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PACESETTER SBOANJ.COM 1 January/February 2015
The Official Newsletter of the Standardbred Breeders & Owners Association of New Jersey Vol. 40, No. 1
Representing owners, breeders, drivers, trainers & caretakers
JK SHE’SALADY WINS CLOSE HORSE OF THE YEAR VOTE
2-YEAR-OLD MALE TROTTER
Pinkman (144 of 157 votes)
Explosive Matter – Margie Seelster – Angus Hall
Breeder: O Narutac Equine Nursery
Owners: Christina Takter, John and Jim Fielding, Joyce McClelland, Herb Liverman Trainer: Jimmy Takter. Driver: Yannick Gingras, Sylvain Filion
2-YEAR-OLD FEMALE TROTTER
Mission Brief (150 votes)
Muscle Hill – Southwind Serena – Varenne
Breeders: Steve Stewart, Black Creek Farm,
Andrea Lea Racing Stables Inc.
Owners: Burke Racing , Our Horse Cents Sta-bles, J&T Silva Stables, Weaver Bruscemi LLC Trainer: Ron Burke Driver: Yannick Gingras
3-YEAR-OLD MALE TROTTER
Father Patrick (94 votes)
Cantab Hall – Gala Dream – Enjoy Lavec
Breeder: Brittany Farms
Owner: Father Patrick Stable Trainer: Jimmy Takter Driver: Yannick Gingras
3-YEAR-OLD FEMALE TROTTER
Shake It Cerry (156 votes)
Donato Hanover – Solveig – Yankee Glide
Breeder: Solveig’s Breeders
Owner: Solveig’s Racing Partners
Trainer: Jimmy Takter Driver: Ron Pierce
OLDER MALE TROTTER
Sebastian K (141 votes)
Korean – Gabriella K – Probe
Breeder: Knutsson Trotting AB
Owner: Knutsson Trotting Inc.
Trainer: Ake Svanstedt Driver: Ake Svanstedt
OLDER FEMALE TROTTER
Classic Martine (91 votes)
Classic Photo – Drinking Days – Andover Hall
Breeders: Todd Schadel, Christine Schadel
Owners: Hauser Bros. Racing, Susan Oakes, Conrad Zurich, Edwin Gold
Trainer: Chris Oakes Driver: Tim Tetrick
2-YEAR-OLD MALE PACER Artspeak (141 of 157 votes) Western Ideal – The Art Museum – Artsplace Breeders: Brittany Farms, Melvin Hartman. Owners: Brittany Farms, Marvin Katz, Joe Sbrocco, In The Gym Partners Trainer: Tony Alagna Driver: Scott Zeron 2-YEAR-OLD FEMALE PACER JK She’salady (155 votes; one abstention) Art Major – Presidential Lady – Presidential Ball Breeders: 3 Brothers Stables Owners: 3 Brothers Stables Trainer: Nancy Johansson Drivers: Yannick Gin-gras, Tim Tetrick
3-YEAR-OLD MALE PACER McWicked ( 28 votes) McArdle – Western Sahara – Western Ideal Breeder: Andray Farm Owner: S S G Stables Trainer: Casie Coleman Drivers: David Miller, Brian Sears 3-YEAR-OLD FEMALE PACER Color’s A Virgin (106 votes) Always A Virgin – Full Color – Allamerican Ingot Breeder: Emerald Highlands Farm Owner: Emerald Highlands Farm Trainer: Brian Brown Driver: Trace Tetrick OLDER MALE PACER Sweet Lou (154 votes) Yankee Cruiser – Sweet Future – Falcons Future Breeder: Birnam Wood Farms Owners: Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi LLC, Larry Karr, Phil Collura Trainer: Ron Burke Driver: Ron Pierce OLDER FEMALE PACER (tie) Anndrovette (51 votes) Riverboat King – Easy Miss – Big Towner Breeder: Golden Touch Stable Owners: Bamond Racing, Joseph Davino Trainer: P.J. Fraley Driver: Tim Tetrick Rocklamation (51 votes) Rocknroll Hanover – Art Sale – Artsplace Breeder: Perretti Farms Owners: Our Horse Cents Stables, Stable 45, J&T Silva Stables
Trainer: Ron Burke Driver: Yannick Gingras
JK She’salady, undefeated in 12 races for breeder -owner 3 Brothers Stables and trainer Nancy Johansson, in 2014 became the first two-year-old pacing filly to be
named Horse of the Year.
