On Saturday (April 14) night Rosecroft Raceway hosted the annual Cloverleaf Standardbred Owners Association and the Maryland Standardbred Breeders Association awards dinner as both acknowledged their respective 2023 equine and human champions while honoring several longtime individuals who have recently passed away.
Cloverleaf honored a quartet of freshmen, another quartet of sophomores, and a trio of older horses for their performances in 2023 and also recognized a top pacer and trotter for Rosecroft and Ocean Downs, as well as a trio of humans for their exemplary efforts on and off the track. All of the winners were presented with trophies after trainer Jackie MacLeod gave a tribute to longtime owner-breeder Thomas Cooke who passed away on April 8 at the age of 74.
In the pretext prior to the main awards ceremony, Cloverleaf recognized Rosecroft General Manager Lisa Watts with the Presidents Award, longtime Track Superintendent Dan Herbst was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award and Maryland Racing Commissioner and owner Tammy Lafferty garnered the Legacy Award. Lafferty is the widow of former longtime local trainer Gerald Lafferty who passed away in March at the age of 79.
For You Girls was named champion two-year-old colt or gelding pacer for owner-breeder Brian Callahan; K J Dash was tabbed as top two-year-old colt or gelding trotting for co-owners Pamela Wagner and Scott Woogen; Fancy Like That took home the title of champion two-year-old filly pacer for owners Kasey Bendix and Virginia Marvel, while Only I Exist garnered the title as champion two-year-old filly trotter for owner-breeder-trainer Richard Hans.
Cloverleaf also selected Smooth Rocket as champion three-year-old colt or gelding pacer for owner-driver Russell Foster; Tenouttaten earned top three-year-old trotting colt or gelding for owner-trainer Kerry Welty; Phoenix Rising took home the title of champion three-year-old filly pacer for owners Frank Gannon III and Elizabeth Gannon, while Call Me Goo was crowned as sophomore trotting filly champion for owner Graham Grace Stables. Call Me Goo is also expected to make her four-year-old debut in a Maryland Sire Stakes event at Rosecroft on April 23.
Also recognized by the CSOA on Saturday night were a quartet of horses and three humans.
Leonard’s Legacy was recognized as both the champion aged pacer and the Rosecroft horse of the year for owner Leonard Hubbard and trainer Basil Sapienza; Arts And Flowers was tabbed as the aged pacing mare for owner-driver Roger Plante, Jr. and Yall Beneath Me was tabbed as aged trotter of the year for owner-trainer-breeder Richard Hans. Starship was selected as the group’s horse of the year for Ocean Downs.
Trainer Janet Davis was acknowledged by the CSOA with the Unsung Hero Award, Jonathan Roberts was recognizes as the driver of the year and Mike Hall earned the trainer of the year designation. Local journalist Ted Black and track announcer Pete Medhurst were both recognized by Cloverleaf with Communications Awards for their years of covering harness racing in Maryland.
Also on Saturday night, the Maryland Standardbred Breeders Association honored its top equine and human winners for 2023, with those honorees also each presented with a trophy.
For You Girls was named champion two-year-old filly pacer for owner-breeder Brian Callahan, while K J Dash earned top honors among juvenile trotting colts and geldings for co-owners and co-breeders Pamela Wagner and Scott Woogen. Rusty’s Baby Ruth earned the title as champion two-year-old filly pacer for owner-breeder Ashley Page and Only I Exist was top trotting juvenile filly for owner-breeder-trainer Richard Hans.
The Maryland Standardbred Breeders Association also recognized a trio of sophomores for their success in 2023. Smooth Rocket garnered champion three-year-old colt or gelding pacer for Russell Foster and breeder Brian Emerson; Jewett was named top three-year-old trotting colt or gelding for breeder Arlene Cameron and owner Pamela Wagner; Val’s Girl earned the title as champion three-year-old filly pacer for breeders Tom & Linda Winebrenner and owners Le Blanc Racing, William Lutz and Count de Money Stable and Call Me Goo was top three-year-old filly trotter for Roberts and Graham Grace Racing.
Hoofbeats De Vie, owned and bred by Joie De Vie Stables LLC, was named as top four- and five-year-old trotter while Stunners Wish took home top four- and five-year-old pacer for breeder Sharon Tufts Morgan and owner Crissman Inc. Tom & Linda Winebrenner’s Rusty’s For Real was named top pacing sire and Lockkeeper was tabbed as top trotting sire for owner Raymond Yoder. Christine Pasiak received a special appreciation award from the Maryland Standardbred Breeders Association.
Uno Gringo, a local band comprised of Michael Espinosa, Michael Hernandez and Robert Kloss, provided the musical entertainment for the post-awards festivities and track photographer Erik Jones took photos of all the trophy presentations.
