from the Balmoral Park Publicity Department

Crete, IL — There’s no other sophomore pacer racing in North America who has currently garnered as much attention as Freaky Feet Pete. And it’s not just because of his name, either.

The reason?

This 3-year-old son of Rockin Image has been a terror on the Midwest scene all year and most recently captured harness racing’ s biggest event — the $531,250 Breeders Crown for sophomore pacers.

USTA/Mark Hall photo

Freaky Feet Pete will be in search of his 24th win in 27 career starts in Saturday’s $150,000 American-National at Balmoral Park.

Saturday night (Nov. 7) he’ll venture postward against six rivals in the $150,000 American-National for 3-year-old colt and gelding pacers at Balmoral Park. Trained by breeder Larry Rheinheimer for owners Mary Jo and Marty Rheinheimer, Freaky Feet Pete will be trying for his sixth consecutive victory from post two. Regular pilot Trace Tetrick will be behind the swift-footed, Indiana-bred side-wheeler.

Freaky Feet Pete is a total family horse as the homebred often has Mary Jo at his side as his caretaker whenever he races. A winner of 14 of 16 starts this season, the bay colt’s connections forked out $62,500 to supplement him to the Breeders Crown on Oct. 24 at Woodbine, a costly investment that more than paid off when the “Pride of Indiana” bested some of the sport’s top male sophomores in 1:50.

That triumph also gave driver Trace Tetrick his first Breeders Crown trophy.

“It was exciting,” Tetrick revealed. “It was something I’ll never forget.”

Born May 31, 2012 in LaGrange, Ind., Freaky Feet Pete is the eighth foal out of the Pilgrim’s Punch mare Skyway Lori p,3,1:54.1s ($56,663) and has half siblings in Dongetinskyway (by Dontgetinmyway) p,1:51.2 ($288,458); Virgil (by Always A Virgin) p,5,1:51f ($217,803); Dontlookatthesky (by Dontgetinmyway) p,4,1:51.3 ($170,396); Just Fred (by Dontgetinmyway) p,4,1:51.3 ($166,750); Loretta (by Dontgetinmyway) p,5,1:52s ($145,112); Lightninginthesky (by Electric Yankee) p,5,1:52.1s ($129,032); and Good Gum Gertie (by Palone Ranger) p,3,1:53.1 ($43,993).

“Pete,” as he’s known around the Rheinheimer barn at the family’s home in LaGrange, showed signs of greatness as a freshman, capturing nine of his ten starts in 2014 and earning $261,950. He won his first career start on July 3, 2014 at Hoosier, pacing in 1:55.1 with Tetrick at the lines. One week later he won an Indiana Sires Stake in a blistering 1:51.4 at Hoosier.

As a 2-year-old he went on to win multiple sire stake tests in the Hoosier state before capturing the $220,000 ISS final on Oct. 18 at Hoosier Park, stopping the timer in 1:50.4 and drawing off from his rivals by 11-1/2 lengths.

“He surprises me every time he’s on the track,” Larry Rheinheimer stressed. “We don’t give Trace any instructions but he always takes care of him and does what he needs to do.”

Freaky Feet Pete has now amassed $1,037,724 from 23 wins and two seconds in 26 trips postward. In fact, he’s only finished off the board once in his career and that was in his third career start as a freshman, when he finished fourth. The hardy colt thus has never missed a purse check.

The colt really didn’t start to show he was going to become a superstar though until he made that first career start, his trainer recalled.

“He won his first race, then his second, and we started to think he might be something special,” Rheinheimer said. “The key to Pete’s success seems to be his attitude. He’s got a playful, goofy demeanor and once he steps out of the trailer at the racetrack, he’s all business. He knows when it’s time to get to work, and he loves his work, yes he does.”

Now that’s a point everyone is getting the chance to evidence by the eye popping numbers that he continues to put up.