The filly won by five votes, 57-52, over Pacer of the Year Sweet Lou in the tightest Horse of the Year finish since seven-year-old gelded trotter Savoir beat three-year-
old filly pacer Silk Stockings, 52-49, in 1975.
Five-year-old Sweet Lou won Pacer of the Year honors over JK She’salady by one vote, 74-73. It is the first time a Pacer of the Year or Trotter of the Year – catego-
ries introduced in 1970 – failed to receive Horse of the Year.
A total of 157 ballots were returned. The anomaly occurred because a greater number of voters that selected JK She’salady for Pacer of the Year also voted her
as Horse of the Year. Sixteen people that voted JK She’salady as the best pacer gave their Horse of the Year
vote to their Trotter of the Year pick, compared to 22 for Sweet Lou.
Three-year-old filly Shake It Cerry was named Trotter of the Year, finishing 22 votes ahead of runner-up Sebas-tian K, 59-37. Shake It Cerry, owned by Solveig’s Racing Partners and trained by Jimmy Takter, received 14
votes for Horse of the Year. A total of nine horses received at least one vote for Horse of the Year.
“I don’t know if it’s completely sunk in,” said Johansson. “The hard work paid off. She’s as perfect as they come
now, and I guess finishing off with Horse of the Year exemplifies how perfect she is.”
JK She’salady
PACESETTER SBOANJ.COM 2 January/February 2015
OFFICERS Thomas F. Luchento
President
Ed Razzetti First Vice President
Alfred Ochsner Jr. Second Vice President
Mark Ford Third Vice President
Dennis Lane Treasurer
Anthony Romano Secretary
Leo McNamara Executive Administrator
DIRECTORS Robert Boni
Stephen P. Dey III VMD
Michael J. Gulotta
Kelvin Harrison
Jacqueline Ingrassia
Richard Meirs VMD
Mark Mullen
Anthony Perretti
Paul Wojtowicz
RACETRACK REP
Linda Goss
Meadowlands 201-842-5075
Freehold 732-252-2323
Ext 4365
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL
AJ Sabath
LEGAL COUNSEL
Dennis Dowd
PACESETTER EDITOR
Carol Hodes
IMPORTANT
PHONE NUMBERS
New Jersey Sire Stakes 609-292-8830
Harness Horsemen International 609-747-1000
License/Fingerprint NJ Racing Commission
Trenton—609-292-0613 Freehold — 732-462-3800
Meadowlands—201-460-4137
NJ Trailer Ban—NJTP 800-336-5875
STANDARDBRED BREEDERS & OWNERS ASSOCIATION OF NEW JERSEY 64 Business Route 33, Manalapan, NJ 07726 Phone: 732-462-2357 Fax: 732-409-0741
Email: [email protected] Website: www.sboanj.com
It is my opinion that the State of New Jersey now
wants a casino in North Jersey as much as we do.
Toward that end, we are working with the legisla-ture and making progress to prepare a referendum question for next November’s ballot, which will de-termine if the public supports gaming in North Jer-
sey, including the Meadowlands.
Gaming in North Jersey would represent an income source for the state budget, and, with a healthy infusion of cash for the racing industry, the preser-vation and addition of many jobs, as well as ancil-lary businesses, and the preservation of Green
Acres/open spaces.
When the New Jersey Racing Commission ap-proved dates for 2015, there were four nights in November that were under discussion to lift the total Meadowlands schedule from 81 to 85. The track has now agreed to this and, subject to NJRC approval, the fall dates will include two more
weekends in November.
We continue to work with the tracks to reward our New Jersey-sired horses. Towards that end, the Meadowlands will offer the ”Jersey -bred Preferred” program, which includes preference at time of en-try plus a 60 percent bump in the purse for New Jersey-sired horses competing in maiden through
non-winners of four races.
Additionally, the Meadowlands race office will
write two New Jersey-sired and/or owned races each night. We have never endorsed exclusionary practices, but we do think that New Jersey breed-
ing and ownership should be supported.
The Fall Final Four stakes for two-year-olds – the Governor’s Cup, Three Diamonds, Valley Victory and Goldsmith Maid – will return to the Meadow-lands in 2015. The Meadowlands will host these stakes, which were contested at Woodbine in 2014, in the years the track is not the site of the
Breeders Crowns.
As many of you are aware, it took a united effort to relocate the Monica Thors horses, which were re-ceiving improper care. Toward that end, we were pleased to use our contacts to nudge the appropri-ate individuals and departments to take action on a matter that had languished for more than a year. Many individuals and groups are to be applauded for their persistence and big hearts. We were glad
we could help.
