by Charlene Sharpe, USTA Web Newsroom Senior Correspondent

Charlene Sharpe

Seaford, DE — Eighty wins. Eight $100,000 seasons. Earnings of nearly $1.5 million.

Looking at the performance record of 14-year-old trotter Grain Of Truth, it’s hard to say what stands out most — his success or his longevity.

The son of Self Possessed-Aimee’s Promise (American Winner) is midway through his final season on the racetrack and is trotting as fast as he was as a 4-year-old. Trainer Ray Schnittker admits he was pleasantly surprised when the old gelding made it to the winner’s circle after a 1:56.4 performance at Saratoga last month.

“I didn’t know he had it in him anymore,” Schnittker said.

Dave Oxford photo

Grain Of Truth has earned nearly $1.5 million in his brilliant career.

Grain Of Truth may have slowed down in recent years, but he’s never lost his love of racing. Even last year, as a 13-year-old, the trotter hit the board in nearly half of his 25 starts and earned $51,875.

He has managed to win a race every year of his career. And it’s not over yet. Schnittker says the trotter will continue to compete until he reaches retirement age Jan. 1.

“He just likes racing,” the trainer said.

Schnittker would know. Grain Of Truth has been a member of his stable since the fall of 2004 he was a 3-year-old. Owner Charles Iannazzo purchased the trotter as a yearling in 2002 for $22,000. He didn’t race as a 2-year-old, but won four races as a 3-year-old for trainer Matthew Butcher Jr. and took a qualifying mark of 1:57.2 at The Meadowlands shortly after joining Schnittker’s stable.

The New York trainer said it didn’t take much to turn him into a top older trotter. Schnittker addressed the gelding’s tendency to tie up with a regimen of regular turnout, trail rides and time on a walker. Grain Of Truth did the rest.

Between the ages of four and 11, the trotter never earned less than $100,000 a season. As a 9-year-old, he hit the board 27 out of 31 starts, winning 10 races and taking a lifetime mark of 1:53.1 at Pocono. As a 10-year-old, he had another 10-win season and earned $262,695, taking a seasonal mark of 1:54.2 at Saratoga.

“Up until the last couple years he hit the board about 70 percent of the time,” Schnittker said. “He’s getting old but he’s still tough.”

The only area Grain Of Truth hasn’t excelled in his long career is Racing Under Saddle. Schnittker, who’s been riding the trotter since he got him, thought the gelding would be ideal for the alternative style of racing as it began gaining popularity in 2012. In his first, and only Racing Under Saddle event though, Grain Of Truth kept trying to switch over to the pace.

“As much as we ride him he just wasn’t that good at it,” Schnittker said.

The trotter — who even after a decade of racing still gets nervous in the paddock — continues to enjoy his regular trail rides, however, and is still finding success pulling a sulky. So far this year, he’s had one win, two seconds and one third from 11 starts.

Schnittker is confident Grain Of Truth, who is still sound at 14, will finish out the year well. He says he’s made a habit of giving the horse regular time off and that has added to his longevity.

“He always got a break,” he said. “The owner let me do what I wanted. I have to give him credit, Charlie has been very good.”

Schnittker says he plans to find a home for Grain Of Truth as a riding horse when he does retire, but if that doesn’t work out the trotter will join Calypso Beat p,1:52.1 ($828,361) in his own backyard.