Harness racing’s United States Harness Driving Club (USHDC), hosted by Shenandoah Downs, held its first event of the season on Saturday, April 13, and Dr. Scott Woogen was in the winner’s circle after piloting the nine-year-old Auckland Reactor N gelding Baltimore Jack N to a 1:56.1 win.
Taking command just a stride or two past the :28.3 opener, Baltimore Jack N carved out the rest of the panels -- :57 and 1:26.3 -- before touching the wire in 1:56.1, three-parts of a length better than Kimani N, driven by Kubi Erzene, who provided the only viable threat during the final quarter-mile. Art Nukem, first off the wings for driver Stacey McLenaghan, finished third, 2-1/2 lengths away, while Fox Valley Mondo was fourth for Brian Tomlinson. Ive Got Hootspa, with Jack McNeil handling the lines, picked up the nickel in the octet of pacers.
In a post-race interview, Woogen lamented, “He [Baltimore Jack N] is an anxious kind of a horse and [trainer] Scott [Warnick] said he made an ‘anxious’ break leaving last week.
“He bobbled slightly today -- just a slight bobble -- and we got away a few lengths back but he went grinding forward after that and made the top right at the opening quarter.
“Approaching the three-quarters, he heard some company coming along so I tapped him one time and he knew just what to do and was strong and unthreatened to the wire.
“He raced great... made me look real good!”
Trained by Scott Warnick, who co-owns with Deborah Warnick, the Kiwi bred earned his first win of the year in 10 starts to bump his career bounty to $113,820.
For amateur driver Woogen, it was his second success of the year in just seven starts and 225th career win -- his first being back in 1998.
The USHDC has donated over $300,000 USD to worthy charitable organizations with the generosity of their membership drivers donating all driving earnings from their events earmarked for causes benefiting retired Standardbred horses and “new” career training as therapeutic horses, riding horses or show horses, among others.
(With files from the United States Harness Driving Club)