by Joshua Potts, USTA Web Newsroom Senior Correspondent

Springfield, IL — Throughout his freshman campaign in 2007, Lets Getit Started showed flashes of brilliance. And the Cole Muffler gelding, out of the Broadway Express mare Broadway Elite, rewarded his connections often, putting together a race record of 14-3-4-1 and $126,040 in the bank.

“I was really impressed when I trained him down to qualifying,” said the pacer’s trainer, Roger Welch.

After just a few races, Welch wasn’t the only one who was impressed. In fact, in just his fifth start for a purse, Lets Getit Started finished second in his Orange & Blue elimination at Balmoral Park, a head behind Chevie Classic Rod. But the amazing part of that performance was the way he paced home — in a final quarter of :25.4.

Maywood Park photo

Lets Getit Started was a 1:53 winner for Jason Dillander in his Abe Lincoln division.

A $62,000 purchase at the 2006 Cottonwood Farm yearling sale, Lets Getit Started’s biggest win of the season came in his $75,000 division of the Abe Lincoln stake, as part of Grand Circuit action at Maywood Park on October 12. That night, he buzzed around the suburban twicearound in 1:53. A week prior to that effort, he took his lifetime mark at Balmoral Park, going in 1:51.2.

“He always came home strong,” said Welch. “One race, he finished a last quarter in 25 and a piece. And his second time on a half (-mile track) went well. His first time on a half, he got cut off at the three-quarter pole.”

As happy as he was with the pacer’s 2007 performance, Welch looks forward to his sophomore campaign for several reasons.

“He’s a big, green horse that just blossomed into a beast of a horse. We just measured him and he’s a tad over 16 hands. I’ve already let his hobbles out six holes from his last race (on November 17). He went through a humongous growth spurt, and he’s a handsome dude.

“He’s eligible to the North America Cup, the Meadowlands Pace, the Hoosier Cup, and the American-National. He’s not eligible to the Berry’s Creek because I didn’t want to press him too early. He’ll race in a couple overnights in Chicago first, and then he’ll start his stakes schedule. He’s also eligible to Super Night and the Windy City Pace.

“His full brother, Enemy At The Gate, got better at three. He took his mark of (1:)49.2 as a 3-year-old and Lets Getit Started is built better than him.”

Enemy At The Gate, Broadway Elite’s 2001 foal, has won 23 of 53 lifetime starts, good for $319,624. His 3-year-old campaign was by far his best, winning 14 of 20 and $182,867.

“And (Lets Getit Started) was as fresh at the end of the season as he was at the start of the season,” said Welch.

With his mighty closing kick, ability on multiple size tracks, and imposing size, it’s hard for Lets Getit Started’s connections to not be excited about the year to come. Can he repeat, or even surpass, the success that his older brother had at three? Harness racing fans will find out soon during what will certainly be an exciting 2008 season.