by Kimberly French, USTA Web Newsroom Senior Correspondent

Kimberly French

Louisville, KY — She’s only resided in his barn since January, but once Ron Otto hopped in the jog cart, he realized one of 6-year-old pacing mare Northern Lei Ann’s best qualities was how willing she is to please.

“I’ve only had her for a few months, but I know how versatile she is and you can do whatever you want with her,” the 57-year old resident of Jefferson, Ohio explained. “She’s real handy to drive. You can leave with her or send her from a hole and you can drive her with two fingers.”

The Indiana-bred daughter of Lease On Life-CK Susie Ann is owned by Northern Lane Farm of Grabill, Indiana and has collected more than $189,000 from the 90 pari-mutuel miles she has paced throughout her five year career.

Linscott Photography

Northern Lei Ann has a pair of wins in the Filly & Mare Invitational this season at Hoosier Park.

Like a fine wine, it seems as if Northern Lei Ann has improved with age. She has faced the starter on eight occasions this year with three victories, two second place finishes and one third, while earning $48,850. Her best year, based on purse money, was in 2009 when she banked more than $59,000 and she paced to her lifetime mark of 1:52.1 at age four. Currently, she competes primarily at Hoosier Park.

Otto believes another reason Northern Lei Ann has enjoyed success and longevity is how she approaches her work.

“She’s got a big heart and never gives up,” he said. “She really has a lot of try to her.”

Like most horses, the mare enjoys her carrots and apples, and doesn’t require much in the way of special equipment.

“She’s pretty basic,” said Otto, who currently has 18 head at Hoosier Park. “She wears knee and tendon boots, a set of hobbles, a couple of headpoles and a blind bridle. That’s really not a whole lot and she is pretty easy on herself.”

Otto’s family purchased their first racehorse in the 1960s and the conditioner, who had a career year last year with more than $300,000 in purse money, is on stride to have his best year in the business. His pupils have already netted more than $200,000 this year. While he has been employed in other capacities, Otto has always dabbled in racing.

“I have done other things, but I’ve always had a horse or two,” he said. “We have done well and have been getting our fair share of winners, but we’ve had a lot of good luck, hard work, good drives and good help. Everybody has worked real hard and things have turned out well.”

As for Northern Lei Ann’s 2010 campaign, Otto plans on keeping her at Hoosier Park until the meet ends and then possibly sending her to the Meadows.

“They (Hoosier Park) have a sire stake for her towards the end of the meet, which I think is somewhere around July,” Otto said. “She raced a few times at the Meadows, because we have some horses racing there and in Cleveland, before Hoosier Park opened. We’ll just keep racing her and see what her owner wants to do. She’s just a really nice mare.”