With the 2008 O'Brien Awards one day away, the SC website will shine the spotlight on the finalists in each O'Brien division
.
Today we profile the older trotting horse category.
ARCH MADNESS - Arch Madness enjoyed a brief but very productive campaign in 2008 with nine top-two finishes from just 11 trips postward.
Another in a long line of champion performers sired by Balanced Image, Arch Madness scored his first season's win in an $84,116 leg of The Classic Series at Mohawk Racetrack on May 31 and then returned to The Meadowlands and trounced rivals in his $40,000 Titan Cup Elimination on June 20.
The Trond Smedshammer trainee finished second to his archrival Corleone Kosmos in the $200,000 Final on June 28.
Other notable runner-up finishes came in the $250,000 Classic Series Final, the $300,000 Nat Ray Final, the $638,580 Breeders Crown and the $160,000 Allerage Farms Final.
His biggest win came in the $728,600 Maple Leaf Trot at Mohawk on September 20 when Brian Sears guided him to a lifetime-best performance of 1:52.
Arch Madness wrapped up the season with $842,803 in earnings, vaulting him well over $1.6 million lifetime.
ARMBRO CHRONICLE - Like fine wine, Armbro Chronicle just gets better with age.
The 2008 campaign was a breakout year for the seven-year-old Self Possessed gelding who made 11 trips to the charmed circle from 31 trips postward.
He made his first start on January 5 and raced in 11 different months during the season for his co-owner/trainer Kent Baker.
Armbro Chronicle set the tone for year with a strong second-place finish in the $86,000 Glorys Comet Final on January 19 at Mohawk. He was also a multiple winner at the Open level against the nation's best and won the class seven times during the campaign.
He wasn't just a local star, however. Other major wins came in the $138,250 Frank Ryan Memorial at Rideau Carleton Raceway, the $84,500 Earl Rowe Memorial at Georgian Downs and a $50,000 Maple Leaf Trot Elimination at Mohawk.
One of his best efforts of the season was a third-place effort in the $728,600 Maple Leaf Trot Final. He wrapped up his campaign with two straight wins in December and ended with $510,928 in season's earnings.