If you have noticed a big void in the SBOANJ offices lately, it is because Executive Administrator Leo McNamara is recovering from surgery. We hope to have Leo back soon and hope you all join with us
in wishing him a speedy recovery.
Wishing you all a happy and healthy New Year! We encourage you to support both the Meadowlands and Freehold meets, which open on January 2,
2015.
PACESETTER SBOANJ.COM 3 January/February 2015
TRIXTON NAMED NJ STANDARDBRED & NJSS HORSE OF THE YEAR Hambletonian winner Trixton will receive both the 2014 Secretary of Agriculture’s Trophy as New Jersey Standardbred of the Year as selected by the New Jersey Department of Agriculture and the New Jersey Sire
Stakes Premier Division Horse of the Year Award.
Trixton and Deo Volente Farms, the 2014 New Jersey Breeder of the Year and the trot-ter’s new home, will be among the honorees at the 58th Annual New Jersey Breeders Awards Luncheon at 1 p.m. on January 25, 2015 at Charley’s Other Brother in Eastamp-
ton Township, NJ.
Trixton will begin his career as a stallion in 2015, standing at Deo Volente Farms in
Franklin Township, NJ for a fee of $12,000.
Trixton was one of a trio of stellar three-year-old trotting colts in the stable of Hall of Famer Jimmy Takter in 2014, heading into the prestigious Hambletonian on August 2 at
the Meadowlands. While his stablemates, Father Patrick and Nuncio, seemed like the stronger contenders, it was Trixton who prevailed, with Takter picking up his first Hambletonian as a driver and third as a trainer [Malabar Man in 1997 and Muscle Massive in 2010]. Nuncio was second and Father Patrick made an un-
characteristic break in stride, finishing out of contention.
Trixton’s sire, Muscle Hill, is a son of Muscles Yankee; all three generations are Hambletonian winners and
stallions who have stood in New Jersey.
Trixton’s 2014 victories also included the Good Times, Simpson, Reynolds and Simcoe.
Trixton established the New Jersey Sire Stakes record of 1:52.1 in winning the New Jersey Sire Stakes Pre-mier Division Championship Final for three-year-old trotting colts and geldings in May at the Meadowlands. He was undefeated in New Jersey Sire Stakes competition, also winning a preliminary leg of the Premier
Division.
The New Jersey Sire Stakes Board of Trustees selects its award winner based solely on performances in races for New Jersey-sired horses, including New Jersey Sire Stakes races and other major restricted stakes
for New Jersey-sired horses.
A $360,000 Lexington Selected Sale purchase, the trotter raced for the partnership of Bengt Agerup’s Brix-ton Medical AB of Orsundsbro, Sweden and Christina Takter of East Windsor, NJ. He was bred by Steve H.
Stewart of Paris, KY; Martti Ala-Seppala of Hollola, Finland and John Bootsman of Ekero, Sweden.
In two seasons of racing, Trixton earned $947,057, taking a mark of 1:50.3 and posting 12 wins, two sec-
onds and two thirds in 19 career starts.
Strut My Stuff was named the New Jersey
Sire Stakes Green Acres Horse of the Year.
Strut My Stuff was undefeated in three Green Acres starts at Freehold, including the $25,000 championship final for two-year-old pacing fillies. She established a Green Acres record for her division of 1:55.3 on October
10, 2014 with Jack Baggitt Jr. driving..
The daughter of Western Ideal also won the $59,000 filly division of the Lou Babic. Trained by Ross Croghan for co-owners Let It Ride Stables of Boca Raton, FL and RBH Ven-tures of New York, Strut My Stuff finished the
year with earnings of $52,620.
For tickets to the Breeders Awards luncheon, which are $35 each, contact Kim Tkacs at 609-292-8830.
Photos courtesy of Lisa Photo & World Wide Racing Photos
Strut My Stuff
Trixton
PACESETTER SBOANJ.COM 4 January/February 2015
MEADOWLANDS & FREEHOLD TO SHARE ANNOUNCER WARKENTIN
SERVICES SET FOR FORMER SBOANJ DIRECTOR BILL BUTLER
The Meadowlands and Freehold will be sharing the services of announcer Ken Warkentin in 2015.
Effective January 2, 2015, Ken Warkentin will become the full-time announcer at Freehold Raceway.
