by Ken Weingartner, Harness Racing Communications

Ken Weingartner

Freehold, NJ — If Trick Man wins Saturday’s $500,000 Delvin Miller Adios at The Meadows, don’t look for owner Ron Brechler in the winner’s circle, at least not immediately. And watch where you step.

Why?

“You’ll probably have to pick me up,” Brechler said with a laugh.

The 74-year-old Mount Vernon, Ohio resident bred Trick Man, a 20-1 longshot in the Adios who will start from post No. 1 with trainer-driver Ray Paver. Last week, Trick Man finished third in his elimination race, beaten 1-1/2 lengths by Pang Shui in 1:52.2.

Last season, Trick Man was Ohio’s 2-year-old male pacer of the year. He won four of seven races, including the $80,000 Ohio Sire Stakes final at Northfield Park and a division of the Ohio Breeders Championship at the Delaware County Fairgrounds.

So far in 2010, Trick Man has two wins in eight starts. He’s earned $107,357 in his career.

“He just looked like a nice colt from the start, and he trained pretty good from the start,” said Brechler, who got into the harness racing business in the mid-1980s and works in the dairy industry. “When you raise the mother and colt, you feel pretty good. But this sport can make you pretty humble, too.”

USTA/Ed Keys photo

Trick Man has banked $107,357 with six wins in 15 lifetime starts.

Trick Man is a son of Mantacular, out of the mare Vicki’s Trick. An injury as a yearling prevented Vicki’s Trick from racing. Interestingly, her family was predominately trotters prior to the mid-1960s and included 1960 Hambletonian winner Blaze Hanover as well as 1930 Hambletonian winner Hanover’s Bertha.

In the Adios, Trick Man will face his toughest competition to date. Rockin Image, who will start from post nine, won an elimination and was fourth in the $1 million Meadowlands Pace after also winning an elim for that race. We Will See, who was second to Rockin Image in his Adios elim, was runner-up in the $1.45 million North America Cup.

Pang Shui and Versado, who won the other Adios elims, are multiple stakes winners and are joined in the field by Meadowlands Pace finalists Delmarvalous, I’m Gorgeous and Nova Artist.

“It’s quite an honor just getting there,” Brechler said. “If I happen to get lucky, this would be by far the biggest win of my life. But I’m not counting on anything. Hopefully we get a lot of luck. That’s why they race the races. There are a lot of good horses. Still, I think it’s just pretty nice to get there.”

Paver admitted Trick Man will have his work cut out for him.

“I don’t know if he’s quite the caliber they are, but I’m glad to get a shot with him in there anyway,” Paver said. “It’s all going to depend on the trip. He can leave pretty good, but I’d hate to use him hard leaving and get away fourth. But he’s got a lot of guts and gives you everything he can.”