In 2007, an Ontario-sired two-year-old pacing colt by the name of Somebeachsomewhere went undefeated, captured The Metro Pace, and set a new Canadian speed record (1:49.3). He was owned by the little-known Schooner Stables - a group of people that we all got more familiar with as time passed. In 2025, an Ontario-sired two-year-old pacing colt by the name of Beau Jangles went undefeated, captured The Metro Pace, and set a new Canadian speed record (1:48.3). He’s owned by Graham Grace Stables, Kiwi Stables and Bolton Stables, and at TROT, we figured it’s time we got to know the people behind these stable names as well. By Chris Lomon.
It’s the very essence of a tightly-knit ownership group - each member eagerly embracing an unabashed admiration and affection for the Standardbred megastar Beau Jangles.
To say it has been a thrill ride - one that was, in many ways, unexpected - would be an understatement for Dr. Adam Ainspan. Along with his wife, Mary Beth Roberts, Ainspan co-owns North America’s most electrifying young pacing talent, under the Graham Grace Stables LLC banner - a nod to their children’s middle names. They are joined by Jonathan Roberts and his fiancée Anne Hooper (Kiwi Stables LLC), Ed, Garth and Philip Bolton, and John Draper (Bolton Stables).
While being part of an ownership group can be powerful, it often comes with pitfalls: misaligned goals, differing time horizons, decision-making gridlock, trust and transparency issues, and emotional choices. The more owners involved, the more opinions enter the equation.
Racehorse ownership - closer to venture capital than a hobby - is especially complex. The quagmires that can arise are a different animal altogether.
In this case, however, the names and faces behind Beau Jangles are remarkably aligned.
“I’m lucky to have never really had an ownership group that didn’t really work,” shared Ainspan, a longtime owner of both Standardbreds and Thoroughbreds. “[In my experience] everyone who has been part of those groups has respected the person who is tasked with making the decisions and bringing it to the group. I always ask for everyone’s input into the horse, and ultimately, people put their trust and faith in what that decision is and why it was made. I don’t tend to worry about an individual item as much - if someone else feels strongly, I will go along with that. It’s been that way ever since I started owning horses. I feel very lucky to have had that.”
From Video to Vision
Assembled through a blend of friendship, familiarity, and perhaps a bit of fate, no one involved with Beau Jangles anticipated what would come from the fleet-footed, float-on-air son of Cattlewash, out of the Art Major mare, Mrs Major Hill.
It all began with a yearling video of Beau Jangles - originally named TH Bo Jangles, with the “TH” denoting breeder Tara Hills Stud - that caught the eye of the New York-born Ainspan, now based in Virginia.
“I liked him the second I saw him,” recalled Ainspan, a now retired veterinarian, who practiced companion animal medicine and surgery in New York, Maryland and Virginia. “When I looked at his video, I told my wife, ‘This will be the greatest pacer ever’. Some people worried that he was too big, but to me his gait is like that of a big Thoroughbred turf-horse - he just glides over the surface so easily. He just had this brilliant movement in his videos, and his gait was so efficient that I didn’t believe his large size would be an issue. With the way he glides, he doesn’t tire himself out as much. I give credit to my Thoroughbred trainer for helping me with that outlook. I wouldn’t have looked for that if I didn’t own Thoroughbreds.”
That video ultimately led to a $65,000 (USD) purchase at the 2024 Standardbred Horse Sale in Harrisburg - but not without some persuasion.
“With this group - I have known Jonathan Roberts for ages. His dad, Bib, was the first trainer I had, and trained the majority of Standardbreds I have had throughout my career. The Boltons, I didn’t know them. [Dr.] Ian [Moore] wasn’t really interested in buying into the horse for a few reasons, but the Boltons came along and they are wonderful.
“I told Jonathan [Roberts] that I really liked this horse. I asked Ian and Jonathan to look at him. Jonathan said he looked good, but he was big. Ian said almost the identical thing. I told them he looked very athletic to me, so let’s buy him. They sort of tried to talk me out of it, but we ended up buying him.”
A Star Emerges
Beau Jangles was a head-turner from the get-go.
Under the tutelage of hall of fame trainer (and veterinarian) Dr. Ian Moore, the strapping colt debuted with a 1:50.1, three-length romp in an Ontario Sires Stakes Gold event on July 5th at Mohawk. It was the fastest winning debut for any two-year-old in the history of the sport.
