A year ago, Verlin Yoder and Natural Herbie arrived at Meadowlands Racetrack on Hambletonian Day as unknowns. By the time 2014 came to an end, they were fan favourites.
Natural Herbie -- owned, trained and driven by Yoder -- won the Vincennes Invitational Trot on the Hambletonian Day undercard in a career-best 1:51.4 last year. It was Yoder’s first-ever drive at the Meadowlands and Natural Herbie’s first-ever trip outside of his home state of Indiana.
Twelve weeks later, Natural Herbie won the International Trot Preview Invitational at Yonkers Raceway, defeating a field that included Commander Crowe, who would go on to capture the Breeders Crown, as well as 2013 Horse of the Year Bee A Magician, world champions Sebastian K and Archangel, and $4-million-earner Arch Madness.
In December, Yoder was selected “Horseperson of the Year” in Railbird Recognition Award voting sponsored by the U.S. Harness Writers Association in conjunction with the U.S. Trotting Association.
Now, on Saturday, Natural Herbie and Yoder return for another Hambletonian Day at the Big M. This time they will compete in the $301,500 John Cashman Jr. Memorial for older trotters. The race attracted a field of 12 and will be contested at the added distance of 1-1/8 miles.
“It’s just an honour to be blessed with a horse like him to be able to do this,” said Yoder, a 41-year-old Kokomo, Ind., native who has won 122 races and $1.99 million in purses as a driver. “You always want to be in this part of the game. But it’s by no means me.”
The Cashman is race No. 5 on a jammed-packed stakes card, with the $1.2 million Hambletonian as the centerpiece. The two $100,000 Hambletonian eliminations are races eight and nine and the $1 million final is race 13. The $500,000 Hambletonian Oaks is race 12 and will be preceded by the Cane Pace featuring supplemental entry Wiggle It Jiggleit, who is the No. 1-ranked horse in harness racing.
Post time for the first race is 12 noon. Cable channel CBS Sports Network will air coverage of the Cane Pace, Hambletonian Oaks and Hambletonian from 4:00 to 5:30 p.m. (EDT).
Yoder bought Natural Herbie, a son of Here Comes Herbie out of the mare Ljanearl, just prior to the start of the horse’s two-year-old season. Natural Herbie has won 26 of 58 career races and earned $805,916.
This year, the five-year-old black gelding started slowly but has posted two wins and three second-place finishes in his last six races. His only off-the-board effort during that span came in the Open Handicap at the Meadowlands on July 24, when he finished fifth.
Last weekend, Natural Herbie was beaten by a nose by Flanagan Memory in 1:51.4 in the TVG Free For All Series. Natural Herbie was parked first over on the backstretch while pressing Meladys Monet for the lead. Flanagan Memory, who was following Natural Herbie, made his move as the group turned for home and took the lead in the stretch only to see Natural Herbie inch in front as they neared the wire. But Flanagan Memory had one more surge and nipped Natural Herbie in the final stride.
“He’s coming,” Yoder said. “(July 24) I thought he put in a good effort, I just had dead cover and had to go four deep in the last turn. (Last Saturday) he performed good. I just got caught sleeping at the wheel. He fought back good when I flipped the blinds down. I just should have flipped the blinds a little earlier than I did. But he fought back pretty good.”
Natural Herbie drew post No. 9 in the Cashman, which also features Elitloppet winner Magic Tonight in his return to North America and multiple Dan Patch Award winner Market Share, who won the July 24 Open Handicap at the Meadowlands in 1:51.1.
Market Share is the Cashman’s 3-1 morning line favourite, followed by Magic Tonight at 4-1 and Natural Herbie at 9-2.
“The Cashman is all about the luck of the draw and then racing luck,” Yoder said. “You’re not going a regular mile, so it’s a little different story. You’ve got 12 horses behind the gate going a mile-and-an-eighth; it’s whoever gets the trip. It’s the last man standing.”
Following is the John Cashman Jr. Memorial field in post order with drivers, trainers and morning line odds:
1. Intimidate, Scott Zeron, Luc Blais, 8-1
2. Flanagan Memory, Brian Sears, Rene Dion, 8-1
3. Gural Hanover, Matt Kakaley, Ron Burke, 15-1
4. Magic Tonight, Orjan Kihlstrom, Roger Walmann, 4-1
5. Obrigado, Mark MacDonald, Paul Kelley, 12-1
6. Market Share, Tim Tetrick, Linda Toscano, 3-1
7. DWs NY Yank, Yannick Gingras, Ron Burke, 15-1
8. Meladys Monet, Jason Bartlett, Kevin McDermott, 15-1
9. Natural Herbie, Verlin Yoder, Verlin Yoder, 9-2
10. Wind Of The North, David Miller, Daryl Bier, 6-1
11. Lindys Tru Grit, Andy Miller, Julie Miller, 30-1
12. Master Of Law, Brett Miller, Jimmy Takter, 20-1
NOTE: Lindys Tru Grit and Master Of Law start from trailing positions.
This story courtesy of Harness Racing Communications, a division of the U.S. Trotting Association. For more information, visit www.ustrotting.com.