The connections of Racine Bell have made the decision to retire the stakes-winning millionaire pacing mare at the age of seven.
Trained throughout her career by David Dewhurst for owners Chris and Dale Lawton, Racine Bell notched 42 career victories and accumulated more than $1.3 million in her career. She recorded a lifetime best time of 1:47.2 at the Meadowlands in 2022, the biggest win of her career, when she knocked off the sport's top older pacing mares in the Perfect Sting.
According to her longtime trainer, the $9,000 yearling required some persistence in her early lessons. The first time Dewhurst took two-year-old Racine Bell to the racetrack, she refused to move.
“We stood for one hour; she wouldn’t go,” Dewhurst said in a previous interview. “It took a long time for me to get her to go. She would go to the track and stop. It took a lot of patience to get her where she would at least go one mile. But once she figured it out, she’s been good ever since.”
On Saturday, Oct. 19, Racine Bell was retired in a ceremony during the card at Vernon Downs.
On the track, Dewhurst made his way to the winner's circle when driver Ron Harp guided Dewhurst trainee Discus Hanover to a 1:55.1 victory in the $11,805 Open Trot for owner Phillip Hale. The seven-year-old Credit Winner gelding scored for the eighth time this year and 49th time in his career.
Pirate Hanover grabbed the lion's share of the loot in the $11,805 Open Pace, winning in 1:51.2 for owner, trainer and driver Aaron Byron. The six-year-old horse by Captaintreacherous notched his ninth win this season and his 18th career victory.
Vernon Downs returns to live harness racing on Friday, Oct. 25 starting at 3:05 p.m. Vernon Downs' first post time will be 3:05 p.m. the rest of the 2024 season.
(with files from Vernon Downs; photo of Racine Bell from a win at Vernon earlier this year)