Beau Jangles, who was a perfect 12-for-12 in his two-year-old season and honoured as a divisional Dan Patch Award winner this past December, was named the 2025 U.S. Pacer of the Year and U.S. Horse of the Year to conclude the United States Harness Writers Association’s Dan Patch Awards banquet on Sunday, Feb. 22.

Trained by Dr. Ian Moore, Beau Jangles became the fifth two-year-old to receive the Dan Patch Horse of the Year award and third freshman pacing colt, joining Niatross in 1979 and Bret Hanover in 1964. The other two-year-olds honoured as U.S. Horse of the Year were pacing filly Jk Shesalady in 2014 and trotting colt Nevele Pride in 1967. Beau Jangles became the first undefeated Horse of the Year since Jk Shesalady, who also was perfect in 12 races.

Beau Jangles was named Horse of the Year on 59 of 133 returned ballots. He was followed by three-year-old pacing colt Louprint with 30 votes, three-year-old pacing filly Miki And Minnie with 21, and seven-year-old trotting gelding Lexus Kody, who was announced as the 2025 U.S. Trotter of the Year on Sunday, with nine. Also receiving Horse of the Year votes were three-year-old trotting filly Yo Tillie with seven, five-year-old pacing mare Twin B Joe Fresh and three-year-old trotting gelding On To Norway with two each, and five-year-old pacing stallion Ervin Hanover and two-year-old trotting filly Setyoursightshigh with one apiece.

In voting for Pacer of the Year, Beau Jangles received 62 votes followed by Louprint with 39, Miki And Minnie with 25, Twin B Joe Fresh with five and Ervin Hanover and three-year-old colt Sippinonsearoc with one each.

Lexus Kody, who became the oldest Trotter of the Year since seven-year-old San Pail in 2011, received 57 votes in that category. He was followed by Yo Tillie with 49, three-year-old trotting colt Super Chapter with 13, On To Norway with seven, three-year-old trotting colt Emoticon Legacy and six-year-old trotting mare M Ms Dream with two each and Setyoursightshigh, two-year-old trotting colt Apex and four-year-old trotting mare Warrawee Michelle with one apiece.

Beau Jangles, who last month was named Canada’s Horse of the Year, was the top-ranked horse in the Hambletonian Society/Breeders Crown poll at the end of the season. He capped his undefeated 12-win campaign with a 1:48.3 victory in the Grade 1 Breeders Crown final at Woodbine Mohawk Park, making him the fastest two-year-old ever in Canada.

The son of Cattlewash-Mrs Major Hill also won the Grade 1 Metro Pace and an Ontario Sires Stakes Super Final for owners Graham Grace Stables LLC, Kiwi Stables LLC, and Bolton Stables. Beau Jangles earned $1.22 million USD, the highest single-season purse total for a freshman pacer since 1986 and the fourth-highest total for a two-year-old pacer in history. He was bred by Tara Hills Stud and driven by Bob McClure.

“To get to this point is incredible,” said Adam Ainspan of Graham Grace Stables. “It’s really unbelievable to have a year like this. I’m very grateful.

“The most impressive thing about him is what a gifted athlete he is, how he glides across the track so effortlessly. It’s that true athleticism that he shows and his grit and determination to be that competitive.”

Added trainer Moore: “Since about early July last year, it’s been a time of making lifetime memories, and hopefully it doesn’t stop here. He’s just a big, strong boy and he got better and better as the year went on. He raced a lot for a two-year-old, in my opinion, but probably half of those races weren’t that tough. Hopefully, that will help him this year. We’ll see what happens. He looks good so far (coming back this year).”

Lexus Kody hit the board 18 times in 21 races and excelled as the season went on. He had 11 wins overall, with seven coming during an eight-race stretch to close out his campaign. Three of those victories came in Grade 1 stakes: the MGM Yonkers International Trot, Maple Leaf Trot and FanDuel Championship Open Trot. His 1:49.1 triumph in the Maple Leaf Trot made him the fastest trotter ever in Canada. He earned $1.31 million USD in 2025, a total that ranks second all-time for North American purses in a year for an older trotter.

A son of Archangel-Lexus Helios, Lexus Kody was driven for the majority of the season by Yannick Gingras for owners Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi LLC and Phil Collura. He was bred by Norm Dunstan.

“It’s pretty special,” Lexus Kody’s co-owner Mark Weaver said. “Up until mid-August, he was just kind of bouncing around and then he got on a run like I’ve never seen. I think it was Yannick understanding what he could and couldn’t do, and ‘Jo Jo’ (Caretaker of the Year Joseph Tosies). It was a pleasant surprise.

“I wasn’t sure (about Trotter of the Year). Yo Tille had a great year, but I thought we had a shot. He lost some races early in the year, but I think the voters respected the way he finished. His run there for six or seven weeks, I don’t think it’s really ever been done. He made a million dollars in four or five starts. That’s what I think got him the award. That was cool.”

Previously announced Dan Patch Award divisional champions also were honoured Sunday at the banquet. Division-winning pacers in addition to Beau Jangles were two-year-old filly Loua Dipa, Louprint, Miki And Minnie, Ervin Hanover and Twin B Joe Fresh. Division-winning trotters in addition to Lexus Kody were Apex, Setyoursightshigh, Super Chapter, Yo Tillie and Warrawee Michelle.

Other honourees included Stan Bergstein-Proximity Achievement Award winner Bill O’Donnell, Driver of the Year Jason Bartlett, Trainer of the Year Ron Burke, Owner of the Year Burke Racing/Weaver Bruscemi, and Rising Star Braxten Boyd.

Also recognized at the banquet were the members of the 2026 Hall of Fame class, who will be inducted on July 5 at the Harness Racing Museum and Hall of Fame in Goshen, N.Y.: Dr. John Egloff, Marvin Katz, and David Reid, as well as communicators Derick Giwner and Ellen Taylor. A crowd of 350 attended the event, presented by Caesars Entertainment, at Rosen Shingle Creek resort.

A complete list of winners can be found here on the U.S. Harness Writers Association’s website.

(United States Harness Writers Association)