Congratulations to all of tonight s Dan Patch Award winners & other honorees! Presented by The Indiana Standardbred Association & its directors are proud sponsors of the Dan Patch Awards Dinner! ISA Board of Director Members Jeff Cullipher ~ Jack Kieninger ~ Joe Putnam Joe Essig, Jr. ~ Ross Leonard ~ Doug Rideout Chad Gooding ~ Mike Merkel ~ Jacob Smith Nat Hill, IV ~ Alvin Miller ~ John Tanner Susan Askren ~ Richard Keaton ~ Dennis Petty Lisa Krise, Office Manager Kristi Comstock, Benevolence Administrator Joe Thompson, Horsemen s Representative INDIANA STANDARDBRED ASSOCIATION 311 American Legion Place, Greenfield, IN 46140 800-565-5725 www.indianaharness.com Email: isaracing@sbcglobal.net 1
ALL ACES The trip to Vegas was a winner for the owners of these Standardbred Horse Sales Company graduates BETTING LINE 3-YEAR-OLD PACING COLT OF THE YEAR Harrisburg Yearling Sale Graduate HANNELORE HANOVER OLDER TROTTING MARE OF THE YEAR Harrisburg Yearling Sale Graduate OBRIGADO OLDER TROTTING HORSE OF THE YEAR Harrisburg Mixed Sale Graduate Congratulations to all of tonight s award winners. P.O. Box 339, Hanover, PA 17331 (717) 637-8931 Fax (717) 637-6766 www.theblackbook.com GSI, LLC Photos: New Image Media, Michael Lisa/Lisa Photo 2
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Congratulations to Brian Sears on being elected to the Hall of Fame! The Standardbred Owners Association of New York Joe Faraldo, President Peter J. Venaglia, 1st Vice President Irv Atherton, Treasurer, 2nd Vice President John Brennan, Secretary, 3rd Vice President Alex Dadoyan, Executive Director Tyler Buter Michael Forte Edward Fucci Henry Gargiulo Sandra Kaufman Michael Kimelman Stanley Noga Ray Schnittker Jordan Stratton Chris Wittstruck Peter Younger 4
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Congratulations to all the winners of the Dan Patch Awards. 6
Tim Bojarski s President s Message On behalf of all the members of the United States Harness Writers Association, I would like to welcome everyone who has gathered here tonight to honor the best of harness racing for 2016. For the 70 years our organization has been in existence, we have been the sole proprietors of these year-end awards and are proud to once again host the best in our sport. USHWA was once an organization of writers whose goal was to spread awareness of harness racing to the sporting world. Today, our 224 members are multi-talented communication professionals whose aptitudes include writing, photography, video, art, layout and design, on-air reporting and all platforms of social media. But our mission hasn t changed: everyone is pointed towards presenting our sport in the most positive light possible to every potential follower we can engage. The great accomplishments of the people and horses we will laud tonight are just a sampling of the thousands of men and women who work tirelessly all year to make our industry great. Their commitment to the proliferation of the Standardbred helps the breed continue to evolve and our game to remain vital. We should all be grateful for their efforts. Presented by The would not be possible without the support of all our guests and benefactors who so graciously partner with us. By purchasing tickets and ads, and by underwriting the various activities of the weekend through sponsorships, USH- WA is empowered to produce the finest evening of entertainment possible and for that, we thank you. So without further ado, let s enjoy the camaraderie of our fellow horse people, grab a cocktail and join in a toast as we salute all the human and equine harness racing stars of 2016. Tim Bojarski USHWA President 7
BANQUET HOSTS Emily Gaskin joined the team at Hoosier Park Racing & Casino in 2012 and currently serves as the race marketing manager, commentator and publicist. The Pendleton, IN resident was awarded the Lew Barasch Breakthrough Award in 2014. Gaskin graduated from the University of Kentucky with a degree in agricultural communication, and interned at The Horseman and Fair World and was a reporter for Harness Racing Update. Gaskin s parents, Ernie and Darla Gaskin, are longtime participants in the sport. The Gaskin Family owns and operates Crimson Lane, a training center south of Hoosier Park. Track announcer and television host Roger Huston is a member of seven Halls of Fame, including harness racing s Communicators Corner. He has called more than 173,000 races at 138 tracks in 