As Ultimate Velocity works back into the swing of the race season, she might, perhaps, bring back memories Hoosier Park fans grew accustomed to in the '90s
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The 2006 foal of Extreme Velocity has many of the same behavioural traits as her mother, including the desire and talent to win.
Ultimate Velocity has won six of her 11 career starts and has two close second place finishes and a third to complement those six wins. In only her second season of racing, she has accumulated $73,433 in earnings, of which only $7,500 have come this year. Thus far, in the 2010 season she carded a win in her first race on April 30, rallying from the back of the pack and utilizing the entire stretch to win, just like her mother did many times during her career. Ultimate Velocity will look to improve her resume this season at Hoosier Park.
Part of the mare’s success should be contributed to the relationship Ultimate Velocity has with her driver and trainer, Trent Stohler. Stohler, a long time participant in Indiana harness racing, has raised and trained the mare with the utmost respect, most likely due to the success that her mother, Extreme Velocity, helped him achieve.
When asked how Ultimate Velocity compared to her mother, Stohler replied, “She’s a little more high strung, but that’s one of our main goals right now is trying to get her relaxed.”
If you take into consideration Ultimate Velocity didn’t race as a two-year-old due to some bone chips, her impressive race history doesn’t put her too far off of her mother’s pace. The dam of Ultimate Velocity boasts an impressive winning percentage, claiming the top spot in 40 of her 79 lifetime starts and racking up more than $800,000 in earnings. Extreme Velocity also holds a lifetime record of 1:50.3, which she achieved in ‘97, by far her most impressive race season.
Extreme Velocity spent the majority of her racing days winning at Hoosier Park. However, her most lucrative feat came in the form of a Breeders Crown victory. As a four-year-old, Stohler conditioned her to his only Breeders Crown to date. He earned not only a $141,250 cheque, but also had a candidate for 1997’s Older Pacing Mare of the Year.
Could a comparable victory be in the cards for Ultimate Velocity? With only 11 lifetime starts, she will not experience that level of competition as a four-year-old. However, when Merrill and Dave Stohler, Trent’s uncle and father respectively, bred Extreme Velocity with Western Ideal, the idea certainly wasn’t absent.
“I’m just trying to get her in some more races right now and develop her into an invite mare for the future.” said Stohler, who co-owns the horse with his dad, Dave. However, he didn’t close the door completely on the idea, hinting that it could eventually be a goal.
As the racing season continues through the summer months and into fall, keep your eyes out for Ultimate Velocity. If she can continue to gain experience this season, especially against some of the best pacers in Indiana, no one should be surprised to see this horse venture east in the coming years in hopes of following in her mom’s hoof prints.
(Hoosier Park)