Harness Racing Blog

We’ve updated Auckland Reactors website to include all the media attention he’s gotten following the Auckland Cup. It’s a great site which features all his race videos, as well as write-ups by Harnesslink staff and Michael Guerin at the NZ Herald.
Check it out here: www.aucklandreactor.com
**Update** We’ve just added a photo gallery of the Auckland Cup [...]

We’ve just publsished a story on Harnesslink about Chicago Governer Rod Blagojevich’s attempt to extract money from Balmoral/Maywood Park President John Johnston. The story has made headline news and at the center are tapes showing Blagojevich and Co. plotting to extract money from Johnston.
It’s unclear whether or not Johnston was a completely willing participatant in [...]

On their way to Walnut Hill Farm, Ray Schnittker and his wife were involved in an accident with champion trotter Deweycheatumnhowe in tow.
Duane Ranger (the editor here at Harnesslink) just got off the phone to Ray, who Duane said was unusually calm about the whole ordeal - and was actually having a beer when he [...]

By Bob (Hollywood) Heyden
1) Both Deweycheatmnhowe and Somebeachsomewhere were undefeated at two, and both named Freshman Of The Year. This year, they are-together-about to do something NOT done in 21 years! Back to back divisional honors-SAME two male horses-The last time was 1986-87 when Jate Lobell and Mack Lobell did this.
2) Dewey is 22-24 lifetime, [...]

BREAKING NEWS
By Duane Ranger
New Zealand’s latest harness racing star, Auckland Reactor, has been withdrawn from next Friday’s $500,000 Miracle Mile due to quarantine restrictions both in Australia and on his return to New Zealand.
The decision was made via a conference call this morning (Friday) between co-trainer Mark Purdon and the Mach Three 4-year-old’s owners [...]

On Friday Night (NZ time) Auckland Reactor bested the top NZ horses - including 1.2m NZ Cup winner Changeover to snatch victory in the $300,000 NZ Free for All.

Holy harness racing! Did you know the Racino at Harrah’s Chester grossed $284,794,173 in 2007.
Meanwhile, things aren’t so rosy at the Charlottetown Racino in Canada, which had it’s third straight year in the red.
And Scarborough Downs is threatening to relocate now that slots aren’t on the horizon.

More and more studs are using video and the internet to promote their stallions. We have the professionally produced Attorney General Stallion video being advertised on Harnesslink. And I just came across this video on Harnesslink TV.

The following originally appeared on Harnesslink.
By Bob Hollywood Heyden
Brent McGrath trains and is part owner of Somebeachsomewhere- who is NOT going to the 2008 Little Brown Jug. Correct me if I’m wrong- this is HIS decision, right? He has a one horse barn-and long ago mapped out a schedule for his horse, one which you [...]

By Carol Hodes

No one was going to rain on Deweycheatumnhowe’s parade - or date with destiny. The forecast was dire and the weather did turn foul mid-morning on Hambletonian Day, August 2, 2008.

First a rain shower soaked early arrivals and then thunder and lightning heralded a summer storm over the Meadowlands that washed over the [...]