The Quest for Double Digits

This is a big weekend for harness racing.  The eyes of the harness world will be on the Meadowlands this weekend and for good reason.  Our sport’s most prestigious (and important) event, the Hambletonian, will be contested on Saturday afternoon.  The $1.2 million trotting classic has returned to its roots and has brought back heat racing.  I’ve always been a proponent of heat racing as a way to promote our sport.  For those that don’t know what heat racing is, the general gist is that for a horse to capture the Hambletonain crown, they have to win twice in one day.  It is a monumental task and one that is uniquely harness racing.  Like harness racing fans all over the world, I can’t wait to watch the “Hambo” as well as the awesome undercard.

But there is more to this weekend than just the Hambo.  At least for Team In Over My Head.

In a much less publicized event (unless you are a loyal blog reader), In Over My Head will make his return to racing after just over 12 months on the sideline.  His last race was in July of 2012.  We made t-shirts and brought down a crew of about a dozen people to watch Mo try and make it 6 in a row.  It obviously didn’t go well, but as I texted our friend Brett Wheeler (who was there that night to watch his first ever horse race) it was time to bust out the t-shirts…Mo is racing again.  His response was great, “I never stopped wearing it!”  That’s a true fan.

We aren’t quite sure what is going to happen when Mo gets back on the track.  Based on his qualifier, he has all the speed he ever had.  He came down the Maywood stretch like a bolt of lightning.  Danny was down watching and said it reminded him of the Windy City Pace and a long forgotten night nearly 5 years ago when he also flew home on that same piece of dirt as a 2 year old.  In looking at the race lineup, he certainly has the credentials to win.  It is just a question if he is in sharp enough racing shape to pull it off.  He may need a tune up.  The number 4 horse certainly has some back class.  His lifetime mark is 1.50.0.  We will see what happens.

Beyond this race, though, there is another goal that I am going to throw out there.  I was looking back at Mo’s career starts per season and one thing really stood out.  Here is what we have.

8, 23, 3, 7, 7

Only one time in Mo’s career has he raced more than 8 starts in a season (when he was 3 years old).  This time around, I’m not going to apply pressure on the old guy to win races.  The fact of the matter is that if he is healthy, he will win.  He’s just that good.  This year we will have a different goal…I’ve even given it a catchy name:

The Quest for Double Digits

Double digit starts that is.  At least 10 in 2013.  If he stays healthy that shouldn’t be a problem.  Then he can turn around and put up another double digit in 2014.  Now that would be sweet?

Friday night at Maywood Park isn’t only special because Mo is back.  Friday night also marks the first time in multiple decades that our family has 2 horses racing on the same night at the same track.  Don’t Tell Wayne is making his 3^rd lifetime start in race number 5.  He’s facing a much tougher group than he did for his first lifetime win two weeks ago.  That’s OK though, it is time to test him just a little bit.  In case you are wondering when the last time was we had more than one horse racing, we would have to go back to a time when Thrifty Kirk, Race On Carey and Race Time Carey all battled on the Sportsmen’s Park 5/8 mile oval in the early 1980s.  While I’d love nothing more than to be there, I’ll likely be watching from Atlanta (baring a good last minute flight).  Luckily, Danny will be on the ground.  It will be exciting to see him in the winners circle…twice ;)

Let’s Go Mo!