Bee A Magician, Father Patrick, and Maven were unanimous 2013 Dan Patch Award selections as the best harness racing horses in their respective divisions, the U.S. Harness Writers Association announced Thursday.
A total of 131 ballots were returned. Three-year-old filly trotter Bee A Magician and older female trotter Maven were named on all 131 while two-year-old male trotter Father Patrick was named on 130 with one abstention.
Six other year-end champions were named Thursday in divisions that saw only one horse receive at least 10 per cent of the vote. Three-year-old male pacer Captaintreacherous and older male trotter Market Share both received 130 votes and were declared winners in their divisions.
Also being named winners were two-year-old filly pacer Precocious Beauty, two-year-old filly trotter Shake It Cerry, three-year-old filly pacer I Luv The Nitelife, and older male pacer Foiled Again.
Winners in the three remaining divisions – two-year-old male pacer, three-year-old male trotter, and older female pacer – will be announced at the Dan Patch Awards banquet on February 23 at Dover Downs. Pacer of the Year, Trotter of the Year, and Horse of the Year also will be revealed at that time.
Finalists for best two-year-old male pacer are Hes Watching and Luck Be Withyou, with the three-year-old male trotter race coming down to Royalty For Life and Spider Blue Chip and older female pacer a battle between Anndrovette and Rocklamation.
Bee A Magician was undefeated in 17 starts this year and joined Muscle Hill and Syrinx Hanover as the only trotters to go unbeaten at age three and receive Dan Patch divisional honours dating back to 1975.
Trained by Richard ‘Nifty’ Norman and driven by Brian Sears for owners Mel Hartman, Herb Liverman, and David McDuffee, Bee A Magician won the Breeders Crown for three-year-old filly trotters, Hambletonian Oaks, Elegantimage Stakes, and Delvin Miller Memorial on her way to $1.54 million in purses.
Her earnings are the most ever for a three-year-old filly trotter, breaking the record of $1.17 million set by Continentalvictory in 1996, and her winning time of 1:51 in the Miller Memorial at Meadowlands Racetrack is the fastest mile ever by a three-year-old filly trotter.
Father Patrick, trained by Jimmy Takter and driven by Yannick Gingras for the Father Patrick Stable ownership group, won 10 of 11 races and $744,057. His victories included the Breeders Crown for two-year-old male trotters, the William Wellwood Memorial, and the Peter Haughton Memorial.
He finished the campaign with a nine-race winning streak and was unbeaten in stakes competition. He set the world record of 1:52.1 for a two-year-old male trotter on a five-eighths-mile track in winning his Breeders Crown elimination at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs.
Maven won 10 of 14 races and earned $509,220 for trainer Jonas Czernyson, driver Gingras and owner Bill Donovan. Her wins included the Breeders Crown for older female trotters, Armbro Flight Stakes, and Miss Versatility Series championship.
She trotted the fastest race mile ever on a half-mile track in winning the Miss Versatility in 1:51.4 at the Delaware County Fair in Ohio.
Captaintreacherous, Foiled Again, and Market Share are repeat winners.
Last year, Captaintreacherous claimed Dan Patch Awards as best two-year-old male pacer and Pacer of the Year. This season at age three, he won 13 of 16 races and $2.05 million for trainer Tony Alagna, driver Tim Tetrick and the Captaintreacherous Racing ownership group.
He joined Rocknroll Hanover and Gallo Blue Chip as the only three-year-old male pacers to win a Breeders Crown, the North America Cup, and Meadowlands Pace in the same season.
The nine-year-old Foiled Again, who this season became the oldest horse to ever win a Breeders Crown and the richest North American harness racing horse in history, was named the sport’s best older male pacer for the third consecutive year. He joins Rambling Willie (1975-77) as the only horses to win the division’s top honour three straight seasons.
Foiled Again, trained by Ron Burke and driven primarily by Gingras for owners Burke Racing, Weaver Bruscemi LLC, and JJK Stables, won 11 of 29 races in 2013 and earned $1.40 million. He is the oldest horse to ever have a million-dollar season.
Market Share, a four-year-old, also took divisional honours last season at age three. This year, he won six of 14 races and earned $1.07 million for trainer Linda Toscano, driver Tetrick and owners Richard Gutnick, TLP Stables, and William Augustine. He finished the season by winning the Breeders Crown Open Trot, American-National Stakes, and TVG Free For All Series Championship.
I Luv The Nitelife won 13 of 15 races and $1.25 million for trainer Chris Ryder, driver Tetrick and owners Richard and Joanne Young. Her victories included the Breeders Crown for three-year-old filly pacers, Fan Hanover Stakes and Valley Forge (in a world-record 1:48.4 mile).
