After taking North America by storm in the last couple of seasons, Arch Madness could be ready to spread his wings and take on the world in 2009.
The two-time O’Brien Award winner, who was voted Canada’s Three-Year-Old Trotting Colt of the Year in 2007, was named the nation’s Trotting Horse of the Year in 2008 for the partnership of Marc Goldberg and Barry Goldstein’s Willow Pond LLC.
“We have our eye on Europe for May with Arch Madness, but there are so many variables,” claimed Goldstein. “If everything falls into place, we'd love to give it a shot.”
The five-year-old son of Balanced Image blossomed into a major player on the Grand Circuit scene in the late stages of his sophomore campaign for trainer Trond Smedshammer, and from that point on he hasn’t looked back.
Back to back victories over Donato Hanover at the end of the 2007 season in the Breeders Crown elimination and final left fans wondering what type of an impact Arch Madness would have against the sport’s old trotting stars in 2008 – and it didn’t take him long to prove himself.
He came off the bench to finish fifth in the Arthur J. Cutler Memorial at The Meadowlands, and followed-up that loss with consecutive wins in a leg of the Trotting Classic at Mohawk Racetrack in addition to a 1:52.1 score in his Titan Cup elimination at The Meadowlands.
Brian Sears guided him to a second-place finish one week later in the Titan Cup final, followed by runner-up efforts in the finals of the Trotting Classic, the Nat Ray and the Breeders Crown.
He got all the marbles in the $728,600 final of the Maple Leaf Trot, and he did so in a career-best clocking of 1:52. Two weeks later in his final start of the season, Arch Madness came up a neck short in the Allerage Farms Final at The Red Mile.
“We stopped with ‘Arch’ after Lexington in early October and gave him a long rest,” said Goldstein. “Trond has brought him back early, and he'll qualify in about a month before starting in the Su Mac Lad at The Meadowlands.
“There are a number of things we'd like to accomplish in 2009, but right at the top of my list would be the Maple Leaf Trot and an O’Brien Award threepeat – Kathy [Wade-Vlaar] puts on such a great party and I would love to be invited back,” he added.
Goldstein, along with the partnership of Ted Gewertz and Fair Winds Farm LLC, will also be looking forward to the return of another star in 2009 – the multi-talented trotting mare, Falls For You.
An O’Brien Award finalist in 2008 for Trotting Mare of the Year, Falls For You will look to add to a bankroll that already exceeds $1.1 million.
“Falls for You will be qualified in mid to late March,” said Goldstein. “She'll start off in the Classic Oaks at Dover Downs and is nominated to all the mares’ events and a couple of open races, as well. She's come back very racy and Trond thinks this will be her year to shine.
“Both Arch Madness and Falls for You are cared for by Maria Kristensen – and collectively they make quite a trio,” Goldstein added.
When does the charter leave?
When does the charter leave?