by Rich Fisher for the USTA

Joe Smith had nothing to do with naming Pacific Renegade, but he applauds those who did.

“One time, he bit off the door of his stall and ripped a big hole in his tooth,” said Smith, who owns Pacific Renegade, a finalist in Saturday’s $225,000 Graduate for older pacers at the Meadowlands. “His feistiness is part of his personality. Renegade is a good name for him.”

Smith, a Buffalo native who has been in the racing business since the late 1980s, bought Pacific Renegade in Harrisburg at the end of his 2-year-old season in 2003. The Vero Beach, Fla., resident defers to Tom Fanning, the only trainer he has ever worked with, in all purchases.

The two are looking into additional horses, but right now Pacific Renegade is Smith’s lone horse. Fanning liked what he saw of Renegade, despite his rambunctious attitude.

“He’s feisty, and he’s a stunning looking horse,” Smith said. “Some breeder from Australia contacted Tom and said he was best looking horse he’d ever seen.

“He’s big and strong, filled out from last year. He has really good gate speed. Some of the images of him flying down the stretch are impressive. He had one race at the Meadowlands and did the second half at 53.2 [seconds]. You just don’t see people do 53.2 in the second half. He can fly coming home.”

Smith lists Pacific Renegade as one of two favorite horses he has owned. Pacific Renegade is keeping pretty good company, since Smith’s other favorite is 1990 Breeders Crown winner Bay’s Fella. Since then he has owned several horses “off and on,” with Fanning training all of them.

The retired president of Parke Davis pharmaceutical company, Smith bought Pacific Renegade with the idea of grooming him for his 5-year-old season. Pacific Renegade is half brother to Pacific Fella, who won the 1998 Graduate – as a 5-year-old. Pacific Fella earned $652,365 as a 5-year-old.

“Our idea was to bring Pacific Renegade along during the 3- and 4-year-old season and have him ready for this year,” Smith said. “Tom Fanning was very patient with him.”

As was Dr. Patricia Hogan, the veterinarian who famously tended to Smarty Jones several years ago. Hogan previously owned Pacific Renegade, who was trained as a 2-year-old by Ed Lohmeyer.

“Dr. Hogan had that tooth sticking sideways when he chewed on that door,” Smith said with a laugh. “She had to figure out how to get it back straight.”

Two individuals who have helped Pacific Renegade calm down are his caretaker, Sarah Riggleman, and driver Yannick Gingras.

“Sarah had him as a 2-year-old, she came back with him, and has been working with him over the last year,” Smith said. “She’s been terrific. That helped settle him down.”

As for Gingras, Smith feels the horse and driver were made for each other.

“Yannick has been with him for quite a while now,” Smith said. “I would say for well over a year. I think Yannick’s style works with Pacific Renegade. He’s an aggressive driver. His style is a good match for the horse’s ability.

“They seem to work well together, and Yannick gives Tom good feedback. Yannick knows how to settle him down and has a good sense of how to race him. He usually races him like he’s one of the best horses in the race.”

Not a bad strategy, since Pacific Renegade has been the best horse in a fair number of races. He won four as a 3-year-old, including the Mountain Skipper at Rockingham. Last year, he won eight of 26 starts, and paced a 1:49.1 mile on Hambletonian Day at the Meadowlands.

In his elimination race for the Graduate, Pacific Renegade started from post six and finished fourth. He drew the nine hole for Saturday, and is 15-1, but Smith still has faith.

“There’s a lot of speed on the outside, I don’t know how that will work out,” Smith said. “Yannick’s got to figure it out. I have a lot of confidence in the horse. I’m sure he’ll be in the race. I wish he would have drawn a little better, but that’s just the luck of the draw.”

However things turn out Saturday, Smith is still optimistic that Pacific Renegade is poised for a big 5-year-old season. He credits Fanning for bringing him along.

“Tom has been extraordinarily patient,” Smith said. “He’s tried to put him in races where he thought he’d be competitive. The planning for this kind of racing career has been careful. He didn’t get over-raced last year. His last race was on Hambo Day, and we kept him off until the beginning of this year.

“He had a good streak at the Meadowlands in June and July. Everything was 1:49 and change. He was doing very well. He’s an exciting horse to watch and he’s fun to be around.”

Unless, of course, you’re a stall door.