by Ellen Harvey, Harness Racing Communications

Freehold, NJ — Hambletonian eligible Federal Flex got his 2009 season off to a good start with a two length win in 1:56 in his elimination for this Saturday’s (June 27) C$333,200 Goodtimes Trot at Mohawk Racetrack.

New Image Media photo

Federal Flex opened up his 3-year-old campaign with a 1:56 score in his Goodtimes elimination last Saturday.

The son of Muscles Yankee, who won the 1998 Hambletonian, and hard-knocking mare Scully FBI (113 starts, 16 wins, $522,369, 1:54) was purchased as a yearling for $100,000 by his driver, Jody Jamieson, along with his trainer Jeff Gillis and Ken Henwood. The partnership expanded to include Marvin Katz and Al Libfeld in September of 2008.

“I can’t take any credit for that,” Jamieson said of Federal Flex’s purchase. “My dad (noted trainer Carl Jamieson) and Jeff Gillis found him at Harrisburg and they decided I should have a look at him. I wasn’t really blown away by him, but as I watched him sell, I found myself unrelenting until I had him. He’s been a good horse from the first day he had the harness on. He’s always been smart. He’s just been a pleasure to be around.”

At $100,000, Federal Flex is looking like a bargain, as his half siblings have sold for $110,000 and $190,000 and he has now made just under $500,000 lifetime in 10 starts. Last year, he won five of nine races and $479,167 on his way to receiving his division’s O’Brien Award (as Canada’s best 2-year-old male trotter). His triumphs included the Valley Victory and a division of the Champlain Stakes.

The colt was ranked No. 4 on the most recent “Road to the Hambletonian,” put out by Meadowlands Racetrack announcer Ken Warkentin.

These days, Jamieson is primarily meeting the colt in the paddock, though he was heavily involved in his early training.

“I trained him a lot during his yearling and 2-year-old winter,” Jamieson said. “He was at my dad’s farm with Jeff and my dad, but I haven’t really trained him since he qualified, just raced him.”

The goals for the winter of 2008-09 were not complex.

“We were just hoping he’d grow up a bit and get strong,” Jamieson said. “That’s what you want in a top trotter — you want them to be strong. We were looking for that. He’s filled out and got a touch taller, but he’s just been a perfect animal the last year, he’d do anything you asked him. You can do whatever you want with him. He’s a nice horse and he’s got a great mouth on him. He was a little antsy in the Goodtimes, getting off the gate, but you couldn’t tell after he got off the gate. I chalk that up to being his first start of the year.”

Jamieson, who ranks second among all drivers in North America this year in wins, with 371, would rather let someone else take the lead off the gate in the Goodtimes final. Federal Flex will start from post four.

“I think he’s a chaser,” Jamieson said. “He’d be better suited chasing down horses. Looks like there will be some speed in there so that would be best for him. If I can chase down horses, he’ll be strong finishing.”