Names, numbers, and news

by Bob Heyden

It’s always good to kick off the new year with a toast to the past and look to the future.

GIRL POWER

The first dozen years at The Meadowlands (1976-87) saw female drivers win a total of 46 races: JoAnn Looney (19), Susan Looney (11), Bonnie Butler (six), Jacqueline Ingrassia (five), Gail Coppersmith (two), Linda McNatt (two), and Karen Fekete (one). Lauren Tritton won 29 all by herself in 2025, the No. 1 single season ever posted at The Meadowlands.

BOARD GAME

Chris Ryder has not missed the board with Miki And Minnie and Twin B Joe Fresh in the past two seasons. They are a combined 48 36-10-2 with $3,439,187.

7 WAS HEAVEN, WILL 8 BE GREAT?

Lexus Kody, now 8, was the only 2025 earner in the top 43 as old as 7 ($1,317,651). Fourteen years prior, in 2011, another Burke-trained 7-year-old led the way in earnings on the pace. His name? Foiled Again. He went 14-6-5, in 28 starts that year with $1,405,707.

TOP-NOTCH NONAGENARIANS

Can this be right? Yes, it’s true, both Carmine Abbatiello and Berndt Lindstedt will turn 90 this year. Abbatiello, “the Red Man,” in May and “Gentleman Bernie” Lindstedt in July.

HARD SIX?

Back to Lexus Kody. He is trying to become the sixth Horse of the Year to do so despite double-digit losses (21 11-3-4, $1,317,651). It last happened a quarter century ago in 2000 when Gallo Blue Chip posted a 29 19-5-1, $2,428,816 money record single-season. Oddly, the other four times this occurred all happened in the 1970s: 1970: Fresh Yankee 31 20-11-0, $359,002; 1974: Delmonica Hanover 17 5-4-1, $252,165; 1976: Keystone Ore 33 22-9-1, $539,759, and 1978: Abercrombie 33 22-6-3, $703,260.

Note: Delmonica Hanover was actually off the board in 41.2 per cent of her races, the high-water mark for any HOY.

HAMBLETONIAN HAPPENINGS

This year, 2026, marks 40 years since the first New Jersey-bred won a Hambletonian: Nuclear Kosmos a son of Speedy Somolli. But what about the Hambletonian? Uncertainty is absolutely in the air going forward. With 100 editions in the books, is its time in New Jersey destined to be a post-script of some kind or will it rally and maintain its status and its international prominence? Stay tuned.

FUTURE PLAN

In a future article my plan is to go in-depth on the year of 1972. In my opinion, the greatest/most interesting year for harness racing ever. Here’s one reason why: No other year since 1947, when we started honoring the best in the business with Horse of the Year, saw a mind-boggling all-time-best five past, current, or future Horses of the Year in action all in one year. Fresh Yankee (1970 HOY) was winding down her career as the very first North American-bred millionaire. Albatross (1971 HOY) would repeat in 1972 as the sport’s first $1 million winner combined in 1971-72. Horse of the Year-to-be Sir Dalrae (1973) debuted on the racetrack in 1972, a year away from his peak HOY season. Delmonica Hanover (1974 HOY) was second best in the 1972 Hambletonian and just kept getting better until taking down the hardware at age 5. Savoir (1975 HOY) was the 1971 Hambletonian runner-up and four years later he was voted HOY edging out pacing filly sensation Silk Stockings 52-49. Five Horses of the Year in action in one season representing six different seasons.