Stakes-winning Park Place bay Martha Maxine passed away this past Saturday evening (June 23) at Mohawk Racetrack in Campbellville, Ont.
The eight-year-old, a career winner of 40 races and over $730,000 in purses, was contesting Mohawk's eighth race Saturday, a claiming handicap which featured an $18,000 purse.
After having broken stride off the starting gate, Martha Maxine was distanced from the rest of the field before falling and passing away on the track.
Martha Maxine was assembling another solid campaign in 2012. After having made 23 seasonal starts, the bay was boasting a record of five wins, five second-place finishes and one third-place effort, with more than $71,000 in combined purse earnings for trainers Bill Davis, Rob Fellows and Richard Moreau. The bay had just triumphed one week earlier at Mohawk, a gritty one-length victory in 1:51 on June 16.
Martha Maxine had been the subject of 'The Curious Case of the Mistaken Mares,' a popular Trot Magazine feature penned by Brittney Mayotte. The piece, which received honourable mention at the 2010 American Horse Publications Conference, delved into the rare case of the bay's mistaken sexuality.
It was initially thought that Martha Maxine was female, and the bay began its career by competing against distaffers for the first few years on the track. It was determined in the spring of 2009 that Martha Maxine was in fact an anatomical male.
After having started in 126 career races, Martha Maxine passed with a record of 40-21-10, a career-best 1:49.2 clocking at age five at Balmoral Park, and a total of $730,270 in purse earnings.
Please join Standardbred Canada in offering condolences to the connections of Martha Maxine.
R.I.P. Max. You always gave
R.I.P. Max. You always gave everything you had each and every start. Enjoy the greener pastures now.
I always liked Martha Maxine
I always liked Martha Maxine and was on my ticket when racing. RIP and condolences to the owners, trainers and drivers.
Martha Maxine, a horse I
Martha Maxine, a horse I loved, and a Horse I cherished, now gone too soon. RIP beautiful one. A Horse I looked forward to seeing each and every week on HPitv. Now I wont see you anymore. I am so sorry.
I'm so sorry Mike for your
I'm so sorry Mike for your loss and for the current connections of Martha. Horses become so intertwined in our daily lives that they become family members. Equine Heaven will have some tough competition up there now...
In reply to I'm so sorry Mike for your by Claudette L.
thank you martha was one
thank you martha was one special horse to me she was family i guess thats why i was devistated sat to see my baby laying on the side of the track dead was something i will never forget having seen both my parents die before my eyes good luck with your horses my friend i hope to meet you someday as not to many people have such kind words at such a tring time
In reply to thank you martha was one by unclemikey
Mike, Keep the faith. One
Mike,
Keep the faith. One early morning you'll hear a whinney off in the distance and you'll smile because you'll know that it's Martha making her presence known. They're never far from us once they cross over. :)
we had the privledge of
we had the privledge of owning Martha Maxine twice over the last few months and had a claim on her last sat. she was one of the nicest horses i ever owned part of Rest in peace baby girl see you someday in heaven. love mike
I am sorry to hear of the
I am sorry to hear of the passing of Martha. He was a game warrior and would fight to the wire week in and week out. I send my condolences to all the connections of this wonderful pacer...
R.I.P Martha..He was always a
R.I.P Martha..He was always a great story and a great racehorse.
My question, did the new owners lose the 30k?