Tag: Ken Weingartner

Prohibition Legal was an O’Brien Award-winner at age 2 in 2021, when her only loss in nine starts was a second-place finish behind Dan Patch Award-recipient Niki Hill in the She’s A Great Lady Stakes. Following a one-win campaign last year, trainer Nick Gallucci gave the female pacer an extended rest before sending her into action this season. As the 4-year-old mare prepares for Saturday’s Dayton Distaff Derby, so far so good.

Life could not have been much better for Cote Keim last week, on and off the track. On Friday, the trainer saw his 2-year-old pacers Magnifico Hanover and Costa Diva finish first and second, respectively, in divisions of the Reynolds Memorial at Tioga Downs. A day later, his wife, Jamie, gave birth to the couple’s fourth child, a girl named Josie Frances Keim. He hopes to make this another memorable week, as well. On Friday, Keim will send out Magnifico Hanover in the second of four divisions of the Bluegrass Stakes for 2-year-old male pacers at Lexington’s Red Mile.

After setting a Canadian record with his 1:50.2 win in the Maple Leaf Trot on Sept. 2, Alrajah One IT will make his next start Saturday when he meets eight rivals in the $250,000 Dayton Trotting Derby for older male trotters at Hollywood Dayton Raceway.

Robynlee Reichard grew up in central New Jersey — prime harness racing territory — but until recently never was involved in the sport. Now that she is, she is having a blast. Reichard owns White Shoe Hanover, who on Thursday will make his Grand Circuit debut in the first of five Bluegrass Stakes divisions for 2-year-old male trotters at Lexington’s Red Mile. White Shoe Hanover is Reichard’s first racehorse and represents her entire stable.

Bill Pollock enjoys the thrill of winning races and a victory in Thursday’s Little Brown Jug would rank up there with the biggest of thrills. Pollock is among the owners of Seven Colors, one of the 18 hopefuls in the 78th edition of the classic event for 3-year-old pacers at the Delaware County Fairgrounds in central Ohio. Seven Colors will start his elimination from post six with driver Dexter Dunn and is 7-2 on the morning line.

Hey Hey Mama will get the opportunity to rock and roll in Wednesday’s $305,000 Jugette for 3-year-old filly pacers, and if she does, it would be only fitting. Named with a nod toward the opening line of Led Zeppelin’s song “Black Dog,” as well as sired by the Zeppelin-inspired Downbytheseaside, the co-fastest female pacer ever on a half-mile track is 4-1 on the morning line in the second of two $25,000 Jugette eliminations at the Delaware County Fairgrounds in central Ohio.

Patience is a virtue in the breeding business, which Richard Arnold fully appreciates. Arnold spent more than a decade building a successful cattle farm in Tennessee, and decades later, added a Standardbred breeding operation at his Willow Oak Ranch. Tonight, his Mars Hill face nine rivals in the $420,000 Peter Haughton Memorial at Harrah’s Hoosier Park.

Among the many admirable qualities possessed by Ponda Title, perhaps the most valuable is the one not readily visible: The desire to win. Ponda Title has five victories in seven races this season (with a second and third in her two setbacks) and $138,670 in purses, a total that ranks among her division’s best. All her starts have come at Harrah’s Hoosier Park, where on Friday she will make her Grand Circuit debut against nine rivals in the $400,000 Jim Doherty Memorial for 2-year-old female trotters.