Hightstown, NJ – Reflecting upon Go Dog Go’s most recent performance, which resulted in one of the fastest winning miles by a 3-year-old trotter in history, co-owner Colby Wiesman summed up the colt’s effort this way:
“The Dog,” he said, “finally came off the leash.”
Last week at Lexington’s Red Mile, Go Dog Go captured his division of the Grade 3 Bluegrass Stakes in 1:49.3, equaling the second-fastest winning mile ever by a sophomore trotter. His performance came after going off stride in his previous two races, also at The Red Mile.
The Bluegrass victory was Go Dog Go’s fifth of the season, and second in a Grade 3 stakes, joining his 1:50.4 score in a division of the July 12 Stanley Dancer Memorial at The Meadowlands. He raced twice more at The Big M, including an eighth-place finish from post 10 in the Grade 1 Hambletonian, before returning to Lexington in mid-August.
After posting a win in a preliminary leg of the Kentucky Sire Stakes Championship Series in his Red Mile return, Go Dog Go made breaks in his next two races, including the $400,000 KYSS Championship Series final on Sept. 14, when he was second-placed-fifth.
Trainer Carter Pinske made numerous changes following that race, including to the colt’s bridle and shoes, and added hobbles.
“He’s one of the fastest horses I’ve ever been around,” Pinske said after last week’s win. “Just mentally he’s a bit tough. I don’t know if this track totally agrees with him – we did a lot of tweaking this week, and finally he put it all together.”
On Sunday (Oct. 5), Go Dog Go will look to put it all together again when he faces 10 foes in the $500,000 Grade 1 Kentucky Futurity at The Red Mile. He will leave from post seven with regular driver Todd McCarthy and is 7-2 on the morning line in the 133rd edition of the race, which is the third jewel in the Trotting Triple Crown.
“We’re excited,” Wiesman said. “We’re happy to have a little bit better post position (compared to the Hambletonian) to go against that caliber of talent. We think we’ve got a fair shot coming out of the seven-hole.
“Carter has done a great job with him,” he added. “He’s not an easy colt. It takes the right person. Carter has just kind of been steady with him, and it seems to be paying off now.”
Wiesman and his father, Jon, bred Go Dog Go, named after a favorite television show of Colby’s daughter Hayley. The colt is a son of Greenshoe out of the mare Primary Target, who is a full sister to multiple Dan Patch Award-winning filly Mission Brief and stallion Tactical Landing. Go Dog Go sold for $110,000 to Al Libfeld at the 2023 Lexington Selected Sale and the Wiesmans bought back into the colt.
Jon Wiesman spent more than four decades in the sport overseeing breeding operations and has known Libfeld for nearly 35 years.
“It always feels better when you’ve bred the horse,” Colby Wiesman said. “We’re just looking forward to seeing what he can do. We think there is a faster mile in him than (1):49.3. We would love to see him get down to (1):49 or do something really remarkable.”
Six Pack holds the world record for a 3-year-old trotter thanks to his 1:49.1 win in the 2018 Kentucky Futurity. Go Dog Go, Sig Sauer, Jujubee and Dancinginthedark M share the next spot at 1:49.3. Sig Sauer and Jujubee also set their marks in winning the Kentucky Futurity, in 2024 and 2021, respectively.
“A (racing) season has seasons,” Colby said. “It’s all going good, then it’s all going bad, then it’s all going good, then it’s all going bad. A month ago, we were having a season of challenges. We just hope the season we’re in right now continues.”
For his career, Go Dog Go has hit the board in 12 of 19 races, winning seven and earning $533,718.
In addition to sending out Go Dog Go in the Kentucky Futurity, Wiesman Farms co-owns Delaney Hanover, one of the top contenders in Sunday’s $300,000 Grade 1 Kentucky Filly Futurity, with Shermay Stables and Wallin Racing Stable.
Delaney Hanover, who is 7-2 on the morning line with Scott Zeron driving for trainer Lucas Wallin, heads to the Kentucky Filly Futurity off back-to-back wins. The most recent, in 1:50.2, came last week in a division of the Bluegrass Stakes when the daughter of Muscle Hill-Danielle Hanover handed Yo Tillie her first loss in 10 races this year.
Earlier this season, Delaney Hanover won her elimination for the Grade 1 Hambletonian Oaks and finished a fast-closing third in the final, coming home in :26.3 off a parked-out trip. Two weeks later, she was second in the Grade 1 Delmonica Hanover, which was won by Yo Tillie.
“Lucas has done a great job with her,” Wiesman said about Delaney Hanover, who has hit the board in 10 of 15 career races, earning $361,585. “We’ve seen it all year, what she can do. We haven’t pushed her, she has only eight starts this year, and kind of gotten her ready now for Sunday and for (the Breeders Crown).”
He added about Go Dog Go and Delaney Hanover, “We would love a signature win with both of them. That would be huge.”
Racing begins at 1 p.m. on Sunday at The Red Mile. For more about the day’s card, click here. For free programs, visit The Red Mile website and scroll down.