An old adage states that there are horses for courses, and that could certainly apply to five-year-old pacing mare Edies Desire.
Unwanted and not considered calibre enough to compete over Pocono Downs' five-eighths mile oval, the daughter of Real Desire notched her 13th win of the season at Monticello Raceway on Tuesday, September 6. The mare is currently one of the winningest horses in North America this season, as her 13 wins has her just two victories shy of the top of the list.
Edies Desire’s 1:59:1 clocking over the muddy racing surface at the 'Mighty M' yesterday with Bruce Aldrich, Jr. at the lines was her third consecutive win and her sixth victory in her last eight starts. Despite competing in low-priced claiming races at Monticello, her seasonal bankroll is nearly $23,000. Last year the mare had just four wins and paced to $6,212 in purse earnings.
What's the reason for the mare's big turnaround this year? That question was posed top her trainer, Bob Lounsbury.
“When I got her to train at the beginning of the season, I made many equipment changes on her. She was loaded with equipment and slowly began to take most of it off and give the mare a little freedom,” Lounsbury explained. “I took off the choke plate, her hood, the two burr head poles and the tongue tie. Of course, not all at once, but eventually, and as we dropped the equipment she began to give better efforts and began winning and making this season a whole lot better than last year.
“Bruce Aldrich, Jr. does my driving, and when he first sat behind her this past January he had a tough time steering her; and now with all the equipment off her he says she’s 1,000 per cent better.”
Edies Desire was virtually unwanted by a previous owner, who offered her online for $3,000 earlier this year. The mare, who got no takers online, had been competing in $4,000 claiming events, was considered not good enough to race at Pocono Downs, where there are no races for pacers of that calibre.
“Eventually, I said to her owner, 'Since you offered Edies Desire for $3,000 and go no takers that I would give you $3000 for her,'” said Lounsbury, who had been training the mare all season long. “He said 'OK' since she wouldn’t do at Pocono, so I gave him the money and put her in my girlfriend’s name. Since then, Edies Desire has returned to us nearly twice her purchase price.”
Of the mare’s 13 wins this year, her fastest was a 1:57:2 triumph on August 22 when she was racing with a $4,000 claiming tag. In her 1:59:1 triumph yesterday, Edies Desire was in for $5,000 ($6,000 due to an allowance for mares). After her two-length victory, Lounsbury took the mare back to his barn since no one wanted her for that price.
“Since she doesn’t owe us anything, I may put her right back in for $5,000,” Lounsbury added. “But, then again, maybe I’ll move her up. After all, she’s already returned twice her purchase price.”
(Monticello)