Ken Jacobs had no idea when he exclaimed “he’s gorgeous” while looking at a yearling during the 2008 Standardbred Horse Sale, he was also calling out the colt’s name
. Once he found out, and bought the horse, he decided there was no reason to change it.
Jacobs, who frequently renames horses in honour of family members, most notably grandchildren, has watched Hes Gorgeous put together a beautiful career. Hes Gorgeous has won 17 of 25 career races, including two New York Sire Stakes championships, and earned $637,101. He is trained by Linda Toscano.
On Saturday, Hes Gorgeous will face the two top three-year-old male pacers in the nation – Rock N Roll Heaven and One More Laugh – in the $437,100 Messenger Stakes at Yonkers Raceway. Hes Gorgeous and driver George Brennan will start from Post 3 in the five-horse field. Tobago Cays and Urgent Action will start to his inside, Rock N Roll Heaven and One More Laugh to his outside. The Messenger is the third jewel in the Pacing Triple Crown. One More Laugh won the first leg, the Cane Pace, and Rock N Roll Heaven won the second, the Little Brown Jug.
“We kind of like Hes Gorgeous [as a name] because he really was,” said Jacobs, who bought the son of Art Major-So Ravishing for $97,000. “That suited him just perfect. When I first saw him, I said ‘he’s gorgeous’ and the girl taking care of him told me that was his name. She helped the horse grow up and she really was in love with the horse. She asked me if I was going to change his name and I said no. I wouldn’t have dared changed the name.”
It will be a tough task facing Rock N Roll Heaven and One More Laugh on Saturday, but Hes Gorgeous is on his preferred sized oval (half mile) and at a place where he has been successful (Yonkers). Hes Gorgeous has won 12 of 14 career starts on half-mile tracks and has won six of seven lifetime races at Yonkers. His only setback at Yonkers came on June 12 in the Art Rooney Pace, when he lost by a neck to One More Laugh.
“We have to hope the race goes our way,” Jacobs said. “I don’t think I can beat Rock N Roll Heaven, but we’re going to give it a try. If they fight it out on the lead, and I’m sitting right behind them, I could be dangerous.”
Jacobs’ favourite race this season came when Hes Gorgeous won the sire stakes title at Yonkers. The colt was parked during the opening quarter-mile before getting the lead, then was passed by Jimmie Hanover approaching the final turn, but battled back in the stretch to win by a neck.
“He never quits,” Jacobs said. “That’s his big quality. Hopefully, that will help him in this race.”
This will be the final start of 2010 for Hes Gorgeous, who should return to action next year, possibly in the George Morton Levy Pacing Series at Yonkers.
“He’s a fairly big horse, but he goes as fast in the turns as he does on the straightaways,” Jacobs said. “That’s a big quality going on a half [mile track]. I think the fact he’s been so consistent throughout all his races has been a great quality, too.”
Here is a look at the field in post position order for the Messenger with listed drivers and trainers:
1. Tobago Cays, Cat Manzi, Jeffrey Webster
2. Urgent Action, Jason Bartlett, Jerry Silverman
3. Hes Gorgeous, George Brennan, Linda Toscano
4. Rock N Roll Heaven, Daniel Dube, Bruce Saunders
5. One More Laugh, Tim Tetrick, Ray Schnittker
This story courtesy of Harness Racing Communications, a division of the U.S. Trotting Association. For more information, visit www.ustrotting.com.