by Ken Weingartner, Harness Racing Communications

Freehold, NJ — Janice Connor won’t have to leave home to race Real Rayenbow on Monday (July 3) at Goshen’s Historic Track, which is part of the enjoyment of being stabled at the upstate New York oval. Historic Track is in the midst of hosting its annual Grand Circuit meet, highlighted Monday by eight Landmark Stakes divisions plus three races for amateur drivers.

“It’s nice to see people come in here and enjoy the racing,” Connor said, adding with a laugh, “It’s usually a pretty good party. It’s nice.”

Ken Weingartner

Real Rayenbow is a 2-year-old male pacer trained by Connor, who lives in Goshen with her husband Chuck and owns the colt with Ebby and Peter Gerry’s Arden Homestead Stable and Crawford Farms Racing. Real Rayenbow made his debut June 27 at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono, where he finished second.

“We weren’t disappointed,” Connor said. “He raced super.”

On Monday, Real Rayenbow is in the $14,950 Landmark Stakes for 2-year-old male pacers at Historic Track. He drew post one, with Jason Bartlett listed to drive. He is the only horse in the eight-horse field with a race under his belt.

Real Rayenbow is a son of stallion So Surreal out of the Pacific Fella-sired mare R Reva Raye. He was purchased for $4,500 at last fall’s Standardbred Horse Sale.

“Chuck saw the horse was out of a Pacific Fella mare,” Connor said. “We’ve had a few horses that were by Pacific Fella or out of Pacific Fella mares that he really liked. He looked him over and saw nothing wrong with him, except his size. He is absolutely huge.

“But he’s a very easy gaited horse for his size. He has a big stride and really kind of floats across the ground. He’s got a pretty good attitude and he has a lot of speed. He’s eye-catching if nothing else. But we’re hopeful.”

Real Rayenbow is eligible to the New York Sire Stakes, the Lawrence B. Sheppard Pace, Bluegrass Stakes, and International Stallion Stakes. His connections don’t plan to race the colt past mid-October, so he will skip the Breeders Crown and later stakes.

“We didn’t go crazy on the staking, but we put him in a few things,” Connor said. “We don’t usually like to go too late. We like to shut them down and give them time to recover and prepare for next year.”

Sunday is Hall of Fame Day in Goshen. The day also marks the final U.S. drive for John Campbell, harness racing’s all-time money-winning driver, who will be competing in the Mr. and Mrs. Elbridge Gerry Memorial Trot for Hall of Fame drivers. On Sunday night, driver Brian Sears will be among those inducted into the Hall of Fame during a ceremony at the adjacent Harness Racing Museum and Hall of Fame.

The meet at Historic Track concludes Tuesday with New York Fair Stakes.

Racing begins at 1 p.m. each day.

The Connors have lived in Goshen for four years after selling their farm in Vernon.

“We came down for the winter four years ago and decided we would stay,” Connor said. “I have family in the area. We like it here very much. It’s quiet. There aren’t too many stables here and they’re pretty good to us.”

Historic Track is located at 44 Park Place in Goshen. Admission is $5, which includes a program, for adults and children are free. The track is located behind the Harness Racing Museum and Hall of Fame at 240 Main Street, where admission is always free.