Tag: Ken Weingartner

When trainer Mitch York bought Annapolis Hanover as a yearling at the 2021 Standardbred Horse Sale, he hoped the pacer would develop into a top horse on the Pennsylvania fair circuit. It didn’t work out that way, but York isn’t about to complain. Annapolis Hanover, purchased for $15,000 and owned by York, has hit the board in all 14 of his lifetime starts, winning nine, and earned $260,183.

Special Way gives Ake Svanstedt a special feeling. A returning Dan Patch Award winner, Special Way needed two starts last year before everything clicked, but once it did, she was unbeatable. She finished her campaign with seven consecutive victories, capped by a Canadian-record 1:52 mile in the Breeders Crown final for 2-year-old female trotters at Woodbine Mohawk Park. For the season, the daughter of Walner-Special Hill earned just shy of $700,000, tops among freshman filly trotters. On Saturday, Special Way will make her seasonal debut in the second of two $30,000 first-round divisions of the New Jersey Sire Stakes for 3-year-old female trotters at The Meadowlands.

Ron Burke likes to win. Whether it is a low-level claiming race or Grand Circuit stakes — or even a steak dinner — the record-setting trainer remains motivated by the thrill of victory. Even after experiencing the feeling nearly 13,700 times in his Hall of Fame career, helping his stable accumulate purse earnings of now more than $300 million, it never gets old.

The rapid growth of the Siegelman Stable brand, headed by Max Siegelman, can be attributed to several factors, ranging from creativity to networking and marketing. First and foremost, though, is strong roots. Siegelman, the son of harness racing trainer Robbie Siegelman, put philanthropy at the heart of his Siegelman Stable luxury sports and streetwear line, which launched in the summer of 2020 and has found numerous fans in the worlds of sports, music, and fashion.

For nearly three years, a weekend at Bernie’s has meant a trip to MGM Northfield Park. On Saturday, that will change. Bernie will leave his home at Northfield for the first time since trainer Jessica Millner and Pod Stable purchased the pacer in June 2020 when he competes in the $100,000 Pacey “The Wizard” Mindlin Memorial Invitational at Miami Valley Raceway. Mindlin was Miami Valley’s on-air handicapper until his death at age 81 in March.

Joemikiyoursofine was lightly raced last season as a 2-year-old because of sickness and immaturity, but if he can blossom into a stakes-level performer like stablemate Western Joe and half-brother Fourever Boy, his connections will think he’s even better than fine.

Stacy Chiodo has always felt a whole lotta love for Whole Lotta Lou, so it’s been gratifying for the trainer to see the 5-year-old pacer enjoy a breakout season in 2023. Whole Lotta Lou already has set career highs this year for wins, with five, and purses, with $49,420, while climbing the class ladder at The Meadowlands.