Harness Racing Communications, a division of the USTA

Call For Rain (1:49.3, $1,065,919), whose characteristic late stretch drives thrilled so many harness racing fans, died at age 22 at his home on Rodney Farm in Scottsville, New York in the early morning of March 22.

Call For Rain (Storm Damage – Rain Proof) was owned by Barbara and Clint Galbraith since 1985 and he was trained and driven by Clint as well. Among his 28 victories in 40 starts are the Breeders Crown at age three.

He had 368 registered foals, who have collectively earned $9.4 million. His top two performners are the $445,014 winner Flight Time Kash and the $353,919 winner Lizbet Kash. Both those horses are out of mares sired by Niatross, who was also trained, driven and co-owned by Clint Galbraith.

He served limited stud duty at the Galbraiths’ Rodney Farm last year, but his health was poor this year. “He seemed tired lately, and was laying down alot during the day, but he’d always get up to eat his meals,” said Barbara Galbraith. “He eats six times a day because he has survived three major colic surgeries. The first one, at Cornell, the surgeon told us that if he hadn’t been a Standardbred and a million dollar winner, they would have just closed him up, that’s how bad it was.”

There were suspicions that his hind ankle, which has long had a chip in it, was bothering him, so his shoeing was adjusted to take pressure off that foot. The Galbraiths tried a variety of strategies to make the horse more comfortable, but in the early moning hours of March 22, he began to have seizures and was euthanized.

“He’s buried right outside his paddock, where he can overlook the farm,” said Mrs. Galbraith. “For 17 years, he’s had the paddock right next to the office and I’m so attuned to seeing him and listening for him.”