by Ken Weingartner, Harness Racing Communications

Freehold, NJ — When Travis Seekman last drove Art Official, the colt was a relative unknown in the world of harness racing.

Lisa photo

Art Official made his mark when he won the $1.1 million Meadowlands Pace Final.

That certainly won’t be the case when the 18-year-old Seekman gets into the sulky behind Art Official on Saturday for the $28,979 Horseman Stakes at the Indiana State Fair. Now, the teen will be driving the horse known as the world-record-holding Meadowlands Pace champion.

“It hasn’t really changed anything. He’s still the same horse,” said Seekman, who will be driving Art Official for his father, trainer Joe Seekman, and owners Jim and Joyce Jesk. “It’s more of a privilege than anything. I don’t think too many 18-year-olds get to drive a world-record horse.”

Seekman, who in 2004 was the youngest “graduate” of the U.S. Trotting Association’s Driving School, will become what is believed to be the first teen to drive a horse that won a million-dollar race when he takes Art Official’s lines Saturday. Art Official won the $1.1 million Meadowlands Pace on July 19 when he upset previously undefeated Somebeachsomewhere in the fastest-ever mile for a 3-year-old pacer — 1:47.

It will be Seekman’s fourth time behind Art Official. He won with the colt in May in an overnight at Chicago’s Balmoral Park and twice raced the horse in qualifiers.

“After I qualified him in April at Balmoral, I knew he was going to be decent, but I didn’t know he would be the horse that he is,” Seekman said. “He’s an easy horse to drive. When he goes, he does it all on his own; you don’t have to get after him.”

This year, Art Official (Art Major-Naughty Shady Lady) has won seven of 13 races, including the $500,000 Hoosier Cup in addition to the Meadowlands Pace, and earned $972,550. Last season, he was winless in 15 starts, but finished second or third 10 times and banked $104,333.

“Last year, he wasn’t the handiest 2-year-old, but he’s definitely matured,” Joe Seekman said.

Art Official, a descendent of Indiana’s most famous pacer — the immortal Dan Patch — is coming off a win in the $150,000 Monument Circle at Indiana Downs on August 2. He will face four rivals in Saturday’s Horseman Stakes.

“This was the stakes route we had planned for him, and we’re sticking to it,” trainer Seekman said, adding the colt’s future might include supplementing to the upcoming Cane Pace at Freehold Raceway. “We don’t know quite yet (about the Cane). He’s real light for the next 30 days here, and then he’s got the stakes at the Red Mile and the Breeders Crown.”

As for his son, Travis Seekman hopes to remain busy with driving. This year, he has won six times in 39 starts. He has 28 victories in his fledgling career.

“I’m happy with it,” Travis Seekman said. “I couldn’t ask for much more.”