He would go on to win all 12 of his starts, becoming the richest earner on Canadian soil in 2025, with $1,688,750 in purses. His victories included the $227,100 Battle of Waterloo at Grand River and a clean sweep of the OSS program. Never leaving Canada, his biggest triumphs came at Woodbine Mohawk Park, where he captured the $1 million Metro Pace in 1:49.1 - matching a stakes and track record - before closing his season with a $959,000 Breeders Crown victory in a blistering 1:48.3, setting stakes, track and Canadian records.
Driven by Bob McClure in all 12 pari-mutuel starts, Beau Jangles also finished the season ranked No. 1 in the Hambletonian Society/Breeders Crown Poll, and is the overwhelming favourite to be named Canada’s Horse of the Year.
Ainspan likens his pacer to two remarkable athletes - one equine, one human.
“He almost seems like Flightline when I tell people what he is doing,” said Ainspan, in reference to the Thoroughbred who won the Malibu Stakes, Metropolitan Handicap, Pacific Classic and 2022 Breeders Cup Classic, and was retired undefeated after six very remarkable career starts.
“I also tell people he is like LeBron James, because he is just so big and athletic - that’s why I say that. LeBron can be the strong forward/centre, or he can be a point guard. That’s where Beau is at. He has a really quick turn of foot that goes along with his stride, which makes him very difficult to beat.”
A Proven Eye for Talent
Having someone with an impressive ownership track record like Ainspan’s didn’t make Beau Jangles’ success a slam dunk, but it certainly tilted the odds in the group’s favour.
More than 20 years ago, Adam entered Standardbred racing after selecting Bib Roberts as his trainer. Their first notable success came with No Wishes, who earned $391,782 and won in 1:51.4 at Colonial Downs in 2004.
That partnership has yielded many additional standouts, including both Instigator and Great George Two. The latter set a track record at the now defunct Woodbine Racetrack for three-year-old trotting colts in 2005 - a 1:52.1 mile in his Goodtimes elimination - and earned $448,132 on the track before siring the winners of over $2.3 million.
Ainspan and the Roberts family have more recently enjoyed elite success with the trotting mare Call Me Goo, winner of the 2024 Breeders Crown Open Mare Trot. Trained during her career by Jason Skinner, Doc Moore and Ake Svanstedt, she eventually became a millionaire and an O’Brien Award winner, while also trotting the fastest mile by a mare in Canadian history [1:50.1] while finishing fourth to Lexus Kody in the 2025 Maple Leaf Trot.
It was when the ownership group sent Call Me Goo to Moore for a few starts, in 2023, that the relationship with the well-known Canadian trainer was born.
Beyond harness racing, Ainspan has also thrived in the Thoroughbred game.
Although his interest in both breeds began while growing up just south of Saratoga, his financial involvement in Thoroughbreds began just over 15 years ago when he bought a minor percentage in a broodmare partnership at the invitation of a friend. It eventually led to the purchase of his 2023 Tapit Stakes winner, another Ontario-bred actually, in Harlan Estate, a $150,000 purchase at the 2022 Keeneland Horses of Racing Age sale.
Yet Beau Jangles stands apart.
“In all honesty, I have only had three horses who have given that type of feeling and confidence to know they had something special,” said Ainspan. “One of those was Agoo, who once beat Mystik Dan, winner of the 2024 Kentucky Derby. Fiddling Felix has a lot of potential too… He has the talent, but maybe not the heart to be a great horse.
“And then there is Beau. So I told someone I’m one-for-three, and if I were a baseball player, I’d be in the Hall of Fame (laughing).”
From the Driver’s Seat - And the Apron
Jonathan Roberts has been a driving force in the racebike for years.
Closing in on 5,000 career wins, and with more than $40 million in career purses, the hallmark of the Maryland-based reinsman’s career has been consistency. He’s reached the seven-figure plateau in purse earnings every year since 2005, and has eclipsed the $2 million mark on 10 occasions.
The third-generation horseman counts multiple driving titles at Rosecroft Raceway, Ocean Downs, and Rockingham Park, along with multiple sire stakes wins in Maryland, New Hampshire, and Delaware as career highlights.