17 states and eight countries. He has been the track announcer at The Meadows for 41 years and host of that track s live television broadcast of the races for 35 years. Huston called his first race at a 1960 Ohio county fair and called his first Little Brown Jug in 1969. Admired for his race calling enthusiasm, he may be equally well known for his rings he wears eight at a time, bejeweling every finger but his thumbs. Dave Little discovered a fascination with harness racing while formatting race results from Monticello Raceway for his job at New Jersey s Bergen Record in 1977. In the four decades since, Little served as harness handicapper at the New York Post from 1986 to 1990~in the fall of 1986 he once picked the winners of all nine races on a Roosevelt Raceway matinee card~and was racing editor, handicapper and columnist at the New York Daily News from 1991 to 2015. Currently, Little serves as copy editor for the Clyde Hirt Journalism Workshop, as a writer for HarnessRacingUpdate.com and the race caller at both Goshen s Historic Track and the Orleans County Fair in Barton, VT. Heather Vitale is a third-generation harness horse person. Although she grew up enjoying the hands-on experience of working in the barn, the licensed trainer found her forte in the sport to be through the avenue of publicity. The charismatic personality has hosted two popular weekly television shows - Post Time and PA Harness Week. Vitale has also covered the sport on espn2, CBS-SN and MAV-TV. Her unconventional interviews and attitude has brought a unique sparkle to the sport and grabbed the attention of new fans. Heather Wilder has the pedigree to be a positive force for harness racing, as the daughter of trainer Dan Altmeyer and wife of The Meadows driver Mike Wilder. These talents led to her to fill the newly-created role of director of public relations and marketing for the Meadows Standardbred Owners Association. With the creation of Altmeyer Wilder Racing Stable, she looks to promote harness racing through social media outlets as well as fractional ownership opportunities. 8
TABLE OF CONTENTS 7...President s Welcome 8...Masters of Ceremonies Introduction 9...Table of Contents 10...Grand Circuit Top Driver~Yannick Gingras 10...Grand Circuit Top Trainer~Ronnie Burke 10...Grand Circuit Top Owner~Burke Racing Stable 11...HHI Clyde Hirt Media Awards~Tom Cassidy & Roger Huston 11...HHI Dominic Frinzi Man of the Year Award~George Teague, Jr. 12...HHI Appreciation Award~Chaplain Lee Alphen 12...HHI Lifetime Achievement Awards~Mike Izzo & Leo McNamara 13...HHYF Service to Youth Award~Dr. Patty Hogan 14...Hard Rock Rocksino Caretaker of the Year Award~Justin MacEachern 15...John Hervey Awards~Dave Briggs and Melissa Keith & Keith McCalmont 15...George Smallsreed Awards~Mark Hall & Clive Cohen 15...John Hervey Broadcasting Award~Heather Vitale & Bruce Casella 16...January Davies Humanitarian Award~Christine Czernyson 17...USTA & USHWA National Dash Winning Driver~Aaron Merriman 18...USHWA President s Award~New Vocations 18...Alan Prince USHWAn of the Year~Thomas Hicks 18...Amateur Driver of the Year~Hannah Miller 19...Trotting Broodmare of the Year~Cantab It All 19...Pacing Broodmare of the Year~Artstopper 19...Breeder of the Year~Marvin Katz & Al Libfeld 20...Lee Anne Pooler Memorial Unsung Hero Award~Barbara Brooks 20...W.R. Haughton Good Guy Award~George Teague, Jr 21...Lew Barasch Breakthrough Award~Allison Conte 21...Rising Star Award~Marcus Miller 22...Driver of the Year~David Miller 23...Glen Garnsey Trainer of the Year~Jimmy Takter 24...Norman Woolworth Owner of the Year~Jean Wellwood & Devin Keeling 25...Stan Bergstein-Proximity Award~Team Teague 26...Communicators Hall of Fame~Gordon Waterstone 27...Communicators Hall of Fame~Steve Wolf 28...Living Hall of Fame~Brian Sears 29...2-Year-Old Trotting Filly of the Year~Ariana G 30...2-Year-Old Trotting Colt of the Year~Walner 31...2-Year-Old Pacing Filly of the Year~Idyllic Beach 32...2-Year-Old Pacing Colt of the Year~Huntsville 33...3-Year-Old Trotting Filly of the Year~Broadway Donna 34...3-Year-Old Pacing Filly of the Year~Pure Country 35...3-Year-Old Pacing Colt of the Year~Betting Line 36...Trotting Mare of the Year~Hannelore Hanover 37...Older Trotting Horse of the Year~Obrigado 38...Older Pacing Mare of the Year~Lady Shadow 39...3-Year-Old Trotting Colt of the Year & Trotter of the Year~Marion Marauder 40...Pacing Horse of the Year, Pacer of the Year & Horse of the Year~Always B Miki 9
