by Mark Ratzky, publicity, Cal-Expo

Sacramento, CA — Challenge The King, one of the most popular performers at Cal Expo over the last several years, has been retired and has arrived in Ohio to begin the next chapter in his colorful career.

The 9-year-old trotting son of Star Challenge made 63 starts, recording 25 victories and six seconds, and his many comebacks from serious injuries have been well documented in this corner while competing under the Lisa Ehrlich banner for trainer Bob Johnson.

Challenge The King is actually returning to Middlefield, Ohio, where he spent a year and a half as a buggy horse under the watchful eye of Steven Miller, who is thrilled to have the veteran back in the Buckeye State.

“It was late in his 3-year-old year when I got him and I believe he’d only raced twice,” Miller related. “He’d spent some time with a couple of Amish folks, but they had their hands full with him. So did I when I first got him, because he was very aggressive. I tried a lot of bits, and eventually just gave up trying to fight him. Fortunately, he stopped fighting me and it worked out nicely.

“I would jog him every day, and every Sunday we would take a trip that would be about eight and a half miles each way. I also bred him twice, and his son actually won his first race two months ago at Northfield Park.”

Midway through his 4-year-old year, Miller sold Challenge The King to James Carder, who campaigned the trotter at Hoosier Park before he became an important part of the Scott and Lisa Ehrlich family and began taking his lessons from Johnson.

“I followed his career right along,” Miller explained. “I told Scott that when his racing days were over, I’d love to bring him back to Middlefield and get a real chance to breed him to some mares and see what he can do.”

For the Ehrlichs, parting with this guy was truly hard to do.

“Challenge The King was the example of the true champion,” Scott Ehrlich said. “He took what was given to him and used it to the very best of his ability. To follow his lead, regardless of the chosen path, there’s no telling how far one could get. There’s also no telling how far he could have gotten had he been blessed with better/sounder legs, but we know one thing — he was blessed with a huge heart, not to mention a lovable goofball nature.

“My family and I said our so longs for now to King last week with lots of carrots and tear-filled eyes. But one thing we know, King will do great and make us proud in the next chapter of his life in Ohio, fathering Kings and Queens, while working well with the wonderful Miller family.”

Live racing resumes at Cal Expo on Thursday (Feb. 17) and continues through Saturday (Feb. 19). Post time on Thursday is 5:30 p.m. (PST). Post time on Friday and Saturday is at 6 p.m.