After fetching one of the highest prices for a racehorse at the 2015 Standardbred Horse Sales Co.'s Mixed Sale, speedy pacer Melmerby Beach will be making his first start for his new connections this week.
With the same connections as his Hall of Fame sire Somebeachsomewhere -- driver Paul MacDonell, trainer Brent MacGrath and owners Schooner II Stable of Nova Scotia -- Melmerby Beach made a statement in his lifetime debut with a 1:52.4 romp at Mohawk Racetrack. The pacing colt then stepped up and competed with Grand Circuit company to round out his rookie season, finishing second in his Breeders Crown elim.
A Grand Circuit winner at three by virtue of his win in the Simcoe Stakes at Mohawk, Melmerby Beach continued on with Grand Circuit stakes and finished second to Always B Miki at The Red Mile. According to his former co-owner Brent MacGrath, Melmerby Beach developed a touch of sickness in Kentucky which prompted pulling him from the 2014 Black Book Sale and bringing him back at four.
As a four-year-old, Melmerby Beach once again showed the flashes of brilliance that made the pacer so popular. A stint at The Meadowlands this summer for trainer Mark Ford gave the horse a string of open class wins -- two in 1:48.1 and one in a lifetime best 1:47.3, making him the second fastest son of his legendary sire.
Upon returning to Canada, MacGrath and trainer-driver MacDonell continued to campaign Melmerby Beach on the WEG circuit but were baffled by the horse's inability to string together consistent performances. A barn change to trainer Dr. Ian Moore just before the horse's scheduled appearance in the 2015 Black Book Mixed Sale yielded similar results.
Melmerby Beach will make his 'Broadway debut' this coming Saturday in a four-year-old open event at Yonkers Raceway. He's drawn the rail for driver Jason Bartlett and trainer/owner Ettore Annunziata, who plucked the horse from Harrisburg's Saturday session for $185,000.