by Joseph Lombardi, for the USTA Newsroom

Columbus, OH — On April 15, Flex The Muscle set a new track record for 4-year-old trotting stallions at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs when he scored in a time of 1:52.4 in the $30,000 Open Trot.

Mike Lizzi photo

Victors Vicky has won 41 times in 150 lifetime starts, with $658,482 in career earnings.

But the unwritten story in that race came from the horse that finished fifth. Victors Vicky, an 8-year-old mare by Valley Victor-Deaconess Hanover, owned by Fabulous Farms, LLC, was the only girl in the race. This is nothing new, as she’s used to racing against the boys.

She has been nothing but wonderful to the people around her. Just ask her co-owner, Michael Deutsch, and he’ll tell you everything.

“She’s my girlfriend,” says Deutsch. “She’s the queen of the stable.”

Her story goes back to 2006, one year after her racing career began. Michael Deutsch heard about a certain horse that interested him.

“I got a call from my partner at the time, Vito Cucci. He told that he was buying a 3-year-old filly out of Illinois,” says Deutsch. “So I said, ‘Fine, I’ll take a piece, I’ll send you a check.’”

Once the horse was theirs, they took her to trainer Remi Jensen, where they would discover something wrong.

“She had a problem with her right front foot. She had a quarter crack that had been patched and it was not a good job,” says Deutsch. “So, I told Vito, ‘She’s going to need reconditioning.’”

In late 2007, Victors Vicky would be put into the care of trainer Richard Johnson. Johnson and Deutsch had worked together in the past, beginning in the 1980s. Johnson gave her a couple months off so she could freshen up. Soon, Victors Vicky would be back at it, training to return to the track.

“I think we were able to keep her sounder than everyone else,” says Johnson. “She just got good.”

Victors Vicky got back into racing form quickly, much to the surprise of everyone.

Her training sessions were just standard,” says Johnson. “She really didn’t require anything out of the ordinary.”

Johnson would also notice her spunk.

“From day one, she was all business,” he sayid. “When you put her on a track, she goes out there, does her thing. I’ve never had a driver say she didn’t try too hard tonight. She’s the best horse I have ever had.”

In her first race under Johnson, Victors Vicky won at Freehold Raceway. She would continue to stay consistent and that led to her breaking the all-age track record on April 25, 2008 at Yonkers Raceway with a time of 1:55.2. Although the all-age record was broken by American Lane later that year, it still stands as a track mark for older mares.

“For a mare to race on a half-mile track and to have the success she’s had, I think that’s what brings out the respect and admiration for her,” says Johnson.

The record breaking at Yonkers in 2008 would only be the beginning. Victors Vicky’s earnings doubled from $74,421 in 2007 to $148,470 in 2008. She would also win 10 out of 24 races in 2008, placing in the top three 14 times. In 2010, Victors Vicky took home $183,300 in purses.

“She’s great to drive, she races against the boys every week and gives you all that she’s got,” says Jordan Stratton, who has driven Victors Vicky many times over the past couple of seasons.

Off the track, it only gets better. Her personality is loved by all, making all those close to her happy to see her in the stable.

“She’s just a sweetheart, she likes attention,” says Deutsch. “Most of the time, she’s got her head out the door, she’ll nudge you, she likes having her chest rubbed.”

Johnson also can’t hide the excitment in his voice talking about Victors Vicky. With what he has already seen from her, he can only imagine how many more great things can come from her.

“I’d love to see her go into the other side of the business, to see some little Vickys one day,” he said.