by Ken Weingartner, Harness Racing Communications

Freehold, NJ — The USTA website will provide periodic glimpses at some of harness racing’s stars throughout the season. Today, we look at 5-year-old male trotter Natural Herbie.

NATURAL HERBIE
Here Comes Herbie – Ljanearl – Earl

Owner: Verlin Yoder
Breeder: John Schmucker
Trainer: Verlin Yoder
Driver: Verlin Yoder

2014 Record: 23-12-5-2; $360,360; 1:51.4m
Career: 47-24-8-5; $752,361; 1:51.4m

Top wins: International Trot Preview Invitational, Sam “Chip” Noble Memorial Trot, and Vincennes Invitational in 2014; Indiana Sire Stakes finals in 2012, 2013 and 2014.

USTA/Mark Hall photo

Natural Herbie set his lifetime mark of 1:51.4 in winning the Vincennes Invitational at the Meadowlands.

The road back: A 5-year-old black gelding, Natural Herbie is entered to race in Saturday’s Invitational at Hoosier Park. It will be his second start of the year. He finished third behind stablemate Lady Blitz and Princess Pablano in the Invitational Handicap on April 18 at Hoosier Park.

What, me hurry?: Last year, Natural Herbie didn’t post his first win until his third start of the campaign. At age 2, he got his first victory in his fourth start. At 3, he won one of his first three outings.

“He’s doing alright,” said Verlin Yoder, who owns, trains and drives Natural Herbie. “It’s going to take him a couple starts to come back, it always does. He always takes his sweet time. He always takes care of one person before anybody else, and that’s himself.”

The time of his life: Natural Herbie established his career-best time of 1:51.4 in winning the Vincennes Invitational at the Meadowlands on Hambletonian Day. He also won the International Trot Preview Invitational at Yonkers in a world-record 2:24.4 for 1-1/4 miles and broke a nine-year-old track record at Hoosier Park with a 1:52.4 score (which he later lowered twice to 1:52.3).

The time of their lives: Yoder and Natural Herbie enjoyed a magical ride together in 2014, first winning the Vincennes and later beating a field that included world champion Sebastian K, 2013 Horse of the Year Bee A Magician, and European standout Commander Crowe in the International Trot Preview. The duo also bested a field that included stakes stars Creatine and Uncle Peter in the Chip Noble Memorial at Scioto Downs.

“It was pretty cool,” said Yoder, who won the Vincennes in his first-ever drive at the Meadowlands and saw four Hall of Famers and three other Hambletonian-winning drivers finish behind him. “It was a very neat experience. There was great hospitality wherever I went. It was very exciting. It was something I never experienced before.”

USTA/Mark Hall photo

Natural Herbie won the International Trot Preview Invitational at Yonkers in a world-record 2:24.4 for 1-1/4 miles.

Travelin’ men: Prior to the Vincennes, Natural Herbie had never raced outside of Indiana. This year could be much different as the horse is staked to many of the division’s top races.

“I thought if he comes back to the horse he was last year that he deserves a chance,” Yoder said. “Hopefully he’s the type of horse where we can do some road trips. I was hoping to be ready to go to the Cutler (Memorial at the Meadowlands; eliminations May 9) but I don’t know if I’m going to be ready in time. We’ll see how he does these next couple weeks.”

Elitloppet 2016?: Natural Herbie received an Elitloppet invitation, but Yoder decided against traveling to Sweden this year. However, he does not rule out a future trip.

“I just didn’t think the horse was ready for it,” Yoder said. “I’ve always said if he’s going to be that type of horse, he can go as a 6-year-old. I was looking at the interest of the horse. If you’re going to go over there, then you can’t shut him down completely in the winter like we did. You’re going to have to keep on jogging and training and make sure he’s sharp and ready. You’ve got to take a whole different approach to it. But it’s an honor to even be considered and invited to that race. Maybe next year I’ll take a shot at it.”

Snack attack: Natural Herbie’s favorite treat is animal crackers.

“If he sees anyone eating a couple, then he wants a couple,” Yoder said. “If you try to give him an apple or carrot, he doesn’t want it.”

Best friends: Yoder has cared for Natural Herbie since buying the horse just prior to his 2-year-old season. Yoder almost always saves Natural Herbie for his final jogging/training horse every morning.

“I tell people, he’s been my pet since I bought him as a 2-year-old. He had his issues so I was always the one who jogged him and took care of him. He grew on me. He’s got a very good personality. He’s a very smart horse and he loves his job. And he loves attention. He’s just fun to be around. He’s the last one I jog every day. I tell people it’s therapy doing him last every day because it makes you forget all the other bad ones you jogged the rest of the day.”

Photo courtesy of Harness Racing FanZone

Verlin Yoder was voted as the Horseperson of the Year for 2014.

Fan favorite: Yoder was selected Horseperson of the Year in Railbird Recognition Award voting sponsored by the U.S. Harness Writers Association in conjunction with the U.S. Trotting Association. Other nominees included trainers Ron Burke, Jimmy Takter, Nancy Johansson and Jack Darling, drivers Yannick Gingras and Dave Palone, and Fazoli’s President and CEO Carl Howard.

“That was off the charts, just even to be recognized with the other people that were nominated for that award,” Yoder said. “For me to end up getting it left me speechless. I didn’t think I was the type of guy to be classified with those people. I think a lot of the people that were (nominated) in there. I just try to always talk the truth and I hope I don’t make (a fool) out of myself.”