from the Wisconsin HHA Marketing Department
Madison, WI — The Wisconsin Harness Horse Association will hold its awards banquet on January 21 in Madison, Wis., at the Howard Johnson Plaza Hotel on East Washington Avenue. Numerous awards will be given including the James Laird Memorial Award For Excellence.
Each year the WHHA chooses a horse, stable, person or groups of people with Wisconsin ties that have been successful, whether it is in Wisconsin or on the national level. This year’s recipients, William C. “Bo” and William P. “Pat” DeLong, have dominated various Midwest stakes circuits.
Harness racing in Wisconsin has always been a family sport and the father-son duo of Bo and Pat DeLong are no exception. For years they have run a successful stable based on their farm in Clinton, while sending their horses on to the big time. This year proved to be one of their greatest.
The Illinois County Fair stakes circuit saw two DeLong horses battle head-to-head all year. Mr Creepy and Colemanandthesea were virtually unstoppable throughout the season. While running the stable up and down the road, only twice did one of these two not hit the board.
On the pari-mutuel side, the DeLongs saw many winners throughout Illinois and Indiana. Voomerang pushed his earnings over $200,000 this season while taking a 4-year-old mark of 1:51.4 at Maywood Park to complement his 3-year-old record of 1:50.2.
He’s So Hot, co-owned with Ernie Miller of Mt. Horeb, Wis., continued his success this season with wins in the Illinois State Fair Championship, Dudley Hanover at Du Quoin, Oak Brook Terrace OTB and Cole Muffler Stake, while nearing the $250,000 mark in earnings and also taking a record of 1:50.2.
Freshmen seem to be the DeLong forte. Liveanotherartoday and Vavoomster both took 2-year-old records of 1:53.4 at Balmoral Park. But perhaps one of their biggest thrills of the year came with Fridaynightflight, (co-owned with trainer Roger Welch) after winning the $127,800 Abe Lincoln at Maywood Park. En route to a 2-year-old record of 1:52.2 and earnings in excess of $380,000, Fridaytnightflight scored victories in numerous Indiana Sire Stakes, the Circle City, and the Fox Stake.
Bo and Pat are a powerhouse to be reckoned with throughout the Midwest. Poised with exceptional horses and the best of partners, trainers and drivers, we can only imagine what 2012 will bring for this duo.
For additional information regarding the WHHA banquet, all of their weekend festivities or to book tickets to the event, contact WHHA President Gabe Wand at 608.574.5468 or e-mail gabewand@yahoo.com.