Sweet Justice Is Bono's Sweet News

The recent success at the Meadowlands of four-year-old trotter Sweet Justice is sweet news for Montreal businessman Gaetan Bono.

In 2012, shortly after the Breeders Crown, Bono privately purchased Sweet Justice’s sire, Justice Hall, then standing in Indiana.

He knew the horse because Justice Hall was co-owned by his friends, Montreal’s Saccomani brothers (Berto Stable), and he’d been closely following the exploits of Quebec-bred Intimidate, who captured the 2012 Breeders Crown final for three-year-old trotting colts and geldings with a dazzling late brush. Intimidate was from Justice Hall’s first (and only) Quebec crop, born in 2009.

Bono had been stung with his first stallion purchase, Electric Stena, acquired just as the Quebec breeding industry collapsed with the bankruptcy of racetrack operator Attractions Hippiques. “Good horse, bad timing,” he said.

Justice Hall inspired him to try again. First he bought the Saccomanis’ third, then the rest of the Garland Lobell stallion.

“It was a decent price, but I didn’t get him for free,” Bono said.

He also had to pay the Indiana farm where the horse was standing to get out of the contract and move Justice Hall to Ontario, where he stood last year (and will stand again this year) at Seelster Farm for a stud fee of $3,500.

“We bred 50 last year, which was not bad, given the uncertainty in Ontario,” Bono said.

Sweet Justice’s 1:51.1 victory at The Meadowlands this month gives Justice Hall a top horse from his second crop as well as Intimidate from his first.

“I cheer for his babies like they were all mine. They’re natural trotters, like Garland, and intelligent. Drivers say they’re beautiful to drive. I have one by the dam of Market Share (Classical Flirt), which I bought with a partner at Lexington last fall for $35,000. Her name’s Market The Class and she’s going great so far. I can’t wait to breed my good mare Intense America to him, probably next year. His foals are going to make a lot of trainers look good, like Garland did,” said Bono, 61, a fruit and vegetable distributor who’s been involved in racing as an owner for more than 20 years, with more disappointments than successes so far.

(Trot Insider exclusive by Paul Delean)