Nine-year-old Logan Shehan may not be the youngest Standardbred horse owner in the history of harness racing, but he may be the happiest.
“He has not stopped smiling since we got here,” remarked his parents, Tyler and Marna Shehan, who are stabled at The Red Mile. “Since we shipped in, he has really been enjoying himself.”
The Shehans, who call Hopkinsville, Kentucky home, shipped onto the Lexington backstretch in July and have had Logan with them the entire time.
“He is home schooled, so we make sure he spends time with his studies in the afternoon after the barn work is done.”
Logan became a young horse owner in April when a horse in their barn named The Phantom changed hands. His previous owner, Matt Kiernan, decided to give all his horses to the Shehan family.
Kiernan was 86 years old when he purchased the Lazarus N gelding from the Standardbred Horse Sale in 2022 from the Hunterton consignment. At that time, The Phantom was a $13,000 yearling purchase, who was bred by Steve Stewart and Oakwood Farms. Since Kiernan has kept racehorses with Shehans since 2012, he sent the colt to them to train. But he has always had one caveat; the horses could never be sold.
“We have had this colt since he was a baby and raced him lightly at two,” noted Marna.
At three, he came around nicely and made over $40,000.
Now five, the horse has been paying his way, earning another $35,000 last year, with $88,900 earned in his career with six wins in 64 starts.
Toward the end of last season, when the owner was turning 90, his health was waning and wanted to leave a legacy for the Shehans. That’s when Kiernan decided to gift the horses he owned to Marna and Tyler, which carried on his wishes that the horses never be sold. That prompted the parents of young Logan to start a college fund and utilize The Phantom’s earnings to help build for the future for their only child.
Matt Kiernan passed away in April, and since that time, The Phantom has earned $8,223. The easygoing steed won a race over the historic red clay in early September and registered owner Logan M. Shehan could not have been more proud.
“Zyler [Maxwell] drove him good and helped us make some money,” noted the fledgling horse owner.
“I like going to the barn every day and helping my parents, but I really love serving the coffee and doughnuts each morning,” stated the enthusiastic youngster.
His mom Marna added,“He’s a people person. He loves talking to folks. Someday I bet he will be a politician!”
Since the Grand Circuit rolled into town, Hunterton Farms has sponsored “Breakfast on the Backstretch” every morning from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. near the deck adjacent to the draw gate For the last week, both Logan and his friend Lolah (step daughter of driver Devon Tharps) have been at the coffee table greeting horsepeople with a smile and pouring their coffee and offering them doughnuts.
“We have enjoyed having the young people around each morning. Logan has been here bright and early each day…ready to assist,” noted Scotty Szafraniec, who facilitates the complimentary refreshments each day at The Red Mile, under the guidance of Director of Sponsorships Emily Gaskin Ratcliff.
“Having these young horse enthusiasts around each morning has been a welcome treat,” noted Ratcliff. “We love encouraging the next generation of harness horsepeople.”
The Phantom, for all the good will and hope for the future that the horse has brought the Shehans, the draw Gods had other ideas. He is saddled with post 10 in the 12th race on Thursday. Oct. 8, with Maxwell driving, once again.
But that doesn’t make any difference to Logan, who was quite optimistic about the race.
“I know that Zyler will drive him good…he always does!”
First post each day is 1 p.m., with the final week of Grand Circuit racing on Thursday, Friday and Saturday this week.
(The Red Mile; photo of Logan Shehan [center] holding The Phantom on the backstretch of The Red Mile while his friend Lolah Williamson [left] looks on)