by Paul Ramlow, USTA Internet News Manager

Columbus, OH — Buck I St Pat, who captured the Perretti Farms Matchmaker and the Maxie Lee Memorial during the month of August, has been named Horse of the Month by the United States Trotting Association.

World Wide Racing Photo

Buck I St Pat was a 1:52.2 winner in the Maxie Lee Memorial on her way to August Horse of the Month honors.

The wins vaulted the 7-year-old Jailhouse Jesse-Name It Something mare over the $400,000 mark in season’s earnings for the third straight year. She has banked $411,725 in 2010 and $1,813,677 in her brilliant career for owners Howard Taylor, Edwin Gold, Abraham Basen and Ron Fuller. Trained by Ron Burke, Buck I St Pat was driven in the month of August by Tim Tetrick and Matt Kakaley.

In the $100,000 Perretti Farms Matchmaker on August 7 at Meadowlands Racetrack, Buck I St Pat rallied in the stretch for Tetrick to post a 1-3/4 length triumph over Windsong Soprano in a time of 1:51, trotting her final quarter in :27.1. The time was a lifetime best for the winner of 46 career races.

Next up was the $25,000 second leg of the Miss Versatility Trot on August 22 at Tioga Downs. With Kakaley getting the driving assignment, Buck I St Pat finished third, three lengths behind Yursa Hanover, who crossed the wire first in 1:56 on a sloppy racetrack.

Buck I St Pat retuned to the winner’s circle a week later as she beat the boys in the $100,000 Maxie Lee Memorial on August 29 at Harrah’s Chester. Tetrick gave her a pocket trip and and she shook loose in the stretch to post a 4-3/4 length victory over Looking Hanover in a time of 1:52.2, a mile which equaled her own stakes record (set in winning the 2008 edition of the race) and track record for older trotting mares.