Emily Bost was in college and knew nothing about harness racing when she answered a newspaper help-wanted ad for a racehorse caretaker at Pocono Downs. Bost, who had previous experience with horses thanks to her years as a competitive rider, fell in love with the Standardbreds. Two decades later, Bost is in her sixth year as a trainer and will head to Mohegan Pennsylvania’s Pocono Downs on Saturday seeking the most lucrative win of her career when she sends Big City Daisy behind the gate in the $50,000 Bobby Weiss Series final for 3-year-old female pacers. Bost took care of the filly’s mom, Big City Betty, in the three years prior to getting her trainer’s license, making the moment even more significant.
Tag: Ken Weingartner
Karl set to qualify at Big M
Dan Patch Award winner Karl, the No. 1-ranked horse in Meadowlands announcer/analyst Ken Warkentin’s Hambletonian Winter Book Top 10, will be among the stars making their first appearances of 2024 when The Meadowlands hosts 18 qualifiers Saturday morning.
Thinker Monkey leads eight into Dexter Cup
Eight horses were entered Wednesday for the Dexter Cup, the first Grand Circuit event of the season for 3-year-old male trotters, making eliminations unnecessary Saturday at Freehold Raceway. All eight horses advance directly to the Dexter Cup final, which will go for a purse of $134,900 on May 4 at the half-mile track in central New Jersey. Headlining the octet is Thinker Monkey, who was purchased for $500,000 at the 2022 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale and is a full brother to 2020 Trotter of the Year Gimpanzee.
Coaches Corner, Whats Stanley Got A aim to surge in Borgata final
Four horses will enter Monday’s $457,000 MGM Borgata Pacing Series final for older male pacers having been no worse than second in any of the preliminary action at MGM Yonkers Raceway. Desperate Man, who was a perfect 4-for-4 in the prelims, and Linedrive Hanover, whose only setback in his four starts was a second-place finish to Desperate Man, are the headliners. Then there are Coaches Corner and Whats Stanley Got A.
Like Old Man River, JL Cruze just keeps rollin’ along
JL Cruze might be 13 years old, but he still acts like a youngster on a daily basis. JL Cruze, the 2015 Dan Patch Award winner for best older male trotter, is still winning races nine years after receiving that honor. He has two victories this season, upping his career total to 65 in 223 starts. He has banked $31,650 this year, pushing his lifetime earnings to $1.92 million.
Thayer excited to see racing fund finalized
The Kentucky budget bill containing funding to assist any of the state’s harness racing tracks make a bid to host the Breeders Crown in the future became law last week. State Sen. Damon Thayer, a Republican who serves as the Senate Majority Floor Leader, introduced the revenue bill amendment, which creates a reserve account of up to $900,000 for a Kentucky track that hosts an international harness racing event that distributes at least $5 million in purses and awards.
Stoebe looking forward to ‘fun summer’ with Instagram Model
Instagram Model changed physically during her winter layoff, but the ways “Iggy” remained the same might be most pleasing to trainer Annie Stoebe as she prepares the 4-year-old female trotter for the start of a new campaign Saturday at The Meadowlands.
No reason for despair with this ‘Man’
Desperate Man is tenacious when it comes to racing on half-mile racetracks. A 6-year-old gelding, Desperate Man has opened his 2024 campaign by going 2-for-2 in the MGM Borgata Pacing Series for older male pacers at MGM Yonkers Raceway. Those two wins around The Hilltop’s half-mile oval give him 11 victories in 16 career starts on half-mile tracks. He’s missed the board just once.
Two top returnees ready to roll again for Rheinheimer
Matt Rheinheimer enjoyed a career-best year in purses in 2023, and two horses making their seasonal debuts this weekend in opens at Harrah’s Hoosier Park — older male pacer Yourwishisgranted and older female trotter Triathlon As — were among the top contributors to the trainer’s success.
Thayer seeks return of Breeders Crown to Kentucky
Kentucky State Sen. Damon Thayer hopes an amendment to state legislation could help pave the way for a return of the Breeders Crown to the Bluegrass State.