Somebeachsomewhere: In Demand

I remember watching which was perhaps my first Hambletonian. It was, hmmmm. Maybe 1985? I was interested in the Hambo. I was a Prakas fan. I did like a few other trotters in the race. I think Carl Allen had a nice one that year too. It might have been Royal Troubador. I wanted to see the US Pacing Championship too. On the Road Again was one of my favourite horses. I loved him. He was kind of a poor man's Cam Fella.

But there was one reason and one reason only I wanted to watch the Meadowlands card. It was a horse called Nihilator.

All week there was talk of a shot at a World Record. All week Billy O and the connections said they would go for it. As we all know, on a hot day in early August, with the sun beating down the track is lightning fast. He had a chance.

He brushed by Shannon Majority and hit the half in a blazing time, something like 53.2. 121 and change to the three quarters and home in 49.3. Stunning! (note - some people forget how good Falcon Seelster was that day too!)

For a kid who was a racing fan, who rarely got to even watch a race (I did not live anywhere near a track), it was a great, great day.

Well this year I read that Somebeach is not racing in the Oliver Wendall Holmes on Hambo Day, he is coming home to race in an Ontario Sires Stakes.

If he wins the Meadowlands Pace in a heart stopping time I would have killed to see the horse on Hambo Day try for the World record. There is no doubt in my mind with a 90 degree day and with a fast track he can go 146 there (a claimer went 47.4 last year on Hambo day, and most trainers called the track "tiring"). It would be televised nationally on NBC. Not to mention, there would be 35,000 fans cheering for him.

Let's face it, this horse is in demand and the connections have been so, so good with the media and for the sport (anyone read Trot magazine last month? They followed Beach with a camera and a reporter for more than 24 hours before race time of the NA Cup. Anyone think a guy like Bill Robinson would have been that accommodating with Cam's Card Shark?). They have to do what they think is best for the horse. But selfishly, I want to watch this horse in the Holmes.

Note: Standardbred Canada is doing something very proactive. That Kaplan fella earns his paycheck. They are looking for soldiers to promote Somebeachsomewhere. Check it out if you think you can help!

Somebeach back in 2009? Derek says "no" in a well written blog piece.

Did you check the picture in that piece? What a beauty. I would leave a comment, but the person that said Så fint uttrykk, og nydelig blank pels said it all :)