Published: December 10, 2008 9:35 am ET
Last Comment: December 10, 2008 4:56 pm ET | 1 Comment(s) | Jump to Comments
Ray Schnittker, trainer of multiple stakes winner Deweycheatumnhowe, has been voted the winner of USHWA's Glen Garnsey Trainer of the Year and W.R. Haughton Good Guy Award.
Schnittker opened his campaign with 'Dewey' on June 5 at the Meadowlands Racetrack and steered the star trotter to high-end stakes victories in the Stanley Dancer, Hambletonian, Canadian Trotting Classic, Bluegrass and Kentucky Futurity.
Schnittker was a deserving winner of The Good Guy Award, given to a person who shows the media savvy and cooperation of the late, great Hall of Famer Haughton. Schnittker did yeoman’s work with Deweycheatumnhowe and the media during probably the most stressful week of his career – before the Hambletonian – and refused no opportunity to accommodate the folks from NBC and other journalistic enterprises.
The horse was kept in front of the public the entire year, and Schnittker was also gracious with his time, even while the last chapter of the year’s book did not end successfully.
Schnittker will receive his awards at the Night of Stars awards banquet on Wednesday, February 4, at the Bellagio hotel in Las Vegas.
(With files from USHWA)