Click here to see a photo show of the 2010 banquet
2011 UNY USHWA NIGHT OF DISTINCTION
Jack Flanigen-Driver of the meet and of the year in WNY
Jackie Flanigen laid over the driving competition this year while posting career numbers for wins and purses. His (to date) 305 victories and $1.5 million dollars in earnings were far superior to his nearest competitor and were also the most impressive statistics he has put up during his 28 year career. After a bad racing accident that sidelined him for most of 2008, Flanigen has set the Batavia/Buffalo circuit on fire. In just the last two years he has won over 600 races and just under $3 million dollars in purses. His career numbers are just as impressive, boasting 3,809 wins and $10.3 million dollars in purses.
Sherri Holliday-Trainer of the year in WNY
Sherri Holliday posted career high totals for 2011 with (to date) 163 wins and $775,000 in purses. Although Holliday is sitting fifth in trainer standings for the current Batavia Downs meet, she wowed her peers earlier this year at Buffalo Raceway with 122 wins, 65 ahead of her nearest competitor. She has been the leading trainer at both Batavia and Buffalo meets for the last two years.
Trainers of the Meet-Alex Giuliani and John Mungillo
This tight four trainer race came down to the very last race of the meet and when the dust had settled, it came down to a tie. Alex Giuliani and john Mungillo both finished the batavia Downs meet with 44 wins each.
Dave McNeight III-Rising Star Award
Dave McNeight III is a third generation horseman who has made a splash on the racing scene in Western New York this year. After only having 33 starts in 2010 after getting his license, McNeight has really made his presence felt on the track scoring (to date) 69 victories, 68 seconds and 94 thirds and bankrolling $368,000 for his connections. Besides being the primary teamster for his father’s stable, the affable 22 year old has quickly become a sought after catch driver by many. “Triple Sticks”, as he has is known, is a hard working individual and is gaining more and more respect from his fellow horsemen every day. His effort in general and production on the track show he is truly a rising star.
Jim Mulcahy-Good Guy Award
Jim Mulcahy has been training and driving on the Western New York circuit for over three decades. But his involvement in the sport goes well beyond the entry box. Having watched his son grow up in the business and eventually become a driver himself, Mulcahy realized the impact racing can have on young people and vice versa. As a result of that he has become heavily involved in programs that engage youngster to the industry and educate them towards a possible career path in this business. Mulcahy heads up all the 4-H tours and open houses and mentors the participants with hands-on experiences in racing. He is also the coordinator of the college scholarship races each year, overseeing the program with other horsemen who work with the kids for weeks leading up to their big night under the lights. For all his efforts, calling him a “good guy” is actually an understatement.
Mach Ten-Horse of the meet and WNY Horse of the Year
From the first start under the colors of his new stable, Mach Ten has been a monster on the track in Western New York. In four starts in the top trot class at Buffalo Raceway, Mach Ten scored 2 victories, a second and a third. When the meet moved here to Batavia Downs, he started off with another win. And that was something he would do every time he set hoof on the track. In 6 Batavia starts he scored 6 wins, including a victory in the $10,000 Brian Schroeder Memorial in 1.57 flat, trouncing a classy field of trotters by six lengths. He has also recorded wins at Tioga Downs in 1.55.2 and just recently took a lifetime mark of 1.55 at Pocono Downs in October. This year he has earned a whopping $91,375 on the strength of 13 wins and finished in the money 23 out of 28 starts. He was as peerless a horse this year as has come along in a quite a while.
Going undefeated in the top class the whole meet is why he was selected Horse of the Meet at Batavia Downs and his overall efforts gained him the Western New York Horse of the Year honors.