In 2016, for the fourth consecutive year, Yannick Gingras was leading driver on the Grand Circuit, the stakes tour that originated in 1873 and embraces 24 racetracks and the Breeders Crown. Gingras shared Grand Circuit honors with leading trainer Ron Burke and the Burke Racing Stable as leading owner. Gingras led all drivers on the Grand Circuit with 1,705.5 points, more than 300 points ahead of David Miller s total of 1,372 points. Tim Tetrick was third with 1,268.5 points, Scott Zeron fourth with 651.5 and Brett Miller completed the top five with 609.5 points. The 37-year-old Gingras, a native of Quebec, handled many of the sport s stars last year, and was the first call driver for the two barns that dominated much of the Grand Circuit stakes scene in 2016, those of Ron Burke and Jimmy Takter. Gingras won 20 Grand Circuit stakes with purses of $200,000 or more, topped by Breeders Crown victories with two-year-old filly trotter Ariana G, older mare pacer Lady Shadow and older mare trotter Hannelore Hanover. He also earned Grand Circuit points with wins in the Colonial and Beal Memorial [Southwind Frank], Hambletonian Oaks [All The Time], and Hambletonian Maturity [Hannelore Hanover]. The Burke s multi-state stable is currently the largest in harness racing with nearly 250 horses in training, banking more than $21.3 million in 2016, his fourth consecutive $20 million-plus campaign. Burke trainees earned 1,636.5 Grand Circuit points. Jimmy Takter was the runner-up with 1,520.5 points, while Tony Alagna [608] was third. Burke won 11 Grand Circuit races in 2016 with purses of $200,000 or more, led by Southwind Frank s scores in the Colonial and Beal Memorial. He also posted victories in the Hambletonian Maturity [Hannelore Hanover], Valley Victory [Snowstorm Hanover], Peter Haughton Memorial [What The Hill] and Breeders Crown Mare Trot [Hannelore Hanover]. Burke s success as top trainer on the Grand Circuit propelled the Burke Racing Stable to top owner on the Circuit once again in 2016. Burke Racing [Ronald Burke and Sylvia Burke] recorded 372.42 points in 2016, edging ownership partner Weaver Bruscemi, which had 306.67 points. Burke Racing s 2016 Dan Patch Award-winner Hannelore Hanover [older mare trotter] captured the Hambletonian Maturity, Breeders Crown, Centaur Trotting Classic, Armbro Flight and TVG FFA Final on her way to $1.1 million in 2016 earnings, & a winner in 17 of her 20 season s starts. Hall of Famer John Campbell serves as president of the Grand Circuit & Winbak Farms sponsored the 2016 Grand Circuit awards. 10
Harness Horsemen International Awards Harness Horsemen International, which has represented the horsemen s associations throughout the US and Canada since 1964, presents its Dominic Frinzi Person of the Year Award to George Teague Jr.; the Appreciation Award to Chaplain Lee Alphen; Lifetime Achievement Awards to Mike Izzo and the late Leo Mc- Namara; and Clyde Hirt Media Awards to Tom Cassidy and Roger Huston. GEORGE TEAGUE JR.~Tonight s HHI Person of the Year Award is one of three honors trainer George Teague is picking up tonight. He is also the United States Harness Writers Association s Good Guy of the year and recipient, along with his staff, of one of harness racing s highest honors, the Stan Bergstein Proximity Award. Teague has campaigned two Horses of the Year, Rainbow Blue [2004] and Wiggle It Jiggleit [2015], but it was his efforts on behalf of the racing community that have earned him extra accolades. Wiggle It Jiggleit [aka WIJI, winner of 15 of 24 starts and $1.7 million in 2016], also served as an equine ambassador in the midst of his season. Team Teague shipped him to Delaware, OH for Little Brown Jug week at their own expense just so he could lead post parade and meet his public. A few days later, the pacer also served as star attraction for a political gala at Teague s Harrington, DE farm, for then gubernatorial candidate John Carney. THOMAS CASSIDY~is a racing analyst for TVG, residing in Hermosa Beach, CA, but his roots were on the East Coast. He grew up in Spotswood, NJ, where his family raced Standardbreds. He was hooked on harness racing after jogging horses on the weekends at Gaitway Farm. Cassidy s first racetrack job was as a publicity assistant in the press box at Monmouth Park in 2006. The next season, he began a five-year stint writing race reviews and co-hosting