Aiken, SC — What a great day of harness racing at McGhee’s Mile on Saturday (March 7). While it started out a wee bit chilly in the early morning with some blustery gushes of wind, to quote Roger Huston: “it was windier here than in [the home office] Grove City, Ohio” but it soon warmed up under a bright, blue sky with some fun events hosted by Janice McGhee, her extended family and friends.

The OHHA debuted it’s new “We Are Racing” tent at the races in Aiken. Photo courtesy of OHHA.

The Ohio Harness Horsemen’s Association traveled to the Palmetto State and unveiled its new “We Are Racing” Tent for the 2020 season along with “the Wheel” and a fresh stock of trivia questions. The event introduced and educated the hometown fans along with the Thoroughbred, Hunter, and Polo crossover attendees to showcase Ohio’s harness racing programs.

The crowd – guesstimated to be about 2,000 plus – began arriving in earnest about 10 a.m. as the tables and tailgates were arraigned with a large assortment of free food and beverages throughout the facility.

When Huston, in his sixth consecutive year, called out “good morning Aikennn!” we were underway. First up was a carriage parade that allowed some of the wintertime residents to showcase various handsome breeds with their pristine equipment.

Under the watchful eye of Presiding Judge Steve Huffman of and starter Hank Lauster, the fields included a pony race, as well as a RUS event.

Year-round Aiken denizen 88-year-old Jimmy Larente put his talent and expertise “on the clock” as the career winner more than 2,500 races the official timer for the day. So many of us remember the glory days of Brandywine Raceway and Liberty Bell Park when Larente drove there.

Kenny Edwards, another Aiken inhabitant, drove Mark Jakubik’s Ohio-bred Johnny Chip, a 5-year-old Big John gelding with a mark of 1:53.2, to a fast mile over the red clay oval.

But the star of the day was definitely “Bob the Dooogggg” as the pooch accompanied his owner/trainer Garry Martin in each of his races. He was safely hooked in his own harness, tucked in Martin’s colors, and wearing his own little helmet.

He was front-page news in the local newspaper the day before and the day after the races. Martin and Bob were interviewed in the winner’s circle presentation after they shook loose around the final turn and went on to win by a neck over Clem Lee and Simeon Hansdon.