by Tom Kelley, publicity director, Balmoral Park

Crete, IL — Already boasting the title of the richest pacer in harness racing history with more than $4.6 million in earnings for owners Burke Racing, Weaver Bruscemi and JJK Stables, Foiled Again will look to repeat as the champion of the American-National Open Pace when he battles eight rivals in Saturday’s $182,000 edition of this prestigious event at Balmoral Park.

Tom Berg photo

Foiled Again enters the American-National with career earnings of $4,621,468.

Fresh off a 1:49.1 score in the $200,000 Indiana Pacing Derby on Nov. 3, the 8-year-old son of Dragon Again has shown no signs of slowing down with age as he’s racked up 31 of his 65 lifetime victories and more than $3.5 million of his bankroll over the past three seasons as well as being named Pacer of the Year in 2011.

“It’s almost gotten to the point now where we are surprised when he doesn’t win,” said trainer Ronnie Burke. “He’s just a freak. There’s no other way to put it when you talk about the things he’s done on the track.”

With earnings of more than $1.2 million in 2011, Foiled Again is the oldest horse in harness racing history to have a $1 million-plus season. He was also the first horse in history older than the age of four to be named Pacer of the Year (2011) as well as the first older pacer named to that lofty status since Real Desire pulled off the feat during his 4-year-old year in 2002.

Purchased for $20,000 as a yearling back in 2005, Foiled Again at one time was considered a half-mile track specialist because of repeated victories at Yonkers, Northfield and Harrington. Over the past few seasons he has certainly shed that image by winning such races as the American-National here at Balmoral Park, the Indiana Pacing Derby at Indiana Downs and the Graduate at the Meadowlands, all one-mile ovals. He also captured this year’s Canadian Pacing Derby at Mohawk.

Regular pilot Yannick Gingras and Foiled Again’s contingent of owners have always been impressed by the gelding’s toughness and ability to win but also by the way he seems to take care of himself during a race and in the down time leading up to a big event.

“You can have all the ability in the world but if you can’t stay on the track what good is it?,” said co-owner Kevin Koury of JJK Stables. “He’s the horse of a lifetime and not just because he’s a great horse but because of the people involved with him. He’s given us all some unbelievable memories and that just makes it even sweeter.”

There are still records to be broken. Three trotters have earned more than Foiled Again: Varenne ($5.63 million in U.S. dollars), Moni Maker ($5.58 million) and Jag de Bellouet ($4.97 million).

“I think $5 million is a realistic number,” Burke said. “Being honest, that’s a lot, but that’s what we are shooting for now, I guess. I would say becoming the richest Standardbred is our goal now. That’s all that’s left in front of him.”

Koury agreed.

“We’re talking numbers that are like Monopoly money at this point,” he said, laughing. “We might as well make it the goal. We’ll shoot for the highest and see what happens.”

Chapter Seven looks to end career as number one

Looking to trot off into the sunset, or at least the breeding shed, Richard Gutnick, Southwind Farm and J&T Silva Stables’ Chapter Seven, the probable 2012 Horse of the Year, will look to end his career on a winning note when he squares off against five other older trotters in Saturday’s $180,000 American-National Open Trot.

USTA/Mark Hall photo

Chapter Seven will go over the $1 million mark in season’s earnings with an American-National victory.

A winner in seven of his nine starts this season, Chapter Seven’s stud career will be managed by Southwind Farms in New Jersey but he will stand stud at Blue Chip Farms in New York.

“I’ve got mixed emotions,” said Gutnick, who also owns 2012 Hambletonian winner Market Share. “I really wanted him to race another year, but the fact that I have both Chapter Seven and Market Share made the decision tougher because I don’t want them to race against one another.”

Currently ranked as the number one horse in all of North America in the Hambletonian Society/Breeders Crown poll, the Linda Toscano trainee enters his final race with a record of 19 victories, four seconds and one third in 27 lifetime starts with earnings of almost $1.9 million. The two-time Breeders Crown champion also holds a special place in his conditioner’s heart.

“Obviously, I am going to miss him,” Toscano said. “He was a career changing horse for me, a very special horse and he crept into my heart because of the things he overcame. You just can’t replace a horse like that.”

His latest win in the Breeders Crown Open Trot was simply amazing as he found himself on the outside every step of the mile yet still managed to prevail by 1-1/4 lengths in 1:52.3 over a track that was rated as “good.” That win made him the first male horse to win a Breeders Crown championship as a 3-year-old and as a 4-year-old since the great Pine Chip pulled off the feat back in 1993-94. Only two others — Mack Lobell (1987-88) and Sugarcane Hanover (1986-87) — have accomplished the back-to-back scores.

The incredible victory amazed Toscano, who has seen plenty of big victories from her 3-year-old sensation Market Share and Chapter Seven this season.

“I couldn’t have dreamed this big,” she said. “Without question he’s the best horse I’ve ever had. I had no idea he could wind up parked the mile and still have a chance to win a Breeders Crown. As long as he’s got a target to aim for he never stops until he gets past them.”

His victories this season include the Nat Ray Invitational at the Meadowlands, where he won in 1:50.1 to equal the fastest mile ever trotted on a mile track. On Oct. 7 at Lexington’s Red Mile, Chapter Seven won the $131,200 Allerage Farms Trot by two lengths over Mister Herbie in 1:50.2. He also won the Titan Cup and Titan Cup prep with 1:50.4 miles.

Chapter Seven’s four sub-1:51 winning miles is a record for trotters.