Aracache Hanover-Fastest mile ever in WNY
Millionaire Aracache Hanover has a body of work to be proud of. He won the $525,000 Confederation Cup, the $200,000 Windy City Pace and has raced in the Little Brown Jug and the Breeders Crown. But on October 8th of this year while competing in the Robert J. Kane Memorial Pace here at Batavia Downs Casino, he did something that made his owners as proud as winning the biggest purse of his career; he became the fastest horse to ever race in Western New York when he sizzled the Batavia oval in 1.51.1, winning by 2 and ¼ lengths while making history in front of a packed house. His owners Bill Switala and Jim Martin live in nearby Clarence, New York and consider Batavia Downs their home track, as they have been coming to the races here since they were kids. The mark of 1.51.1 is one that will be hard to beat and should be the standard there for some time. This trophy is to commemorate that memorable occasion.
STARK JR., GIBSON NEWEST TO HALL
The Upstate New York Chapter of the United States Harness Writers Association is proud to announce that John Stark Jr. and the late Gary Gibson will be inducted to their Upstate New York Harness Racing Hall of Fame representing Vernon Downs.
John Stark Jr. comes from a harness racing family. His late father, John, and Sisters Cindy, Laurie and Jodi have all had successful careers in the sport. He started working in the barn when he was only 4 years old and began his driving career in 1977 when he was 18.
Stark was synonymous with Vernon Downs through the mid-1980s. He was the top provisional driver in both 1977 and 1978. He later won both the dash-winning (124) and percentage (.350) driving titles in 1985. He added dash titles in 1986 (158), 1987 (127), 1988 (188), as well as additional percentage championships in 1987 (.307), 1988 (.358), 1997 (.472), 2001 (.471) and 2003 (.449). He was also the track’s top trainer for wins (1987 (64), 1988 (76), and percentage 1987 (.362), 1988 (.365).
Stark raced at several tracks after leaving Vernon in 1989 and was equally successful wherever he went. He captured a dash title at Muskegon and both dash and earnings titles at Fairmount Park and Saratoga Raceway.
Stark achieved his greatest success in the sport training and driving the remarkable pacing filly Bunny Lake. At two, the daughter of Precious Bunny was flawless in NYSS action, capturing four legs and then going wire-to-wire in 1:58.3 in the $150,000 final.
In her 3-year-old campaign Bunny Lake scored 18 consecutive victories and earned $1,146,219, the most money (at the time) ever banked by a pacing female in a single season. Stark drove her to victories in the $150,000 New York Sire Stakes Final and the $812,292 Breeders Crown Final. Bunny Lake was selected as the 2001 Horse of the Year, as well as Pacer of the Year and 3-year-old filly pacer of the year.
Bunny Lake retired with 47 career wins and $ 2,843,476 in purse money. Her lifetime mark was 1:49.
Other top horses over the years for Stark include Total Composure, Commanche N, Battle Front, Teeth of the Dog, Getting Personal, Adadot, Mimz, Hamilton White, and Algiers Hall.
To date, John Stark Jr. has amassed 4088 wins and $ 20,961,807 in purse money driving as well as 1328 wins and $ 15,675,191in purse money training. He is the consummate horseman and is still going strong.
Gary Gibson followed his uncle, Avery, into the Standardbred sport. After working for both the Fred Haslip Stable and the Webster Farms training facilities in western New York, Gibson began his driving career on the Buffalo Raceway/Batavia Downs circuit. Following success at those half-mile tracks, the young trainer/driver made a seamless transition to Vernon Downs’ chute-attached three-quarter mile oval in the early 1970s with the stated goal of becoming a Grand Circuit reinsman.
Developing into one of Vernon’s most sought after catch-drivers, Gibson went on to capture four race-winning titles at the Downs (1979-1981 and 1997). He also ranks among the central NY track’s all-time leaders in total victories and two-minute driving credits. In 1991, his best year statistically, “Gibby’s” black, gold and green colors visited the winner’s circle 125 times and he earned $396,469 in official purses.
Gibson achieved both his Grand Circuit goal and his ambition to drive in harness racing’s top trotting race, the Hambletonian, when he piloted JD’s Tryst in the second division of the 1982 edition. He also achieved notoriety and success in the New York Sires Stakes program.