Shake It Cerry, trained by Takter and driven by Ron Pierce for the Solveig’s Racing Partners ownership group, captured eight of 11 starts and earned $827,769. Her triumphs included the Breeders Crown for two-year-old filly trotters, Goldsmith Maid, and Merrie Annabelle.
Precocious Beauty won seven of 11 races, including the Shes A Great Lady Stakes, and $446,692 for trainer Gregg McNair, driver Doug McNair and owner Jim Avritt Sr.
The competition for three-year-old male trotter features Hambletonian winner Royalty For Life against Breeders Crown champion Spider Blue Chip. The race for older female pacer is between two-time defending division champ Anndrovette, who won the Roses Are Red Stakes, and Milton Stakes winner Rocklamation.
Two-year-old male pacer honours come down to New York Sire Stakes champion Hes Watching, undefeated in eight races, and Breeders Crown winner Luck Be Withyou, who won five of 11 starts.
DAN PATCH AWARD WINNERS
These divisions saw only one horse receive at least 10 per cent of the vote.
TWO-YEAR-OLD MALE TROTTER
Father Patrick (130 votes, 1 abstention)
Breeding: Cantab Hall – Gala Dream – Enjoy Lavec
Breeder: Brittany Farms.
Owner: Father Patrick Stable.
Trainer: Jimmy Takter.
Driver: Yannick Gingras.
Races: 11-10-1-0.
Purses: $744,057.
Mark: 1:52.1 at Pocono Downs (world record).
Top Wins: $500,000 Breeders Crown; $354,050 Wellwood Memorial; $280,500 Haughton Memorial.
TWO-YEAR-OLD FILLY TROTTER
Shake It Cerry (124 votes)
Breeding: Donato Hanover – Solveig – Yankee Glide
Breeder: Solveig’s Breeders.
Owner: Solveig’s Racing Partners.
Trainer: Jimmy Takter.
Driver: Ron Pierce.
Races: 11-8-2-0.
Purses: $827,769.
Mark: 1:53.3 at Meadowlands.
Top Wins: $500,000 Breeders Crown; $456,150 Goldsmith Maid; $321,700 Merrie Annabelle.
TWO-YEAR-OLD FILLY PACER
Precocious Beauty (117 votes)
Breeding: Art Major – Precious Beauty – Jate Lobell
Breeder: James Avritt Sr.
Owner: James Avritt Sr.
Trainer: Gregg McNair.
Driver: Doug McNair.
Races: 11-7-3-0.
Purses: $446,692.
Mark: 1:50.1 at Red Mile (world record).
Top Win: $428,450 She’s A Great Lady.
THREE-YEAR-OLD MALE PACER
Captaintreacherous (130 votes)
Breeding: Somebeachsomewhere – Worldly Treasure – Artsplace
Breeder: White Birch Farm.
Owner: Captaintreacherous Racing.
Trainer: Tony Alagna.
Driver: Tim Tetrick.
Races: 16-13-2-0.
Purses: $2.05 million.
Mark: 1:47.1 at Red Mile.
Top Wins: $980,000 North America Cup; $635,750 Meadowlands Pace; $500,000 Breeders Crown.
THREE-YEAR-OLD FILLY PACER
I Luv The Nitelife (123 votes)
Breeding: Rocknroll Hanover – Lisjune – Camluck
Breeders: MJG Racing Stables, Louis “Andy” Willinger.
Owners: Richard and Joanne Young.
Trainer: Chris Ryder.
Driver: Tim Tetrick.
Races: 15-13-1-1.
Purses: $1.25 million.
Mark: 1:48.4 at Pocono Downs (world record).
Top Wins: $500,000 Breeders Crown; $384,044 Fan Hanover; $350,000 Valley Forge.
THREE-YEAR-OLD FILLY TROTTER
Bee A Magician (131 votes)
Breeding: Kadabra – Beehive – Balanced Image
Breeder: White Birch Farm.
Owners: Mel Hartman, Herb Liverman, David McDuffee.
Trainer: Richard ‘Nifty’ Norman.
Drivers: Rick Zeron, Brian Sears.
Races: 17-17-0-0.
Purses: $1.54 million.
Mark: 1:51 at Meadowlands (world record).
Top Wins: $500,000 Hambletonian Oaks; $500,000 Breeders Crown; $356,981 Elegantimage.
OLDER MALE PACER
Foiled Again (125 votes)
Breeding: Dragon Again – In A Safe Place – Artsplace
Breeder: Barbara Matthews.
Owners: Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi LLC, JJK Stables.
Trainer: Ron Burke.
Driver: Yannick Gingras.
Races: 29-11-6-7.
Purses: $1.40 million.
