by Sue Wellman, director, American Standardbred Adoption Program Inc.

Springfield, IL — The American Standardbred Adoption Program was present at the Illinois Horse Fair this past weekend, with Taser Gun in the spotlight once again.

ASAP photo

Rick Schrock gets Taser Gun ready for his appearance at the Illinois Horse Fair.

He was driven by trainer/driver Rick Schrock, and was cheered on by his long-time trainer Bob Walker and Walker’s wife, daughter and in-laws, who all came to greet Taser Gun and watch the demonstrations.

Taser Gun was retired in 2007 after an impressive racing career. He needed nine years of combat to reach the millioinaire plateau, nearly $1.2 million to be exact. A son of Henry Letsgo and Shootin Shelly, primarily racing on the Chicago circuit, he seemed to get better with age, setting a lifetime mark of 1:49.3 at age five. He also paced two sub-1:50 miles in less than one week. A 1:49.3 scorching of the Illinois State Fair’s oval in a colt stakes elimination was followed by a 1:49.4 in the final just four days later.

Taser Gun now makes his home in Wisconsin at the home of the American Standardbred Adoption Program. He also has a Facebook page — with quite a few followers — and is a worthy ambassador for the breed and the sport of harness racing.

Also demonstrating along with Taser Gun were Pistol Pete N and Mini Hapi Times.

— Timothy M. Jones also contributed to this report