Although he backed it up in full, San Pail, Canada's three-time Older Trotting Horse of the Year, received a boatload of hype within the harness racing industry in 2011. Apparently, he was also one of the most under-appreciated outside of it
.
In a recent blog entry for sportsnet.ca, Trot Magazine contributor Perry Lefko has lumped San Pail, Ultimate Fighting Championship light-heavyweight champion Jon 'Bones' Jones and No. 1-ranked men's tennis player Novak Djokovic, among others, as some of the most under-hyped athletes of 2011.
In regard to San Pail, Lefko wrote:
Ever heard of the horse Seabiscuit and what he did? Well, this is the harness racing equivalent. He is a seven-year-old gelded trotter that quite likely will be voted horse of the year in the U.S. and Canada.
By the proverbial something out of nothing, San Pail took on the best of his age group and gait and won consistently in 2011, posting 14 wins and two seconds in 16 starts and almost $1.3 million in earnings. In one of those races, he recorded a personal-best speed mark.
He is the people's horse because of the crowds that come to see him and there are [no] immediate plans to retire him.
To read Lefko's column in its entirety, click here.
San Pail was the unanimous choice as Canada’s Older Trotting Horse of the Year for 2011, and will pick up his third consecutive trophy in the division at the upcoming O'Brien Awards ceremony. The son of San Pellegrino dominated Canadian harness racing this season, topping the charts for older trotting horses in North America with over $1.2-million in earnings and 14 wins from 16 races, highlighted by victories in every stakes event he entered. He scored 11 of his wins and earned $934,920 in Canada, between Mohawk Racetrack and Woodbine Racetrack.
San Pail's stakes wins included the elimination and final of the Glorys Comet, the Maple Leaf Trot, the Nat Ray, the Credit Winner, and the Allerage Trot. His final moment of glory for 2011 came in the $602,340 Breeders Crown Open Trot at Woodbine on October 29, where he took on a world-class field, which included two European stars, and trotted to an exciting 1:51.4 neck victory.
(With files from sportsnet.ca)
The banter is great. Bottom
The banter is great. Bottom Line
San Pail = Champion! Period
Bob Adams if they're all
Bob Adams if they're all etched in your mind.I guess you remember that he was BEAT in the BC if not for the unbelievable drive Randy gave him. Both EURO HORSES WERE GONNA HAND HIM HIS BRIDLE THAT NIGHT. I think they both flew in a couple days before the race.
NOW TELL ME HOW GREAT HE IS !!!!!
RANDY WAPLES, RANDY WAPLES, RANDY WAPLES !!!
KH
my name is Jeff cake and I
my name is Jeff cake and I believe and have faith there will be another season - this one was better than the last.
EVERYBODY, the lessons learned from SAN PAIL THE TEACHER - Rod taught him but the student has become the MASTER OF GAIT and you have to race YOUR way which works with Randy giving great drives, sometimes leaving it to end with, always in position to win, yet heart overcame. I compare him to GREYHOUND
TO ANYONE WHO CAME OUT TO HAVE A PICTURE I THINK HORSE OF THE YEAR IN NORTH AMERICA - A TROTTER IS A LOT HARDER TO MANAGE THAN PACER FOILED AGAIN. KNOWING A FEW [WILF SUPERTEST] [VIC PARKHILL CROWELL] ON AND ON WANTED TO BE THE BEST.
As for "naming 7 mares that
As for "naming 7 mares that would laugh San Pail off the track"...how many of them cut 54.4 1/2s then survived a pressured throughout trip en-route to a sub 152 mile in late fall? I agree that all of those horses you named are all-time greats, but anyone who thinks they would "laugh (San Pail) off the track" is perhaps the one who needs to "get a grip".
Say It Ain't So Joe Joe
Say It Ain't So Joe
Joe FitzGerald your list is impressive but your list is from another time and we all know there is no accurate way of telling who would be best. Every race and every field that lines up behind the starter is like a one off work of art an original never to be duplicated. San Pail is the "NOW" horse and your rant is not justified when others expressed their apprieciation on what San Pail meant to them.
