Western Joe continues to bring joy to breeder/owner Anthony Ruggeri. The seven-year-old pacer, named Joe to honour a late uncle who introduced Ruggeri to harness racing when he was a kid, is looking at a reduced Grand Circuit schedule this season but will receive no less admiration from his connections.

The 2018 Sam McKee Memorial champion has won 30 of 97 career races and $712,908 as he prepares for Saturday’s start in a $22,500 conditioned pace at The Meadowlands. Western Joe, who leaves from post nine, is the 3-1 morning-line favourite in the 10-horse field.

“He’s obviously been my best horse ever,” said Ruggeri, who shares ownership of the Chris Choate-trained gelding with Richard Tosies. “He can race every week; I think that’s the most impressive thing about him. He just never seems to get tired. I think he races better that way. He doesn’t really like time off. He loves to race.

“If he gets his trip, I think he really can win any race. He’s got the speed. He really hasn’t shown much decline. He’s seven now and still comes up with some pretty good miles. But I don’t even care about winning money with him. I just like to see him win and get the respect that he deserves.”

Western Joe is a son of Western Ideal out of Ante Fay, who raced for Ruggeri in the mid-2000s. His best season came at the age of four in 2018, when he bested McWicked in the McKee and also captured the Great Northeast Open Series championship. He finished second in two preliminary rounds of the Graduate Series and third in the final. He was second-placed-third in the Confederation Cup.

Last year, Western Joe was fifth in the William R. Haughton Memorial and sixth in the Breeders Crown Open Pace and TVG Series Open Pace final. His top victory came in a preferred handicap at The Meadowlands, which was sandwiched between his starts in the Breeders Crown and TVG.

For the season, he won five of 21 races and $99,285.

“He’s been pretty consistent,” Ruggeri said. “He’s gone against the best horses and he’s been maybe just one notch under stakes level. But as far as racing (in classes) from that point down, he’s been very competitive.

“We’ll do a few stakes at The Meadowlands this year, that’s where he likes to race, but not as many as last year. If he were racing only in overnights, I think he would have made a lot more money last year. But you’ve got to try. He deserves the chance to compete against those horses. It’s nice to see him race with the big boys and put in a good effort here and there.”

Western Joe enters Saturday’s start off a victory Jan. 9 at The Meadowlands. He has won two of his past three races dating back to last year.

“His last couple starts he’s been dynamite,” Ruggeri said. “Hopefully, he’ll be good on Saturday. He’s training good. I’m expecting a pretty solid try.”

Racing begins at 6:00 p.m. (EST) Saturday at The Meadowlands.

(USTA)