by Charlene Sharpe, USTA Web Newsroom Senior Correspondent

Charlene Sharpe

Seaford, DE — In late January, Delaware trainer Kyle Moore picked out a $15,000 claimer for his grandfather. A month later, that one-time claimer won the $27,500 Delaware Special at Dover Downs in an eye-catching 1:50. The pacer now boasts three wins in a row against some of the First State’s best horses.

While the move to the top might seem sudden, it’s a return to former glory for 7-year-old pacing stallion Emeritus Maximus. The one time Little Brown Jug contender and Tattersalls January Select Mixed Sale topper has now won seven out of 10 starts in 2017.

“He’ll probably be the nicest horse I’ll ever have,” Moore said.

Emeritus Maximus (here with trainer Kyle Moore) has won seven times in 2017, with earnings of $65,645.

Moore, 29, trains Emeritus Maximus for his grandfather, Donald Marine, and Brent Hall. When Marine told Moore to find him a horse at Dover early this year, it was Emeritus Maximus (Rocknroll Hanover-Eternity’s Delight) that caught the trainer’s eye.

“I remembered him from when he was a 2- and 3-year-old,” Moore said.

In those days, Emeritus Maximus, who sold for $20,000 as a yearling, traveled the stakes circuit, competing against the likes of Captaintreacherous, Vegas Vacation and Sunshine Beach. At the start of his 4-year-old season, Emeritus Maximus made headlines when he sold for $248,000 at the Tattersalls January Select Mixed Sale.

While he went on to make $107,200 as a 4-year-old, taking a record of 1:49.3 at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono, Emeritus Maximus raced just three times as a 5-year-old and just 13 times as a 6-year-old. He won two races during that time.

Nevertheless, Moore knew the pacer represented class when he saw him among the $10,000 claiming ranks at Dover. When Emeritus Maximus made it to the winner’s circle with a come-from-behind victory in 1:52.3, Moore knew he wanted him. Marine, undeterred by an increased $15,000 price tag the following week, claimed Emeritus Maximus on Thursday (Jan. 19).

“I gave him off Friday and jogged him Saturday. I was expecting him to be lame,” Moore said, pointing out a scar on the pacer’s knee and recalling rumors of a broken coffin bone. “It turns out he’s the soundest horse in the barn.”

Whatever injuries the horse may have sustained in the past, Moore says they’re not bothering him now. Opting not to put Emeritus Maximus back in a claimer, Moore moved him to a non-winners class at Dover in late January. After a third place finish in his first start for the Moore stable, Emeritus Maximus made it to the winner’s circle on Feb. 2 when Yannick Gingras steered him to a 1:52.3 win. He followed that up with an impressive first-over victory in 1:51.4 the next week.

Moore says the pacer’s confidence has increased each week. In his first appearance in the Delaware Special, Emeritus Maximus cut the mile but got edged out in the final strides, finishing second to Sweet Rock. The following week, Gingras opted to return to the first-over move the horse handled so well two weeks prior. As Mustang Art cut the mile, hitting fractions of :26.1, :54.2 and 1:21.3, Emeritus Maximus gradually made up ground along the outside. He won the race by a half-length in 1:50.

Moore was ecstatic, particularly once he realized the win had been shared on YouTube.

“After he won in 1:50, I said I don’t care if he wins another race,” Moore said.

Charlene Sharpe photos

Emeritus Maximus has banked $480,125 in his career and made 21 visits to the winner’s circle.

Of course he wasn’t complaining when Emeritus Maximus overcame the eight hole and made it back to the winner’s circle after another first-over mile, this time reaching the wire in 1:50.3, on March 2.

The pacer made it three in a row with a 1:49.3 win last week. In his most recent victory Emeritus Maximus, again assigned the eight hole, left hard. Gingras, not content to settle in third, pushed the horse on, making the lead just after a :25.4 first quarter. Emeritus Maximus went on to set fractions of :54 and 1:21.2 before crossing the wire first in 1:49.3.

“I think he’s better first-up but last week he was gung-ho the whole mile,” Moore said. “He never got a breather.”

While he admires the horse’s talent, it’s not the only aspect of Emeritus Maximus that Moore appreciates. Though the stud can be a handful during his daily jog — kicking sporadically and coming to a halt abruptly whenever the mood strikes him — Moore enjoys the playful personality the stud brings to the barn.

“He’s honestly like a big kid,” Moore said. “He’ll try biting but he’s had plenty of opportunities to bite a finger off and never has.”

Emeritus Maximus will finish out the spring meet at Dover Downs but Moore hasn’t yet decided what track he’ll visit next. While he hopes the pacer’s success on the racetrack will continue, he says Emeritus Maximus has already secured a future on the family farm. Marine, who has several broodmares of his own, plans to stand the horse at stud when his racing days are over.

“He’s got a home for life,” Moore said.