by Kimberly French, USTA Web Newsroom Senior Correspondent

Kimberly French

Williamsport, PA — When he bought Tia Maria Kosmos last February, Jim Fuhse never imagined the 4-year-old trotting mare would collect three of her four lifetime victories from 25 race miles, earn more than $7,000 of her $26,403 career bankroll and lower her lifetime mark of 1:59.3f by more than four seconds.

“She had broke in like 10 or 11 consecutive starts and her connections couldn’t figure out why she was breaking, so they threw her in the Delaware Sale last February,” said Fuhse, who lives in Manasquan, N.J. and was the Publicity Director for the Professional Women’s Tennis Tour for 15 years. “I really liked her pedigree and in the beginning, she appeared to have a ton of talent, so I wanted to breed her to Thundercrack, who I used to own, and thought I could get her for a good price.”

Unfortunately, Fuhse did not have a representative at the sale, and the PA-bred daughter of S J’s Photo-Our Prestige sold for $600 to someone else. Fuhse immediately called the mare’s new owners and acquired her for $1,500. He then sent her to Kenny Collier, his partner, conditioner and friend, at Balmoral Park until she could be bred, but Collier had another plan.

“The very first I day I jogged her she just hit the ground so light and nice, that she seemed like a viable prospect,” the Beecher, Illinois resident explained. “I schooled her with four pacers and she went in (1):59 so I knew she had talent, so I asked him (Fuhse) if he would try her for a little while and he said, ‘I’ll give her a month and see how it goes from there.’”

Balmoral Park photo

Tia Maria Kosmos won two races in four days last month, including a lifetime best 1:55.2 score.

When Tia Maria Cosmos arrived in Collier’s barn, she had a fungus on her back, was in very poor shape and not very amiable. She would head to the back of her stall if anyone came her way and even was known to bite on occasion.

Collier decided to administer two tubes of Marquis and delicately handle the mare. She seemed to improve within a month and she finished second in a qualifying race on March 25 in 2:03.3.

“We treated her with kid gloves and my son Eric took a shine to her,” Collier said. “I don’t know what happened to her in the past, like if someone was forceful with her, but he worked with her every day and she responded to being treated well. Also, when she came here, she had the body type of an EPM horse and the Marquis really made a big difference in her.”

Then Tia Maria Kosmos broke four times in a row and sent her connections back to the drawing board. Fuhse suggested eliminating training miles before her races, Collier’s idea was hopples and another partner Bart Cavanough recommended a Pelling Pacifier.

Since implementing these alterations, Tia Maria Kosmos has trotted to three triumphs in her last five starts and lowered her lifetime mark by nearly two full seconds within three days.

“We entered her in on a Sunday (May 17) and Wednesday (May 20) because Kenny figured if she broke on Sunday, he wouldn’t have to qualify her again,” Fuhse said. “Then on Sunday she trotted a lifetime best 1:57.1 against some tough horses, including colts. I asked Kenny if he wanted to scratch her but he said she wasn’t even breathing hard.

“I couldn’t believe she went out and trotted in 1:55.2 three days later,” he continued. “Someone told me it was the fastest trotting mile at Balmoral Park this year, but I think Southern Rocketop has trotted in (1:53.3) since then.”

Collier acknowledges Tia Maria Kosmos might suffer from nervousness and thinks the Pelling Pacifier may have eased her edginess.

“Lack of effort has never been a problem for her,” he said. “She tried too hard and if she sees other horses go off without her, she will try to throw it into gear all at once and lose it, but since we put that on her she has become more confident. Maybe it keeps her focused on what is right in front of her. I hope we kind of have her now, knock on wood.”

Tia Maria Kosmos is headed to Hoosier Park where races against her own gender are carded more frequently.

“It just goes to show you can get into this sport for not too much money,” said Fuhse. “With a little bit of patience, luck and research, you can have a horse that’s worth something. I have even been getting calls from people that want to buy her.”