Par One has been one of a kind for Jon Chenard
January 11, 2010,by Kimberly French, USTA Web Newsroom Senior Correspondent
Kimberly French Louisville, KY —
“Shawn Gray brought him up from New York,” remembered the resident of Biddeford, Maine. “He and I went back and forth until eventually I bought him for what Sean asked me for and I didn’t think the negotiation went my way, but it was well worth what we paid for him.
“I have a 6-year-old son and basically I’m a single dad,” Chenard continued. “I’ve been doing this full-time for about a decade and I’m up to 10 head now, but we have always been a competitive stable on a cheap level, so we have been trying to slug out a living for some time now and this horse has been a godsend. My son loves him and he’s the king of our barn.”
During 2009, the son of BJ’s Mac-Nicely Nicely trotted 37 race miles with 15 victories, seven second place finishes and three thirds. While competing primarily on the Maine circuit in conditioned contests, Par One collected $32,275 in purse money to increase his total career bankroll to $487,206. He established his mark of 1:53.4f at age seven.
Chenard, who collected nearly $100,000 of his total career earnings of $286,234 as a trainer in 2009, was attracted to the horse because of his stature.
Scarborough Downs photo
Par One posted his 50th career victory on Nov. 6, 2009 at Scarborough Downs.
“I’ve always liked small horses and he’s a tiny, fat horse with all kinds of guts,” he explained. “He has a ton of gate speed, never makes any breaks and is really classy. We race on a lot of small, bad tracks in Maine, but I think he is taylor-made for up here.
“If you saw him, you would think he’s worth about $400, because he’s a miniature,” the 37-year-old continued. “I have a couple small mares in my barn and we had to take one of their harnesses up to use on him, along with a colt bridle; he would make a good sized pony.”
For the most part, Par One is an easygoing unaltered horse, yet shortly before a race he definitely enjoys displaying an attitude.
“When he’s near other horses he acts nasty,” Chenard said. “He does a lot of screaming and spinning if you saw him in the barn or on his way to the paddock. He’s a loud stud, but a good one and I think he acts like that (prior to a race) because he loves his job and wants to get out there.”
The plan is for Par One to race throughout 2010 and hopefully, stand somewhere at stud once his last year of eligibility has expired. He was first bred in 2003, has 15 foals and his newly turned 3-year-old, Par Done My Putt, captured the $100,000 Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund Final for 2-year-old colt trotters on October 26, 2009, at Harrington Raceway.
“I’ve been talking to some of the breeders to see if maybe we could stand him in Maine,” Chenard said. “I think people might give him a shot, because he is good-gaited and quick off the car.
“If not, (John) Ducharme bred and (has) followed him,” he continued. “If I can’t get him a spot at stud, I’ll probably give him back to them. All I know is he has made a big, big difference for us and is the best horse we have had. We love him and he only deserves the best.”