by Kimberly French, USTA Web Newsroom Senior Correspondent

Kimberly French

Louisville, KY — Over the last several decades many horses over the years have gone to the gate with Larry Baron’s name listed as their owner on the program, but 2-year-old Vic Smith is the only one that doesn’t pace.

“We (she and her husband Andy) bought him last year at the Lexington Selected Sale for $30,000,” explained Julie Miller, who is also the colt’s conditioner. “We now own half of him and Larry Baron owns the other half. Larry has owned a lot of horses over the years, but this baby trotter is the first he’s purchased.”

The son of Yankee Glide-P J Naomi has captured his first three starts, all in New Jersey Sire Stakes at the Meadowlands, including a lifetime mark of 1:56.1 in this past Saturday’s $175,000 NJSS final. He has earned $108,250. Bred by Tony Holmes and Walter Zent, Vic Smith, is the fourth foal out of his dam to earn more than $100,000 and from her nine offspring only a yearling full brother, named Gliding Light, has yet to pick up a check.

Lisa photo

Vic Smith was a 1:56.1 winner in the $175,000 New Jersey Sire Stakes final on July 16 at Meadowlands Racetrack.

“I kind of wanted a Yankee Glide and I liked the looks of him, but I thought he would go out of our price range, so when he ended up going for $30,000 we got him and I was so happy we did,” Miller, a 38-year-old resident of Millstone Township, New Jersey, said. “He didn’t do anything eye-catching, but he didn’t do anything like, ‘Oh no, I wish we didn’t have him.’ He was just a pleasant horse to be around and he seemed to like his job. He just wears basic equipment like trotting hopples, but he has a good attitude and is playful.”

Shortly after Vic Smith entered Miller’s barn, she received a call from one of his breeders about not re-naming him.

“Tony Holmes called and said he was so glad I didn’t change his name,” Miller said. “Nowadays I Google the names because they usually mean something and what I found on there was a professional photographer by that name, but he (Holmes) said that wasn’t why he named the colt that. I guess his grandfather on his mother’s side was quite a character and was a lumberjack from Australia. He named him for his grandfather and was very happy I didn’t change the name. He said his grandfather would have loved to see him race and he’s acting just like his grandfather would have.”

For the rest of the season, nearly all of the colt’s campaign will be conducted within the confines of the Garden State, with a possible appearance in Pennsylvania and one in Delaware.

“He’s staked mostly to New Jersey Sire Stakes races, races at Freehold and some other stuff in New Jersey,” his trainer said. “He is also in the Matron and the Chester race (Valley Victory) for 2-year-olds. Right now he’s getting a little bit of a break until Freehold opens.”

Miller thinks one of the reasons for Vic Smith’s early success is something she can never instill.

“He has something I can’t teach him,” she said. “I think heading down the lane he wants to win and he wants to be the best. He’s got the desire and you can train them to do whatever you want them to, but you either have it or you don’t. He’s definitely got it and is a horse that loves his job.”