Although it doesn't necessarily match up with the miracle he was part of back in December of 2006, My Buddy Chimo has once again made his name known with the
people at Monticello Raceway.
At the 'Mighty M' in December, 2006, a then-82-year-old race paddock security guard named Don Karkos was co-owner of a trotter, My Buddy Chimo, with horseman John Gilmour.
One morning at Gilmour’s barn, while putting a piece of equipment on My Buddy Chimo, the gelding threw his head and struck Karkos on his noggin so hard that it knocked him against the wall of the stall. Before the incident, Karkos had been blind in one eye as a result of an explosion on the Navy vessel he was aboard in 1942 while serving in World War II. After what on the surface seemed to be an unfortunate incident with My Buddy Chimo, Karkos started to begin to see out of the previously-blinded eye.
The phenomenon was subsequently picked up by local and international media, who ran with the story.
At the time of the rare occurrence, My Buddy Chimo was a relatively unknown player in the racing world, as he was just beginning his on-track career. Although Karkos passed away in early 2007, My Buddy Chimo has continued on in the racing game. From 178 career starts, the gelding has won 21 races and banked over $141,000 in purse earnings.
Yesterday at Monticello Raceway, My Buddy Chimo turned back the best trotters on the grounds for driver John Gilmour, who now co-owns the trotter with Arnie Waxenbaum and Jerry Plante.
After having started from Post 4, My Buddy Chimo raced along in fourth position until he raced along the backstretch the second time around. At that point, Gilmour moved him out to challenge the odds-on favourite, Mystical Heiress. The two horses would go on to race side-by-side past three-quarters of a mile station and around the final turn. In the homestretch My Buddy Chimo put away Mystical Heiress and held off a late rally by BJs Rocky Vacation to score the win in 2:01:2, his second victory of the season.
Sent off at odds of over 10-1, My Buddy Chimo returned $22.40 on a two-dollar Win wager.
"He’s a nice little horse. He’s honest, easy to drive, and tries all the time,” Gilmour said about My Buddy Chimo. “It’s too bad that Don (Karkos) is not around to see how he developed into a nice trotter.”
(Monticello Raceway)