Roberts has never seen anything like Beau Jangles though.
“Ian was so good at sending videos to the ownership group of the horse training down over the winter before he raced his first mile. Basically, you would get weekly updates of them training, along with commentary. He looked good all along. He had this nice gait and floated over the ground - for a big horse, he was very athletic.
“I was always hoping for a good Ontario-sired horse. If we were lucky, he would be a Gold horse, or even just at the Grassroots level. Regardless, the hope was that we would have something good for the Ontario-sired program.”
It turns out, Beau Jangles had different plans.
“When he qualified for the first time, I thought, ‘Well, there might be a little more in here than we think.’ When he moved in the stretch, I was so impressed. When he qualified the second time, under a tight hold, in 1:53.2, then I really thought he was something. The way he won his first start, that’s when I thought this guy belonged on the Grand Circuit, in the Metro Pace, races like that.
“Every driver wants to drive a horse like this. Just being an owner of a horse like this is a dream come true.”
Roberts admits though, he originally needed encouragement to buy in.
“It was my fiancée and Adam’s wife, Mary Beth, who pushed me to get involved in Beau. I did like him when I looked at him. Adam felt he had a very athletic look on his video and when we went and looked at him. He was great, but he was also quite large.
“Mary Beth and Anne were talking. Mary Beth said, ‘You guys would be well served to buy a part of this horse because Adam is really lucky’. Anne told me that (laughing) and so we took a quarter of him… the rest, as they say, is history. I wish we had bought more of course, but we are extremely lucky to have him. We were probably going to buy a portion of him either way - it was just a question of how much. Adam and I almost always take a part of each other’s horses.”
Roberts has high praise for his fellow owners as well.
“It’s been a very good ownership group with Beau Jangles. My parents and Adam have had horses together going back to before Great George Two. In the last five or so years I’ve started getting more into the ownership side of things. Before that I just drove, including Great George Two, but being on the ownership side has been a truly great experience.
“The Boltons were a new addition to our group - they just came on with this horse, but have owned a lot of Dr. Moore’s horses. They liked Beau Jangles and wanted to buy part of him. They’re great people and they do it for the love of the game. They all have jobs and businesses, and they have done well for themselves. They do this as a family activity and that’s awesome to see. They love it.”
Roberts, in a self-deprecating tone, accompanied by a big laugh, added, “I have only two regrets with Beau Jangles: one, I didn’t buy more of him and two, I haven’t sat behind him yet.”
He almost did once however. Louis-Philippe Roy had actually qualified Beau on June 21st, but was committed to drive Nijinsky and Private Access in their Graduate finals at The Meadowlands the night of the colt’s lifetime debut at Mohawk.
“I was actually going to drive him in his first start, but it didn’t work out. Ian said it was fine… I was actually booking my plane ticket when he called me back and said, ‘What about Bob McClure?’ I thought that was great. He called Bob and asked if he would be interested. Bob agreed and I didn’t book my ticket.”
Although it is a far different vantage point than he’s used to, Roberts has enjoyed watching Beau Jangles from the other side of the racetrack fence.
“It’s amazing. I have been racing horses and driving horses for a long time, and have won a lot of nice races, but some of the most exciting moments I have had are standing on the apron and watching Beau race. It’s such a totally different experience, to not be the one in the racebike, but it’s a huge thrill. I was actually a nervous wreck watching him the first few times (laughing).
“There is a bottom at some point, but we haven’t found it yet. What a fantastic ride it’s been so far.”
The Bolton Legacy
Ed Bolton was raised on his family farm in Maine, where they raised chickens, pigs and Angus cattle, and had two Standardbred stallions, Mighty Medium and Spruce Up, along with a couple of their own broodmares, and some boarding broodmares.
After graduating from the University of Maine, he taught school for a few years in an impoverished area in Northern Maine, to pay off his student loans. While there, he found out a few people in the town had raced horses, and still had some turned out in pastures. Bolton talked them into letting him break those horses, to get them ready to race at Presque Isle and Woodstock, New Brunswick.
Bolton had worked summers for his father at Foxboro Raceway, while going to college, and had earned his ‘P’ license, winning races with horses he had brought to both of those tracks. He also eventually took a job working for Abraham Shultz at Seminole Harness Track in Florida, and later managed Shultz’ training centre in Aiken, South Carolina.