Mark: 1:48 at Pocono Downs (world record).
Top Wins: $512,000 TVG Free For All Championship; $500,000 Breeders Crown; $500,000 Ben Franklin.
OLDER MALE TROTTER
Market Share (130 votes)
Breeding: Revenue S – Classical Flirt – Yankee Glide
Breeder: Hayley Moore.
Owners: Richard Gutnick, TLP Stable, William Augustine.
Trainer: Linda Toscano.
Driver: Tim Tetrick.
Races: 14-6-1-5.
Purses: $1.07 million.
Mark: Q1:50.3 at Meadowlands.
Top Wins: $600,000 Breeders Crown; $526,710 Maple Leaf; $500,000 TVG Free For All Championship.
OLDER FEMALE TROTTER
Maven (131 votes)
Breeding: Glidemaster – M Stewart – American Winner
Breeder: All La Nuova Sbarra Srl.
Owner: Bill Donovan.
Trainer: Jonas Czernyson.
Driver: Yannick Gingras.
Races: 14-10-2-0.
Purses: $509,220.
Mark: 1:51.4 at Delaware County Fairgrounds (world record).
Top Wins: $266,041 Armbro Flight; $250,000 Breeders Crown.
DAN PATCH AWARD FINALISTS
Top two vote-getters in these divisions were named finalists, with the winner to be announced at the Dan Patch Awards banquet Feb. 23 at Dover Downs
TWO-YEAR-OLD MALE PACER
Hes Watching
Breeding: American Ideal – Baberhood – Real Desire
Breeders: Brittany Farms, Robert Burgess, Karin Olsson Burgess.
Owners: David Menary, Brad Gray, Michael Guerriero.
Trainer: David Menary.
Driver: Jim Morrill Jr.
Races: 8-8-0-0.
Purses: $291,722.
Mark: 1:50 at Tioga Downs.
Top Win: $225,000 New York Sire Stakes final.
Luck Be Withyou
Breeding: Western Ideal – Trim Hanover – Camluck
Breeder: Brittany Farms.
Owner: John Craig.
Trainers: Bill Cass, Chris Oakes.
Drivers: Phil Hudon, Ron Pierce.
Races: 11-5-1-0.
Purses: $359,417.
Mark: 1:50 at Pocono Downs.
Top Win: $500,000 Breeders Crown.
THREE-YEAR-OLD MALE TROTTER
Royalty For Life
Breeding: RC Royalty – Bourbon ’N Grits – Donerail
Breeder: Al Ross.
Owners: Al Ross, Ray ‘Chip’ Campbell Jr., Paul Fontaine.
Trainer: George Ducharme.
Driver: Brian Sears.
Races: 14-7-2-0.
Purses: $1.27 million.
Mark: Q1:51.3 at Meadowlands.
Top Wins: $1 million Hambletonian; $665,420 Canadian Trotting Classic; $294,000 Dancer Memorial.
Spider Blue Chip
Breeding: Andover Hall – Southwind Catlin – Muscles Yankee
Breeder: McLain Ward.
Owners: David McDuffee, Mel Hartman.
Trainer: Chuck Sylvester.
Driver: Ron Pierce.
Races: 20-10-3-2.
Purses: $1.08 million.
Mark: 1:51.3 at Red Mile.
Top Wins: $500,000 Breeders Crown; $500,000 Colonial; $260,000 Pennsylvania Sire Stakes final.
OLDER FEMALE PACER
Anndrovette
Breeding: Riverboat King – Easy Miss – Big Towner
Breeder: Golden Touch Stable.
Owner: Bamond Racing, Joseph Davino.
Trainer: P.J. Fraley.
Driver: Tim Tetrick.
Races: 21-7-7-4.
Purses: $558,201.
Mark: 1:48 at Mohawk.
Top Win: $313,795 Roses Are Red.
Rocklamation
Breeding: Rocknroll Hanover – Art Sale – Artsplace
Breeder: Perretti Farms.
Owners: Our Horse Cents Stables, Stable 45, J&T Silva Stables.
Trainer: Ron Burke.
Drivers: Yannick Gingras, Brett Miller.
Races: 21-5-7-6.
Purses: $540,358.
Mark: 1:49.3 at Meadowlands.
Top Win: $275,480 Milton.
(USHWA)
I'm all-in for "Bee A
I'm all-in for "Bee A Magician" to win every category that she's eligible to. I remember one of her losses (Breeders Crown) at 2, she, mired by a bad trip, ran out of track. She just could've easily been undefeated at 2. Two top drivers in the sport said, "she's the best 3yof that I've ever driven. Bee A Magician and Moni Maker belong in the same class. She lived up to her billing and, did she ever put in a bad race?