Jack Parker Jr.’s open trotting mare NF Happenstance 4,1:52:2f ($661,321) has been retired from racing and sent to Olive Branch Farm in North Carolina.
The Breeders Crown elimination winner will begin her second stint at motherhood after having returned to the races from the broodmare ranks in 2018 to become the fourth richest older trotting mare in North America.
During her second stint on the racetrack, the daughter of SJs Caviar competed against the best mares in her division and earned over $361,000 last season – and she was in very good company.
Only three trotting mares earned more than NF Happenstance in 2018: Dan Patch champion Ariana G, Breeders Crown champion Emoticon Hanover and 2017 Horse of the Year Hannelore Hanover.
Jack Parker Jr., the 63-year-old veteran horseman, bought her for the second time, in foal to Sebastian K, at the 2016 Harrisburg sale. “I thought she would make a nice horse. As it turned out, she was much better than that.”
“My buddy Chip (Chip Moore) owned her the first time around,” noted the Meadowlands hey-day regular. “We raced her with some success. She made some money and broke some track records. But then she started to make breaks, so we sold her to Hall of Famer Bill Weaver. When he passed away, the mare was sold in-foal as part of his dispersal. We were excited to get her back.”
“As soon as Chris Coyle weaned that filly, we put her back in training,” Parker continued. “The mare never missed a beat once she got going again.”
A model of consistency, she was first or second in 24 of 36 starts with 13 wins. In fact, she only missed a cheque in a single start, or as her trainer would say, “She has exceeded all of our expectations.”
Her 2017 Sebastian K filly named Pure Happenstance is now stabled at Pinehurst and is enrolled in Gordon Corey’s Institute of Equine Erudition.
Pure Happenstance, pictured with Gordon Corey
The Maine native, who is known for his talent for breaking babies and his no-nonsense demeanour, stated that she was a, “typical filly with some rusty edges in the beginning, but making good progress in smoothing those out.”
“Enthusiastic and ambitious, she makes good progress in her trotting attributes. She is pleasant to work with and intelligent on the track, despite her early filly traits.”
Perhaps Pure Happenstance will be sharp enough to participate in the annual Spring Matinee at Pinehurst Harness Track on Saturday, April 6, 2019.
Meanwhile, her dam, NF Happenstance, has a date for the 2019 breeding season with Diamond Creek Farm’s Father Patrick.
(Olive Branch Farm)