If you ever happen to go for a carriage ride at Maymont Park in Richmond, Virginia, check out the stock up front, as you will see a couple of Standardbreds with combined purse earnings of more than $1 million.
As an article by the Richmond Times-Dispatch explains, retired Standardbreds Arctic Warrior and Sadies Soloist recently joined the Maymont Carriage Team, as they replaced a pair of Clydesdales that were due to put their carriage years behind them.
Although the jaunts still go for the same amount of time, “the carriage rides are a little quicker now,” said Armistead Wellford, the carriage collection manager at Maymont. “I have to jog to keep up with them.”
Arctic Warrior, an 11-year-old gelded son of Blissfull Hall, last raced in the summer of 2014. From 147 career starts, the bay notched 20 wins, 22 second-place finishes and 25 thirds, good for over $728,000 in career purses. He made the harness racing world step up and take notice of him back in 2009 when he captured the $100,000 North America Cup consolation and the $200,000 Battle of the Brandywine consolation. He was purchased by Maymont in April of 2016.
Although Sadies Soloist didn’t quite get to the level that Arctic Warrior did during his racing days, the 13-year-old Sadies Dreamboat gelding did win 18 of 149 starts and record 68 on-the-board finishes. He last raced in the fall of 2012, and was purchased by Maymont in Jamuary of this year.
Wellford went on to say that, “’Artie’ and ‘Solo’ are working animals at Maymont, but they made themselves right at home. And they took to each other like brothers.”
In addition to the duo getting along famously, they also pair up well together, according to Wellford.
“The first time they pulled a carriage together, Solo was walking a little ahead of Artie. But now he’s perfectly in step. They look beautiful together,” Wellford said.
“They’re solid citizens,” added Bobbie Franks, the carriage collection assistant. “They’re just really good horses.”
Both of the horses were purchased through the Standardbred Retirement Foundation for a small adoption fee.
(With files from the Richmond Times-Dispatch)