In 1963, Overtrick won the Little Brown Jug against arch rivals Meadow Skipper and Country Don setting seven world records. Now, 50 years later, Overtrick was enshrined as an Immortal in Harness Racing’s Hall of Fame in Goshen, NY.
The bay son of Solicitor was bred and owned by Helen R. and Leonard J. Buck of Far Hills, NJ. Foaled in 1960, he was trained and driven by John Patterson Sr.
Overtrick raced from 1962 through 1964 and had a lifetime record of 50-34-10-0 including 15 two-minute miles and career earnings of $407,483. In the United States he was also voted Two-Year-Old Pacer of the Year in 1962 and Three-Year-Old Pacer of the Year in 1963.
In 1962, no two-year-old Standardbred had a faster race time on a mile track than Overtrick’s 1:59.4 (tied with Meadow Skipper) and he was sole owner of the fastest two-year-old mile on a half-mile track (2:01.3). Winning efforts that year included the Little Pat Stake, McMahon Memorial and Ohio Standardbred Futurity at the Delaware County Fairgrounds. He finished his freshman season with a 16-10-3-0 record and $40,129 in earnings.
In 1963, Overtrick became the fastest standardbred to ever race on a half-mile track. His 1:57.1 mark in the first heat of the Little Brown Jug would help set seven world records, including the combined two-heat World Record of 3:54.4h. Other wins during his sophomore season included the Liberty Bell, Battle of Saratoga, Hanover-Hempt, Geers and Messenger Stakes. Overtrick finished his sophomore campaign with a 23-16-4-0 record and earnings of $208,833, the most ever for a three-year-old pacer in a single season. Overtrick finished second to trotting triple crown winner, Speedy Scot in the voting for U.S. Horse of The Year in 1963.
In 1964, Overtrick garnered season’s records for a four-year-old horse on both a mile track (1:57.2) and half-mile track (1:59.1). Victories that year included the Realization Pace, International Pace (defeating the Immortal Cardigan Bay at one and a half miles) and the one and a quarter mile Empire Pace. Despite being plagued by various injuries, he finished the season with an 11-8-3-0 record and $158,521 in the bank. Overtrick retired from the track as the ninth-leading money-winning standardbred of all time.
With each season, Overtrick’s winning and in-the-money percentages increased. As a two-year-old his winning percentage was 63 per cent and was in-the-money 81 per cent. As a three-year-old, 70 per cent and 87 per cent, and as a four-year-old, in spite of injuries which led to his premature retirement, his winning percentage was 73 per cent and was first or second in all 11 starts. Overtrick’s lifetime winning percentage of 68 per cent compares topped several of his Immortal contemporaries, such as Meadow Skipper (44 per cent), Cardigan Bay (54 per cent in U.S.), and Bye Bye Byrd (52 per cent).
Overtrick retired to stud at Lana Lobell Farm in Pennsylvania. He sired winners of over $22 million with one in 1:55—Shadydale Trixie, p,6, 1:54.3 $255,223—and 81 in 2:00. But his legacy was through his daughters. He was a top broodmare sire with over 600 two-minute credits. His daughters have produced winners of over $68 million, including Falcon Seelster p,3,1:51h ($1,121,045) and trotter Sandy Bowl 4,T1:54.1 ($1,299,199). Overtrick is the sire of Gidget Lobell, dam of No Nukes p,3,T1:52.1.
In 1975, Overtrick was exported to Australia where he died in 1982 at the age of 22.
(Little Brown Jug)