In the $10,000 Mr. and Mrs. Elbridge Gerry Memorial Trot for Hall of Fame drivers, Ron Pierce was the best of a bunch that started the day with a collective $1.1 billion in earnings.
The newest Hall of Famer Jimmy Takter led with Gotta Luv It through fractions of :29.4, 1:00.2 and 1:29.3 before being overtaken by Ron Pierce driving Justa Rebel at the head of the stretch to win in a final time of 1:59.3. Mandinga (Cat Manzi) was second and Gotta Luv It (Takter) was third.
“I’m right up there with them,” laughed Pierce, when asked about the average age of the field of drivers. “We had the rail, we just left and trotted on out of there a little bit. He was on his shins a little bit, so I had to be careful. They left right out of there and we ended up just following him all the way round. In the lane, the horse that was on the lead got a little tired and bore out, but we had enough left to get through.
“This is always a fun day to be here,” he added.
Justa Rebel is owned by Stephen Reid and Deborah Hoadley and is trained by Reid.
Also on the card were two divisions for trotters racing with riders, not drivers, under saddle, for purses of $950 each.
In the first division, rider Leigh Nichol, a former college equestrian coach and publicist for Winbak Farm, left the gate first with Winsun Galaxie and came home first, winning in 2:07 by 13 lengths, after setting fractions of :30.4, 1:02.1 and 1:35. Saver (Andrea Pratt) was second and Winuendo (Jocelyn Lavigne) was third.
Winsun Galaxie, who’s trained by Tyler Raymer for owners Stephen Moss and Helane and Harold Solomon, was making his 161st start, but his first under saddle. It was the 31st win for the son of Kadabra.
“I’m excited,” said Nichol. “I just have a really good horse, that’s all it is. My first win in Goshen and my first win ever under saddle, but not the last I hope. He’s just the best horse ever.”
The second division was won by Keepin The Chips with rider Jenny Melander, who is a second trainer for John Butenschoen. Melander and Keepin The Chips stalked the leader Armbro Doyle and Helene Gregory through fractions of :29.4 and 1:00.1.
Before the 1:29.3 three-quarters, Melander moved out and alongside the leaders to pass them and take the lead into the final turn to win by three and three-quarter lengths. Armbro Doyle was second and Dream Kid (Jennifer Connor) was third.
Keepin The Chips is owned and trained by Brooke Vermett.
“Oh, it was awesome,” said Melander, who’s been riding since childhood in her native Sweden. “He was almost clipping Helen’s heels; that’s why I had to go so early. He was a little hard to hold.”
This story courtesy of Harness Racing Communications, a division of the U.S. Trotting Association. For more information, visit www.ustrotting.com.