Having to put a racehorse down is probably the hardest thing for anyone associated with the racing to do. The bond between horsepeople and their equine friends cannot be described adequately via the written word. So, it is extra special when a horse on the verge on euthanization bucks the odds and comes back to win races

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Dougs Boy, a virtual cast-off a few seasons ago, notched his ninth victory of the year when Alan Schwartz guided him to a 1:58:3 triumph in the final of the Catskill Amateur Club Series on Wednesday, July 27 at Monticello Raceway.

After sitting back off a :57:3 half, Schwartz and Dougs Boy circled most of their competition up the backside and then caught the leader, Admirals Chance (driven by Eric Taddeo), as the duo passed the three quarters. The pair of horses raced head to head around the final turn before Dougs Boy persevered and rambled to a three-length triumph.

“He just keeps on amazing me week in and week out,” Schwartz said afterward in the winner’s circle.” This is his fourth win in his last seven starts, and since I bought him early last fall he hasn’t thrown in a clunker for me… at least not yet.”

According to Francis McCahey --- who happened be on hand and helped by holding the horse in the winner’s circle --- Dougs Boy had a broken leg when he was a six-year-old.

“I was at the Meadowlands a few years ago when Dougs Boy was diagnosed with a broken pastern, and the then-owners were told by a veterinarian that [it] would cost $300 to put the horse down. I couldn’t see this six-year-old pacer being euthanized, so I told the owners who were stabled next to me there that I’d take him and give him a good home if they gave me the $300. They liked that idea a lot better than putting the horse down,” McCahey related. “So I took him home and turned him out and eight or nine months later he appeared sound.

“He sounded-up, and I later had an offer of $1,000 for him, so I sold him. And then that connection sold the pacer to Schwartz a little while later for $2,000. Since then, Dougs Boy has made over $25,000 for Schwartz,” McCahey continued and then added, with a laugh, "I [should have] kept him myself.”

(With files from Monticello)