After winning her fourth straight Dan Patch and O'Brien Award for Older Pacing Mare in 2014, Anndrovette will return this week in search of an unprecedented fifth straight divisional title.
In 2014, Anndrovette continued to perform at her usual high standard, winning six of 22 races while adding $538,000 to her bankroll. That seasonal total pushed her career earnings over $3 million. She took a season’s best of 1:49.1 at Mohawk in winning her third consecutive Roses Are Red Stakes title.
"Winning another Roses Are Red was the highlight, that's three straight for us," owner Jeff Bamond told Trot Insider. "We love racing in Canada and she seems to like, as we've said in the past, the Canadian air."
The only pacing mare in harness racing to have four straight O'Brien Awards AND Dan Patch Awards, the now eight-year-old daughter of Riverboat King is ready to race and will qualify this Friday -- (now Saturday) -- at The Meadowlands.
While it's hard to pin down one attribute in a horse that's clearly something special, Bamond points to her competitive attitude as that intangible quality that keeps her at the highest level.
"She very rarely doesn't give you everything she's got. Timmy (driver Tim Tetrick) always says that she can get roughed up one week and she comes back even better the next week. Sometimes you have horses and they get a little roughed up one week and they come back a little sour. She gets mad and comes back even better."
Bamond, who was a late scratch from attending the O'Brien Awards, found out he won by watching the live O'Brien Award coverage on the Standardbred Canada website. He's optimistic but grounded in his hopes for Anndrovette in 2015.
"I hope that she can continue to race at a high level. I was at the barn [Monday] morning, she looks great, she's been training back super and she looks as good as she ever did."
Bamond will send out Anndrovette this year as part of a quartet of strong older pacing mares. She joins Krispy Apple, Breeders Crown winner Shelliscape and Venus Delight as part of a dominant group now in the care of Bamond's son, Jeff, who took over the training of the 30-plus horses he owns.
"It's something that's been in the works for some time. He's put in his due; he's been in the barn for about two and a half years, everyday, jogging and training, and he's learned a lot."
Anndrovette will follow the same schedule she's followed over the last few years, including a planned trip to Yonkers Raceway for the Blue Chip Matchmaker Series. Bamond will also send Krispy Apple and Venus Delight to the Matchmaker, giving Shelliscape some additional time off.