Sectionline Bigry is still the big guy for owner Harry Lee Bauder.

A homebred eight-year-old pacer, Sectionline Bigry has enjoyed another memorable season in 2023. He surpassed $1 million in lifetime purses with a victory in the Ohio Breeders Championship at the Delaware County Fairgrounds — Bauder’s home track — and notched his 50th career triumph with a win in an Ohio Sire Stakes (OHSS) final in October at Northfield Park.

For his career, Sectionline Bigry has hit the board in 96 of 128 races and earned a paycheque in all but 13 starts. He is a three-time sire stakes champion and two-time recipient of the award for best older male pacer from the Ohio Harness Horsemen’s Association.

“He’s amazing,” Bauder said about the gelding, who missed the second half of last season because of several issues. “You never know how they’re going to come back, it’s always a question mark, especially at the level he’s racing. This is a fairytale year. We know it will end sometime, but I hope the dream will keep on living for another few years. He’s as good as he’s ever been.”

A son of Pet Rock-Aquatic Yankee, Sectionline Bigry was bred by Bauder, his father, Harold L., and Michael Dixon. The horse’s name combined the name of the road, Section Line, where Harold Lee Bauder has his farm in central Ohio with the name of Dixon’s son, Ryan, known by the nickname “Big Ry.”

Aquatic Yankee, Sectionline Bigry’s dam, was inducted into the Ohio Standardbred Hall of Fame in 2022. Purchased by the Bauders and Dixon for $3,000 at the 1997 Kentucky Standardbred Sale, she earned $751,230 on the track. As a broodmare, seven of her nine foals to race have earned more than $180,000 and combined for more than $3 million.

Bauder now is the sole owner of Sectionline Bigry. His father passed away several years ago and Dixon is no longer involved in racing.

“I wish my dad was still around, I wish that Mike was still part of it, but it’s been a special ride,” said Bauder. “My mom [Jane] is 99 and she enjoys watching him; we watch him together. When my dad passed away, he said to never sell 'Bigry.' We had quite a few offers, but money is not everything in the world.”

Sectionline Bigry, trained by Bauder’s cousin Steve, has won seven of 24 races this season and earned $177,620. He entered the Ohio Breeders Championship needing less than $2,000 to reach the million-dollar mark in career purses and accomplished the feat in style by equalling Charlie May’s stakes record with a 1:49.4 score.

It was his first appearance at the Delaware County Fairgrounds in five years.

“He hadn’t raced there often, but it’s our hometown and he’s getting up there in age, which is why I wanted to do it,” said Bauder. “It was fantastic. Going over a million dollars would have been cool [no matter what] but it’s more special to do it with a win at your home track. I had my good friend Chris Page drive him and he equalled the stakes record. That was the icing on the cake.”

Sectionline Bigry won the OHSS final for older male pacers by 1-1/4 lengths over Charlie May, going gate-to-wire for the triumph in 1:52.2 on a sloppy track.

“I thought 'Charlie' had a perfect trip right on our back and would maybe pass us, but [Sectionline Bigry] is pretty tough,” said Bauder. “He probably doesn’t quite get the recognition he should, but that’s because I haven’t staked him in the big, big races a lot. But he’s just a dream horse. He takes care of himself, which I think is what’s helped him stay at the top for as long as he has, and when it’s race day, he knows that it is.”

Sectionline Bigry’s next start will be Thursday in the $25,000 Open Handicap at Hollywood Dayton Raceway. He will leave from post eight in a field of 10 with Tyler Smith in the sulky and is the 5-2 morning-line favourite. It will be his first race since Nov. 9. He was scratched from a start on Nov. 22.

“He got a little sick and we gave him a break,” said Bauder. “We’re pretty cautious with him.”

As for Sectionline Bigry’s future, Bauder said the horse would determine the plan.

“We’ll race him as long as he’s healthy and competitive,” said Bauder. “I think he would be bored if he didn’t have something to do. I know it’s going to come to an end someday and I’d like to find some young person that would like to show him in the Standardbred shows down the road when that day comes. I think he would enjoy that. He’s a cool guy.”

To think it all began with the purchase of a $3,000 yearling 26 years ago.

“That’s what makes horse racing fun — the unknown,” said Bauder. “We’ve been very fortunate.”

Racing begins at 4 p.m. (EST) at Dayton.

(USTA)