Warkentin will remain an integral part of the Meadowlands broadcast team as well as sharing duties with
longtime Meadowlands announcer and host Sam McKee.
“We’re excited to begin our 2015 racing season with an announcer of Ken’s caliber,” said Freehold Raceway General Manger Howard Bruno. “We think our patrons will enjoy having Ken call our races on a daily basis beginning in January. We’re fortunate to be able to work out this arrange-
ment with the Meadowlands.”
Vernon Downs patrons will hear a combination of race callers, including James Witherite, Ken Warkentin and Director of Racing Scott Warren dur-ing the 2015 season. Witherite will also be back as the regular voice of
Tioga Downs.
“We’re blessed to have several talented announcers on staff at the three facilities operated by Jeff Gural,” said Meadowlands CEO -GM Jason M. Set-tlemoir. “Thanks to the work-share agreements now in place, we can maxi-mize opportunities and further utilize our talented line-up to help provide guests with top quality announcers at multiple facilities. We appreciate Freehold Raceway working with us and see it as a win-win for both organi-zations. At anytime during the upcoming year, you could hear Sam McKee, Ken Warkentin, Scott Warren, James Witherite, Darin Zoccali, or myself
calling the races at any of our three properties."
Both Freehold and Meadowlands begin their 2015 seasons on Friday, January 2. Vernon Downs is sched-
uled to open for live racing on April 10.
Ken Warkentin
Wilmer T. “Bill” Butler, a longtime horseman and former Standardbred Breeders & Owners Association of New Jersey director, passed away on Saturday, December 27, 2014 at his home on the family farm in the
Franklin Township community of Asbury, NJ. Butler was 88.
Funeral services will be held Saturday, January 3, 2015 at 11 a.m. at the Devlin Fu-neral Home, 695 Corliss Avenue, Phillipsburg, NJ. Visitation will be Friday, January 2, 2015 from 4 to 7 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to time of services. Burial will
be in Bloomsbury Cemetery in Greenwich Township.
“He had been in failing health of late but still his ebullient self,” said his daughter
Bonnie Butler, mayor of Franklin Township.
Bill Butler served in the Navy during World War II, competed on the rodeo circuit and managed his father’s auto agency on Staten Island before he entered the standard-bred industry through another Staten Island native, Hall of Famer Anthony
Abbatiello.
Butler began driving and training horses in 1962. Among the top horses cam-
paigned by Butler were Straight A by Dale Frost and Butler’s Burner by Oil Burner.
“Dad served on the SBOA Board for about eight years, beginning in the late 1960's and then the late 1970's into the 1990's - about 25 years total,” Dr. Butler said. “He originally got involved to insure that the horsemen had a strong voice and was one of the key people involved in the implementation of the health
insurance and pension program.”
He is survived by two sons Kenneth Scarr and Robert Scarr; daughter Dr. Bonnie Butler; grandchildren, Stream and his wife, Jackie and Sonia; and a great-granddaughter, Mia. His beloved wife of more than 50
years, the former Patricia Duff, passed away June 20, 2005.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Standardbred Retirement Foundation [adoptahorse.org] or
the Franklin Township Fire Company, PO Box 43, Broadway, NJ 08808.
Bill Butler
PACESETTER SBOANJ.COM 5 January/February 2015
ABBATIELLO & SURICK TAKE 2014 MEET TITLES AT FREEHOLD
Eric Abbatiello captured his fifth driving title and Nick Surick claimed his first training title when the 2014 racing season concluded at Freehold Raceway on Saturday, December 13,
2014.
Abbatiello completed the 2014 meet with 190 wins, 185 sec-onds and 134 thirds from 995 starts and earnings of
$719,339.
“It’s been a pleasure to compete at Freehold Raceway and win the driving title the last five years,” Abbatiello said. “A special thanks to all the trainers, owners and grooms who
have given me a chance to compete with their horses.”
Abbatiello, 46, from East Windsor, NJ, has 1,647 career victo-
ries and nearly $11 million in earnings.
The runners-up in the driving competition at Freehold were James Marshall III with 148 wins,
Stephen Smith with 127 and Vincent Ginsburg with 117.
Surick collected 54 training wins during the meet toward his career total of 466. His stable also topped the earnings list with
$199,465.
“Freehold Raceway is synonymous with harness racing, and Freehold is my hometown,” said Surick, 26. “There is no higher honor than one being bestowed on you in your hometown. Win-ning the training title at Freehold Raceway was once a dream;
now it’s a reality.”
