by Lynne Snierson, publicity director, Rockingham Park
SALEM, NH— When Abbey Craig beat the boys in track record time in the $50,000 Joseph Carney Memorial Trot at Rockingham Park on Saturday, she gave her owner a homecoming party he’ll never forget.
Rockingham Park Photo
The winning connections of Abbey Craig in the winners circle.
“I am absolutely very proud of her,” said Bill Donovan after he watched the daughter of Muscles Yankee dust a field of seven other top quality horses in 1:55.1 and establish a new mark for four-year-old trotting mares. “I’ve owned horses for 20 years, but thirty years ago, I worked on the backside right here at Rockingham. I was a groom for Wally Ross. This is pretty special to come back here and win a race like this.”
While flanked by three generations of the Carney family in the winner’s circle, Donovan accepted the trophy from James Carney, the son of Rockingham’s late president for whom the race is named, and raised it in a victory salute.
“This is one of the top races I’ve ever won,” Donovan said. “And she’s my best trotter ever.”
Abbey Craig, who was driven by Brian Mattison and was one of two fillies in the field, was first over and raced patiently while 6-5 favorite Lemon Pepper and 2-1 second choice Diamond River fought it out on the lead for most of the mile. She kept digging in and when Lemon Pepper came up empty in mid stretch, she was able to go on with it and be victorious by 1 1/2 lengths. Monsieur Jerome, at 15-1 got up to be second, but Lemon Pepper could not hit the board. Three Little Words was the show horse.
“I thought he’d be stronger today,” Driver David Ingraham said of Lemon Pepper, the beaten favorite. “I knew he liked to be on the lead and the fractions (:27.3, :57.1, 1:27) weren’t that bad. The other horse was just better today.”
Abbey Craig, the 3-1 third choice, took a full second off the track record in her very impressive effort.
‘She’s raced that way all year long,” said trainer Paul Kelley. “She can go any way she needs to. She’s a determined mare, and I just try to manage her and do the best we can with her. She’s a really nice horse and she can do things all on her own. Her record speaks for itself.”
Rockingham Park Photo
Abbey Craig established a new mark for four-year-old trotting mares at Rockingham.
Abbey Craig, out of the Garland Lobell mare Garland Bonita, has now won 10 of 14 starts this year and earned $167,717 in her career. She rewarded her backers in the holiday weekend crowd with $8.00, $7.20, and $3.40.
“She’s definitely one of the top five trotting mares in North America,” Donovan proudly said. “She finished third against Peaceful Way, who is the best trotting mare ever. We’ll give her another start or two this year, then bring her back to the races next year. Hopefully, we’ll get to come back for this race again next year. “
On Sunday, Rockingham Park will take part in the relief effort for the victims of Hurricane Katrina by raising money for the American Red Cross. Fans may contribute cash or checks made out to The American Red Cross at collection stations in the clubhouse.
Post time on Sunday and the Monday holiday is 1:05 p.m., and the live racing season concludes on Monday with a Coca-Cola Family Day and a drawing for a mountain bike.
