The 2018 Plainridge Park racing meet came to a close this past Thursday (Nov. 29), and thus the Harness Horseman’s Association of New England (HHANE) has announced its award winners for outstanding performances by both equine and human participants from this past year.
Horse of the Year
Quick Shot (P, 6, Art Major-Cannae Cindy)
Owner: Kathleen Brewer
Trainer: John Bowman
Plainridge meet: 28-7-7-6 $87,640 1:50.4
Lifetime: 145-28-30-27 $313,670 1:50.3
Pacer of the Year
Western Stepp (P, 5, Western Maverick-French Stepp)
Owner: Diane Dunn
Trainer: James Dunn
Plainridge meet: 19-5-5-3 $62,540 1:51.3
Lifetime: 83-26-15-12 $237,231 1:51.3
Trotter of the Year
Quicksilver Kemp (T, 3, Andover Hall-Smarty Had A Party)
Owner: Joel Wheeler
Trainer: Joel Wheeler
Plainridge meet: 26-6-10-3 $65,355 1:55.4
Lifetime: 35-6-10-5 $73,021 1:55.4
Claimer of the Year
Panhellenic (P, 11, No Pan Intended-Panne Ala Vodka)
Owner: John Sears and Alfred Lang
Trainer: James Dunn, Bryant Sears, John Sears
Plainridge meet: 22-8-4-5 $35,666 1:53
Lifetime: 276-34-32-40 $169,765 1:52.3
Iron Horse of the Year
Hailstorm Volo (T, 10, Classic Photo-Hail Mary Hanover)
Owner: Tony Gruppo and Tim Bojarski
Trainer: Scott Rollins
Plainridge meet: 26-3-7-8 $23,374 1:57.2
Lifetime: 226-34-45-34 $234,522 1:54.4
Senior Horse of the Year
Hopeful Artist (P, 14, Real Artist-D-Na’s Hope)
Owner: Joel Wheeler
Trainer: Joel Wheeler
Plainridge meet: 20-0-1-2 $3,130
Lifetime: 346-25-33-48 $175,021 1:53.1
Driver of the Year
Drew Campbell
Plainridge meet: 807-160-169-135 $1.25M .370 UDR
Trainer of the Year
Jim Nickerson
Plainridge meet: 221-56-34-33 $601,342 .389 UTR
Horseperson of the Year
Joel Wheeler
All the winning horses will receive a personalized cooler emblazoned with their name and award won and their connections will receive framed certificates. All human award winners will receive jackets as well as framed certificates.
The HHANE annual meeting, awards presentation, and holiday party will be held on Saturday, December 15 from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. at the Foxboro V.F.W. Post on 337 Cocasset Street. Reservations need to be made by this Wednesday (Dec. 5) and a reservation form can be downloaded from HHANE's website (hhane.com).
(HHANE)