Gibson’s quiet personality translated well to his driving style. He had a natural ability to sit patiently with a trotter, but he was equally adept with pacers. Respected and well-liked by his fellow horsemen, Gibson’s motto was “You’re only as good as your last drive.” He was noted for his pleasant, easy-going personality, quick wit and his unique laugh.
Some of the many recognizable horses that Gibson drove include Honest Hobby Horse, Romy the Governor, Midnight Occasion, White Rock Fella, JJ’s Apollo, and Rapunzel’s Star.
During his career, he amassed 2999 wins and $ 7,279,567 in purse money.
Gary Gibson died on Friday, Oct. 6, 2006 at the Veteran’s Hospital in Syracuse hospital following a courageous battle with cancer. He was 62.
WEBSTER, RAPONE NAMED TO HOF
The members of the Upstate New York Chapter of the United States Harness Writers Association are proud to announce that Ben Webster and Patsy C. Rapone will be installed in the Upstate New York Harness Racing Hall of Fame as part of the class of 2011 representing Batavia Downs. Webster and the family of Rapone will be presented their Empire Pinnacle Crystal awards to mark the occasion, trackside on Saturday, September 10th at Batavia Downs Casino.
Ben Webster is a home grown Western New York racing legend. He lived in Hilton, NY and got his first driving win at the age of 16 at the Hemlock Fair; both a mere 25 miles from Batavia Downs. But that incipient stage of his development would later see a 47 year career unfold on the biggest stages of the sport as Webster would go on to win the Hambletonian, the Little Brown Jug and the Kentucky Futurity.
In 1958, Webster, AKA “The Master of the Half-Mile” and “Benny the Whip”, would win his first pari-mutuel race at Buffalo Raceway. He continued to compete on the Western New York circuit (where he won dash titles at both tracks) until 1965 when he decided to go to New York and take on the best at Yonkers and Roosevelt Raceway. Webster soon became one of the most in demand drivers in what some believe was the greatest driver colony ever, competing against legends like Carmine Abbatiello, Buddy Gilmour, John Chapman, Del Insko and Billy Haughton.
In 1975 Webster took a 3-year-old named Seatrain (Meadow Skipper – Mary Brakefield 1:55 $825,006) to the Little Brown Jug. He didn’t think the horse had a chance, but his owner felt different. As it turned out, Seatrain took the 1975 edition of the classic after Webster’s masterful front end drive.
After moving to New Jersey in 1976 to start competing at the newly opened Meadowlands Racetrack, Webster purchased a horse from Stanley Dancer named Oil Burner (Most Happy Fella - Dottie Shadow 1:54.2 $535,541). Oil Burner went on to win several major races including the Oliver Wendell Holmes and Monticello-OTB Classic. After he retired, Oil Burner was syndicated for $2.7 million.
When his racing career was over, Webster bred Oil Burner to some of his own mares and retained 40 percent of one of his first and most successful foals, No Nukes (Oil Burner - Gidget Lobell 1:52.1 $572,430) No Nukes went on to even greater success in the breeding shed and was one of only six $100 million sires in the sport.
In 1984 Webster won the Hambletonian with Historic Freight (ABC Freight - Proper Freight 1:57 $668,392). Webster described him as a “good” horse, not a great one. But his ability to once again control the speed of the race in the final gave the horse the edge he needed to take home the sport’s top prize.
One of the horses Webster is most proud of is Flak Bait (Speedy Somolli - Whims and Wishes 1:55.2 $880,576). He selected the horse from a sale catalog but knew he didn’t have enough money to buy him. But with a stroke of luck and a possible foreshadowing of what was to come in the racing industry, Webster went to a casino the night before the sale and made enough money to buy him the following day. Flak Bait went on to win the 1985 Kentucky Futurity.
And of course the 1981 Messenger Stakes winner Seahawk Hanover (Bret Hanover – Skipper’s Romance- 1:55.2 $675,122]
In a career that spanned six decades, Benny “The Whip” Webster won 4,378 races and his horses earned purses of $43,197,645.
