Brad Grant has developed a reputation of being affiliated with champion Standardbreds year in and year out — so much that it likely comes as no surprise that three of his horses are up for O'Brien Award consideration on the basis of their 2021 campaigns.
What did come as a surprise to Grant was Grandma Heidi's O'Brien nomination alongside Bulldog Hanover and Wheels On Fire — but her performances, while under the radar, certainly warrant due consideration just as much as her pacing stablemates.
"I was happy to see her nominated, but was very surprised," Grant told Trot Insider. "She had to race against the boys all the time because there's no Mares Preferred up here, and she raced tough and made $126,000."
In fact, Grandma Heidi held her own against both O'Brien nominees among older male trotters — Oney Hall and defending divisional O'Brien winner Perfetto — in top-level competition at Woodbine Mohawk Park, hitting the board in 19 of 32 starts this season, only missing five cheques, and taking a mark of 1:52.3 in August. That level of consistency against mixed competition was, to Grant, the strongest asset Grandma Heidi displayed in her final season of on-track competition before embarking on a broodmare career in Sweden.
"She just was a consistent mare," Grant continued. "You know having to race against the boys all the time, and she just was — if nothing else, I had some consistency. Especially with her and Wheels On Fire. Every week, they raced well, and you knew you were going to get a good showing. You knew something was going to come out of it, and they did, both of them."
As stealthy as Grandma Heidi was in achieving her success through 2021, her fellow Richard Moreau trainee, Wheels On Fire, was anything but stealthy. The Somebeachsomewhere gelding spent plenty of time in the Saturday night spotlight at Mohawk, winning eight Preferred events on Canada's premier circuit among his 13 seasonal scores.
"I think his record speaks for itself," Grant said. "Twenty-seven starts, 27 times in the money; I think he was only worse than fourth twice. He won almost $300,000, consistently racing against the best up here and continues to show up. I think he's deserving."
Despite Wheels On Fire's dominance over Canada's top weekly warriors, it was a defeat — rather than a victory — that was most memorable for Grant this season.
"We really hadn't intended to race him in the Mohawk Gold Cup," Grant explained, noting that Wheels On Fire had been off for five weeks prior to the Sept. 18 invitational. "They called Richard and asked if he wanted to put him in, and we raced him with no expectations. And, you know, he finished fifth, beaten a couple of lengths. Who knows if he would have been really, really tight what would have happened? But again, it just shows that the horse had a big heart and showed up every night, but he had so many highlights. He just ... he showed up to race."
In addition to his pair of O'Brien nominees with Moreau, who seeks an unprecedented ninth straight Trainer of the Year title, Grant will also be represented at Sunday's (Feb. 6) Virtual O'Brien Awards Gala by Bulldog Hanover, whom he owns in partnership with trainer Jack Darling.
Bulldog Hanover banked over $680,000 in his sophomore season, winning 10 of 15 races — including a Somebeachsomewhere division, three Ontario Sires Stakes Gold events, and a quartet of stakes at Harrah's Hoosier Park in November. While the main thorn in Bulldog Hanover's side, fellow O'Brien nominee Desperate Man, captured both the $1 million Pepsi North America Cup and the the Ontario Super Final, Grant is hopeful that his star colt's consistency and late-season success can carry him to Canadian harness racing's top seasonal honour.
"If we take the North America Cup out of the equation and we happen to win that one, it's probably a different story. But, you can't take anything away from Desperate Man. I mean, he had a great season and raced well, so I'm not surprised that Bulldog is one of the two finalists. The other colt has done a great job and he's raced up here, and it's going to be close, but either would be a great champion."
As synonymous as Grant is with harness racing champions, the magnitude of being up for not just one but three O'Brien Awards is not lost on him, noting that he's "very happy to get three." Still, the affable Milton, Ont. resident is quick to defer credit to his trainers for their hands-on contributions.
"We had a five-minute conversation, and the deal was done," Grant said about buying into Bulldog Hanover with Darling. "I've dealt with Jack before. Two things you know about Jack: he's a great horseman and a great gentleman. So I knew I was getting a good horse, and just being a part of a good horse is always great.
"And I've got to give a ton of credit to Richard and his team for Grandma Heidi and Wheels On Fire. Ron Burke took both of them down (to the United States) when we got shut down up here and maintained them. Richard sent them down in great shape, and Ron sent them back in great shape. But Richard, probably over the last couple of years, has been the mainstay behind both those horses. And, obviously, his consistency with them and pretty well with every horse I have with him, it speaks volumes."
The only missing piece of the O'Brien puzzle for Grant — as it is for many Standardbred participants — is the in-person gala, which has been put on hold for a second straight year. Still, he plans to tune into the Virtual O'Brien Awards Gala, as he also did last year.
"I mean, it's nice to see everybody, and, you know, the winners get recognition," Grant lamented. "I thought they did a nice job under the circumstances last year ... but it's nice to go out because you get all the top horses recognized. A lot of people are there that you only see at the racetrack, or you only see them in the paddock or at the barn. That part of it's nice. But the world's changing. And I think Standardbred Canada and the O'Brien committee have done a great job under the circumstances. So I'm looking for as good as last year this year, and definitely looking forward to it."
Hopefully, for Grant, this winter's O'Brien celebration will be thrice as nice.