Button Up Passes

Button Up, one of the most recognizable and popular names in Ontario harness racing over the past decade, has passed away at the age of 17.

His owner, trainer Mark Horner, made the announcement on Friday (Nov. 6).

"It is with great sadness that we relay the passing of our champion," said Horner in a post on social media. "Yesterday we laid to rest the toughest race horse I have had the pleasure of being involved with. Horses come and go but after 15 years and many, many highs he awarded us with he became family. RIP."

Bred by Bill Andrew and Dr. Fred Kruszelnicki of Alberta, Button Up sold for $18,000 as a yearling at the 2004 Kentucky Standardbred Yearling Sale. As Horner was arriving at the sale, fellow trainer Garth Gordon told Horner to go straight to the auction ring and buy the son of Northern Luck – Better Butter.

“He loved him,” Horner said in a previous interview. “I went on Garth’s word. We had spent time looking at horses before and I have great respect for his advice...I did check (Button Up) quickly and he looked good, so we bought him.”

He was campaigned throughout his entire career by Mark Horner, a career that concluded in 2016 after 341 races and earnings in excess of $824,000. The biggest payday of his career came as a rookie in the 2005 edition of the $300,000 Battle of Waterloo at Grand River Raceway. On that day, the slick-gaited pacer routed his rivals by seven lengths in 1:56.2.

That win would be the beginning of a very special streak that Horner is particularly proud of.

“Button Up is undefeated on Industry Day at Grand River,” he revealed. “He won the ‘Battle’ there in 2005 and then won the Preferred on the undercard as an older horse in 2007, 2010 and 2012. He loved that track and his home track of London in particular. He was great gaited and durable – two of his best attributes.”

Since retirement, Button Up lived out his days on Horner's farm.

“He's the boss and the rest of us are his servants. He's a beautiful animal and we have been blessed to have him in our life."

Button Up retired with an impressive tally of 49 wins and 170 top-three finishes -- a 50 per cent on-the-board rate. He averaged $2,400 in purse winnings every time he raced throughout his career.

“I think like all great horses, he had the will to compete and win and he was tough as nails,” Mark said. “He had great gate speed and was sound for a lot of years.”

The trainer said Button Up “covered up a lot of mistakes” made with other horses. “I had nice ones before him like Cassidy Seelster, The Masters and few others, but (Button Up) put me in position every year to play the game and get one like Franceschetti and Pinky Tuscadero. In short, (Button Up) has been team captain for many years.”

Please join Standardbred Canada in offering condolences to the connections of Button Up.

(with files from Ontario Racing)