For Colby Wiesman and his dad, Jon, the next three days will be collectively unlike any they experienced before.
On Friday, the Wiesmans (racing as Wiesman Farms) will watch Delaney Hanover (pictured above), a horse they bought last fall and now share in ownership with Shemay Stables and trainer Lucas Wallin, compete in the $305,000 USD Jim Doherty Memorial for two-year-old female trotters at Harrah’s Hoosier Park. She is the 5-2 second choice on the morning line.
The next day, they will turn their attention north of the border to watch Caballero, a horse they co-own, in a $40,000 elimination of the Canadian Trotting Classic for three-year-old male trotters at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
Then they will cap their weekend by watching Go Dog Go, a horse they bred and share in ownership with Al Libfeld, race in the $400,000 Kentucky Sire Stakes Championship Series final for two-year-old male trotters at Lexington’s Red Mile. He is the 3-1 morning line favourite.
“It’s an exciting time,” said Colby. “This is a big weekend, racing in these kinds of races. We’ve never been in a race for $400,000. If we were fortunate enough to win races like this, it would be special. And real special for my dad, whose been at this for so long and not really had the chance as an owner.”
Colby’s father spent more than four decades in the sport overseeing breeding operations in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Kentucky. Eight years ago, Colby and Jon bought their first horse together and launched their own endeavour as breeders and racehorse owners.
“We just started to go at it,” said Colby. “We have a small program, five or six broodmares, but we’ve been trying to stay focused more at the top of the game and not really focus on volume. We’re not trying to make it too big, just focus on kind of a boutique setup.
“I think we’ve been fortunate to get in the game in a different way, as owners. It’s been challenging because we didn’t have early success, but we’ve stayed at it. It’s kind of been a cool way for us to connect and expand our relationship.”
Delaney Hanover and Go Dog Go are special to the Wiesmans in their own ways. Delaney Hanover, a daughter of Muscle Hill-Danielle Hanover, was purchased for $160,000 at the Lexington Selected Yearling Sale. Her siblings include Grand Circuit stakes winners Darlene Hanover and Delilah Hanover, and the family also includes U.S. Hall of Famer Donato Hanover.
“That one was special because this was all about my dad and I doing something together, and that was one where we picked her out, targeted her, went to the ring and bought her,” said Colby.
“We looked at her and she hit every mark I needed to have hit, but I told Colby there was no way we would be able to afford her,” said Jon. “But the colt that sold before Delaney sold for $475,000 and sometimes the air gets sucked out of the room after something like that. She was stuck at $130,000. Colby started bidding, and he got lucky and bought her.”
Delaney Hanover has raced three times this season. She was second in the New Jersey Classic final last week at The Meadowlands after winning her elimination. She also posted a win in a leg of the Kindergarten Classic Series at The Big M. She will leave from post eight on Friday with driver Todd McCarthy. Champagne Problems, the 2-1 favou rite, will leave from post seven with Dexter Dunn driving for trainer Nancy Takter.
“Lucas was a little quiet early on about her and I think that’s sometimes a really good sign,” Colby said about Delaney Hanover. “Last Friday night, she came home in :26.1 with a horse breaking in front of her around the quarter pole. You eliminate that, she’s in the :25s for sure. If she can come home like that, I think she’s going to be hard to beat.”
Go Dog Go, named after a favourite television show of Colby’s daughter Hayley, is a son of Greenshoe-Primary Target. The Wiesmans bought Primary Target, a full sister to multiple Dan Patch Award-winning filly Mission Brief as well as to stallion Tactical Landing, in 2017. Go Dog Go sold for $110,000 to Libfeld at the Lexington sale and the Wiesmans bought back into the colt.
“I started Al Libfeld’s breeding program back in 1991,” said Jon. “Al came into my kids’ lives when they were like three and four years old. Al and Colby always had such a really good connection, and to be able to own a horse with Al right now is very special. It’s extremely special, to be honest with you.”
Go Dog Go has two wins and a second in four starts this season. He heads to the Kentucky Sire Stakes Championship final off a 1:53 win in the series on Sept. 1. His time equalled the fastest for a freshman male trotter this year.
“He’s been amazing,” said Colby. “I don’t think we’ve seen all of his speed yet, but he’s shown great signs of speed and we’re excited about him. We think there is a lot more left in the tank for him.”
Go Dog Go will leave from post five on Sunday with McCarthy driving for trainer Carter Pinske.
“Some really good things just kind of clicked this year,” said Jon. “It’s an honour and a blessing. I’m taking every day as it comes, it’s just good stuff.”
(USTA)