by Bill Finley, Harness Racing Update

Fair Haven, NJ — Arguably the most influential owner in the history of harness racing but long absent from the North American racing scene, Lou Guida returned to action last week when he was involved in the purchase of six well-bred trotters at the annual Harrisburg yearling sale.

What prompted Guida to return after all these years and what are his plans for the future? Guida told Harness Racing Update that he got involved in the sales because he wants stallion prospects and was having difficulty finding them in Italy, where he now races.

“We have a stable that’s winning everything in Italy,” he said. “We’re just doing great. But I’m 76 years old and what I want to do is have one more stallion. Every mare I have over there delivers a filly. It’s the strangest thing.

“In Italy, it’s different than it is here in America. Most of the Italians who breed good mares breed them for themselves and they don’t sell them. If a good colt happens to get into the sale, before you know about it someone has bought it privately. I need colts. I went to the yearling sale this year in Italy and I was able to buy one. One isn’t enough. I need a colt, so I figured, let me buy colts here because I am looking for a stallion. My main interest will continue to be in Italy and Europe.”

Guida dominated harness racing the 1980s while owning or having a hand in the career of horses like Mack Lobell, Niatross, Nihilator, Forest Skipper and Mack Lobell. But he soured on North American racing and decided, until now, to focus entirely on a stable based in Italy.

To read more about Guida and his comeback, go to www.harnessracingupdate.com and click on the archive section for the Nov. 13 issue.

Harness Racing Update is a free publication that is set to officially launch Jan. 1. For now, HRU is publishing special editions, which have included coverage of the Breeders Crown and the Harrisburg and Lexington sales. The newsletter-type publication is compiled in a PDF format and e-mailed each day to subscribers. To subscribe, go to www.harnessracingupdate.com.