The wisdom of his decision to remain a small stable operator continues to show up with almost every passing start in the 2009-2010 campaign at Pompano Park for

trainer and driver Rick Schaut.

Schaut's only starter on the Monday program came up a winner. It's a storyline that's played out often in South Florida in the current meet. Schaut made a patient drive and swept to the front in the third quarter with four-year-old trotter Striker Ray. The result was a lifetime mark of 1:59.2 for the Striking Sahbra-Rosane Ray gelding that he's campaigning for Aurora, Ontario owner Ed James and his S S G Stables registered to North Boston, NY.

From 14 starters at the current Pompano meet, Schaut has won almost half and amassed a slate of 6-1-2 which keeps his training and driving statistics hovering in the elite zone of almost .500 at all times. Whether it's meet and greet sessions, visits to children's hospitals, trackside TV interviews or any activity to help promote the harness sport, Schaut can always be counted on to give freely of his time.

"My wife Liz and I divide up our racing stable operations between Florida and Indiana Downs,” said Schaut. “Plus, we've bred a few mares of our own back at Anderson, Indiana and I might have to go there for a while to help Liz when they foal. We're working on getting the stallion career of Dudes Leaving Town launched too for the Indiana Sires Stakes, he brings the Abercrombie-Albatross cross to the State and we think he'll do well. So all things considered I'm as busy now as I have been at any time in my career.”

Schaut marked the occasion of his 54th birthday last Saturday. From his early years in Minnesota he toiled many years on the Illinois and Chicago circuits. That was followed by several years in Michigan at Hazel Park and Northville Downs which lead him to follow former race secretary Billy Connors and horseman Mickey McNichol to race seasonally in Florida.

"I have a total sympathy for them which I watch racing from Chicago and Michigan now," Schaut says. "I remember a lot of nights being out there when it was almost 30 below zero and we really shouldn't have been racing but somehow we did it."

Along with trotters Striker Ray and Rustico Dance Hall, Schaut's other major winner at the current Pompano meet is Open pacer Mai Tai Guy. He's expected to make the first start of his five-year-old campaign in the coming weekend and he's one of only two pacers to win in 1:51 in Florida since racing resumed last September.

By the numbers, Schaut is no threat to go down in history for his statistics. His win on Monday evening at The Isle Pompano Park brought him to 611 lifetime wins in the bike for just over $2.5 million in driving purses. That's accompanied by his lifetime training wins total of 255 for purses of almost $1.5 million.

"Really I've never been interested in trying to put up the kind of numbers that some of the popular catch-drivers do," Schaut says. "I'm on in my fifties now but I haven't lost my nerve yet. I feel I'm driving as well as ever and still really enjoy all aspects of the horses and racing business."

(Pompano Park)