While it was previously announced that superstar trotter Father Patrick would be standing stud in Pennsylvania before resuming his racing career, those plans have been altered.
Diamond Creek Farm co-owner Adam Bowden was notified by the Pennsylvania Harness Racing Commission (PHRC) that his request for a special waiver for to stand Father Patrick while still being trained by Jimmy Takter in New Jersey was denied.
The Pennsylvania Stallion Registration Form stipulates that stallions must stand in the state for the minimum of February 15 though to July 4 in a given calendar year. It was from this rule that Bowden had requested an exemption.
"We knew what the rules were, but we asked for a special waiver,” Bowden told harnessracing.com. "They told us we had to keep him in the state to train him, so we're going to go with ‘Plan B,' and that is he is going to stand in New Jersey for a year at Walnridge Farm under the care of Richard Meirs. We won't have any issues then because he will also train in the state."
The bright side of having Father Patrick stand in New Jersey as opposed to Plan A in Pennsylvania is the decreased travel between training centre and breeding shed.
"I don't think there is a loss at all,” Bowden continued. "The nice part is that he is going to be about 10 minutes from the farm so he won't be traveling too much. In that sense, it will probably be very good for the horse. But obviously we're disappointed in Pennsylvania's decision, but it is what it is.
"I look at it with two different points of view. We put a lot of money into the farm in Pennsylvania...and we're disappointed in their decision. But I understand. We've had Plan B all along and we're going to go with Plan B."
The richest trotter of 2014, Father Patrick boasted a seasonal summary of 17-12-3-0 with $1,727,181 earned en route to recently-awarded divisional honours in the U.S.