The Harness Horse Youth Foundation (HHYF) spent the summer traveling and conducting programs to teach kids about harness racing in Indiana, Ohio, New Jersey, and New York. At the conclusion of the Gaitway Farm program on Tuesday, (Aug. 4), the 21-year-old standardbred gelding Royal Attire made his final rounds as an accomplished ambassador for harness racing.
Author: By Katie Eick for HHYF
Thomas Calder “Tom” Wine II, 62, dies
Thomas Calder “Tom” Wine II, 62, passed away peacefully in his home on Tuesday (Aug.4). He was born on October 10, 1963, in Englewood, California.
Red Mile Abandons Wednesday Card; Remaining Sire Stakes Rescheduled
Due to intense rain that arrived in Lexington during the Wednesday (Aug. 5) card of harness racing at The Red Mile, the track had to cancel the remainder of the 14-race card for unsafe track conditions.
Mocha Java wins Saratoga Casino Hotel debut in Open trot
Mocha Java (Creatine) prevailed in his debut in the Open Trot at Saratoga Casino Hotel on Monday afternoon.
So Rock N Roll posts record breaking 1:48.2 mile at Plainridge
The records continue to fall over the lightning-fast track at Plainridge Park this year and the latest one to drop made So Rock N Roll the all-time fastest Massachusetts-bred pacer ever after he won the featured $23,000 upper-level conditioned pace on Monday (Aug. 3).
2YOs Shalom Hanover in 1:49.2; Starstruck Hanover in 1:49.4
Shalom Hanover, a 2-year-old pacing colt by Papi Rob Hanover – Sammy’s Magic Girl, captured his division of a Pennsylvania Sire Stakes event for his grouping on Monday (Aug. 3) afternoon at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania, winning easily in 1:49.2 – a time which makes him the fastest 2-year-old of 2026 and the fastest 2-year-old of all-time at Pocono, and a clocking just a fifth shy of the all-time record for any freshman on a 5/8-mile track (Frantic Hanover’s 1:49.1 in last year’s Sire Stakes Championship at Philly).
Hayden makes plenty of hay in Maine
On the final day of the Cumberland meet the Pine Tree State’s entire group of 2- and 3-year-old trotters helped close out the season on Sunday (August 2) at the iconic Southern Maine oval, with many of the series’ familiar faces increasing their leads in the point standings. Among the group of sophomore distaff trotters is the current Belle of the Ball, Hayden, who has won four of her five seasonal outings.
Top Reacher Upsets in Kentucky Championship Series; Melander Wins Six
Top Reacher split rivals from a ground-saving trip and collared his rough-gaited stablemate Command Center in the closing strides of a 1:54 mile to land a 24-1 upset in the $80,000 Kentucky Championship Series opening preliminary for 2-year-old trotting colts and geldings on Monday afternoon (Aug. 3) at The Red Mile.
Meadows Monday Memo
Here is this week’s Meadows Monday Memo:
Solid win for Fragment in NYSS at Monticello
The Glamour division did not disappoint, Fragment roared to an uncontested seven-length wire-to-wire win in 1:52.2, just missing the track record for 3-year-old colts in the lone heat of New York Sire Stakes for $119,700 on Monday (Aug. 3). Cooperstown Boy (C. Kelly) was second and Hunting Glory (J. Taggart Jr.) was third. It was the fastest mile of the year at Monticello Raceway.