The career winner of 36 dashes had been touring some of Ontario’s ‘B-tracks’ as of late, in cheap claimers none-the-less. Still, the accomplished pacer, who until recently owned a gelding world record time, was still knocking his competition dead, having won five in a row and not being beaten since May 20.

Conditioner Richard Banca, who enjoyed much success with Armbro Proposal, made a 12-hour trek from New Jersey to Hanover, Ontario this week to claim the pacer.

“He looked good,” Banca said of his old friend, who he picked up for the last time. “He’s just sore and he has raced enough. He was very good to me and I just don’t want to see him beat up like that.”

Instead of taking Armbro Proposal back to New Jersey, Banca reunited the pacer with someone he will recognize: driver Luc Ouellette.

“He’s retired. I gave him to Luc Ouellette and he’s going to keep him as a riding horse.

“Luc drove him for me and he has a little farm, so I asked him if he wanted to keep him. He called me up and I dropped him off over there this morning. He’s got Red Bow Tie over there and now he has got him.”

Purchased as a yearling at The Classic Sale for $6,500 by Cyril Hayes and Mike Saftic, Armbro Proposal rebounded from a couple of injuries and eventually went down to the Meadowlands, where he earned roughly $800,000 for Banca.