Vincent Fusco with 41 wins, Karen Garland with 33 wins and Julius Czermann Jr. with 31 wins were his closest challengers in
the trainers’ race.
The end of the meet also marked the end of the racing career of Newsam, a 14-year-old gelding, who was honored in the win-ner’s circle after he won the second race. He retires with 63
victories, 49 second and 49 thirds from 313 starts, and earnings of $393,732.
He has spent most of his racing career for owner Robin Hess of Burlington, NJ and trainer Ken Hess. His final campaign also produced his most wins in
a year – 10.
Freehold’s live racing sea-son resumes on January 2, 2015 with a 110-date meet. The first qualifiers will be held on Friday, January 2 before switching to Thursday mornings at
9:30 a.m.
Freehold General Manager Howard Bruno and Director of Racing Karen Fagliarone present end of meet awards to Eric Abbatiello [top], Nick Surick [center] and the Newsam crew on closing
day. [Photos by Helene Gregory for World Wide Racing Photos]
Nick Surick
Eric Abbatiello
PACESETTER SBOANJ.COM 6 January/February 2015
NJ BREEDER OF THE YEAR HONORS TO DEO VOLENTE FARMS
The Breeders Committee of the Standardbred Breed-
ers & Owners Association of New Jersey has selected
Michael Gulotta’s Deo Volente Farms as the 2014
New Jersey Standardbred Breeder of the Year.
Deo Volente will be
among the honorees
at the 58th Annual
New Jersey Breeders
Awards Luncheon at 1
p.m. on January 25,
2015 at Charley’s
Other Brother in
Eastampton Township,
NJ.
Deo Volente Farms
features state-of-the-
art accommodations
for stallions, mares
and foals. Currently, it is the home to 37 mares,
25 foals and two stallions. The 120 acres of black-
fenced paddocks and stabling are located in Frank-
lin Township, NJ.
It was the success of a horse named Lis Mara, the
2006 Older Pacer of the Year and earner of more
than $2 million, which led to the purchase of the
land on Quakertown Road, construction of the farm
and the concept of horses supporting a charity
which builds homes in Haiti.
The newest addition to Deo Volente is 2014 Ham-
bletonian winner Trixton, who will make his debut
as a trotting stallion based in New Jersey in 2015.
He will share the four-horse stallion barn at Deo
Volente with pacer If I Can Dream.
In two seasons of racing, Trixton earned $947,057,
taking his mark of 1:50.3 in the Hambletonian.
Trixton is by a Hambletonian winner – Muscle Hill,
whose sire, Muscles Yankee also won harness rac-
ing’s richest and most prestigious trotting event for
three-year-olds.
Trixton will stand for a fee of $12,000 in 2015.
Deo Volente, which is Latin for “God Willing,” is a
showcase facility which opened in 2008, featuring
a striking stone entrance and bronze statuary of a
romping mare and foal.
The cream of the broodmare band includes BJs
Canouan, Electric Fool, See and Be Seen and Yursa
Hanover.
Gulotta was co-breeder of 2013 Three-Year-Old
Pacing Filly of the Year and New Jersey Standard-
bred of the Year I Luv The Nitelife, who retired with
earnings of nearly $2 million. She is out of another
Deo Volente broodmare of note, Lisjune.
Previous New Jersey Breeder of the Year winners
include three-time winner White Birch Farm, two-
time winner Perretti Farms, Valley High Stables,
Southwind Farms, Kentuckiana Farms, Fair Winds
Farm, Walnridge Farm and Heritage Hill Farms.
2015 PAYMENT SCHEDULE FOR
SBOANJ SPONSORED STAKES
Mike Gulotta
Deo Volente Farms
PACESETTER SBOANJ.COM 7 January/February 2015
A total of 195 standardbred racing dates for 2015 will be
contested in New Jersey, with 110 dates at Freehold and
85 dates at the Meadowlands.
Four of the Meadowlands dates were not in the original
allocation and will be addressed at the New Jersey Racing
Commission meeting on January 14, 2015.
The Meadowlands schedule will begin on January 2 and
run through August 8 on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays
through February 28 and Fridays and Saturdays from
March 6 through August 8.
The fall meet (subject to approval) will take place on No-
vember 13-14, November 20-21, November 27-28, De-
cember 4-5, December 11-12, December 18-19 and De-
cember 26.
Post time at the Meadowlands will be 7:15 p.m. except
for 12 noon on Hambletonian Day, August 8 and 5:30
p.m. on May 2 and July 11.