the track s handicapping seminars. After graduating from Kean University in 2011 he moved to California to work for TVG. ROGER HUSTON~a member of seven Halls of Fame, including harness racing s Communicators Corner, has called more than 173,000 races at 138 tracks in 17 states and eight countries. He has been the track announcer at The Meadows for the last 41 years and host of The Meadows Racing Network s broadcast of the races for 35 years, and has called the Little Brown Jug for 49 years. He shares his knowledge with young announcers, mentoring many of the current crop, including fellow Hall of Famer, Sam McKee. Admired for his race calling enthusiasm, he may be equally well known for his rings he wears eight at a time, bejeweling every finger but his thumbs. 11
CHAPLAIN LEE ALPHEN~has brought the gospel to the thoroughbred and standardbred racing communities for more than 40 years. Her introduction to the backstretch, however, was not as a pastor but rather as a groom, caring for standardbreds in 1969 at Rockingham Park and Foxboro Raceway. A few years later, she earned her pari-mutuel driver s and trainer s licenses. In 1975, Alphen began the Racetrack Ministry at Rockingham Park. Welcoming prayer requests, I lifted up in prayer those who crossed my path, said Alphen, who obtained an MBA and a master s degree in theology. In 2010, she assumed the reins of the Christian Harness Horsemen s Association, which hosts a Jug Week Prayer Breakfast, and events at Spring Garden Ranch [on February 13, ] and at New Jersey s Gaitway Farms on the Monday after the Hambletonian. MIKE IZZO~Until 2016, Mike Izzo served as chief financial officer for the Pennsylvania Harness Horsemen s Association, representing the interests of horsemen racing at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs and Harrah s Philadelphia. A graduate of St. Joseph s University in Philadelphia, Izzo was in charge of overseeing the transfer of purse account funds from the state and track systems into overnight and stakes racing, and he also was the administrator of the PHHA s health and pension programs. An owner, trainer and driver for many years, Izzo achieved success with Finian Hanover, who won more than $340,000. After moving into administrative positions, Izzo worked for the PHHA and the SBOANJ and is also past national HHI executive director. LEO McNAMARA III~a third generation horseman, was executive administrator of the SBOANJ for 10 years before losing his battle with cancer on June 12, 2016, only two weeks shy of his 61st birthday. During 15 years with the SBOANJ, he astutely managed the purses, insurance and other aspects of the Association s business, and was highly respected in the New Jersey racing community. Born in Indiana, McNamara was assistant manager at Pine Hollow Stud Farm in Pine Bush, NY, before accepting positions in Kentucky at Holly Lane Stud as manager and then Almahurst as farm superintendent in the 1980s. He came to New Jersey in 1988 to run the Dreamaire Farm nursery, before establishing his own Two Gaits Farm to breed and board horses. 12
Harness Horse Youth Foundation Service To Youth Award Dr. Patricia Hogan is well known for her expertise in equine veterinary medicine, most notably tonight with her involvement in the success of Dan Patch Horse of the Year Always B Miki. She is also always more than gracious in her efforts to give back to the racing industry. I consider it a real privilege to be in a position to take whatever skills I have and offer them back to horses in need. Dr. Hogan has previously received the 2016 Inaugural Equistar Award from the New York Thoroughbred Horsemen s Association, the 2008 Spirit of the Horse Award from Rutgers University, and the 2004 President s Award from the American Veterinary Medicine Association. Her website lists the equine organizations to which she donates her services including New Vocations and Standardbred Retirement Foundation as well as many other Thoroughbred groups. But her philanthropy and kind heart don t stop with horses and that is why Dr. Hogan is the recipient of the Harness Horse Youth Foundation 2016 Service To Youth Award. She serves as an exceptional role model for countless young people with aspirations to become vets. She personally prepares for and guides the tours of her clinic at the annual Fair Winds Open House. She formerly participated in take your daughters to work efforts and currently serves as mentor to college students. Dr. Hogan has a long affiliation with HHYF, having received scholarships from the Foundation in the late 1980s. Dr. Hogan long term support of HHYF in addition to her benevolence fortifies her selection describes HHYF President Marlys Pinske. She exemplifies the best in harness racing and our board is pleased to present her yet another honor for her efforts. 13
