With a recent resurgence of their stock at the Isle Casino Racing Pompano Park the trainer-driver couple known as Team Paquet has a trend going which is pointing to an outstanding year ahead
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"It was a combination of things that set us back," explains trainer Jamie Paquet. "This is the second year for us to be racing a stable together here in South Florida. There were some in our stable that we had to give some time off and others we had to wait on to get over other issues. Thankfully in the last month things have really turned around for us."
If the current trends continue, Jamie Paquet will easily amass her best career year to date in 2010. Last year she sent out 213 starters with 40 of those returning as winners for purse earnings of about $192,000. This year she already has 18 winners from 149 starters for purse earnings exceeding $103,000 and it's only the second week of April.
"What really has been a bonus lately is how the three mares we bought last year have all far exceeded our expectations," Jamie adds. "All American Celeb, Prettyasapageant and Slated For Success we thought would be useful horses that might pay their way. But all three have turned out better than we thought they would, and knock on wood in this business, we hope they just keep going."
The couple teamed up for an impressive win on the April 12 card in South Florida with promising three year old Erichs Best. Leaving from the outside post in a field of seven he made a strong gate move to the lead, surrendered the top at the quarter to race favourite Art Tastic driven by Bruce Ranger, and then kicked in a second move in the stretch to win going away in 1:55. The Pro Bono Best-T Cs Ruler gelding is a homebred of Erich Boehm of West Palm Beach and shaved more than a second off the mark he took when besting maiden company last week.
"He's still green and maturing and tonight we had to step on the gas a little bit to see what kind of prospect he might be for the New York Sires Stakes this year," driver Fern Paquet, Jr. said. "We also have a pair of New Jersey eligible two-year-olds that we like. With things picking up for Jamie and I in the past month I'm pretty optimistic we're in for a year that could be much better than we expected back at the start of January."
The last name Paquet is well known in South Florida harness racing. Fern explains his name suggests French-Canadian roots because his dad, originally from Quebec City, was a top driving force at Pompano Park in the 1970's decade. His mother is from Saratoga, New York and he grew up at Saratoga Springs.
"I don't know if I can reach the numbers of my best career years in 1998 and 2005, there is some chance that I could," the 42-year-old driver mused. "In 1998, the slots had just been passed in Delaware and I got to drive that year for great trainers like George Teague and I won 184 races for $1.4 million. In 2005 I had a nice stable of my own and was in on the ground floor of expanded gaming at Saratoga. That year I won 350 races for $1.3 million. This year I'm at 61 wins for almost $360,000 so far and we'll hope for the best up at Tioga and Vernon after the meet closes here on May 22."
It's also worth noting that Fern has relinquished the title as trainer of record of the couple's stable to his wife Jamie. For the first time in his career in 2009 he did not having a training start registered to his name. His lifetime record still shows 419 career training wins for purses of almost $2 million.
"Yes it was just last year I turned everything over to her, since as the visitors to our barn know she enjoys being the boss anyway," Fern added. "I'm happy with driving ours and catch driving too and just helping out otherwise. I was completely happy to give up the training title for our stable and to say honey, here's the keys, it's all yours."
(Pompano Park)