Something should be said
Something should be said about how positive tests, not showing up to drive, misconduct prejudicial to racing, boring predictable racing, etc. on why there is no media coverage anymore. Call it as you see it but it just isn't newsworthy anymore when the participants don't even care.
Wrestling gets more coverage and they came clean about the entertainment years ago. There's even people driving trucks over ice over and over and over again and they get more air time.
San Pail was the best trotter this year and the only people who will know that the local boys did good will be the people on the backstretch.
Congratulations to all who had a good year this year and may you all have a safe and healthy 2012.
Greg Parke
San Pail should be on a
San Pail should be on a postage stamp representing harness racing. A modern day Dan Patch" Thank you to all his connections for keeping him on the track, and keeping his momentum going even in the eye of several storms!!
Liz Therrien is correct:
Liz Therrien is correct: Let's be sure to write letters or e-letters to the editor or news director when major harness racing stories are missed in the mainstream sports media. If you are in a position to issue press releases about racing to your local radio or tv station, or newspaper, that is a great idea too. A good resolution for 2012.
Many sportscasters are racing fans & just not able to report on harness racing. Check out my article in the Dec. Trot ("Falling Away")for why this is the case.
The problem is thoroughly diagnosed. Now it's time to let the stations & publications know that there are still large numbers of Canadians who want regular racing coverage. If we don't let them know, they assume that silence means people are satisfied with the status quo.
San Pail is extremely newsworthy & maybe he & Rod Hughes will get their deserved media attention in the new year.
I didn't see all of San
I didn't see all of San Pail's races, but every one I did will forever be etched in my memory. Congratulations to all connected, look forward to seeing him in 2012 and him adding to my memories.
Joe FitzGerald Didn’t more
Joe FitzGerald
Didn’t more than 500 of the individuals who participated in your poll declare San Pail to be the greatest trotter in the history of the sport? You’re telling me San Pail is better than Moni Maker, Ideal Du Gazeau, Speedy Scot, Speedy Crown, Mack Lobell, Duke Rodney, Noble Victory, Scott Frost, Lutin I’signy, Delmonica Hanover, Fresh Yankee, Une de Mai, Roquepine, Peace Corps, Armbro Flight, and on and on and on. I just named seven mares who would laugh San Pail off the track. Get a grip on it folks.
Press coverage for any sport
Press coverage for any sport involving horses has shrunk from very little to non existant in a few short years. I do remember seeing some articles about harness racing in the past but nothing recently. What little news we do see is usually bad (eg: cheating trainers like Rick Dutrow or accidents on the track). Poor Hickstead had to die to get the kind of press he deserved and Eric Lamaze got more press for a positive drug test than he did for winning olympic gold or being the #1 rider in the world.
I can't understand how harness racing, a sport with so many great Canadian characters and stories, can be ignored by the sportswriters. There must be a way to get them interested. Harness people need to hoist their own flags more often. Perhaps a writing campaign to the newspapers and TV stations (I have done this myself but it takes more than one person)to let them know that there are fans out here hungry for horse news.
Congratulations to Rod and
Congratulations to Rod and everyone involved with San Pail. Happy New Year and all the best in 2012!!
Mel Giles
True that harness racing
True that harness racing stars get forgotten in the majority of the mainstream media. Articles like this one of Perry Lefko's can only help to improve this situation. Only one thing wrong with it though, he forgot the word "no" in the last sentance in regards to "there are immediate plans to retire him." At least I hope so! Nohoax
Harness racing greats will
Harness racing greats will always be under appreciated outside of the industry and it will only get worse as time goes on. The friends that i have who never attend the races wouldn't have a clue who or what a san pail was if they were asked. Now ask these same friends who never attend the races period be it harness or the t'breds who Secretariat was and they would pretty much all know.