Dr. Ian Moore is off to a very successful start thus far in 2020. While many of his freshmen and sophomore pacers have found success, Moore’s now older campaigner Century Farroh is also looking to capitalize off a sensational three-year-old season and a strong start to his four-year-old year.
The Mach Three - Beachy Girl stallion will leave from the rail position in this Saturday’s $250,000 Graduate Series final for four-year-old pacers at the Meadowlands Racetrack. The lucrative stakes is part of a 13-race card at the 'Big M' that also includes the $250,000 Graduate championship for four-year-old trotters, a single elimination for the Meadowlands Pace, and Reynolds Memorial divisions for three-year-old trotters. Racing is set to begin at 7:15 p.m. (EDT).
Century Farroh turned heads fast in 2019 proving he was a force to be reckoned with early in his three-year-old season. From 16 starts, he found his way to the winner's circle 12 times while only finishing out of the money twice. His victories included four Ontario Sires Stakes Gold divisions, a division of the Somebeachsomewhere Stakes, North America Cup Consolation, the Simcoe and the Jennas Beach Boy, earning a bankroll of $719,451 for owner Ratchford Stables NS of North Sydney, N.S.
In 2020, Century Farroh has refused to miss the board in all four of his seasonal outings proving -- thus far -- to be able to make the switch from sophomore to aged ranks. Those four starts include an impressive victory and second-place finish amongst open pacers at Woodbine Mohawk Park, and two near victories in both preliminary legs of the Graduate at Tioga Downs and the Meadowlands. Century Farroh was second by a neck in both legs, pacing the fastest mile of his life in his most recent outing with a 1:48 effort punctuated by a :26 final quarter.
The splash that Century Farroh has already made in 2020 has given Moore hope that his stable star might be able to make the transition into the older ranks easier than other stars he has trained.
“Going from a three-year-old year to a four-year-old year is a tough transition for many horses and I’ve had a few that have struggled with it, including State Treasurer and Astronomical,” Moore told Trot Insider. “They struggle but they come around eventually. I know the Graduate Series is all four-year-olds -- but it’s the best four-year-olds there is so it’s nice to see that he’s competitive there and hopefully can be competitive along the way with the open-type horses because that's all it is from here on out. The vast majority of four-year-old events are all cancelled now,” noted Moore.
Moore also spoke highly of Century Farroh’s toughness and desire to win as a major factor in his success against a group of four-year-olds that boasts the likes of U.S. divisional kingpin Bettors Wish, 2019 Breeders Crown champ Dancin Lou and 2019 North America Cup elimination winner Workin Ona Mystery. Each of those horses won a leg of the Graduate with the other three captured by Hurrikane Emperor, Brassy Hanover and Bllack Hole.
“He’s just a tough animal, it doesn't matter where you put him, he’s as tough as can be and he just wants to go out and get business done for you. He’s just one of those good horses -- he may not be as sound as he was last year but he's tough enough to just race right through it. All the good horses find a way around it and he’s doing it right now.”
As the only Canadian-based horse in the Graduate final this Saturday, Century Farroh has not only had to adjust to higher caliber competition, but new surroundings without familiar faces due to the restrictions regarding cross-border travel between the U.S. and Canada.
“It’s very difficult for us right now because I can’t send a groom and I can’t send myself to go with the horse across the border. So it’s not only difficult for us but difficult for the horse to adjust to new things. He’s under difficult circumstances right now being in someone else's barn and it makes it very tough but we have to do what we have to do,” said Moore. “It’s going to be tough for the Americans that want to come up here and do the same.”
The veteran horseman also noted how thankful he is to have made it through the pandemic with relatively few lifestyle changes since returning from his winter training base in Florida.
“I’m still working away and never stopped so I’m still able to make a living -- nothing has changed for me, so I have to feel very lucky for that with what the current situation in the world is. We’re very fortunate to be racing right now and doing what we are doing, I hope it continues for us all.”
Despite having to cheer Century Farroh on from home, Moore remains optimistic for what the season will bring while still having realistic expectations for the challenges presented by the stakes schedule and the competition. The next major stakes event for the open pacers, the William R. Haughton Memorial Pace, is just eight days away and also taking place at The Meadowlands.
“We’re just going week by week right now, the Haughton is next week so it’s a possibility he might stay there but we’re just seeing how things go week by week,” added Moore. “We’re looking forward to his season and hopeful for the best. Things have started off good for us so we can only hope it keeps going.”
$250,000 Graduate Final
1. Century Farroh (David Miller / Dr. Ian Moore) 8-1
2. Shamwow (Jordan Stratton / Jim King Jr.) 15-1
3. Workin Ona Mystery (Tim Tetrick / Brian Brown) 4-1
4. Dancin Lou (Brian Sears / Tahnee Camilleri) 5-1
5. Hurrikane Emperor (Mark MacDonald / John Mc Dermott) 8-1
6. Aflame Hanover (Andrew McCarthy / Linda Schadel) 15-1
7. Captain Victorious (Yannick Gingras / Ron Burke) 15-1
8. Brassy Hanover (Scott Zeron / Jeff Cullipher) 8-1
9. Bllack Hole (George Brennan / Scott Di Domenico) 10-1
10. Bettors Wish (Dexter Dunn / Chris Ryder) 2-1
For Saturday’s complete Meadowlands entries, click here.