Columbus, MN — Businessman Dave Dobbelmann hails from Forest Lake, Minn., just a few short miles from Running Aces. A few years ago he met some folks involved in harness racing which prompted him to visit the racetrack and see what it was all about. Not long after that he became a fractional owner, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Dave Dobbelmann with trotter LA Magic, who he co-owns with Triple Q Stables. Provided photo.

Today Dobbelmann owns all or part of around two dozen Standardbreds, including two new stallions that are standing their first seasons in Minnesota. He continues to ramp up his investment in the sport and has also been a sponsor and advertiser at Running Aces and last season even sponsored a promo that donated to racehorse aftercare every time there was a driving or training triple in a single night.

I recently caught up with Dave to chat about the upcoming Running Aces meet which starts Sunday (May 19) and he was also gracious enough to take some time from his busy schedule to share his story with me, about how he was bitten by the harness racing bug.

When were you first introduced to horses and harness racing?

It all began in 2008 when Tara, my girlfriend at the time, talked me into looking at a foreclosure property. I knew nothing about horses at that time. She had horses most of her life and was boarding one in Scandia. The property was nearly 20 acres on the northern border of Forest Lake.

It had previously been a horse property. Unfortunately, it had fallen into disrepair. The entire property was in horrible condition. Our friends and family thought we’d gone crazy. We spent many months cleaning, clearing, demolishing, rebuilding, and creating a great, safe, and welcoming horse property that we called BuckMann Farm.

Once we were comfortable with the conditions, and the safety of the property, we began to board horses. Eventually, I had my own horse. His name was Goofy, a buckskin Quarter Horse.

In 2015, we took on a new boarder. Her name was Cindy Ivey. Tara and Cindy eventually became partners on a racehorse or two. Imma Tank is one that comes to mind. Bob Lems was their trainer. I became more intrigued as I attended race nights, met Bob, and other trainers and owners when they would visit the farm.

We wound up selling the farm in 2022. In hindsight I miss the daily interaction with the horses at the farm.

What made you decide to jump in and become a harness horse owner for the first time?

One spring we got a call from a trainer coming to Running Aces. He was looking for paddocks and stalls for his racehorses. At the time we had room. That trainer was Edwin Quevedo. Over the next several months Edwin and (his wife) Fabi kept asking when I was going to buy a racehorse. I was a bit reluctant. I think they realized I wasn’t going to jump in as a full owner yet.

Eventually, they offered me fractional ownership in one of their horses. Looking back, it’s kind of similar to the Summer Fling that Minnesota Harness Racing Inc. offers to intrigued and interested fans.

Once involved, it wasn’t very long before you started to add more and more horses; tell us about that process.

I grew to love the sport, visits to the barns, the excitement of race nights, the nerves and the rush of your horse reaching the three-quarter pole and giving his/her all to be the first to cross the wire. I guess it became an addiction in a way.

One horse wasn’t enough. I wanted more of that excitement, that rush. As I grew the stable, I soon realized not only was I fulfilling that desire, but it was actually starting to be profitable. When one horse had an “off” week, there always seemed to be others in our stable that would step up and do well and cover for them.

Notably, you employ many different trainers at one time; if I remember correctly, you had horses with up to four different trainers at the same time last summer at Running Aces. Can you share how that came about and can you share any info about the trainers you use and why you chose them?

It’s developed over time through the relationships and friendships I’ve made in the industry. When Edwin (Quevedo) left for the East Coast I wanted to have horses here in Minnesota during the summer meets. Jake (Cutting) took over once Edwin left. Jake then went east and didn’t return the next season. I had met Chicky (Jose Castillo) through Edwin a couple years prior to Jake’s departure.

When we realized that the quality of the stable that we sent out east wasn’t competitive enough out there, I shipped them to Chicky.

Lexi (Kehl) joined the team out of a challenge related to my horse, Alway’s Close. He was a difficult horse. Very strong. There were only a select few that could handle him and would drive him. I asked Lexi if she’d like to see what she could do with him. She agreed and did a fantastic job.

When Sean (Smithpeters) arrived, it was an added bonus. Alway’s is a different horse today because of Lexi. So much so that I claimed him back after he was claimed towards the end of the meet last year.

With the return of Edwin and Jake to Aces last year, I moved some horses, and added more to their barns. I truly believe every horse is just as different as each trainer; some manage better and perform better with a certain trainer and their program. I can’t and won’t lock a horse in with one specific trainer. If a horse needs a change of scenery, the trainers are always willing to do what’s best for the health and performance of the horse. I am very grateful to all of them for their flexibility and outstanding care of my horses.