Eventually, Ed returned to teaching, when his own sons got older. He also coached numerous sports, including winning a Florida State Championship in basketball with Oviedo High School. While teaching in Florida, Bolton and some fellow teachers eventually put some money together and bought some lower-level horses to race at Pompano Park. He and his brother Phil would even drive a few of them at Seminole.
“In the aftermath of a win, we would see half the stands come out to have their picture taken and then go back to the barn area, sit on the trunks and celebrate,” fondly recalled Bolton, a former recipient of the State of Florida PTSA ‘Teacher of the Year for At Risk Students’ Award.
There were also celebrations in another racing sport.
“My two sons, Garth and Brad, owned a few greyhounds, and they were always trying to get me to buy some with them, but I was too busy teaching and coaching,” said Ed. “Finally, I gave in and bought one, then before I knew it, I had several. I purchased a five-acre farm in Clermont and started raising puppies. After that I owned a kennel at Sanford Orlando Kennel Club until it closed. Once I get involved in anything, I seem to go all in,” he laughed.
Which is exactly what Bolton did with Standardbreds.
“Bolton Stables LLC started out buying 100 percent ownership in a couple of colts at Harrisburg, and although we did okay with that we wanted to be involved with more colts, so we decided to just buy smaller parts of several with the same amount of total investment. This gave us a better chance of having an outstanding horse, and would give us more horses to watch race. We also decided to hook up with Dr. Moore at that point - he trains about 45 minutes from us in Florida during the winter.
“We try to get in on about 25% of any that he buys, but only got 15% of Beau Jangles. Adam was the one who really liked the colt originally, but I saw his pedigree and watched him on video too - I loved his stride and attitude, so I wanted a part of him.”
Bolton is grateful to be a part of Beau Jangles’ world.
“We were actually lucky to get part of him at all,” he confided. “We had probably already spent more than we had planned on for the year (laughing), but there was one more we hadn’t discussed - Beau. I asked Doc if any of him was still available and there was, so we got in anyway.
“This is a once-in-a-lifetime horse. To enjoy it with my brother, sons, and friends is definitely special. Even though I have always been a hands-on person, I have so much trust in Dr. Moore and my other partners - we have not had any difficulty staying on the same page. I knew very little about Adam and Jonathan, but I’ve gotten to know them and have a lot of respect for them.”
Bolton, who also has part-ownership in Standardbred talents like Prince Hal Hanover, Storm Shadow and Joel And The Jets, just to name a few, has great reverence for Beau Jangles.
“Beau has speed, strength, conformation, and desire. Beau and Prince Hal Hanover are currently turned-out in adjacent pastures, and when we go out to see them, Beau wants to challenge Hal up-and-down the fence line. He definitely shows everyone that he is the Alpha King.
“I love watching Beau race in-person, but because we’re in Florida, I have to watch most of them on TV. When I’m watching live at the track, I get very nervous, but I also get that way when I watch any of the several horses that we own when they race.
“I’ve had part-ownership in many horses the last few years. They have won a number of stakes, but Beau has won big money, is undefeated and has potential to be one of the all-time greats.”
Phil Bolton, Ed’s brother, concurs.
“I knew he was precocious when he won his qualifier in 1:53, with the last quarter in :26.3, going away by 20 lengths, just cruising,” said Phil. “I thought he was special when won the Nassagaweya in 1:50, and I KNEW he was special when he faced the best two-year-olds in the Metro and still held off all challengers, gamely, in 1:49.1.
“Of course, it was confirmed with the Breeders Crown. That win was a dream come true. The Breeders Crown experience with everyone was unbelievable. To top it off, we were hoping for a double play with Prince Hal Hanover the next night, but after winning his elimination he was not at the top of his game in the final and finished fourth.”
Sharing that and other moments with his family, and the other connections, has made it that much more special.
“A few years ago, my brother Ed suggested that we get back into the business, and we were thinking about some higher priced claimers, but along with his son Garth and John Draper we ended up buying a couple of yearlings - that turned out okay,” said Phil. “Then we met Dr. Moore and decided to get more horses to watch by buying percentages of the yearlings he picked out. That’s what is special from a family standpoint - doing what was always in our DNA. And although not part of the ownership group, Ian and his groom Riley are an integral part of the Beau group too.
