Trotter Southwind Frank, a likely lock for divisional honours stateside and the odds-on choice as the Winterbook favourite for the 2016 Hambletonian, has attracted new ownership.
Southwind Frank (Muscle Hill - Flawless Lindy) was owned by Burke Racing Stable LLC and Weaver Bruscemi LLC of Pennsylvania along with Our Horse Cents Stables and J And T Silva Stables LLC of New York. Now added to that group: Adam & Chris Bowden's Diamond Creek Fram.
"People recognize his talent, not only as a breeding prospect, but also as the early favourite to win next year's Hambletonian too," co-owner Mark Weaver told harnessracing.com. "I'm sure that played into a lot of interest because winning the Hambletonian is such a big goal for so many people in our sport.”
Weaver noted that the additional ownership percentage came from pieces sold by Weaver Bruscemi, Our Horse Cents and J And T Silva. Trainer Ron Burke retained his full interest in the colt trotter.
"Ronnie and his family maintained their interest but the other owners all sold a percentage of their original investment,” noted Weaver. "It shows he believes in the horse.”
After a break late in the mile in a July New Jersey Sire Stakes event at the Meadowlands, Southwind Frank was flawless. Five different tracks, ten straight wins. His narrowest margin of victory in that ten-race win streak was a length and a quarter. Seven of his wins were faster than 1:55 and his 1:52.2 lifetime mark taken at The Red Mile makes his the fastest two-year-old trotting colt in harness racing history. He concluded his season with a dominant performance in the 2015 Breeders Crown at Woodbine Racetrack.
The deal will also see Southwind Frank join former Burke standout Sweet Lou as a stallion in the Diamond Creek stud barn at the conclusion of his racing career.
"We had a lot of interest from a lot of well-respected operations, and some of them were based on a higher valuation, but it came down to us having such a good relationship with Diamond Creek,” continued Weaver. "We have our partnership with Sweet Lou so it made sense as a group to continue that. Diamond Creek will be the best place for Southwind Frank.”