3. He was second by 1-1/4 lengths and was timed in 1:49.2.

Chris Gooden photo

We Will See heads into the Ben Franklin with $1,037,159 in career earnings.

“He’s doing great,” DePinto said. “He bounced back from that race real good. I was a little worried about the trip he got, but he was feeling good (Monday) and jogged super (Tuesday). It takes a lot to bring this horse down, I’ll tell you that.

“(On Monday) he looked like he didn’t even race, like he didn’t even work. (Tuesday) I jogged him and he was better than when he went into the race. His ears were up and he was happy to be out there doing his work. It was good to see. Every time they race you hope they come out of it good. Even when they have a good trip, you hope everything is OK, because that’s your bread and butter there.”

Last year, We Will See won the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes championship and was second in the North America Cup. He was third in the Breeders Crown, Battle of the Brandywine and Art Rooney Pace, on his way to $803,408.

This season, he was second in the Bettor’s Delight at Tioga Downs, behind Bettor Sweet in a world-record 1:48.1 mile. He has two wins and two second-place efforts in his last five starts.

“He’s stepping up his game pretty good,” DePinto said. “From last year to this year, he’s filled out and matured. He’s a different horse. Last year, I had to get after him when I trained him; this year, I hold on.

“He made a good transition from a 3- to a 4-year-old. I was concerned about it, but when I started training him I realized right away I was going to be OK. He was totally different.”

We Will See needed to be different in order to go against the best older pacers in North America. Sunday’s Franklin also includes defending champion Vintage Master, Atochia, Bettor Sweet, Foiled Again, Ideal Matters, and Won The West.

“Those are the best out there,” DePinto said. “It’s not easy.”

We Will See is staked to all the major races this year, and DePinto expects him to race in them.

“If he acted like he couldn’t handle it, then I was going to pick my spots, but he’s doing very well,” he said. “As long as he keeps going the way he’s going, he’ll be showing up.”

Although facing a tough field in the Franklin, DePinto likes We Will See’s chances.

“With his gate speed, he can set himself up real nice in a race,” DePinto said. “I feel good. Everything is going to hinge on post position and the trip, but his chances are just as good as anybody’s.”