In this final edition, an inside look at champion 3-year-olds Nijinsky and Its A Love Thing.

by Matthew Lomon

Part 1 is here.

Part 2 ishere.

Ontario-sired horses had their hoofprints all over the 2024 O’Brien Awards, claiming seven of the 13 award categories, including the Somebeachsomewhere Horse of the Year (Chantilly).

Making up the Ontario-sired septet are the aforementioned Chantilly (2-Year-Old Filly Pacer, Somebeachsomewhere Horse of the Year), Monalishi (2-Year-Old Filly Trotter), Stonebridge Wizard (2-Year-Old Colt Pacer), Willys Home Run (3-Year-Old Filly Trotter), Logan Park (Older Horse Trotter), Nijinsky (3-Year-Old Colt Pacer), and Its A Love Thing (3-Year-Old Filly Pacer).

All Over Ontario highlighted Monalishi and Stonebridge Wizard in the inaugural edition of this three-part series before featuring the full-sibling duo of Willys Home Run and Logan Park last week in Part 2.

Our commemoration of the finest Ontario-sired stars to grace the racetrack in 2024 makes its final stop this week with the thriving 3-year-old tandem of Nijinsky and Its A Love Thing.

Under the tutelage of top trainer Anthony Beaton, Nijinsky made tremendous strides in his sophomore season, finding the winner’s circle in 11 of 17 starts (11-4-0; $1,665,887 banked) en route to the title of 3-Year-Old Pacing Colt of the Year.

It was an impressive uptick in performance for the son of Bettors Delight—Pirouette Hanover, who managed one win across 10 starts as a freshman.

The talent, and speed, specifically, was “always there” according to Beaton. Translating it onto the racetrack, however, needed time.

“He’d make mistakes leaving the gate, but he just wanted to go too fast,” said Beaton, reflecting on Nijinsky’s rambunctious 2-year-old traits.

“We had to baby him, but as the year went on, he matured some and you could utilize a little bit of speed off the gate. We chose to teach him how to race more than anything.”

Despite the learning curve, Nijinsky still showed flashes of his immense potential during his adventurous maiden campaign.

“He showed huge last quarters, but he’d be so far back out of the race that he was a prisoner of the pace,” said Beaton. “He always had to make up so much ground down the lane.”

Even while playing catch up, Nijinsky netted six top three finishes as a rookie, including a pair of seconds in Ontario Sires Stakes Gold contests.

Primed for a breakout showing, the enigmatic bay pacer returned for his 3-year-old year a new man.

“He was like a different horse,” said Beaton. “He was so mature and grown up compared to where he was as a 2-year-old, and it showed.

“Leaving the gate, you could push forward with him rather than get away at the back. He showed a huge turn of foot where if he could mature and get away up near the front, he could possibly be a much more valuable horse. He proved that in spades last year.”

Nijinsky delivered his foremost of several first-class efforts in the 41st edition of the $1 million Pepsi North America Cup on June 15 at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

Competing alongside stablemate, and fellow finalist in the 3-Year-Old Colt Pacer category Legendary Hanover, Nijinsky and driver Louis-Philippe Roy followed their teammate in tow while Beaton, who juggled focus between his two trainees, watched intently from the sidelines.

“I knew Legendary would get us as far as we had to go,” said Beaton. “If he couldn’t get there himself, he was going to tow Nijinsky right up into it and give us an honest shot.

“We just hoped Louis [Philippe Roy] didn’t fall off when he hit three wide, and the rest was history. He paced straight through the wire and won relatively comfortably that night.”

A noble fourth from Legendary Hanover paved the way for his old pal Nijinsky to cross the finish line 1½ lengths ahead of 5-2 choice Captains Quarters for the ultimate score.

While the sweat wasn’t nearly as intense for Beaton on O’Brien Awards night, the honor was equally as gratifying.

“There’s a lot of the behind the scenes work that goes into one of these horses,” he said. “We’re very fortunate that we have one as talented to be up for a year-end award. The fact we had two was quite a feat to remember.”

