Mike Murphy, Jacob Fox, a banana peel, and amateur clubs
by John Berry
One of the joys of harness racing is the conglomerate of horsemen one meets over the years.
Back 43 years ago, I was lucky enough to meet Mike Murphy at Pompano Park.
Of course, times have changed over those many years and, back then, Mike was kind enough to introduce me to one Top Line Collins, p, 4, 2:03.1 — $23,046.
He was “bred to be a good one,” as they say, and Murphy loaned him to me for a media race at Pompano Park where he cut perfectly rated fractions — if I do say so myself — :32, 1:05.1, and 1:38 and a piece on the front end before he was mercilessly passed like he was standing still around the final bend and finished third.
I joked with Murphy the next morning when trackman Ted Malloy said he found a bit lying on the track near the three-quarter pole and I said, “That’s where Top Line Collins spit his out!”
Anyhow, Murphy has had some good news over the years… like Four Socks and Tater Twister and Just For Trix, the only sub-1:50 trotter of a few seasons back.
He is 80 years young these days, having been given the second chance at life by his non-blood grandson, Jacob (J.W.) Fox, who, despite tote-board odds of 1,000,000 to one, had a matching kidney to donate to grandpa, which he did.
This led to yet another life-saving moment in late 2022 when Fox plucked the pacer, Feelin Lika Winner, off a kill pen truck, sent him over to grandpa, who nursed him back to health and won another $25,000 in just a couple of months, sending his career earnings to $632,7511 in 311 starts with 50 wins to go along with a mark of 1:49.2.
As Murphy lamented, “Horses give their heart and soul to you during their racing careers and should not be tossed away like a banana peel.”
Those words seemed too profound to toss them away like a banana peel, as well.
That’s why Murphy found Feelin Lika Winner a retirement home at the Kentucky Horse Park, where he’s living the life of luxury he deserves.
That’s the happy part.
Years prior, an equine rescue team had taken a trotting horse — a horse, not a gelding — that had a 2-year-old mark of under 1:54 with earnings over $150,000.
The horse was said to be in emaciated condition with the rescue farm accepting the horse into its program for much needed care, which it began to receive.
Here’s where amateur clubs can play an important role in mitigating horse slaughter.
These clubs, whose members donate 100 per cent of their earnings driving in their events for charitable distribution, play a significant role in saving the lives of our standardbreds and every racetrack holding pari-mutuel events should feature these events, as it gives the sport a chance to bring harness racing to the forefront with new participants coming to the track with backstretch tours, starting gate rides, visits to the announcer’s booth and, most importantly, donations to rescue organizations such as the Standardbred Retirement Foundation, After The Finish Line, Equine Assisted Therapies, Bit-By-Bit, American Horse Rescue Network, Equine Advocates Rescue, Peaceful Ridge Rescue, Vinceremos Therapeutic Riding Center, New Vocations, Rocking T Equine Sanctuary, Therapeutic Riding Center, Safe Harbor Sanctuary, Redemption Ranch, Volunteer Equine Advocates, Tomorrow’s Rainbow, Cassidy’s Cause, and Steele Magnolia Sanctuary.
The United States Harness Driving Club, as an example, has been donating to places like these for three decades with several more donations scheduled in the near future.
USHDC president Dein Spriggs and treasurer Tom Eichas carefully map out a plan to make certain that our standardbred horses receive their just reward when their racing days are complete.
“We can only do so much,” they echoed in unison, “but we and our members do all we can do, as do the other clubs around the country.”
Not only do these emporiums save horses, many offer therapeutic benefits to children from 2 years old to 92 years old, assisting in rehabilitation efforts from a number of maladies that can affect us both physically and mentally.
In other words, our standardbred horses can serve humanity in so many ways once their racing days are history.
Today, Feelin Lika Winner is enjoying his years at The Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington.
They treat him like a champion there.
Won The West ($3,939,836) is there, too.
So is Mr Muscleman ($3,582,823) and Marion Marauder ($3,392,609).
The steeplechase champion Andi’Amu is a Park resident, as is the thoroughbred Roy H, a Breeders Cup Sprint winner of $3,139,765.
They are just a few of the legends, and they do not have to be legends to spend their lives in luxury, as Feelin Lika Winner, plucked off of a kill pen truck, has proven, although he’s a champion in the eyes of Murphy and Fox.
Murphy has some other retirees at the park, as well, unless they are giving some kids the rides of their lives at a farm in Sadieville.
Murphy then shook his head and said, “They sure don’t deserve to be thrown away like a banana peel.”
May The Horse Be With You!
