He might have been slow to develop, but The Funk is on a roll.
A homebred five-year-old male trotter, The Funk has worked his way through the conditioned classes at The Meadows to find himself in Thursday’s (Feb. 3) $17,600 Open Handicap. It will be his first time competing at that level.
For his career, The Funk has won nine of 53 races and $78,180. Over his past 10 starts, though, The Funk has posted four wins, two seconds and two thirds. He enters Thursday’s race off back-to-back victories.
“He’s really coming into his own,” said trainer Dana Kahrig. “He’s always had a great attitude. He just had a couple kinks that he needed to work out. He was just growing so fast at two, so we gave him time to mature. He’s a big horse, a very big horse. He came back decent as a three-year-old and keeps getting better every year.
“He doesn’t do anything wrong. He’s a complete sweetheart to be around, very loving, very kind. For as big as he is, it’s nice that he’s kind. He’s huge.”
The Funk is a son of Andover Hall out of JJs Message. He was bred by Kahrig Stable, which is Dana’s husband Spencer and her father-in-law Greg. The horse was named after a wrestling technique. Spencer was a two-time sectional champion and a regional place-winner at Trinity High School in western Pennsylvania.
Spencer, who trains and drives, grew up attending the races at The Meadows, where his father has worked as a cameraman. When he was a teenager, Spencer began working for his uncle Rod Bolon, the winner of more than 2,000 races as a driver and 660 as a trainer.
Dana also grew up connected to harness racing, with her father Daniel Mock a longtime owner. Dana’s sister, Dawnelle Mock, is the marketing director for the Meadows Standardbred Owners Association.
“I went to college, but when I got out, I just couldn’t seem to let racing go,” Dana said. “So, here I still am.”
Dana and Spencer have a stable of 25 horses, with most being ages three and up.
“We have a lot of fun,” Dana said. “We have good days and bad days, just like everybody else, but we really enjoy doing this together. Most of our stock right now is older horses, a lot of condition classes. We enjoy getting horses and either making them into something or helping them improve.”
Fittingly, Spencer will be in the sulky Thursday when The Funk makes his Open Handicap debut. The Funk will start from post one in the nine-horse field and is 10-1 on the morning line. Ladys Dude, an 11-year-old with 54 career wins and nearly $885,000 in the bank, is the 8-5 favourite.
“Ladys Dude is a classy old horse, and there are some other very good horses in there, too,” Dana said. “It’s going to be tough. Hopefully, (The Funk) can get around there and get a check. We shall see.
“But it’s fun that Spencer is driving. It’s a family affair.”
Racing begins at 12:45 p.m. (EST) at The Meadows. For free programs, visit the MSOA website.
(USTA)