“All he wanted to do was trot. So I called the owner and talked it over with him and we decided to take his hopples off for good.”

Pacer turned trotter Action Ear To Ear was successful in his trotting debut in the opening race on Tuesday at Northfield Park. Action Ear To Ear began from post two and led at virtually every call, posting a winning time of 2:05.3.

Action Ear To Ear (Grinfromeartoear - Life With Mindy - Life Sign) began racing in Canada in 2010, winning one of five races as a freshman pacer. He was winless in six tries as a sophomore and won one of 12 races as a four year-old. His best year to date has been 2013 when he won two races and finished second seven times in 14 starts. He has a mark of 1:55.2, paced at Northfield Park, and has career earnings of $27,063.

Action Ear To Ear was claimed by Andrew Coblentz of Wooster, Ohio for $3,000 in August 2013. Coblentz placed him under the care of trainer John G. Wengerd. The horse looked to be a good claim, pacing in 1:53.2, finishing second in a $4,000 claiming race just two starts later. Wengerd stated that mile took a lot out of the pacer and he was sore after so he was given an unconventional rest -- as a buggy horse.

"We put road shoes on him and let him pull a buggy to stay in shape until he was fully sound again.”

Pulling an Amish buggy around Wayne County, Ohio for several months did a lot of good for Action Ear To Ear according to Wengerd. However, in that time it was noticed that the six-year-old pacer never paced. He had trotted the entire time he was on the road.

“He is a really smooth-gaited trotter,” commented Wengerd. “He even looks like a trotter.”

When Action Ear To Ear left his road duties and re-entered training, Wengerd noted that the horse only wanted to trot. Thus, the horse's career as a pacer was over.

Action Ear To Ear qualified December 27 at Northfield Park on the trot. “I was a little nervous that when he saw the gate he would switch to a pace, but he didn’t,” offered Wengerd. "He left right up out of there like he was supposed to, got on top and won his qualifier easy.” Action Ear To Ear led at every call, besting his competition by 2-1/4 lengths in 2:04.2.

Action Ear To Ear’s immediate future appears to be as a trotter. However, there is always a back-up plan, which may include hopples, in the wings if his current gait does not work out.

(with files from Northfield)