by Kimberly French, USTA Web Newsroom Senior Correspondent

Kimberly French

Williamsport, PA — He knew 2-year-old Correctamundo was prepared for a breakout performance, but conditioner Robbie Roberts certainly never anticipated the gelding would trot a world record mile.

“I told Timmy (Tetrick, the gelding’s pilot) he was ready to go in (1):58 or better, but I never thought in (1):56.3 as handy as he did it,” explained the 58-year-old Delray Beach, Fla., resident. “Timmy said he did it real easy and it was over the last half. I knew he was a nice horse, but nobody ever expects a world record.”

Correctamundo, a Pa-bred son of S J’s Photo-Flo N Easy, was bred and is owned by 55-year-old insurance executive and amateur driver Tom Svrcek of Belle Vernon, Pa. From three career race miles, the trotting gelding has established a new world standard for a five-eighths-mile track of 1:56.3 on July 19 at Harrah’s Chester, earned $20,000 and captured a $20,000 division of the Arden Downs Stake at The Meadows on July 28.

His dam, a 10-year-old daughter of Armbro Laser, collected more than $70,000 from 126 starts and held a track record of 1:54.2 at The Meadows. Correctamundo is her first foal. She also has a yearling colt, named Hot Diggity, by Tom Ridge.

“His dam was a pretty good racemare, so he had a little pedigree,” Roberts, who currently has a barn of four, said. “I broke him last fall and I’ve had him ever since a harness has been put on him. I took him with me down to Sunshine Meadows in Florida for the winter and I trained him in 2:06 before I left, so I knew he was a nice horse.”

In his pari-mutuel debut at The Meadows in an $8,200 maiden race on July 9, Correctamundo broke at the start and was never a factor, finishing last of eight behind recent Peter Haughton Memorial elimination competitor Texas Ridge.

In his next start, which was on July 19 at Harrah’s Chester, the gelding exhibited no signs of jumping off at the gate, took command at the start and set the new world mark with a :28.3 final quarter.

Although Correctamundo was already endowed with a nice gait, Roberts decided that with some slight adjustments, his way of going could be a bit smoother.

“I have aluminum shoes backwards on him up front and that’s all I’ve had to do to get him going,” Roberts said. “He has a ton of ability and that was all he needed just to clean up his gait a little bit.”

It is early in his career, but Correctamundo’s trainer feels the gelding already possesses the professional demeanor of a talented racehorse.

“He is an absolute sweetheart that is a pleasure to be around and is getting better and better,” the Fort Wayne, Ind., native said. “He jogs nice and easy; he warms up easy. He actually races easy. Once you get him out of the hole, he’s not a total runaway or anything like that.”

The remaining portion of Correctamundo’s freshman campaign will probably be conducted in the Keystone State.

“He’s (staked) mostly for Pennsylvania (races) so we would have to supplement him to anything else,” Roberts said. “We didn’t know he would do this well and he’s been a big surprise for all of us; he’s a real nice horse.”