by Charlene Sharpe, USTA Web Newsroom Senior Correspondent

Charlene Sharpe

Laurel, DE — “He was good from day one.”

Though the pacing gelding Star Messenger has taken a new lifetime mark and earned more than $117,000 in the year and a half since he entered Gary Ewing’s care, the owner and trainer takes little credit for his star pacer’s success.

“He likes to race,” Ewing said.

Star Messenger, the 7-year-old son of Jereme’s Jet and the Run The Table mare Manhattan Killean, had a banner year in 2017, earning just under $80,000 and taking a lifetime mark of 1:50.2. He appears to be on track for an equally successful campaign in 2018, as he’s already lowered his record to 1:50 and is now competing in the Open at Harrington Raceway.

Photo courtesy of Gary Ewing

Star Messenger has 29 lifetime wins and career earnings of more than $253,000.

The Ontario-bred gelding first caught Ewing’s attention in 2016. Star Messenger was a regular at Delaware’s two racetracks, alternating between the conditioned classes and $20,000 claiming events. After seeing Star Messenger win a 5-year-old and under $20,000 claimer easily in 1:52 in November of that year, Ewing decided he wanted him in his barn.

“He was racing good in claimers, kind of just hanging out, and I liked him,” Ewing recalled.

He claimed the gelding on Dec. 5, 2016, and has been his biggest fan ever since. In 2017, Star Messenger raced 39 times, winning eight races, finishing second five times and coming in third four times. He now has 29 lifetime wins and career earnings of more than $253,000.

“Whatever’s in front of him, he’ll try to get by it,” Ewing said. “If he gets close in the beginning I always think he’s got a chance.”

So far this year, Star Messenger has won three of 16 starts and picked up more than $38,000. Ewing, who currently has a stable of five racehorses, says the highlight of the season thus far was the gelding’s March 29 victory in the winner’s over at Dover Downs. Star Messenger got off in the two hole and shadowed Sometimes Said through fractions of :26, :54.3 and 1:22.1 before making his move. Star Messenger crossed the wire first in 1:50 for regular driver Tony Morgan.

“I think he could have gone around again,” Ewing said. “He was good the week before and I thought he’d be sharp.”

The pacer, whose only noteworthy equipment change since moving to Ewing’s barn is the addition of glue-on shoes at the suggestion of Morgan, certainly validates Ewing’s decision to move from breeding to claiming. For decades, the Easton, Md., resident bred and raised his own horses, all christened “GE’s” something or other. Ewing said that while he initially found success breeding his own horses, when it stopped being profitable he moved to claiming.

“It’s easier to claim one and race the next week than breed one and wait three years,” he said.