by Kimberly French, USTA Web Newsroom Senior Correspondent

Kimberly French

Louisville, KY — It wasn’t exactly how Aaron Lambert hoped to have Dynamic Youth break the million dollar barrier, but he feels the 6-year-old pacing gelding will still have plenty of opportunities to hit the winner’s circle throughout the year.

“It was not the set of circumstances I wanted for him when he accomplished that achievement,” he said. “With a fifth place finish in the (Ben) Franklin final (July 4); but the way the race set up for him I was not displeased with his effort. He always gives everything he’s got in every race and you can never ask for anything more than that.”

Dynamic Youth has been a substantial presence in Lambert’s barn since he selected him from the 2010 Standardbred Horse Sale in Harrisburg. The son of Bettor’s Delight and the Western Hanover mare Always True was an $85,000 yearling purchase and went through the ring named Altdelete Hanover. He is the first of six foals from his dam and the only one of her progeny to earn more than $100,000.

Currently owned by J&T Silva Stables, Kenneth Tucci and C&G Racing Stable, the gelding has been a model of consistency throughout his career and has taken on the best in the sport in most of his trips to the post.

Fred Brown photo

Dynamic Youth defeated Pet Rock by a nose in the 2012 Cane Pace at Tioga Downs.

In fact, he was the winner of the 2012 Cane Pace, equaled a world record of 1:48.1f on a five-eighths-mile track at age four, which remains his lifetime mark, and was the 2013 Pennsylvania Horse of the Year for his performances in overnight events at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono.

“He is just such a pleasure to be around,” Lambert said. “He’s an easy keeper around the barn and we really do not have to do much with him except turn him out with his chums. I’m just very glad to have him back because I was not sure if we would be able to return him to the races after last year. He got sore behind, so I just stopped on him and gave him all the time he needed. He’s actually come back even better than he was before and seems to be doing very well.”

As a 2-year-old Dynamic Youth started 12 times with a record of 3-1-3 and a bankroll of just under $77,000. He competed primarily on the New York circuit and closed his year out with an eighth place finish in the $510,000 Governor’s Cup final at Harrah’s Philadelphia.

As a 3-year-old the gelding collected nearly $600,000 from 18 trips to the gate. Although he was sixth in the $306,204 Art Rooney Pace, he was second in the $587,315 Confederation Cup final, won the Cane after a sixth in the elimination and closed out his season by finishing second in the $250,000 Monument Circle, the $260,000 American-National Stake and the $215,000 Windy City Pace.

The gelding returned at age four to make $179,900 from 23 races. He was third in the $223,500 Hoosier Park Pacing Derby and fourth in the $223,500 Quillen Memorial, while also competing in the Ben Franklin, William Haughton Memorial and US Pacing Championship. Keep in mind he was facing the likes of Sweet Lou, Bolt The Duer, A Rocknroll Dance, Foiled Again, Thinking Out Loud, and Pet Rock every week. Those horses were certainly not an easy group to contend with week in and week out.

In 2014, Dynamic Youth made 14 appearances on the track with a record of 4-3-1 and just missed breaking the $100,000 mark for the year in earnings with $90,375.

After Lambert determined the horse just wasn’t himself and discovered he was off behind, he was placed on an extended vacation. He did not compete from August of last year until he qualified this year on March 10.

Curtis Salonick photo

Dynamic Youth has won 24 times in his career with $1,022,907 in lifetime earnings.

With plenty of racing still remaining for the season, Dynamic Youth has already collected $83,075 with his record standing at 11-4-2-2. He’s won in 1:49f and appears poised for yet another successful year. His career statistics are 78-24-14-10 with purse money of $1,022,907.

“We did not stake him to much this year because we really were not sure if he would race for us again,” Lambert said. “Since he seems to like a five-eighths track we are going to keep him up here in the overnights at Pocono and just race him on that schedule.

“I’ve always said about him, that if he is within two lengths at the top of the stretch he always has the chance. He’s such an honest horse, with the best manners and is easy on himself. He really is a class act and definitely deserves some attention for what he has done throughout his career. Not many come around like him and he has proven the $85,000 that was spent on him was worth every penny, as in this business you never know what is going to happen or if the horse will work out. He certainly has done much more than that and in a very good way.”