Tag: Ken Weingartner

It might be uncommon for someone to buy a racehorse while getting a pedicure, but that bit of multitasking has paid off beautifully for Tammy Cummings and her daughter, Alyssa. Candy’s Desire has won 14 of 56 starts, cashed a paycheck in a total of 45, and earned $92,508 since joining the Cummings Stable.

Mariann Thorup Nielsen and Sabina Gammelgård have won races around the world, but never competed in the U.S. — until Saturday night (March 4). Nielsen and Gammelgård, both from Denmark, are among the drivers participating in races celebrating International Women’s Day at The Meadowlands.

Island Of The Sea was recovering from an injury when trainer Eric Ell bought the unraced pacer as a 2-year-old in May 2019. He was told that Island Of The Sea needed time but would make a nice horse if Ell did right by him. So, Ell, who is best known for his work with Dan Patch Award-winning millionaire trotter JL Cruze, took a shot.

Ryan Inglis is a rising star in the United Kingdom. This week, he is over the moon. Inglis, a native of Scotland who turned 23 on Feb. 5, will make his American driving debut in a GSY Series amateur race Friday (Feb. 24) at the Meadowlands.

“Jimmy Jets” is ready for takeoff. Millionaire pacer Jimmy Freight, who saw an injury halt his 2022 campaign in September, will begin this season Saturday (Feb. 18) at The Meadowlands, where he is the 2-1 morning-line favorite in a $23,000 conditioned race. The 8-year-old stallion, aka “Jimmy Jets,” will start from post six with Scott Zeron driving for trainer Brett Pelling.

Missy Robertson hopes Single Girl will follow in her mom’s footsteps as a successful broodmare someday, but until that time comes, Robertson will continue to delight in watching the homebred pacer give her all on the racetrack.

The thought of representing the U.S. in August’s World Driving Championship already has kept Jordan Ross awake at night. But in the best possible way. Ross, a 25-year-old Tennessee native who enjoyed a breakout season on the Indiana circuit in 2022, has been selected by the U.S. Trotting Association to wear the Stars and Stripes in this year’s WDC.

Regardless of whatever Trish Speaker accomplishes on the racetrack, she has been a home run for her owners. Trish Speaker, a 3-year-old female pacer who will make only the third start of her career Friday (Feb. 10) at Freehold Raceway, is owned by G.R.J. Partners and Rhoda Garfinkel. She is the first and only horse ever owned by Garfinkel, who received her share in the filly as a surprise for her 90th birthday in April 2021.

Anthony Lombardi has owned horses for 38 years and cannot ever recall racing one after the age of 3. That is about to change Friday at The Meadowlands. Four-year-old trotter Big Christian, highly regarded by Lombardi and trainer Erv Miller but unable to get to the races because of injuries, is set to make his career debut in Friday’s fourth race at The Big M. He will start from post one in a field of 10 with driver Marcus Miller and is the 5-2 second choice on the morning line in the $14,500 conditioned trot.