Born and raised in Caledonia, New York, Patsy C. Rapone came from a harness racing family; just about every relative was involved in the sport in some capacity. His father Lou Rapone was a National training and driving force from the 1950’s right through the 1970’s and amassed 2,069 wins in his career. So it was no surprise when Patsy left high school to go work with his dad taking care of the horses. He started driving at age 21 at Batavia Downs in 1974.
Although he became one of the most proficient local drivers in Western New York harness racing history, his career found success all over the country. He had won driving championships at Buffalo Raceway, Batavia Downs, Northfield Park, The Meadows and Pompano Park. He was always pursued to drive top flight stock including the likes of K D’s Precious (1:56 $211,042 Big Towner - Farma Hanover), Blackwater JK (1:56.4 $184,121 Nero - True Freight) and many horses for the then formidable Rama Farms. But Rapone will probably most be remembered for his handling of the great trotter Manfred Hanover (1:55.2 $898,329 Super Bowl - Miss Sue Hanover).
Known as the "Don Juan" of harness racing, Manfred Hanover’s success on the track was a result of his unorthodox lifestyle between races. He was a castoff trotter that drank Gatorade, raced the same day he was breeding mares, and competed successfully without training for most of his career. Rapone drove Manfred all over the east coast competing against the best Open trotters there were.
One of the biggest races Rapone drove in at his hometown track (Batavia Downs) came in 1993 where he steered Night Court Dan (1:55.4 $1,401,243 Supreme Lobell - Bubble Bath) in the $60,000 Provenzano Trot, finishing behind Earl (1:54.2 $984,318 Balanced Image - Linfields Gem) and Chris Christoforou in a track record time of 1.56.4.
During his short career, Patsy Rapone won 2,643 races and $5.8 million dollars in purse money. He died of brain cancer on May 16, 1996 at the age of 42.
SETTLEMOIR, HUSTON NAMED TO HOF
The members of the Upstate New York Chapter of the United States Harness Writers Association are proud to announce that Jason Settlemoir and Roger Huston have been voted into the Upstate New York Harness Racing Hall of Fame, representing Tioga Downs.
Jason Settlemoir’s entire life has been devoted to harness racing. He was 13 years old when he announced his first race at the Hartford Independent Fair in Licking County, Ohio. He later did the same at numerous other county fairs in Ohio as well as the West Virginia State Fair. His ability to describe the action eventually found him as a backup announcer at Scioto Downs & Northfield Park.
He got his first full time management position as Assistant to the Assistant General Manager (Jerry Kalb) at Scioto Downs in 1996, but he was soon promoted to Simulcast Program Manager. Shortly after that he took on several more jobs there including Track Announcer, Simulcast Director, and Assistant Race Secretary.
In 2005 he was hired by the USTA as Director of Advertising. But his tenure there was brief because he was offered the opportunity to be a part of a racing renaissance in New York State.
Jeff Gural brought Settlemoir on board to help bring one racetrack back from the brink of extinction and oversee the rebirth of another track that had been shuttered for 28 years.
While expending endless hours of work building a staff, planning promotions and growing simulcast outlets, Settlemoir was an integral part of keeping Vernon Downs alive and guiding Gural’s new track, Tioga Downs, to be one of the finest racing facilities in New York.
Currently, Jason Settlemoir is Vice President of Racing and Simulcast for American Racing and Entertainment (Tioga Downs and Vernon Downs). He is also Simulcast Director for the Little Brown Jug, Vice President of Harness Tracks of America, a Director for the United States Trotting Association District 8 and President of the U.S. Harness Writers Association. Settlemoir is also active in the sport as a Standardbred owner. He was awarded the 2006 U.S. Harness Writers Association’s Lew Barasch Breakthrough Award for his work in opening up Tioga Downs and making sure Vernon Downs survived.
Settlemoir attended The Ohio State University and resides in Athens, PA. with his wife, Lori, and their sons Jeffrey and Travis. There he is involved in the local community serving on the Board of Directors for the United Way in Tioga County and chairing their annual fundraising campaign. He is also on the Board of Directors for the Southern Tier American Red Cross and sits on the Board of Directors for the Tioga County Chamber of Commerce.