Looking ahead, Nijinsky — who recently started ramping up and is in great shape mentally and physically, Beaton said — will be tasked with continuing the standard of excellence set by not one but two of his veteran stablemates in Legendary Hanover and Linedrive Hanover.

The former, and 2024 Meadowlands Pace champion, went to stud after collecting 12 wins and nearly $1.5 million in prize money, while the latter retired after 44 starts, 18 wins, and $806,000-plus in earnings.

A repeat of last year would certainly go a long way in helping that cause, but simply having another year of Nijinsky is a win in itself.

“He’s a fun horse to be around and a special horse to have at the barn,” said Beaton. “I’m very fortunate that we got him back this year.”

Its A Love Thing’s path to O’Brien glory also started out slightly bumpy vis-à-vis learning the mechanics of racing.

“She was a little bit hard to get gaited early on,” said trainer Dave Menary. “Pacing-wise, she struggled into the middle of November.”

But, as Menary continued, “Once she got it, she just really got it. Training down, I thought this is maybe one of the best mares I’ve ever had.”

The veteran conditioner’s intuition was on point, as the daughter of Bettors Delight—Love For Sail excelled as a rookie (six wins, including the Shes A Great Lady, from 12 starts) before reaching the top of her class as a sophomore.

Its A Love Thing took home the hardware in the 3-Year-Old Filly Pacer category after finishing as runner-up to her stablemate Pass Line for the same 2-year-old award in 2023.

The bay collected seven wins from 14 starts, landing in the money each time, for a collective earnings figure of $843,884.

“To have an Ontario-sired filly win the biggest grand circuit race at 2 and 3 [Fan Hanover] is a pretty special honor,” said Menary. “She’s just been a highlight reel all the way along. She’s a once in a lifetime horse and a real franchise player.”

The Fan Hanover effort on June 15 was particularly memorable for Menary’s star pupil, who demonstrated incredible versatility while recording a lifetime best of 1:48.2, equaling the Canadian division record.

“She did it the hard way,” said Menary. “For a big horse like her, the rail wasn’t an ideal spot. She made [driver] James [MacDonald] and I look pretty good.

“She came first up and the other top fillies in the race all had good trips; she really earned it. She was on her game that day.”

The race, which sparked a subsequent stretch of four straight trips to the winner’s circle, also provided a crucial moment of validation for Menary.

“At 3, you always worry if they’re going to come back as good,” said Menary. “All winter long, I was focused on keeping her healthy and quiet. I didn’t train her down as hard as I usually would a top 3-year-old.”

Its A Love Thing’s determined showing punctuated the rare spirit her conditioner saw in her first start of the season.

“The first time I took her into Mohawk [in 2024], James moved her over and she exploded,” said Menary. “I teared up. We waited all winter for that.

“The good ones are pretty special.”

Adding a touch of inspiration to Its A Love Thing’s already splendid story is that she accomplished all this while only having one eye.

Despite what might turn some prospective investors away, Menary was all in on the powerful pacer at the 2022 Lexington Sale.

“I had seen her at Kentuckiana Farms about a week before,” said Menary. “The day before she was going to sell, Josh Green [co-owner] phoned me up and said, ‘What would you think about a filly with one eye?’ I said, ‘Are you talking about the Bettors Delight filly from Kentuckiana?’ He said, ‘Yeah,’ and I said, ‘I love that filly.’”

Menary and Its A Love Thing have since made the perfect pair.

Heading into 2025 — their third season together — Menary has high hopes for his hand-picked racehorse, who has answered the bell every step of the way.

“She’s going to have to up her game to deal with a horse like Twin B Joe Fresh,” he said. “Hopefully, we’ve come back even bigger and stronger and dance in the big dances and be right on the big days.

“She was really good at 2. I think she was even better at 3. Hopefully, that trend continues and she’s even better at 4.”