Trot Insider has learned that Latest Chapter, a former O'Brien Award-winning trotter who also excelled off the racetrack, has passed away at the age of 29.
A son of K M Lazer - Highland Lullaby, Latest Chapter was unraced at two but debuted early in the 1999 season for the trainer of his sire, Laurie Bako. Purchased early in his three-year-old season by Veljko Miculinic, Brad & Arnold Shackman and trainer John Drennan, Latest Chapter rewarded his new connections with more than $260,000 in earnings during his three-year-old year with victories in each of his seven Ontario Sires Stakes appearances.
Latest Chapter concluded his three-year-old season with a record of 11-1-0 in 14 starts, and was named Canada's Three-Year-Old Male Trotter of the Year in 1999 O'Brien Award voting.
The connections had planned to send Latest Chapter to Europe for some stakes events at the start of his four-year-old season, but a bout of sickness curtailed that excursion. The gelding raced at the top levels and in open stakes events in North America for the majority of four- and five-year-old seasons, winning an additional nine races while lowering his lifetime mark to 1:55.2 in a leg of the Su Mac Lad Series at The Meadowlands.
His richest career payday came in 2001, when he finished third — behind trotting titans Varenne and Magician — in the $500,000 Trot Mondial at Hippodrome de Montreal.
Latest Chapter was retired in early 2003 with a career summary of 20-9-22 from 98 starts with earnings of $696,864.
In 2004, the ownership of Latest Chapter was transferred to Bob Clancey, who then competed with the trotter as a roadster where he became a familiar face in the Road Horse division of the Royal Horse Show at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair.
"We had an enjoyable time showing him after I got him from John," said Clancey.
Latest Chapter also made appearances leading post parades at Woodbine Mohawk Park after his retirement.
Clancey told Trot Insider that Latest Chapter was part of the parade at the 2025 Centreville Fair this past September — a testament to both the 29-year-old Standardbred and his owner. Clancey suffered full paralysis seven years ago in a farming accident.
"My wife (Mimi) and I had him in the parade," noted Clancey. "We hooked him up in an easy entry cart."
Latest Chapter was euthanized on Saturday, Sept. 27 due to an irreparable tear in his stomach. He was buried beside his former paddock pal and fellow O'Brien Award winner, Stormont Tuscany.
Please join Standardbred Canada in offering condolences to the connections of Latest Chapter.
(Standardbred Canada)