Foiled Again, the richest horse ever, and Wiggle It Jiggleit, the richest pacer over two seasons, have very different bios entering their five-year-old seasons.

Foiled Again was 67 20-13-7 $396,678 coming off a four-year-old season where his record was 13-8-2 in 40 starts, $337,139.

WIJI comes off a Horse of the Year season and a HOY runnerup season and is 38-for-51 lifetime with over $3.9 million earned. That’s 10 times what Foiled Again had at a similar stage. Of course, Foiled Again then embarked on the most remarkable seasons, combined, in harness racing history from ages five through 12.

Can anyone remember…

… another $3 million plus winner, other than Nuncio, that has had three different trainers? Nuncio was trained by Jim Oscarsson at two, Jimmy Takter at three and Stefan Melander at four.

Most votes ever?

What is the most votes an horse has ever earned in any year-end balloting?

In 1982, Three Diamonds earned 304 votes in the sophomore pacing filly division. In 1985, On The Road Again garnered 303 votes in the older male pacer group.

Most amazing three-peats

Some of the most amazing three-peats ever include:
• Moni Maker winning the Nat Ray (Cashman) in all three appearances 1997-1998, 2000 and setting her lifetime mark of 1:52.1 in her last.
• Jimmy Takter having three straight HOY titles 1997-1999 with two different horses — Malabar Man, plus Moni Maker, twice.
• Glen Garnsey winning his first three drives in the Hambletonian Oaks, and it coincided with the race’s inauguration: 1971 Gay Blossom, 1973 Colonial Charm and 1974 Berna Hanover.
• Stanley Dancer’s three Triple Crowns. No one else has more than one. Dancer won in 1968 with Nevele Pride, 1970 with Most Happy Fella and 1972 with Super Bowl.
• Bret Hanover and Nevele Pride going back-to-back winning Horse of the Year all three years they were on track 1964-1969.
• Takter sending out the three Hambletonian favorites in 2014 — Father Patrick, Nuncio and Trixton.

Remembering Slapstick

The good stuff: Slapstick was seven-for-seven entering the first ever $2 million race and went off the heavy favorite in 1980, finishing fifth. Then, in 1981, he was John Campbell’s first ever Meadowlands Pace drive (finishing fourth).
Now, the not so great stuff. After starting his career a perfect seven-for-seven, he then went five-for-25 and wound up at $471,000 lifetime.

Oh, wait. There is some more good stuff. He sired, from his first crop, the 1985 Woodrow Wilson winner Grade One and gave Ray Remmen the richest driving win of his career ($1.4 million).

Quiz

Q. Which race debuted at over $1 million the first two years it was held and was not held the third year?

A. The Governor’s Cup. In 1985, the $1,357,500 edition was won by Barberry Spur. In 1986, the $1,513,500 contest was won by Redskin. The race was not contested in 1987, but resumed in 1988 with How Bout It winning for Tommy Haughton for a purse of $750,000. Garden State Park was the original host

Marion’s mom

Marion Marauder’s dam, Spellbound Hanover, is owned by William Mulligan. The daughter of Donerail was11-for-15 as a two-year-old in 2000, good for $748,346, which was $67,549 more than Syrinx Hanover). Bill Popfinger trained Spellbound Hanover.

Never give up

Stanley Dancer, the only man with three Triple Crowns to his credit, started his Hambletonian career finishing 16th, 11th, 11th and 16th in his first four appearances.

In case you forgot

Award-winning Marvin Katz, now known as a trotting breeder-owner extraordinaire, won the 1993 Breeders Crown at Freehold for pacers with Expensive Scooter. Guess who else was in that race? Cams Card Shark.
Eight (dozen) is enough

Eight times the winner of the Horse of the Year trophy has finished his/her award-winning season with 12 wins. It is the most common number of victories for the 70 who have been so honored. Always B Miki’s 12-for-18 season is the latest. The others were:

2014 — J K She’s A Lady 12-for-12
2009 — Muscle Hill 12-for-12
2005 — Rocknroll Hanover 12-for-18
1998 — Moni Maker 12-for-17
1960 — Adios Butler 12-for-17
1948 — Rodney 12-for-13
1947 — Victory Song 12-for-20

My three sons

Western Hanover earned $2,541,647, but three of his sons are all bunched together on the all-time earnings list. Well Said ($2,569,342), Clear Vision ($2.554 million) and We Will See ($2,549,409)

Like father, like son?

Walner and Chapter Seven. Both came from first crops.

Both were 7-for-8 at two. Both raced for Linda Toscano.

Can Walner follow in dad’s footsteps and be a back-to-back Breeders Crown winner at three and four and HOY along the way, too?