Trainer Don Niccum is looking for his first Meadowlands stakes win with bargain Indiana-bred First Notable Chip in the $47,500 Charles Singer Memorial Trot on Friday, December 5.
An $8,700 yearling purchase, the three-year-old gelding is by New And Notable, an unraced son of Self Possessed. First Notable Chip started off his career on the Indiana Fair Circuit for trainer Doug Rideout. Though he failed to hit the board in 11 starts at two, the trotter has made significant strides this season. He enters the Singer final with a record of 16 wins, five seconds and four thirds in 34 starts, with a mark of 1:56.2 set at Indiana Downs.
First Notable Chip was a decisive winner in the first round of the Singer Memorial, drawing off to a three and a half-length win in 1:57 on opening night of the Meadowlands' Holiday Harness Meet. He will start from Post 2 (but programmed as No. 3) in the final with Brian Sears in the bike.
"I've known [Doug] for a long time and some other people from Indiana have sent horses out to me, so they recommended me," Niccum said. "It makes sense for them and they know the horse is going to be well taken care of. I certainly did think he'd be competitive [at the Meadowlands] right off the bat. He's got a nose for the wire with 16 wins this year and winning a lot on the fair circuit was a good foundation for him.
"He was very strong in his first win here opening night," Niccum continued. "It was an impressive race on a cold, windy night. There was no need to make any changes. He came with instructions in terms of his feeding and supplements and all I have to do is follow them. He gets turned out in the morning and there's not much in the way of maintenance. Last week, he was good again chasing Gallantly, and I don't know if he can beat him or not. Hopefully, with the inside draw we'll get a good run at him on Friday."
A former assistant trainer to Joe Holloway, Niccum opened his own stable two years ago. The 49-year-old native of Bloomington, Illinois is based at Showplace Farms in Englishtown, New Jersey and races primarily at Freehold Raceway, the Meadowlands and Yonkers Raceway.
"I was basically born into the business," Niccum noted. "I started with my father and I was racing in Michigan before I came to New Jersey. I met [Meadowlands track announcer] Sam McKee when he was announcing and racing horses there, and we're best friends. I came out here to work for Joe Stutzman six months before he left [for Canada], then hooked up with Joe Holloway.
"It's been about two years since I worked with Joe Holloway," he continued. "I was with him for about six years. That was a real good experience and a solid job but I don't think you learn as much as when you're on your own. I wish I had more young colts and yearlings to work with, but now things are going really well. Racing in this area gives you a lot of options and I'm optimistic on the future of the business. Things are going as well as I hoped they would, but I wish had a couple more like First Notable Chip to put my name out there."
(Meadowlands)