from Harness Racing Communications, a division of the USTA

Freehold, NJ — Paolo Rosanelli’s father, Vincenzo, died in 1997, but the son still has dad to thank to some degree for his good fortune with 2-year-old filly trotter Honorable Daughter.

Lisa photo

Honorable Daughter was a 1:55.4 winner in her Merrie Annabelle elimination.

Honorable Daughter, who is co-owned by Rosanelli and John Siena, both of Middletown, N.Y., is heading into Thursday’s $523,600 Merrie Annabelle final at the Meadowlands off a 1:55.4 victory in her elimination race last week. She was driven by John Campbell for trainers Larry and Ray Remmen and is unbeaten in four starts.

“My father had horses and I used to help him when I was little,” Rosanelli said. “He would tell me that if a horse was going to be good, there were four or five things to watch for. When I saw Honorable Daughter on the (yearling) video, she had all the things my father told me. I remembered. I looked at hundreds of horses and I liked this horse. I wanted her, or nothing.

“I wish my father was here. The horses were his life; he loved the horses. He would be so happy.”

Honorable Daughter (Malabar Man-Honorable Mother) sold for $32,000 at the Lexington Selected Sale.

Rosanelli, who owns a machine shop, and Siena, who owns a bakery, have been partners on horses for about a dozen years. Last season, their Conway Court (Conway Hall-Lawn Tennis) won the New York Sire Stakes championship for 3-year-old colt trotters.

“We’ve been lucky the past couple years, maybe because we’ve paid our dues,” Siena said, adding with a laugh, “I don’t know if 12 to 14 years is paying your dues in this business, but I know my wife’s patience was wearing thin. It was getting to that point.”

The Middletown area has been a trotting stronghold of late, particularly with the likes of Hambletonian finalists Deweycheatumnhowe, Make It Happen and Celebrity Secret hailing from stables in the vicinity.

“It’s a hotbed right now,” Siena said. “I think the purses for the sire stakes and the racinos help. People aren’t afraid to invest money.”

In addition to her Merrie Annabelle elim victory, Honorable Daughter has won a division of the Acorn and a leg in the New York Sire Stakes. The Merrie Annabelle final is the biggest race, so far, of Rosanelli’s and Siena’s ownership careers.

“I’m nervous already and it’s only Monday,” Siena said. “I can’t imagine Thursday. I’m not used to this. It’s all new to me.

“But it’s great.”