Charlene Polk

Dover, DE — It may have taken a bit longer than expected, but pacing mare Mememe is finally finding the success her owners always thought she would.

Delaware trainer Jason Johnson had high hopes for the 3-year-old he and his father purchased privately in January 2008. The daughter of Dragon Again-Missy B Cool had originally been sold at the Chesapeake Yearling Sale for $4,500 in September 2006.

“She was clean legged, had good breeding and the price was right,” Johnson, 27, said. “From the first time I trained her I knew she was going to be a racehorse. You could tell she wanted to go.”

Johnson was even more encouraged after the mare’s summer qualifiers, the last of which she won in 1:59.2 at Harrington Raceway. Their luck stopped there though.

“She broke down her first start,” Johnson said. “She just took a bad step. She never made a break though, and she still finished third.”

Mememe was diagnosed with a hairline fracture in her knee after her first and only start. While that could have been the end of her career, three months of stall rest did the trick and Johnson started jogging the mare back.

“The first couple of (training) trips back she wasn’t quite right but she came around pretty decent,” he said.

Fotowon photo

After racing just once as a sophomore, Mememe has won five times in 2009 and banked $23,620.

Johnson qualified the mare in March 2009 at Dover, which was followed with a second place finish in her first start of the year. That was followed by four wins in a row, the fastest in 1:57 at Dover Downs on April 7.

After an uncharacteristic seventh place finish May 21 at Harrington brought her streak to an end, Johnson put the mare on lasix. Her first start on the bleeding medication resulted in another seventh place finish, but Mememe rebounded with an easy 1:57.3 win in her next race at Harrington, pacing the final quarter in :28.3 for regular driver George Dennis.

Lifetime, the mare now has 12 starts with five wins, one second and four thirds with earnings of $24,292.

Johnson says that aside from being slightly bull-headed, Mememe is the ideal horse.

“She’s perfect to take care of,” he said. “My dad comes every day and feeds her carrots.”

Johnson also credits groom John Willey with keeping the mare happy, as he makes sure she is the first to go out each day.

The bay mare does not like to be alone though, and is trained and turned out alongside other horses. While Johnson doesn’t own any other horses, he does train seven for Walter, Paul and Steve McDougall. The young trainer, who after grooming for several years passed his trainer’s test in January 2008, is still trying to expand his stable.

Johnson, who trains in Dover, currently keeps busy racing at Harrington, Harrah’s Chester and The Meadowlands. Although he hasn’t been training very long, he’s already had success with horses such as Now That’s Art p,6,1:52.1f ($337,118) and North Dynazzty p,4,1:58.3f ($20,411).

“It was a little tough at first but it’s coming around,” Johnson said.