Charlene Polk

Kittanning, PA — While Mr McRail may seem like a relative long shot starting from post eight in Tuesday’s (Sept. 29) Pennsylvania Sire Stakes final for 2-year-old colt and gelding trotters, the horse is no stranger to overcoming high odds.

It is remarkable, in fact, that the horse is racing at all after an ordeal in an icy Pennsylvania pond this winter.

One cold February day as he was getting ready to check up the young son of Donerail-Mr C’s Mistress, owner Jack Claypoole slipped on some ice and fell, spooking Mr McRail, who took off. By the time Claypoole was back on his feet, the horse and cart were long gone from the farm, leading Claypoole to get in his truck and start guessing which way his trotter had gone.

“I traveled about two miles and flagged down a school bus,” Claypoole said, “and asked the driver if she saw a runaway horse with a cart. She said she didn’t see anything. As I was getting into my truck, I noticed the school bus was backing up to tell me that the children on the bus had noticed the horse on a nearby pond.”

Sure enough, Claypoole found ‘Mac,’ as he’s called, on the middle of a frozen pond.

“Luckily the cart had broke off the harness before he got on the pond,” Claypoole said.

Americana Phototographers

Mr McRail set his lifetime mark of 1:57.3 at Rosecroft Raceway in August in a Maryland Standardbred Race Fund event.

Claypoole tried to coax the colt to back to the shore, but when Mr McRail started coming in the ice started breaking beneath the 1,000 pound horse. That didn’t stop him though, until about 30 feet from shore when he got to an ice jam he couldn’t break through, Claypoole said.

“I went out breaking ice to retrieve him,” he said, “and got him in safely. I don’t know how cold the water was, but my feet and legs were purple.”

By the time Claypoole got the horse back on solid ground, the fire department had arrived.

“I heard them say the horse came out of the pond on his own power,” Claypoole said, “and I really didn’t want to tell them anything different.

“What could have been a tragic story turned out to be a blessing.”

A blessing indeed, as Mr McRail went on to not only make the races, but to become one of the top contenders in the freshman trotting ranks at the Pennsylvania fairs. From 15 starts, the colt had nine wins, two seconds and one third, racking up earnings of more than $72,000. He set a lifetime mark of 1:57.3 at Rosecroft Raceway in August against Maryland Standardbred Race Fund competition.

While his winter swim might have been the highlight of Mr McRail’s early training, Claypoole credits the combination of his work jogging the colt up and downs hills at his farm and the experience of trainer Dave Brickell for getting the colt ready for his impressive summer of racing.

Along with Mr McRail, who he purchased for $6,000 from the Winbak consignment at last year’s PA Preferred sale, Claypoole owns three other racehorses, all trotters. In addition to proving to be money-makers, the horses keep the recent retiree busy.

Claypoole, who owned a retail lumber and hardware business for 47 years, got involved with Standardbreds about 11 years ago.

“One of our employees asked if he could rent a stall at the barn to purchase a horse for himself,” Claypoole said, “and it all started there.”

Since then the Pennsylvania resident has owned a variety of racehorses.

“We have had some pacers in the past,” he said, “but my love and success has been with trotters.”

And while Claypoole would like some success with Mr McRail in Tuesday’s $200,000 sire stakes final, he remains realistic.

“We have the eight hole and are up against some of the best trotters in Pennsylvania,” he said. “Whatever the outcome of the race will be, he is a winner in my heart.”

Below is the field for the $200,000 Pennsylvania Sire Stakes 2-year-old colt and gelding trot final, with drivers, trainers and morning line.

PP-Horse-Driver-Trainer-Line
1-Hard Livin-Dave Palone-Jimmy Takter-5-2
2-Upandover Hanover-Brett Miller-Scott Cox-10-1
3-Pilgrims Taj-Michel Lachance-Monte Gelrod-8-5
4-Freedom Ridge-Aaron Merriman-Harold Brocklehurst-3-1
5-Rt Picaadilly-Robert Rougeaux III-Robert Rougeaux III-12-1
6-Federalreservenote-Tim Tetrick-Jimmy Takter-5-2
7-On The Tab-Marcus Johansson-Jimmy Takter-5-2
8-Mr McRail-Richard Stillings-David Brickell-5-1