You have sent horses out west to Cal Expo and out east to Freehold, Yonkers and The Meadowlands to name a few venues; any notable differences worth mentioning versus racing at Running Aces?

Running Aces is my home track. I’ve only had the opportunity to attend live racing at maybe a half dozen tracks. This past winter I had the chance to visit Cal X and a few of the tracks out east. Running Aces is a great track. If I was asked to rate the tracks I’ve visited, I’d say that the Aces facility is second only to the Big M in my opinion. The competition is getting tougher, and the purses are competitive with many of the other tracks throughout the country.

If this progression continues, I believe Aces could become one of the top tracks in the nation. Cal X seems to me to be a more relaxed, less competitive venue. The purses are considerably smaller, the driver options and resources seem to be more limited compared to MN or out east.

I also feel that racing out east is amazing — the purses are fantastic, and the resources are endless. With so many tracks in the area, and the different classes and conditions available, odds are, your horse should be able to fit somewhere there and be competitive more often than not.

With many different horses, races and wins under your belt as an owner now, which races or wins stand out as your favorites so far?

Dylan The Great’s campaign at Cal X during the 2022/23 meet. I acquired him through onGait and I had a strong feeling about his potential. When he arrived at Cal X, Lexi wasn’t so sure about what I had sent her. He was in pretty rough shape. Lexi worked her magic, and in no time, he was winning, and even dominating the Open trotting class.

Trey Rockette’s new lifetime mark at Aces with Brad Irvine in the bike last season, and Ynotthishos’s recent (11-1) longshot and career best win at the Big M are a couple others that stand out.

What horse has been your favorite to own and race so far and why?

I’d say Trey Rockette. He’s always been consistent, he doesn’t require much attention, and if you can get the right driver on a consistent basis, he can be very competitive.

You have also recently jumped into the breeding business with your stallions that you have acquired and brought to Minnesota, pacing stallion Lost In Time, and trotting stallion Jonas K S. How did that come about and how is it going so far, how do you like the breeding side of the business so far?

The opportunity to acquire both stallions at reasonable prices made sense. With the increased interest in the Minnesota program I figured it was a great opportunity to expand the stallion roster in MN, and a way to give breeders options to bloodlines that have not been available to them until now.

Lost In Time is the only Dan Patch Award winning stallion standing in the state. The quality of the mares he has been attracting is unprecedented, and I can’t wait for his foals to excel in the Minnesota program.

Breeders and fans can get more information from his Facebook page @LostInTimeMN.

I’m also very appreciative of the mare owners that have booked to Jonas K. He was undefeated and a Grand Circuit track-record-breaker from a phenomenal family, but he isn’t proven yet, as he’d never stood stud anywhere. So, to see the breeders that are as high on him as I am, that means a lot. I’m confident he will pass on his outstanding qualities (attitude, gait, etc.) to his babies and raise the standard of Minnesota-sired trotters. His Facebook page can be found at @JonasKStallion.

The breeding side is going really well. With Mikaela’s (Del Giudice) marketing help, word is spreading about the qualities each of them boasts and the ways in which they elevate the Minnesota program.

The upside on Jonas K looks promising and Lost in Time’s 2- and 3-year-olds have already proven to be very competitive and sought after.

You also recently entered a partnership on a horse with noted Ohio-based owner/breeder Carl Howard; how did that come about and what can you tell us about that and the horse?

In April of 2022, my trotting mare Warrawee Welcome had what we now know to be a career-ending injury. She had fractured her left front coffin bone. We gave her eight-nine months off before the vet cleared her to start training back.

After four months of training back, we realized that she wasn’t going to make it back to the track. I knew that I wanted to keep her and breed her. Somehow/somewhere I learned that Carl was accepting somewhat unique applications to breed to his world champion stallion Action Uncle. We are now partners on a beautiful filly that we named Wee Action. Welcome will be brought back to Minnesota after weaning and in foal to Jonas K.

With the upcoming season at Running Aces close on the horizon, what horses of yours are you most excited to see back at your home track?

I’m excited to see all of them return. I’m really looking forward to watching my 2-year-olds (Wisco Half Pint and International Ice) and seeing how the new (to Aces) horses acquired out east will fare this meet.

Thank you Dave, wishing you a great 2024 season at Running Aces!