by Charlene Sharpe, USTA Web Newsroom Senior Correspondent

Charlene Sharpe

Seaford, DE — When owner Henry Faragalli asked how the Delaware-bred trotting colt he owned a part of was doing this spring, trainer Les Givens didn’t give him much to go on.

“Les is a man of few words,” Faragalli said. “He just said ‘you’ll like him.’”

And that Faragalli does.

Caretaker Lisa Timmons gets LG’s Pride ready to jog with the help of Rick Taylor.

“I hope we have some good luck,” Faragalli said. “If there are no mishaps or interference I think he’ll be right there.”

The son of CR Commando and Paris Beauty (Donerail) started his career with two qualifying wins in September. He followed them with a win in his first pari-mutel start Sept. 26 in 2:04.3 for driver Jim Morand and another easy 2:04.2 win in his first DSBF elimination. LG’s Pride finished fourth but was placed third in last week’s elimination after some early interference.

“He’s all trot,” Faragalli said.

Givens, who purchased the dam of LG’s Pride in foal, sold part of the small bay colt to Faragalli and Johnson last fall. Longtime Standardbred owner Faragalli was looking for a horse to race in Delaware’s lucrative stakes program.

“I said I’d like to have a part of a Delaware trotter,” Faragalli recalled. “Les had two CR Commando colts. A big chestnut and a small dark colt.”

Givens recommended they buy part of the small bay he’d named after a trotter he’d been impressed with 30 years ago. While he’s not much bigger now than he was then, LG’s Pride was the one to buy — the flashy chestnut has yet to make the races.

“He still hasn’t grown much but all he does is trot,” Faragalli said.

Givens agrees.

“He was all trot from day one,” he said.

In spite of being the smallest horse on the farm, LG’s Pride — nicknamed Little Man — takes his job seriously, according to caretaker Lisa Timmons.

“You put the bridle on him and he knows it’s time to go,” she said.

LG’s Pride isn’t the only horse Givens is racing in Wednesday’s $100,000 DSBF colt final.

What a Hit (Giant Hit-Go Sassy Go) starts from post three for owner Delbert Cain after a fourth place and a second place finish in his two eliminations.

Charlene Sharpe photos

What A Hit is 4-1 in the morning line for the DSBF final.

If diminutive LG’s Pride is the smallest horse on the farm, What a Hit, called Big John, is one of the largest. Givens says it’s the colt’s size that’s kept him from the winner’s circle at Harrington Raceway.

“He’s really not a half-miler,” Givens said. “The turns jam him up. I look for him to go on at Dover.”

Whether he’s talking about LG’s Pride or What a Hit, Givens said the key to doing well Wednesday would be staying flat.

“The main thing is to stay trotting,” he said. “That’s the key in Delaware — to stay at it.”

Below is the field for Wednesday’s DSBF final at Harrington Raceway.

Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund Final-2-year-old colts & geldings
Post-Horse-Driver-Trainer-Line
1-LG’s Pride-Jim Morand-Les Givens-3-1
2-Briefs Or Boxers-Carlo Poliseno-Carlo Poliseno-8-1
3-What A Hit-George Dennis-Les Givens-4-1
4-Whichwayrightrleft-Ross Wolfenden-Syl King, Jr.-6-1
5-Winbak Charles M-Jeff Fout-Jeff Fout-5-1
6-Boo’s The Boss-Allan Davis-Robert Myers-12-1
7-Bosston Bnz-Art Stafford, Jr.-Art Stafford, Jr.-10-1
8-Call Me Hal-Victor Kirby-Jeff Fout-5-2