Standout open pacing mare Ultimate Velocity p,3,1:53; 4,1:51.1 ($254,373) has died at the young age of nine, after only beginning her breeding career.
According to her co-owner and trainer, Trent Stohler, the mare was euthanized at 2:50 a.m. on March 19, 2015, following complications of a surgery at New Bolton Center in Pennsylvania. She had delivered her second foal only one day earlier.
The daughter of Western Ideal – Extreme Velocity raced 33 times, resulting in 19 wins, four seconds, and two thirds. While she did earn victories in some stake events, she was most known for her stellar efforts in the open mare events at Indiana’s racetracks. In fact, her lifetime mark was only one fifth of a second off of the track record at the time. She was also race timed in 1:49.2.
Bred by brothers Kenneth “Dave” Stohler and Merrill Stohler, she was the second filly from their homebred mare, Extreme Velocity p,4,1:50.3 ($856,070). Among the highlights on her dam’s resume was a victory in the $288,000 Breeders Crown for older pacing mares in 1998.
Beginning her racing career at age three, it did not take long for Ultimate Velocity to show her ability on the racetrack. After a single qualifier under her belt, she won the Horseman Stake at the Indiana State Fair in 1:56.1, with a final quarter in a sizzling :26.4 She went on to win five of nine starts, missing the board only twice, while racing against older mares.
Coming back at age four, she teamed up with driver Jason Dillander. The two proved to be a perfect fit, as the duo was never beaten in Open or Invitational events contested at Indiana racetracks.
After again starting in the premier distaff events in Indiana, she then delved back into open mare stakes company in the Roses Are Red at Mohawk at age five. With Rick Zeron aboard, she finished a hard closing second in her elimination of the race. She ended her career at Hoosier Park, just as her Indiana Hall of Fame mother had done years earlier.
With a mother who has already produced Real Velocity p,4,1:51.1 ($378,323), Ultimate Velocity p,4,1:51.1 ($254,373), and Continual Velocity p,6,1:50.2f ($547,900), her connections were excited to raise foals from the mare.
In March 2014, she gave birth to her first foal. The colt, by Somebeachsomewhere, was named Captain Velocity. Her second and final foal was born on March 18, 2015. The post St. Patrick’s Day arrival was a colt by Bettors Delight.
Please join Standardbred Canada in offering condolences to the connections of Ultimate Velocity.
(Stacey Ruddick/Hoosier Hoofprints)