Roger Huston is a unique individual. His life exudes harness racing and he incorporates the sport in whatever he does. He is first and foremost an ambassador of the sport who carries the message where ever he can every day. In an era where everyone is looking for ways to promote the future of harness racing, Huston has been doing just that for over half a century.
One could easily mention his 51 years of announcing 156,000 races at 126 different tracks in 17 states and 7 countries or the fact that his voice has been synonymous with the tradition laden Little Brown Jug stake for 44 years. But that would be too obvious and miss the point of what he really brings to the table.
Huston has done many charity events and fundraisers for various organizations in and out of the sport. He MC’s the New Vocation Horse Adoption auction event during Jug week and has since its inception. He has called pig races, frog races, and even a race between the two inclines that go up the side of Mount Washington in Pittsburgh for various worthy causes like the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh. And since he is arguably the most recognizable voice in harness racing, each one of these outings is like a billboard advertising the sport to people in all walks of life.
Through his career, charitable activities, and personal life, Roger Huston has introduced untold numbers of new fans to harness racing over the years and his efforts should be an inspiration to everyone in the sport who wishes to see it remain a viable industry for years to come.
Roger Huston has been calling races here at Tioga Downs since we opened in 2006 and has been integral to our success with his high energy descriptions and recognizable style.
Roger was inducted into harness racing’s national Hall of Fame Communications Corner in 2000, and into Ohio Harness Racing Hall of Fame in 2001
Jason Settlemoir and Roger Huston will receive their Empire Pinnacle Crystal awards in the winners circle at Tioga Downs on sunday, August 28th.
GUINDON, MCNEIGHT JR. NAMED TO HOF
Gaston Guindon drove his first horse (which by the way was also his first win) in 1965 at Rideau Carlton Raceway in Ottawa, Ontario. The horse’s name was Altex Chief and that was the start of a thirty-nine year career in harness racing.
Guindon moved to the Western New York circuit in 1969 and had his first start at Batavia Downs. It wasn’t long after that his career took off and the demand for his services was heavy. The horses he drove were a who’s who for years and included names like the venerable Mr. Coal, Keystone Spectrum, Harbor Smoke, E C Oakie, Willow Hill Boy, Muckalee Bunt, Hot Shot Hamde, Skipper Frank and River Mouse.
“The Gasser”, as he affectionately became known by the locals, won 3,080 races and earned $6.9 million dollars in purse money. From 1980 through 1987 he averaged 225 wins per season, with a career high 274 in 1987. He was always one of the most sought after catch drivers on the WNY circuit. During his career, Guindon teamed with local trainer Dennis Cummings to win in excess of 700 races.
Guindon formally retired in 2004 and is now living back home in Canada.
Eddie McNeight Jr. started working at the track for his father Ed Sr. as a young boy. In 1976 at the age of twenty, he scored his first win with a mare named Fair Sis and his niche as a catch driver was established. McNeight would be put up by trainers and he would just win, win, win. His success as a driver was so explosive he was nicknamed “Kid Dynamite”. Some examples of his win production included Pro Testor (42 wins-19 alone in 1980), Sevarno (50 wins) and Jeffrey Drummond, (79 wins-4 years in double digits). He also developed the outstanding trotter Bold Thunder.
McNeight was always busy breeding and racing horses for the New York Sire Stakes. He frequented the fairs developing his young stock as well as competed at every major track in New York State at the top level of stake competition. He won the Hopeful at Buffalo, the WM Reynolds at the Poconos, New York Sire Stakes and finals, as well as competed in the American National at Balmoral Park.
He moved his base of operations from Buffalo to the Meadows in Pennsylvania in 1994 and has been a fixture there ever since.
In his career to date, McNeight has won 3,440 races and $9.1 million dollars in purse money.
The Upstate New York Harness Racing Hall of Fame is located at Tioga Downs in Nichols, NY.