“From a partnership perspective, Adam, Mary Beth, Jonathan and Anne are all great. Everyone is knowledgeable and understands just how great a horse we have. I knew of their great trotting mare Call Me Goo, but I had never even met Adam - in fact, the first time I met him was at the Breeders Crown. I knew of Jonathan, but hadn’t met him before the big race either, but I knew his dad Bib, and even raced against him way back, probably before Jonathan was born. We seem to be in lockstep on everything with Beau though.”
Ed’s son, Garth, also has glowing reviews for his fellow owners.
“My experience with being a part of the Bolton Stables has been wonderful. We established this new partnership just a few years ago. My dad and my Uncle Phil were in the harness racing business when my brother Brad and I were young. Fast forward 50 years and I believe the Standardbred business was still in my dad’s and uncle’s blood.
“My early memories made it an easy sell to join the Bolton Stables ownership group, along with our friend John Draper. The most rewarding part of this ownership group is the relationships we have established with all these many lifelong horse people. Dr. Moore and all the outstanding team of people he has working alongside him are very experienced. We didn’t know some of our other partners when we purchased Beau, but now we have become great friends through the excitement that has been built. It’s been easy to get along with Adam and his wife Mary Beth, Jonathan Roberts, Anne Hooper, and all the Bolton Stables team. We have been blessed to not only be a part of a business we enjoy, but have been extremely lucky to be involved with some amazing racehorses along the way.”
Completing the Circle
John Draper was a natural ownership fit for Beau Jangles, courtesy of his longstanding friendship with the Boltons.
He was originally introduced to Brad Bolton through their association to the greyhound racing scene.
“It turned out that Brad had previously worked at the same company where I had as well, so it connected us on that level - then I got to know Ed and his family when I visited Florida. As the greyhound racing industry was eliminated, I remained friends with both Brad and Ed. When they decided to start investing in Standardbreds, Brad asked if I wanted to be part of the group. I eagerly said ‘Yes’ - then I first met Phil and Garth on one of our trips up for a stakes race that our horse, Storm Shadow, was competing in.”
Based out of Georgia, Draper, who has been battling back issues since this past September, hasn’t had the opportunity to meet some of his other Beau Jangles contemporaries yet.
“Obviously, I missed an opportunity to be in the midst of some exciting races, but I was able to enjoy the races at home. I look forward to meeting the other owners at some point if it works out.”
Even just watching on the television however, Draper is in a near-trance when he sees Beau Jangles line-up behind the starting gate.
“The first thing that goes through my mind is, ‘Don’t lose!’ It was obvious Beau Jangles was special and I didn’t want a blemish. I have pretty high standards for what I call great, so I was really hoping he could make it through his rookie year without any losses to explain away.
“As someone new to this, I had never experienced having the horse that was the star of the race - the one you just knew was going to be hard to beat. It’s awesome to be part of the horse that you know every other owner and trainer is wondering how in the world they’re going to beat. But as I suspected, with Dr. Moore and team, there comes pressure with being the stud. Big expectations. I’m so proud that Beau managed to hold up to every challenge. Dr. Moore and his crew obviously did a great job of having him ready for each one.”
Draper still finds it a tall task to wrap his head around the greatness that is Beau Jangles.
“I knew he was good, but I had watched Legendary Hanover a couple years before, and Louprint the past two years, and they were both awesome. It’s hard to imagine that a horse we own might be one of the best ever. It wasn’t until the end of the season before I started to realize this horse was bigger than I thought, sitting in Georgia and watching him race. It’s truly been a special experience.”
More Than a Horse
For Ainspan, Beau Jangles’ impact may extend beyond the racetrack.
“I’d love to see him change the sport,” he said. “People in the Thoroughbred world already know him. Fans in Canada love him. If he does well again [at age three], he’ll bring even more attention and interest - and that matters.”
What makes it all work is alignment.
“When we make a decision, everyone abides by it,” Ainspan said. “There is patience, realism, and humility in this group. We understand the sport we’re in.
“We’re not a huge outfit, but it’s nice to see good people have success.”
This feature originally appeared in the February issue of TROT Magazine. Subscribe to TROT today by clicking the banner below.
