Don Van Witzenburg does not breed many horses, but he found a winning combination with the broodmare Armbro Nectarine and stallion Western Ideal
.
Van Witzenburg, a heating contractor from Crest Hill, Illinois, has seen the first three horses from this union go on to win 34 races and $1 million. The most recent of the group, Ideal Danny, is entered in Saturday’s eliminations for the Meadowlands Pace. The colt, trained by Erv Miller, is named after Van Witzenburg’s late son, who was killed in a construction accident at the age of 40 in 1997.
“Danny comes from a good family,” Van Witzenburg said. “When he was two, Erv told me this horse was going to make me proud. He said his conformation was perfect, which is a big statement from a guy who has as many two-year-olds as he does every year. This horse is perfect. We raced him very lightly as a two-year-old. We’re right on schedule.”
Ideal Danny won three of eight races last year and earned $96,234. He won a division of the Elevation at Indiana Downs and was second, losing by a head, to Dial Or Nodial in a division of the Bluegrass Stakes at the Red Mile. This season, he has two victories, including a Burlington Stakes division, in eight races and has banked $96,875.
Van Witzenburg bought Ideal Danny’s mother, Armbro Nectarine, in 2002, when she was in-foal to Western Ideal. The baby turned out to be Enhance The Night, who was second to My Little Dragon in last year’s Classic Distaff and has earned $561,117 lifetime. The next foal was Ideal Nectarine, who was second in the 2008 Glen Garnsey and has banked $300,575. Then came Danny, followed by Ideal Joe in 2008 (named after a cousin) and Ideal Ike (named after Van Witzenburg’s father).
“I’ve had people call me and want to buy [Ideal Danny],” Van Witzenburg said, “but I’m going along for the ride.”
(Harness Racing Communications)