by Ken Weingartner, Harness Racing Communications

Ken Weingartner

Goshen, NY — Sweetheart Volo has never raced, but she has history at Goshen. Well, at least her family does.

Look back far enough in Sweetheart Volo’s family tree and one will find Hanover’s Bertha, who won the 1930 Hambletonian at Good Time Park in Goshen. It was the first year the Hambletonian called Goshen its home. The race remained there until 1957, when it moved to Du Quoin, Illinois.

Hanover’s Bertha’s first daughter, Shirley Hanover, won the 1937 Hambletonian, making Hanover’s Bertha the first winner — male or female — to produce another winner of the race.

Steve Smith, who owns and will drive Sweetheart Volo in Saturday’s (July 3) $9,445 Landmark Stakes for 2-year-old filly trotters at Historic Track, was unaware of this history when he purchased the daughter of Classic Photo-Sweet Volo as a yearling for $10,000 at the Lexington Selected Sale. He simply was looking for an affordable trotter.

“I usually buy one for myself every year to putz along with and put in a group to train,” Smith said. “Right now, she’s just a horse. She gets around the turns good, but she hasn’t really shown any blazing speed yet. She’s going to be a good 3-year-old, I think.”

Smith has had success with such projects in the past. In 2005, he bought Victoria Volo for $8,000 at the Lexington Selected Sale. The next year, Victoria Volo won her debut at Goshen Historic Track and went on to sweep the New Jersey Sire Stakes Green Acres Series. In addition, she finished second in the $90,650 Helen Dancer on her way to $83,951 in earnings for the season.

Prior to her 3-year-old campaign, Smith sold Victoria Volo. She won five of 16 races and earned another $162,420 for new owners Lee and Linda Devisser and trainer Jim Campbell.

“Some of them come forward,” Smith said. “I hope to take the same path with this one.”

Smith and Sweetheart Volo will face only four foes in Saturday’s Landmark, but Smith is familiar with one of the other fillies. He broke and trained Vacation Angel for owners Bob and Linda Kenney before sending her to trainer Don Guidette, Jr.

Sweetheart Volo will start from post one while Vacation Angel goes from post two.

“In their first race they get together again,” Smith said with a laugh.

Saturday’s card at Historic Track features races filled with untested 2-year-old pacers and trotters. Of the 46 total horses in the Landmark Stakes events, 44 will be making their debuts.

There will be three Landmark divisions for 2-year-old male pacers, two divisions for the 2-year-old filly pacers, and one each for the 2-year-old filly and male trotters. The card also includes three divisions of the New York Sire Stakes for 3-year-old filly pacers and the Dr. John R. Farrell Memorial Ladies Invitational.

Post time is 1 p.m. for Saturday’s first race. Children are admitted for free and adults pay $5, which includes a program.

The top event on Sunday is the Mr. and Mrs. Elbridge Gerry Sr. Memorial Trot, in which the entire field is comprised of drivers in the Hall of Fame. Drivers include Cat Manzi, Herve Filion, Jim Doherty, Mike Lachance, Wally Hennessey, Bill O’Donnell, Ron Waples and the 2010 Hall of Fame inductee, Dave Palone. Drivers will sign photos and greet fans after the race at the south end of the grandstand.

Racing concludes on Monday with New York-bred trotters and pacers, both 2- and 3-year-olds.

For more information, call 845-294-5333 or visit www.goshenhistorictrack.com.