SHAWN HARVEY AWARDED THE 2011 DEWEY DEGREE SCHOLARSHIP
The Upstate New York Chapter of the United States Harness Writers Association is proud to announce the recipient of the 2011 edition of the Dewey Degree College Scholarship is Shawn Harvey.
Shawn Harvey is from Imperial, Pennsylvania and is currently attending the West Virginia University College of Business and Economics, majoring in Sports Marketing. He is a frequent member of the Dean’s list and carries a 3.7 GPA. He will be entering his senior year this fall and will graduate Magna Cum Laude in 2012.
While in school, Harvey has been involved with the athletic department for two seasons as a practice player for WVU’s nationally ranked women’s basketball team and one season as the student manager for the team. He also worked in that department to market and gain attendance for some lower profile WVU sporting events.
Harvey will be starting an internship this summer with CBS College Sports in their programming department in New York City. This is a very prestigious opportunity as they only accepted 11 college students for internships for that division of CBS. He will also be participating in the Clyde Hirt Workshop, working with racing media professionals, covering the Hambletonian.
Harvey plans to integrate what he has learned in college with a continued association in harness racing. And when you hear what he has to say about the sport, you will realize he understands what is needed.
Harvey said “I have visited the track with college friends many times. I taught them how to handicap and bet and they all won a little money. Those trips highlighted an area in which our sport can make vast improvement—handicapping education. My friends and I are exactly the kind of customers that harness racing must develop. However there was no education provided at the track to teach them to bet. I don’t know how they would have figured it out without me.”
“Racing is not in business to sell hot dogs or programs. We sell bets and without that, nothing else matters. We must provide handicapping education to our fans every racing day, at every track and fair. In life and in racing, education is the key to a successful future, one that in which I hope to take part. “
Harvey’s family has a long, rich history in harness racing. His parents Leo and Kathie Harvey have always raced horses with his dad doing the training and driving. His one grandfather is Hall of Famer Harry Harvey who won the 1953 Hambletonian with the filly Helicopter. His other grandfather is Walter “Boots” Dunn who is the Chairman of USTA District 7 and also holds the record for most wins by an amateur driver; 1,150. These two men have been involved in racing since the 1940’s. His uncle, Bill Zendt races at the Meadows and his aunt, Ellen Harvey is a renowned racing journalist who works for the USTA’s Harness Racing Communications.
Congratulations to this industry leader of tomorrow.
The Dewey Degree Scholarship was initiated by generous donations from Ray Schnittker and Jeff Gural and is administered by the Upstate New York Chapter of the United States Harness Writers Association. It was named after Schnittker’s great Hambletonian winning trotter Deweycheatumnhowe.
UNY-USHWA 2010 WESTERN NEW YORK HORSE OF THE YEAR FEATURED ON ESPN
Trotter Boomer Berman was named Horse of the Year on the Western New York Circuit by the members of this Chapter of USHWA during ceremonies at Batavia Downs on Saturday, December 4th. But he received National recognition on the occasion of his retirement for his outstanding career by his namesake, Chris "Boomer" Berman on the New Years Eve version of Sportcenter.
Click this link to see the video.
UPSTATE NY USHWA WEBSITE HAS HAD OVER 300,000 HITS SINCE ITS INCEPTION
In the three years we have been online, our readership has grown steadily. We have also had many visitors from Canada, Germany, England, Russia, Netherlands, China, Serbia, Australia, New Zealand, Sweden, Portugal, Switzerland, Italy, Brazil, Czech Republic, Denmark, Norway, Belgium, Finland, France, Indonesia, Korea, Poland, Thailand, Taiwan, Estonia, Greece, Japan, Mexico, Romania, and Yugoslavia, just to name a few.
What is the United States Harness Writers Association?
USHWA was founded in 1947 by New York City area sportswriters who were covering harness racing at Roosevelt Raceway. 65 years later, it remains the only media organization in harness racing with a membership of newspaper, magazine, internet, radio, TV, and ad agency publicists harness racing communications. With more than 300 members, the association strives to bring about a closer relationship among the media, racetracks and horsemen to promote the centuries-old American-bred sport.