by the Monticello-Goshen Chapter of USHWA

Monticello, NY — Over the course of the winter Ken Jacobs may have to rearrange his trophy case and make room for some incoming hardware. Jacobs has been an ardent racing fan since the 1960s, buying his first horse in the 1990’s. Fast forward to the present and he has the honor of owning the fastest 2-year-old trotting colt in harness racing history. His colt Walner shattered the existing world record by almost a second, to set the new stanza of 1:51.3.

USHWA photo

Ken Jacobs is the recipient of this year’s John Gilmour Good Guy Award bestowed by the Monticello-Goshen USHWA chapter.

For his affable demeanor and industrial longevity, when the Monticello-Goshen Chapter of the United States Harness Writers Association holds their 58th annual awards banquet on Dec. 4 at the Fountains at Wallkill Golf Club, Jacobs will receive the chapter’s “John Gilmour Good Guy Award.”

The always smiling Jacobs is always on hand when his top horses compete. When Walner won the Breeders Crown freshman trot in a stakes and track Record of 1:53 and then completed his season with a crushing win over his opponents in the Kindergarten Series final, Jacobs was the first person to reach the Meadowlands winners circle.

Walner, is named after the Swedish pioneer Hakan Wallner, who led the way for the Swedish Invasion in the 1970’s to this country. Walner, the horse, is expected to be a strong winterbook favorite for next year’s Hambletonian and a top contender for the Dan Patch 2-Year-Old Trotting Colt of the Year Award.

Monticello Raceway has been lucky for Jacobs, as he has enjoyed much success over the years and has been a frequent visitor to the Monticello Raceway winner’s circle. His horses currently hold three track records at the Mighty M. Kenneth J, paced the fastest mile ever for a 3-year-old pacing colt at Monticello Raceway when he won the $478,000 Monticello Gold Rush in 1:52.1 in 2007. This year, Planet Rock set the track record in 1:55:2 for 2-year-old pacing fillies, Allerage Echo holds the track mark for 2-year-old trotting colts of 1:58.1 set last summer.

Jacobs is a dedicated family man, and is devoted to his wife Rita. Residents of Baldwinsville, N.Y., the entire Jacobs family have already cleared the 2017 date of the first Saturday of August, as Ken looks to fulfill a bucket list item and win the Hambletonian with Walner…although he might need a bigger trophy case.

This year, in addition to the year end awards for horses and horsepeople from the local tracks, the Monticello-Goshen chapter will also honor Bob Boni (Lifetime Achievement Award); Keith Hamilton (Excelsior Award); Dave Little (Phil Pines Award); Roger Dowd (Amy Bull Crist Distinguished Service Award); Robert Krivelin (Amateur Driver); Justin Huckabone (Rising Star); and Denise DeSimone (Award of Appreciation).

Tickets for the gala event can be reserved by contacting Shawn Wiles at (845) 794-4100 extension 458 or Email: swiles@empireresorts.com.

To place a congratulatory ad in the souvenir journal, please contact Chris Tully at (845) 807-7538 or Email: tullytrot@yahoo.com.