Harness Tracks of America and Hanover Shoe Farms host an annual award to showcase some of the men and women that dedicate their lives to racehorses in the harness industry. Two nominees in 2009 were from the racing circuit at
Hoosier Park.
Lindsey Clark and Judy Clickner are two individuals that excel at their profession. Earlier this spring, they both received recognition for the Red Smith Caretaker of the Year Award and were presented with jackets from the HTA for their exemplary work in their field of expertise.
When you see a Trent Stohler horse in the winner’s circle, Lindsey Clark isn’t far behind. A native of Montpelier, Indiana, Clark has been around horses through family connections since the age of eight. Her brother, Chad, is a driver and trainer at Hoosier Park while her father, Everett, used harness racing as a hobby from farming.
“I think I started jogging horses with my family when I was eight,” said Clark. “I’ve always been a part of racing one way or another. I think my great aunt and uncle were first involved in racing. That’s what drew my dad into it.”
After graduation from Blackford High School, Clark moved into the racing world full time as a groom. In her spare time, she has attended Harrison College and is working on a medical assistant degree. However, the racing business seems to occupy most of Clark’s time and passion.
A member of the Stohler Stable for the past seven years, Clark has overseen and cared for some of the top horses in the barn, including Real Velocity, top older pacing mare at Hoosier Park this year. She currently works with 11 horses and handles duties from day-to-day care all the way to shipping horses to race. Other horses currently under Clark’s supervision include Viking Kilowatt, Viking Kemosabe, On My Way, and Wayne The Lefty, a starter in this year’s $500,000 Hoosier Cup.
When racing comes to a stop in Indiana each fall, Clark’s schedule doesn’t cease. She continues to prepare horses for racing in Canada and other neighboring states.
When questioned about a horse that stands out to her over the years, she immediately goes to Miss Grady White, a Jennas Beach Boy yearling brought into the Stohler barn as a yearling.
“She (Miss Grady White) had quite the attitude when she arrived,” said Clark. “Trent asked me to take her and told me to ‘make her your best friend.’ I worked a lot with her and was the only one that could put her hobbles on. I even took her to Canada to race, and she is still one of my favorites of all time.”
The work by Clark paid off with Miss Grady White. She ended her racing career in 2008 with 11 wins in 45 starts and more than $63,000 in earnings. It’s no secret that Clark is a standout groom on the Indiana harness racing circuit and has a proven record of success with horses under her care.
Another groom with a proven success record is Judith Clickner. She was taken by surprise this past spring when she was announced as a nominee for Harness Tracks of America’s Red Smith Caretaker of the Year award. A native of Cedar Lake, Indiana, she has dedicated her life to horses, and continues to work hard to get the potential from each individual.
Judy’s interest in horses grew from a young age. During her second grade year, she visited a nearby riding stable and fell in love with them. She grew up and married, but still had a place in her heart for horses.
After a car accident tragically killed her husband, Judy, a mother of five young children, ventured to Balmoral Park in search of a job with horses. Although she had never worked with harness horses, the transition was easy for her and she developed a passion for the industry.
During her career as a caretaker on the Chicago circuit, Judy learned to care for harness horses under some of the best trainers in the area, including Don and Darryl Busse, Jim Morrissey, and eventually Charles Clickner. Charles spotted her dedication and attention to detail and recruited her to his stable, not only as a groom but as his future wife.
“While I was working for Don Busse, a group of us went to lunch one day, including Chuck,” said Judy. “I got a fortune cookie that had a message in it that I was going to make a job change. Chuck offered me a job, and the rest is history.”
Chuck and Judy worked side by side for several years in Chicago and married in 1996. The newlyweds experienced another tragic event that changed the course of their future. While traveling from Balmoral to Sportsman’s Park to qualify horses, they were involved in a horrific truck and trailer accident that placed Judy in the hospital for five weeks.
“I was sitting in the front and had several leg and head injuries,” recalled Judy. “Chuck was sitting in the back and didn’t get hurt as bad. The driver, Arlene, hauled horses for people all the time and was an excellent driver. She was killed in the accident.”
After recuperating from the accident, the Clickners decided a move to Florida was in the cards. They settled into a home near Spring Garden Ranch and now use the Indiana circuit as their summertime destination. During this time, Judy has worked for Jerry Smith, who has campaigned such Grand Circuit greats as Storm Damage and Redskin. Got Er Done, the final Storm Damage foal that Smith has raced the past two years, is one of Judy’s horses that she cares for.
“I don’t really remember when we weren’t associated with the Smiths,” said Judy. “I’ve worked for them throughout the years and began working with Got Er Done. He recently came back to Jerry’s barn and we are glad to have him back.”
Although Got Er Done ranks right up there as favourites in Judy’s career, she has another Storm Damage horse that is one of her all-time favorites. Biscuit, who was recently retired from the track, still holds a soft spot in Judy’s heart.
“He (Biscuit) was never a great racehorse, but he is one of my favorites,” said Judy. “He had such a sweet personality. Got Er Done is a lot like Biscuit. He acts grumpy but when I go in and scratch his neck, he is fine. Especially if I have his favorite treat, a honey and oat granola bar.”
Other horses that stand out in Judy’s mind include TT Pilot, Florida Flash, Roy Gentry, and Mrs Shenandoah, a horse that she and Chuck won eight in a row with at Balmoral Park.
Now 71, Judy still enjoys the racing business, even though she does admit it has changed. She is also proud of the fact that she raised five kids on the backstretch, all of which have gone onto be professional people. With four boys (Chuck, Scott, Kirt, Michael) and one girl (Jodi), Judy made sure that each child had a good work ethic as well as good morals when they started their adult life.
“All of my kids learned very young to be responsible, and they all grew up to be good kids,” said Judy. “Many people tell me I haven’t had a very easy life, but I can say that I’ve enjoyed every minute of it. I don’t care if it’s a Got Er Done or a Biscuit. All horses have personalities. I don’t know what it is. There is just something about girls and horses that seem to fit together.”
(Hoosier)