Columbus, OH — Standardbred racehorses are well-known for being retrainable following their racing careers. To Meadows Racetrack and Casino outrider Missy Rothfuss, all horses are versatile and will do anything you ask if you take the time to teach them. That’s exactly what she is doing with 6-year-old trotting gelding Wingnut Dinger.

Wingnut Dinger recently started working as an outrider horse during qualifiers at The Meadows. Photo courtesy of Missy Rothfuss.

The “silly” Wingnut Dinger, who according to Rothfuss has a big personality, had little pari-mutuel success early in his 3-year-old season before winning two starts at the Frederick Fair in Maryland. His connections sent him back to where his career began, The Meadows, with plans to send him to the Amish.

“We broke him when he was a 2-year-old,” said Rothfuss. “I begged my husband, Jim, to buy him for what the Amish were offering for him ($4,500) as a non-winners of one trotter.”

While that purchase wasn’t a success overnight, Jim made some equipment adjustments which led to a victory in just his third start for the stable.

There was never a question in Rothfuss’ mind that Wingnut Dinger would do well as an outrider horse.

“I always told my husband he would be great to outride with,” Rothfuss said. “He’s quick and has a lot of agility in the field.”

During the COVID-19 shutdown, Rothfuss did a lot of trail riding with him, allowing him to work around other horses. Riding with Catherine McMillen and Katie Turner, who work for the nation’s leading trainer, Ron Burke, Rothfuss found that her talented gelding didn’t mind other horses being near him.

“Kolt Power was very unsure about trail riding, he clung to Wingnut while riding and he didn’t seem to care,” said Rothfuss.”

Even after a pair of successful outings on the trail, husband Jim still didn’t believe that Wingnut Dinger would be up to the task.

“I was riding on the backstretch, and grabbed I C Caviar, leading him down to the jog track,” Rothfuss said. “Wingnut proceeded to walk to the track on the end of the reins with horses jogging all around him, I personally think Wingnut loves to prove him (Jim) wrong.”

Wingnut Dinger posted a powerful 19-1 upset at The Meadows on June 30. Chris Gooden photo.

After the COVID-19 shutdown, Wingnut Dinger came right into form for his connections on the racetrack, finishing fourth in each of his first two starts. He continued his strong return with a powerful 19-1 upset at The Meadows on June 30, a win that Rothfuss wasn’t sure would happen.

“When he came back from his break this winter, he didn’t come back well,” said Rothfuss. “For him to put the mile in that he did shows just how much he’s enjoying life right now.”

Wingnut Dinger recently started working as an outrider horse during qualifiers at The Meadows, a task that Rothfuss said was slightly confusing to him at first.

“He never rode on the main track with me on his back before, so he was slightly nervous,” Rothfuss said.

Riding on the track between each break made him more comfortable, so much so that it was decided to work a pair of qualifiers with him. Rothfuss said that while he was confused, he was willing to put the work in and handled himself very well when the field went by him for the first time.

Standardbreds have to learn to trust the person on their backs to learn a new skill, something Wingnut Dinger has given to Rothfuss.

“When he’s unsure about things he relies on me to guide him; trust in each other and you can move mountains.”