Freehold’s two meets run from January 2 through May 16
and September 4 through December 12.
Racing days at Freehold will be Mondays, Thursdays, Fri-
days and Saturdays in January and February [dark on
Monday, February 23]; Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays
from March 5 to May 16 and also September 4 through
December 12 [Dark on Thursday, November 26] with live
racing on Labor Day, Monday, September 7.
Post time at Freehold is 12:30 p.m.
Thoroughbred racing dates were awarded to Atlantic City
Racecourse and Monmouth Park.
Atlantic City’s six dates of racing are April 23, 24, 25, 26,
28 and 29. Post time is 3 p.m.
Monmouth Park’s 49 -day season will run from May 9
through September 7, post time of 12:50 p.m. The Mon-
mouth schedule will be Saturdays and Sundays for May 9
through June 28 [plus Monday, May 25 and Friday, June
26] and then Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from July 3
through September 6 [plus Labor Day, September 7].
The issue of racing Monmouth Park thoroughbred dates
on the Meadowlands turf course was tabled until the Janu-
ary meeting of the NJRC.
HARNESS DATES FOR 2015 ANNOUNCED
HONORS ANNOUNCED FOR TAKTER, JOHANSSON & GINGRAS For the fourth time in his Hall of Fame career, Jimmy Takter is the Dan Patch Trainer of the Year as voted upon by the members of the United
States Harness Writers Association (USHWA).
Yannick Gingras, who led all drivers in purses this season with more
than $17 million, was named Driver of the Year.
Nancy Takter Johansson, trainer of Horse of the Year JK She’salady, was
voted USHWA’s Rising Star Award.
All three are based in New Jersey; Takter lives in East Windsor while Gin-
gras and Johansson reside in Allentown.
Takter received 84 of 140 votes for Trainer of the Year, finishing ahead of Ron Burke, who got 56 votes. Gingras was the only driver nominated
for Driver of the Year by USHWA’s chapters.
Takter’s stable earned a career -best $13.3 million, for an average of more than $18,300 per start thanks, in part, to victories by Trixton in
the Hambletonian and Lifetime Pursuit in the Hambletonian Oaks. Takter joined Jan Johnson (1988) as
only the second trainer to win both races in the same year.
The Takter-trained Nuncio swept the remaining two legs of the trotting Triple
Crown, the Kentucky Futurity and Yonkers Trot.
Takter, 54, also picked up three Breeders Crown trophies and Dan Patch divi-sional awards with two-year-old male trotter Pinkman, three-year-old male trotter Father Patrick, and three-year-old female trotter Shake It Cerry, who
was also honored as Trotter of the Year.
Takter dominated the 2014 three-year-old trotting ranks as he had the top three money-earning colts (Father Patrick, $1.69 million, Nuncio, $1.45 mil-lion and Trixton, $893,370) and the top two money-earning fillies (Shake It
Cerry, $1.23 million and Lifetime Pursuit, $795,216).
Takter’s previous Trainer of the Year honors came in 2010, 2000 and 1996.
Johansson, the 33-year-old mother of two, wife of Marcus since 2003 and daughter of Jimmy and Christina Takter, guided the career of JK She’salady to a perfect season of 12 wins in 12 starts for earnings of $883,330. JK She’salady became the first two -
year-old pacing filly to win the title of Horse of the Year.
Overall, the Johansson Stable banked $1.6 million with 32 wins, 20 seconds
and 20 thirds from 162 starts.
The 35-year-old Gingras established career highs in purses, with nearly $17.3
million, and wins, with 555.
His earnings led all drivers in North America and were more than $5 million ahead of second place. Never in history has a driver finished at least $5 million in front of his nearest competitor. In addition, Gingras’ purses were fourth high-
est in history for a driver.
Gingras won four Breeders Crown titles, victories that were among 15 triumphs in stakes worth more than $300,000 this year. Those 15 lucrative wins came with nine different horses and included in the Canadian Trotting Classic, Ham-
bletonian Oaks, Little Brown Jug and Cane Pace.
A native of Quebec, Gingras was USHWA’s 2003 Rising Star Award winner.
The Dan Patch Awards banquet will be held Sunday, February 22, 2015 at the Doubletree Hilton Orlando at Sea World. For more information on the banquet,
hotel reservations and the ad journal, visit www.ushwa.org.
Yannick Gingras
Nancy Johansson & Jimmy Takter
Johansson with “Lady”