Frontier Red a bay more brown than blood when shrouded by sweat and twilight only occasionally sparkling when she passes under the burning floodlights most of the time the winner trots back easily, head held high a quarter-mile victory stroll she laboured back, dragging her empty rear hooves behind her hanging her head, bobbing it... Continue Reading →
Illinois Harness Horsemen’s Association: Harness racing is all in the family for trainer-breeder Brian Judy
For my latest for the Illinois Harness Horsemen's Association, I sat down to talk with trainer-breeder Brian Judy, whose Frontier Elsa has been rounding into beautiful form at Hawthorne this summer. We talked about how he and his father got into the game, about his stable of homebreds,a nd about his training at his family's farm... Continue Reading →
Fox Valley Gemini keeps on winning
Fox Valley Gemini is a star. The Illinois-bred three-year-old pacer is undefeated in his fifteen-race career, and is going for win number 16 tonight in the third leg of the Carey at Hawthorne. In my latest for the Illinois Harness Horseman's Association, I look at his win streak, a few other harness racing win streaks... Continue Reading →
Illinois Harness Horsemen’s Association: Laurie Price-Chapman Stays Connected To Dad
In the eighth race at Hawthorne on May 10, Allaboutme Hanover drove clear to win by two and a half lengths. It was his first win of the year, and his third since entering the care of owner Laurie Price-Chapman and her late father Duncan Price. When they first got Allaboutme Hanover, there was... Continue Reading →
Illinois Harness Horsemen’s Association: Work Day Morning at Hawthorne
For my latest piece for the Illinois Harness Horsemen's Association, I headed out to Hawthorne on a day with no racing...and yet, it was still a day with plenty of horses, and plenty of action. Relive my morning right here.
Illinois Harness Horsemen’s Association: Amanda Mills and Silver Romeo Team Up
This summer, I'm back to writing about harness racing at Hawthorne! And, in my first article of the summer meet, I talk to trainer Amanda Mills about her career in harness racing, and about a big, stunning grey in her barn, Silver Romeo.
closing out the harness meet at Hawthorne
The harness racing meet at Hawthorne has drawn to a close. I'll be back writing for the Illinois Harness Horsemen's Association come the summer meet, but before we move on to thoroughbreds at 35th and Cicero, let's visit my last pair of pieces from the winter meet. For both, I talked to drivers, but they... Continue Reading →
Illinois Harness Horsemen’s Association: Casey Leonard Remains Connected to Training
If you’re a new follower of the Chicago harness racing circuit, one of the first things you learn is that driver Casey Leonard wins a lot of races. A perennial driving champion in Illinois, he enters the second-to-last week of the Hawthorne meet with 28 wins, the most of any driver. Even as he reigns... Continue Reading →
Illinois Harness Horsemen’s Association: Sweetshadyshark Thrills New Owners
In Saturday night’s second race at Hawthorne, few people expected five-year-old mare Sweetshadyshark to make an impact: she went off the longest shot in the eight-horse field, at 28/1. Sitting last through the early stages of the race, she picked off horses while wide through the far turn, and found another gear in the stretch... Continue Reading →
Illinois Harness Horsemen’s Association: Kimberly Roth, “The Horses are Everything.”
In my latest piece for the IHHA, I talk to trainer Kimberly Roth about how she got into harness racing, why she has made it her life, and some of the horses who have been particularly special during her years in the sport. Read my piece, and get to know her!
A Conversation With Driver Kyle Wilfong
For my latest at the Illinois Harness Horsemen's Association, I sat down for a chat with driver Kyle Wilfong after his dominant five-win day on Sunday. We talked about his background in harness racing, what he finds so compelling about the sport, and about some of the most memorable horses in his lifetime in the... Continue Reading →
Stable vs. Stable!
In my first piece for the Illinois Harness Horsemen's Association, I sit down for a chat with trainer Payton Ode about an idea that has grown into something seriously exciting: Stable vs. Stable! It started as a challenge to his friends to come out to the racetrack...and it has grown beyond his own barn and... Continue Reading →
Picks and Ponderings: Harness Racing, Up Close
Yesterday I went out to Hawthorne. Before the races, I got the chance to meet trainers Angie Coleman and Rob Rittof, talk a bit about harness racing, and learn firsthand what it's like to drive a Standardbred Head over to Picks and Ponderings, and read about a day at the track that I'll never forget.
learning.
My goal for January was to become conversant about harness racing. The vast majority of my racing exposure has been thoroughbreds. Growing up, the only races I ever watched were the Triple Crown. I eventually realised that there was more to racing than a few big three-year-old races in May and June. Eventually, the racing... Continue Reading →
the luckiest guess
Before today, I had never bet a harness race, and I had never bet a high five. At Hawthorne yesterday, people could not stop talking about the nightcap at Woodbine Harness. The $0.20 jackpot high five had a $847,458.26 carryover and a mandatory payout. One of the people who told me about the bet pointed... Continue Reading →
