Heimbecker High On Hare Craft

When owner Steve Heimbecker told up-and-coming trainer Ryan Maxwell that he needed a racehorse to diversify his barn, the young conditioner went down and plucked what many had been calling the Buckeye State's hottest three-year-old commodity

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After a hiatus from horse ownership, Heimbecker made a splash back into the world of harness racing during last year's yearling sales. With roots in the industry, the 36-year-old had received a taste of owning stock back in 2005. He stepped aside from the game for a couple of years, but it is racing's lovingly-referred-to 'bug' which pulls many back in. Heimbecker was no exception.

"When it's in your blood, it's in your blood," Heimbecker told Trot Insider. "Once racing turns into one of your passions, it just doesn't go away. There's a love there. When I was away from the game I wasn't happy."

Although Heimbecker loves the two and three-year-olds, he told Trot Insider that the barn was in need of a racehorse. When given the green light, Maxwell, a 25-year-old resident of Rockwood, Ont., put on a full-court press to fill the void. That void may now be filled, and then some.

Routing out a charge which looks like it could fit the bill, Maxwell ended up at Scioto Downs in Ohio on Thursday, June 2, where he jogged - and ultimately purchased for Heimbecker - a gelded sophomore son of 2003 Pepsi North America Cup winner Yankee Cruiser.

From 11 lifetime starts, the horse in question, Hare Craft, has won five races and notched three second-place victories. He had paced in 1:54.1 at the Red Mile last year at two, but has gone on to excel this season at Ohio's half-mile Lebanon Raceway.

In his last start, which came May 30 at the five-eighths mile Scioto Dows, Hare Craft coasted during an Ohio Sires Stakes event. After being sixth early, Hare Craft had muscled to the top by the opening half-mile marker and proceeded to step away from his rivals. When the dust settled, the margin of victory was more than eight lengths; the win time was a solid 1:52.3, and the bay gelding was mugging for a winner's circle photo op.

"I went down to Scioto and was behind him on Thursday," Maxwell, who recently went over the $1 million mark in career training earnings, told Trot Insider. "He was really nice. I handed over the cheque and I'm bringing him back to Ontario."

Maxwell said that Hare Craft is strong, yet not an overly big horse, "but he's really powerful." If everything falls into place, Hare Craft's power may be put on display this week, as Maxwell is hoping to have his fresh pupil in to go.

"Kudos to Ryan on this one, he's done a great job," said Heimbecker, who went on to state that the horse, "is lightly raced and his lines show really well."

Although Heimbecker is getting geared up for the Canadian debut of Hare Craft, his first and most passionate love is for the young horses. "My interest is really exclusively for the babies," he told Trot Insider. "There are more opportunities with the babies for everyone to do well - the owners, trainers and drivers."

Heimbecker told Trot Insider that his father, Fred, was key in getting him into the racing game. Fred owned horses and Steve told Trot Insider that he spent a lot of time at Elmira Raceway with friends in his younger years. He also spoke the praises of the Ontario Sires Stakes program.

"I think we're blessed in Ontario," he said. "In my opinion, the provincial program here is the best that's out there, from the top right down to the grassroots."

And it is the fair racing which could possibly give Steve one of his most enjoyable track experiences of the season, as Hare Craft is eligible to the Ohio Breeders Stakes, which is scheduled to take place Thursday, September 22, Little Brown Jug Day at the Delaware, Ohio County Fair.