Delaware may be the smallest of the 50 states, but in harness racing in 2015, Delawareans became ‘giants.’
On Sunday, the U.S. Harness Writers Association presents its 59th annual awards-dinner, honouring the sport’s standout individuals and horses during 2015 with Dan Patch Awards in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
The 2015 Dan Patch Award Horse of the Year is Wiggle It Jiggleit, who won his first race of the season at Dover Downs in January and continued posting victories through November concluding a 22 wins in 26 races campaign winning the $300,000 Hap Hansen Progress Pace. In fact, the only month during 2015 in which he failed to win at least one race was April, when he was given a brief respite.
Wiggle It Jiggleit led all harness horses in North America banking $2 million in purses. In addition to be named Pacer of the Year, he was also voted best three-year-old male pacer. Wiggle It Jiggleit is only the second pacer ever to be the season’s winningest pacer and to receive Horse of the Year honours.
In addition to Wiggle It Jiggleit, George Teague, Jr., voted Owner of the Year, his son Montrell Teague, named the Sport’s Rising Star Award winner, and Mike Taylor, the Caretaker of the Year, will receive major awards. In addition, JoAnn Looney-King, of Harrington, who trains $1-1-million winner Wakizashi Hanover, was named the W.R. Haughton ‘Good Guy’ Award winner.
Another area champion, JL Cruze, owned by Dover Downs’ regulars ,Ken Wood of Denton, Md. and Philadelphians Bill and Steve Iaquinta, was runaway winner of the Trotting Horse of the Year honours.
Looking back on the 2015 season, Wiggle It Jiggleit won the acclaim of the entire sport
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“He’s just been an incredible horse,” Wiggle It Jiggleit’s owner George Teague, Jr. of Houston, Delaware, said. “I don’t know of too many horses that can start racing in January, when there’s snow on the ground, and go almost to December, and still be this good and competitive. He’s a rarity.”
“That speaks volumes about this horse and how good he’s been,” he added. “When you create a schedule, it’s only a schedule, and you’re hoping they can make 80 percent of the engagements. I really never thought he’d make this many, and I supplemented him to two races.”
Wiggle It Jiggleit is Teague’s second Horse of the Year Award winner. Teague co-owned and trained 2004 Horse of the Year sensational filly pacer, Rainbow Blue.
Wiggle It Jiggleit is trained by Teague’s long-time assistant Clyde Francis. The Teague Stable is only the fifth in the last 30 years to produce two different Horse of the Year winners. In 2006 Teague owned and trained Pacer of the Year, Total Truth.
Wiggle It Jiggleit was driven all season by Montrell Teague, George’s 24-year-old son. Wiggle It Jiggleit’s major victories included the Meadowlands Pace, Little Brown Jug, Battle of the Brandywine, Max C. Hempt Memorial, Carl Milstein Memorial, Hap Hansen Progress Pace, and the Matron Stakes. The pacer won the Little Brown Jug in what is regarded as one of the most memorable stretch duel in the event’s history. Apparently beaten in mid-stretch, Wiggle It Jiggleit rallying in deep stretch to get to the wire first winning the prestigious race by a nose.
In addition, Wiggle It Jiggleit paced the fastest mile ever by a three-year-old on a half-mile track when winning in 1:49 at Harrington Raceway. His time of 1:48 in winning the Battle of the Brandywine set the world record for a three-year-old gelding on a five-eighths-mile oval.
Montrell Teague commended, “It’s hard to put into words. You dream of it, but you never think it’s going to come this soon. Our past couple years haven’t been the best (for the Teague stable), and to bounce back like this and have the best horse in the country makes all the hard work worthwhile.”
Wiggle It Jiggleit is a son of Teague’s stallion Mr Wiggles, who won more than $1.1-million racing, from the stakes winning mare Mozzi Hanover, both raced their careers for Teague, who now owns both horses.
(Dover Downs)