Minnesota Harness Racing Inc. has announced its aged divisional award winners for the 2022 season.
The Trotting Mare of the Year award winner is Teachmehowtotory (sired by Braggart), who delivered a gate-to-wire performance on Night of Champions to secure the crown with $49,821 in earnings at Running Aces for owner Set The Pace Racing and trainer Jessica Johnson. She had two wins at the Aces meet during her five-year-old campaign. Rick Magee was in the sulky for the championship win in 1:58.2 while Nick Roland was the pilot for her fastest Aces win of the year (1:58.1 on July 3). Teachmehowtotory ended her 2022 Minnesota season just shy of the $200,000 mark in career earnings, which she has since surpassed. She was bred by Glen Sauder.
The runner-up award in this category went to Coatofmanycolors (sired by Tymal Templar), who posted two wins at Aces while banking $29,073 during her four-year-old season for owner/trainer Jenni King. She was a sharp second on Night of Champions with Luke Plano in the bike and has now earned more than $140,000 in her career. Coatofmanycolors was bred by Spring Valley Farm.
Bringoverthemoney (sired by Money Talks) posted his third straight Night of Champions win on Sept. 17 to also claim the crown as Older Male Trotter of the Year with earnings of $69,499 at Running Aces for owner Joshua Horvat and breeder/trainer Katie Horvat. He took a seven-year-old seasonal mark of 1:55 in that championship event with regular pilot Dean Magee aboard. Bringoverthemoney has accumulated $287,911 in career earnings.
Hearduwhispermynam (sired by Braggart) was a close second in Running Aces earnings ($66,300) to capture the runner-up award in this division. He had four wins at the Aces meet, taking a seasonal mark of 1:56.1 during his five-year-old campaign. His second-place finish on Night of Champions with Luke Plano in the sulky pushed his career earnings over the $200,000 mark for owner/breeder Jenni King, who is also the trainer.
The Pacing Mare of the Year award was won by Twisted Bliss (sired by Its That Time), who also secured her crown with an impressive win on Night of Champions, taking a career mark of 1:56.1 (at age four) with driver Brandon Jenson. She had a total of five wins and earnings of $56,895 at Running Aces for owner Larry Jenson and trainer Brady Jenson. The 2022 season was by far a career-best year for Twisted Bliss, who was also bred by Larry and Nancy Jenson.
The runner-up award in this division went to Brooklyn Moonshine (sired by Wind Me Up), who was second best in the division final and had four wins and earnings of $39,324 at Running Aces during her six-year-old season for owners Dave Haness and Nikki Hudson and trainer/driver Luke Plano. Brooklyn Moonshine was also bred by Larry Jenson.
The Aged Male Pacer of the Year award was claimed by Alilthundadownunda (sired by Malak Uswaad N), who posted another impressive season on the track during his four-year-old campaign for owner/breeder Set The Pace Racing and trainer Jessica Johnson. The 2021 Minnesota Harness Horse of the Year registered four wins and earnings of $71,734 at Running Aces to capture the 2022 divisional crown. He took a career mark of 1:51.2 on June 7 with driver Nick Roland in the bike, and was a very sharp second on Night of Champions while paired with driver Brian Detgen. Alilthundadownunda now has career earnings of $296,300 with 30 wins from 74 starts to date.
Watchmeneighneigh (sired by Voracious Hanover) pulled a mild upset on Night of Champions to finish a close second in this division with earnings of $69,004 at Running Aces. As a seven-year-old, he had three wins at the meet for owner/trainer Gerald Longo. Dean Magee was the pilot for all three of his Aces wins, including a seasonal best 1:53.1 in the division final. He was bred by Richard Davelaar.
All of the 2022 Minnesota award winners will be celebrated at the MHRI Annual Meeting and Awards Banquet on Saturday, May 6 at Running Aces. The overall Minnesota Harness Horse Of The Year award will be voted on at the banquet.
The pari-mutuel harness racing season in Minnesota gets underway on Sunday, May 14 and will conclude on Saturday, Sept. 16.
(With files from Minnesota Harness Racing)