At its annual membership meeting on Sunday, March 28, the California Harness Horsemen’s Association Board of Directors presented its Horse of the Year award to Pacinello for the pacing colt’s three-year-old

racing campaign in 2009.

Pacinello, a California-bred, won 14 of 26 starts, including eight sires stakes races, and registered $109,370 in earnings for the year and a race record of 1:51.3. The son of Little Steven out of Princess Kiara is owned by D & E Racing of Las Vegas, trained by Rick Plano, and was driven primarily by the father and son duo of Rick and Luke Plano.

At the same meeting, two prominent and longtime contributors to the California harness racing circuit, Fred Kuebler and Bob Johnson, were inducted into the California Hall of Fame.

Kuebler, who now joins his brother Rick previously inducted into the Hall, has been the general manager of racing at Los Alamitos Race Course and Cal-Expo, the director of racing at both tracks, and is currently race secretary for California’s year-round racing program at Cal-Expo.

Johnson has been among the leading trainers in California for more than three decades and has developed and campaigned many equine standouts, including BC Count, Rowdy Yankee, Joie De Vie, Givemewhatineed, and Kaycees Doll.

A Lifetime Achievement Award was also presented to owners Michael and Billie Schwartz by association president Alan Kirschenbaum.

Billie survives Michael, who passed away several years ago, but remains as active as a prominent owner and breeder of standardbreds in both California and out-of-state.

Michael served as president of the CHHA through some turbulent years for the industry, and under his leadership the CHHA board organized and funded Capitol Racing Association, a year-round operator at Cal Expo in Sacramento.

(CHHA)