Officials with ‘Post Time with Mike and Mike’ have announced the show’s 2019 award winners.
The list of award winners appears below.
Ted Barcus Race Fan of the Year
Winner: Albert Nash (41.57%)
Runner-Up: Colton Hay (24.05%)
Nash won the inaugural Post Time with Mike and Mike Race Fan of the Year in 2015 and again in 2018. He is the first three-time winner of the award. He spends his time congratulating participants on their victories via Facebook. Nash also carries a positive attitude and helps promote the sport of harness racing.
Sam McKee Race Call of the Year
Winner: Roger Huston – 2019 Little Brown Jug (32.15%)
Runner-Up: Ken Warkentin – 2019 Sam McKee Memorial (17.68%)
Huston, who stepped away from the Meadows in 2019, found a special bond with Little Brown Jug champion Southwind Ozzi, who was undefeated in 2019 when Huston was calling his races. This marks the second victory for Huston in the category.
Horsewoman of the Year, presented by Southern Oaks Training Center
Winner: Nancy Takter (31.42%)
Runner-Up: Ashley Holliday (16.19%)
Takter took over some of the training duties of her father, Hall of Fame trainer Jimmy Takter, in 2019. She sent out the most winners she has ever had in 2019 and got to the winner’s circle 72 times from 338 starts. She campaigned Captain Crunch to a powerful victory in the Pepsi North America Cup at Woodbine Mohawk Park in June, led Manchego to a world record setting performance at Hollywood Gaming at Dayton Raceway, and then capped off her season with a powerful Breeders Crown performance by Manchego.
Larry Rheinheimer Small Stable of the Year, presented by Harrah’s Hoosier Park
Winner: Galliers Racing (31.76%)
Runner-Up: Altmeyer Wilder Racing Stable (19.65%)
Galliers Racing Stable was started by young up and coming star Brady Galliers. Galliers was not born into racing like many horsemen, but has worked hard to become one of the top stables in Ohio. He recently finished sixth in the training standings at Scioto Downs and has a strong social media presence promoting the sport of harness racing.
Innovator of the Year, presented by the United States Trotting Association
Winner: Wendy Ross (27.59%)
Runner-Up: Rod Allums Jr. (25.89%)
Ross began working for the USTA in May of 2018 and has helped to spearhead some of harness racing’s mainstream media. She helped to produce and put together the first harness racing Lip Sync battle and also helped put on a Harness Racing Carpool Karaoke. In 2018, she worked with Mark Weaver and Ron Burke to coordinate the Harness Racing FanZone Foiled Again Farewell tour.
Upset of the Year, presented by Winners Circle Racing Stable
Winner: Forbidden Trade winning the Hambletonian over Greenshoe (30.69%)
Runner-Up: Caviart Ally defeating Shartin N in Lexington and the Breeders Crown (27.82%)
It’s hard to forget the dominant trio that trainer Marcus Melander had in 2019 (Greenshoe, Gimpanzee, Green Manalishi S), but it was Forbidden Trade who came out on top of his foes with a powerful victory in the Hambletonian Final. The win gave trainer Luc Blais and United States Harness Writers Association Rising Star Bob McClure their first victory in the $1 million event.
Foiled Again Iron Horse of the Year
Winner: T Red (31.57%)
Runner-Up: Electric Lad (26.18%)
T Red started his career at age two, and in that season posted six victories from 19 starts and banked over $7,000 in purses. He is currently owned by trainer Henry Gulley. T Red hit the board in 18 of his 42 starts in 2019 (he won seven races and banked $25,427). T Red has raced all through Ohio, Michigan and Indiana and has banked just under $480,000 in career earnings. He set a lifetime mark of 1:51.1 at age five at Indiana Downs.
(With files from ‘Post Time’)