What a difference one win makes
November 27, 2006,by Dean A. Hoffman
Coming into the Messenger Stakes on Saturday night, trainer Greg Peck had started horses in 22 races this year, with one win. His horses had earned $15,694 in 2006.
Less than one minute and 55 seconds after the start of the Messenger, Peck had one more training win under his belt, but, far more importantly, he had added $273,415 to his training stats.
The horse responsible for that, of course, is Palone Ranger, the sophomore son of Western Ideal, who was making his first purse start for Peck.
But when Palone Ranger crossed the finish line first, at 10-1 odds, in the big race at Yonkers Raceway on November 25, Peck started checking the bus schedule. Read More
The colt had been having a disappointing year as he was winless in eight starts. He had been a standout freshman colt last year, winning $385,757 in 11 starts, and holding his own against the best in his class. He took a mark of 1:51.3s at Mohawk. Father Keeps Unusual Promise to Son When trainer Greg Peck promised his 8-year-old son, Brendan, that he’d meet his school bus with his favorite horse if he won the $546,830 Messenger Stakes he wasn’t sure he’d have to make good on it.
This year, however, things hadn’t gone so well. He was second in his elimination for the $500,000 New Jersey Classic. He went off at odds of 5-1 in the final, and led into the stretch for driver David Miller, but he faded to finish sixth.
Palone Ranger was sidelined for most of the summer, and then returned to racing in the fall. He was competitive, but he failed to return to his freshman form.
That’s when his owners, Four Friends Racing Stable LLC and Perretti Racing Stable LLC moved him from trainer Chris Ryder to Peck’s small stable.
Peck said that Palone Ranger was sound and healthy when he got the horse from Ryder. After testing him a bit, Peck said that he might let the colt’s head down a bit. He also changed the shoeing on Palone Ranger and let his hobbles out a bit.
In addition to training harness horses, Peck also trains corporate executive to help them learn how to deal with the media. He noted that he wanted Palone Ranger to be sound and happy and let his ability take him as far as he could.
When he warmed up Palone Ranger at Yonkers prior to the Messenger, Peck could feel that the colt was comfortable with the surface, and got around the turns without any problem. Peck had worked Palone Ranger an official mile in 1:56.2 over the half-mile track at Freehold on Nov. 11.
The bettors sent Palone Ranger go off at odds of 10-1 in the Messenger Stakes, and driver Ron Pierce put Palone Ranger in fourth place in the six-horse field for the first half-mile. Perfect Union went to the front while the heavily favored Shark Gesture sat on the outside without cover. Pierce and Palone Ranger were snug along the inside.
When the leaders tired, Palone Ranger shot up the inside to overtake them in the stretch and score an easy-does-it, 3-3/4 length victory. The time was 1:54.3.
It was the biggest win in Peck’s career as a trainer. Afterwards, he said he was particularly thrilled because the honor roll of past Messenger Stakes winners includes some of the greatest names in pacing history, such as Niatross, Bret Hanover, Albatross, and Abercrombie.
And now it includes Palone Ranger, the new horse in Greg Peck’s stable.