Hard Rock Rocksino Caretaker of the Year Award Justin MacEachern was named Caretaker of the Year not only for his magical touch with the millionaire filly Call Me Queen Be but also for his courageous efforts on behalf of the horses he helped to rescue from a barn fire at the South Florida Training Center on March 16, 2016. Mr. MacEachern risked his own life, said trainer Jeff Webster, who nominated MacEachern on behalf of the Ross Croghan Stable. As one of the first on the scene, he helped to rescue several of the horses from the burn- ing barn. As horses were triaged, he then spent the rest of the evening and early morning shipping horses to the clinic. But it was his work with filly pacer Call Me Queen Be that inspired Webster to nominate the 26-year-old MacEachern, who resides in Chesterfield, NJ. Mr. MacEachern has spent many extra-long hours over the past year, working with Call Me Queen Be, Webster said. He has worked tirelessly to improve on her manners and build her confidence. Mr. MacEachern also saddle broke her last winter to help teach her to stay relaxed. All his hard work has paid off. The results are a top 3-year-old pacing filly with a world record mile at the Jugette and a Breeders Crown championship. On September 21, the daughter of Somebeachsomewhere posted a 1:50.1 half-mile track record in the first heat of the Jugette at Ohio s Delaware Fairgrounds, finishing second in the final. Her personal best was a 1:49.1 clocking in the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes Final at The Meadows. She wrapped up her 2016 season on October 29, capturing the $500,000 Breeders Crown Final at the Meadowlands. Overall, she posted six wins, seven seconds and three thirds in her 19 starts in 2016, banking $757,788 toward her career total of $1,037,599. The success of Call Me Queen Be is directly a result of Mr. MacEachern s hard work and determination to see his Queen happy and successful, Webster added. She was a very difficult, high-strung filly from the day we got her, and I ve not had a lot to do with getting her mannered, trainer Croghan said. Justin has had her for two years. He has spent hours and hours with this filly, giving her confidence and getting her mannered. Justin has just put his heart and soul into this horse. MacEachern is a third-generation horseman but at one time he pursued a different career direction at the Art Institute of Philadelphia. I decided to get a degree in culinary management, MacEachern told Vitale. But I stopped going because I couldn t stay away from the horses. Waking up every day and working with these animals is the best feeling in the world, he added. When you have that special connection with a horse, it s like you have found your purpose. 14
Presented by John Hervey & George Smallsreed Awards Dave Briggs, writing for Harness Racing Update, and the tandem of Melissa Keith & Keith McCalmont, writing for Trot magazine, won the 2016 John Hervey Awards for excellence in harness writing journalism. Briggs won in the news/commentary category for his story titled Wallace Slowly Starting to Rebuild After Being Decimated by Classy Lane Fire, which appeared in the January 8 issue of Harness Racing Update. It is Briggs ninth Hervey Award, which is a record, and his third in the news/commentary division. Keith and McCalmont won in the feature writing category for their story titled Remember Those Lost, which appeared in the February issue of Trot and presented memories of horses lost in the Classy Lane fire from horsemen and horsewomen affected by the tragedy. It is Keith s second Hervey honor and the first for McCalmont. The writing categories were judged by a panel consisting of past Hervey winner Brad Schmaltz, freelance writer Lou Monaco, and Philadelphia Inquirer Sports Editor John Quinn. Clive Cohen and Mark Hall were named the winners in the Smallsreed Awards for excellence in harness racing photography. Hall was recognized in the Smallsreed action category for his photo Hey There, which appeared in the September issue