Tag: Ken Weingartner

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.

After enjoying some time off during the past holiday season, Rose Run Valor has returned to work refreshed and ready to go. The 6-year-old male trotter has won three of four races this year, including two in a row in the Open at Miami Valley Raceway, where he will try to make it three straight for trainer-driver Kayne Kauffman on Wednesday.

Australian-born millionaire Lochinvar Art, who arrived in the U.S. stable of trainer Shane Tritton in October, is set to make his North American debut Saturday at The Meadowlands in a $27,500 conditioned pace. The 8-year-old stallion, a multiple Group 1 winner and track-record-setter Down Under, will face seven foes and is 5-1 on the morning line.

Whatllyadoboutme is an outsider — literally and figuratively — in Thursday’s $27,000 Filles-and-Mares Open Pace at Miami Valley Raceway, but to paraphrase a famed equine-related quote, she is good for the inside of Daniel Hale. Hale bred, owns, and trains Whatllyadoboutme, who will start from post seven in the open’s seven-horse field and is 20-1 on the morning line. A 5-year-old mare, Whatllyadoboutme is one of an entirely homebred stable operated by Hale, a retired Columbus, Ohio, police officer who first got involved in racing as a teenager.

Joe Sbrocco enjoyed his best year as a horse owner in 2022 and being able to revel in the experience with friends made it all the more memorable. Sbrocco shared ownership in 60 horses that started races last year, with two from his stable — pacer Pebble Beach and trotter Volume Eight — named Dan Patch Award winners. Overall, his horses made 108 trips to the winner’s circle and earned $5.27 million in purses, a total that was among the best for any owner in North America.

Jim Campbell always will be associated with last year’s Hambletonian Day, but what happened over the remaining days on the calendar ensured he also will be remembered for his stable’s season beyond that one afternoon. A month ago, Campbell was named the U.S. Harness Writers Association’s 2022 Trainer of the Year.

Two horses making debuts in Friday’s second race at The Meadowlands are the top-two choices on the morning line. In the case of Ron Burke-trained On The Money GB, it’s a North American bow after competing for three years in the United Kingdom. In the case of Mark Harder-trained Super Girl, it is a first lifetime start after missing her 2-year-old season in 2022 because of a hoof issue.