by Kimberly French, USTA Web Newsroom Senior Correspondent

Kimberly French

Williamsport, PA — He’s so accustomed to following his own agenda, that when things don’t go Primo Spur’s way, he has no qualms voicing his displeasure.

“We spoil him and let him have his way a lot of the time,” said his conditioner and pilot Dick Stillings. “If he doesn’t get his carrots, he’ll get mad and if he doesn’t win, he’s mad. He gets a little rambunctious once in a while and thinks he’s going to be tough with you, but he just wouldn’t hurt a fly. He’s just a like a little pet.”

The 5-year-old Ohio-bred son of Pegasus Spur and T Tar’s Shadowmio, who is owned by Roy Davis of Jupiter, Fla., has collected $280,446 with a lifetime mark of 1:54.4f from 63 race miles. The gelding was the 2008 Horse of the Year and Aged Trotter of the Year at The Meadows, where he is based.

Primo Spur was a member of the first crop of foals conceived by his sire, who initially stood in Ohio, but now holds court at Seelster Farms in Lucan, Ontario.

In 2006, Pegasus Spur was Ohio’s leading money-winning juvenile trotting sire with 28 winners from 56 starters for earnings of $547,873 including $100,000 Ohio Sire Stakes Champion Ima Spur 2,1:58f ($103,736). As a racehorse, Pegasus Spur won the Matron Stake, American-National and Dygert Memorial. He also finished second in the Hambletonian and Breeders Crown during his sophomore campaign.

Primo Spur has resided in Stillings’ barn ever since he was purchased as a yearling and he has competed consistently all four years he has raced.

USTA photo

Dick Stillings is enjoying a lot of success with trotter Primo Spur.

“He’s a good horse and a tough racehorse,” his 65-year-old trainer said. “He’s very easy to drive and he will do anything you ask him to do. He does a lot of it on heart, because he’s not very big and not that good-gaited. It’s not anything major, but he has a little flaw in his gait behind; he’s just not fluid-gaited.”

Stillings can definitely recognize a talented horse. A native of Mount Vernon, Ohio, Stillings began driving full-time at The Meadows in the early 1970s and in conjunction with his brother, trainer Charles “Buddy” Stillings and owner Davis, captured the Little Brown Jug in 1987 with Jaguar Spur.

In October 2008, Stillings surpassed the $30 million mark in earnings as a driver and on February 27, gained his 5,000 victory in the bike. He trains only a few head and concentrates his energies on catch driving.

“I may look into training more in the next few years, but I love coming to the track,” he said. “I know my day is coming — you can see it. Trainers like younger drivers. For me to be doing this at my age, I’m very fortunate.”

Primo Spur will race mostly at The Meadows for his 5-year-old campaign. From five starts this year, he has two victories and one second place finish and has bankrolled more than $34,000.

“He is Ohio-eligible, so we can race him there as well, but with the kind of money we race for here, we’ll probably just keep him at home,” Stillings explained. “All we are going to try to do is keep him sound enough to race for 25 or so starts. He’s all racehorse and a very nice horse to be around.”