I started out with a $100 bank on my year-long bet on a trotter at Saratoga Harness. The horse, officially known as Pay Me To Knight, but colloquially known as Junior, won his last race by a neck, which turned my $20/win bet into a $47 payout.
Now before you ask me about why I’m locked onto this horse versus all other choices … let’s give a little background on Pay Me To Knight. He was born in April 2018, which makes him six years old this year. His father, or “sire,” was a Canadian horse called Conway Hall, while his mother or “dam” was called Pay Up Now. As the horse is officially owned by Checkmate Stable in Schenectady County, he has the word “knight” in his name. So yeah, Pay Me To Knight. Counting last week, Pay Me To Knight has had 53 official starts, with 17 wins. He was also named the 2022 Saratoga Harness Trotter of the Year. So there’s a lot of horsepower behind that horse. Oh, and if you’re wondering whether there will be any offspring for Junior, whether after his racing days he can go to a farm and just act as the local farm stud … not happening. Junior is a gelding. No stud fees when you’re shooting blanks.
All right, let’s look at the options here. Junior’s racing in the Open again, this time as horse #5 in the 8th race. Morning line odds are 5-1 to win. There’s a couple of horses that seem to have moved into the Open this week based on strong performances this year, including #7 BJ Lorado (2 wins in 3 starts this year) and Kenobi (3 wins in 4 starts). It also looks as if Doug Maura, who piloted Pay Me To Knight to the big win last week, will be in the bike for this week’s run around the track.
Okay. Race is off. And Pay Me To Knight starts the first lap in sixth place out of eight horses. But as the second lap begins, Junior starts moving up. To 5th place. To 4th place. Then, all of a sudden …
He steps on something …
And he breaks stride.
NO!!!!!
A horse “breaking stride” means that he’s no longer trotting. He’s galloping, and that means he has to go to the end of the line and regain his gait before advancing forward. But by the time he gets his steps in gear …
He finishes eighth in the race. Buh-bye $20. Ugh.
And because Junior broke stride, he has to re-qualify around the track later this week before he can race again. That will take place later this week.
But for now … I have to wait and see what happens with Junior next week.
This is the ups and downs of harness horse racing. You win big one week … then your horse breaks stride the next week. It’ll break your heart every time.
Good thing I’ve got a strong heart. 😀
Chuck The Writer 