of Hoof Beats. It is Hall s sixth Smallsreed Award. Cohen s photo October Racing, which first appeared on the WEG Standardbred Instagram page on Oct. 1 received the Smallsreed Award for feature photography. It is Cohen s second Smallsreed honor. Cohen also received honorable mention in the action category for his photo of three horses in the snow at Woodbine. Judges for the photography categories were racetrack and newspaper photographer Bill Denver, multiple Eclipse Award-winning photographer Barbara Livingston, and former harness racing groom and longtime newspaper/magazine photographer Phil McAuliffe. The John Hervey Award for broadcasting has been awarded to a feature on Always B Miki that was narrated by Heather Vitale and produced by Bruce Casella. The feature on the 2016 Horse of the Year aired during the Breeders Crown broadcast. Kurt Becker was the judge of the broadcasting category. Becker said the production was well-edited, with a keen sense of what was pertinent to the storyline and told the story in an efficient and powerful manner. The United States Harness Writers Association thanks Meadowlands Racetrack Chairman Jeffrey Gural for continuing his longstanding sponsorship of the Hervey and Smallsreed awards by providing USHWA Dan Patch Awards banquet tickets for the winners. 15
January Davies Humanitarian Award Christine Czernyson, who has helped lead an ovarian cancer awareness effort with assistance from horses Aldebaran Eagle and Side Bet Hanover, has been named the 2016 recipient of the January Davies Humanitarian Award. The award was created in 2008 by USHWA member Callie Davies-Gooch in memory of her daughter to recognize contributions beyond harness racing. Czernyson and her husband, trainer Jonas Czernyson, have contributed more than $4,000 to the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund Alliance by donating a percentage of their earnings from Aldebaran Eagle s and Side Bet Hanover s purses. In addition, the horses wear ribbons in their manes with the names of nearly 80 women who are either ovarian cancer survivors or in tribute to women who have been taken from loved ones by the disease. Christine has done so much to bring attention to this cause, Davies-Gooch said. She is one of the great ladies of harness racing and a great example of humanitarianism, providing not only financial assistance to ovarian cancer research and awareness but touching the lives of those affected by the disease through the personal connections incorporated into her efforts. When her name came before our board we felt she was the perfect choice for this award. The cause hits close to home for Czernyson, who lost her aunt to ovarian cancer. Furthermore, Duncan McPherson, who owns Aldebaran Eagle, lost his wife to the disease and is active in promoting ovarian cancer awareness programs in his homeland of Australia. This is totally humbling because it s not about me, it s about the women and families that fight with this disease on a daily basis and their struggles, Czernyson said. If I can take up a fight for them, I m willing to do so. For me personally, my aunt passed away from ovarian cancer. Watching her struggle with that disease was not an easy thing. The impact has lasted for years. When Duncan McPherson came into our stable, he had lost his wife Lyn to ovarian cancer. We wanted to honor not only his wife and my aunt, but the many other women who are fighting this disease. I don t think a lot of people realize, but one in 75 women will have ovarian cancer. That s a pretty staggering statistic. While raising money for ovarian cancer research and awareness has been an important aspect of Czernyson s effort, the connections made with people affected by the disease has been even more priceless. We get a lot of messages whenever those two horses race, Czernyson said. I have quite a few women that we stay in contact with that have really fallen in love with this idea and the concept of it and giving them something to cheer for. They re so appreciative for that. They can say That horse is racing for me. That s probably given us the biggest joy, just having that knowledge that it goes beyond the money and the horserace. It gives some personal meaning to it. It makes you realize what you re doing is making a difference. But this isn t about me or Jonas or the horses, it s about the women and families affected by this disease. It s really all about them. 16