Owner Charles Iannazzo and trainer/driver Ray Schnittker have been connected with some successful horses over the years, and the duo might have another one in two-year-old pacing colt Stevensville.
Stevensville, coming off a 1:52.2 win June 30 in a division of the Pennsylvania All Stars at Pocono Downs, is entered in Friday’s $14,440 Landmark Stakes for two-year-old male pacers at Goshen Historic Track as the Grand Circuit visits the famed New York oval for the Hall of Fame weekend.
Iannazzo and Schnittker might be known best for campaigning the 2008 U.S. Trotter of the Year Deweycheatumnhowe and female trotter Check Me Out, who was divisional champion as a two and three-year-old and is preparing to make her four-year-old debut later this month.
They also are involved in thoroughbred racing as part of the Ice Wine Stable, which scored a stakes victory at Royal Ascot on June 20 with two-year-old colt No Nay Never.
Stevensville, who is two-for-two this season, was bred by Iannazzo and Schnittker, who is based at Historic Track. He will start from Post 8 in a field of eight. Post time is 1 p.m. for the first race at Historic Track, which is located adjacent to the Harness Racing Museum and Hall of Fame.
The Grand Circuit meet begins Thursday with 10 New York Fair Stakes for two and three-year-old trotters and pacers. Action continues through Sunday followed by the annual Hall of Fame inductions Sunday evening.
Friday’s card features nine Landmark Stakes for trotters and pacers.
“He raced great at Pocono,” Iannazzo said about Stevensville. “He looks like he could be a nice horse. It’s pretty early in the season, but for now we have some high hopes.”
Stevensville, who is staked to the Breeders Crown as well as the Governor’s Cup and Matron, is a son of stallion Somebeachsomewhere out of the mare Wild West Show. He is Wild West Show’s second foal; her first, Cowboy Terrier, won a division of the Pennsylvania All Stars last year and is racing Friday in the $18,070 Landmark Stakes for three-year-old male pacers.
In fact, Friday is something of a family affair at Historic Track, as Wild West Show’s half-brother, Jones Beach, is also entered in the same Landmark Stakes as Cowboy Terrier. Iannazzo co-owns Cowboy Terrier and Jones Beach and both are trained by Schnittker.
“Jones Beach is a nice horse, also,” Iannazzo said about the gelding, which has won three of 18 career races and earned $70,805. “He shows some good signs. I think he’s going to make a nice four-year-old overnight horse at Yonkers because he gets around a half(-mile track) well.”
Wild West Show, who prior to becoming a broodmare was raced by Iannazzo and Schnittker and captured a Landmark Stakes division at Historic Track in 2008, won three of 17 career starts and earned $44,569.
“She started out great, but then she had injuries,” Iannazzo said. “We kept her because she was well bred and she’s turning out some nice babies. She seems to match up well with Somebeachsomewhere.”
Iannazzo’s day is not limited to pacers. He is co-owner of Caneel Hall, who is in the $13,670 Landmark Stakes for three-year-old trotting fillies (and also in Saturday’s $155,624 Hudson Filly Trot at Yonkers), plus Ruth Like in the $19,170 Landmark Stakes for three-year-old male trotters.
“We should have some fun,” Iannazzo said. “I’m looking forward to it.”
This story courtesy of Harness Racing Communications, a division of the U.S. Trotting Association. For more information, visit www.ustrotting.com.