HORSEPLOP.COM
General Category => Harness Racing => Topic started by: Call Sign Merlin on May 30, 2026, 11:31:35 AM
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Canada Standardbred reporting that owner Madison Global will move Big Ranger from Gillespie to Annette Lorentzon. Supposedly to better fit their Grand Circuit aspirations. Kind of understand but tough one for Ronnie - especially off a 51 mile at Scioto
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Zero loyality anymore
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Ronny develops a really nice horse and this is his reward. Outrageous.
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How many times has this gone backwards? Hey you want to put up a new driver, fine. Take the horse from the guy, big slap, no way to spin it. Bad deal, hope it comes back to haunt them.
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no disrespect to lorentzon but if you are going to switch is she the right person to go to, i'm asking ??
hopefully the owners will give the previous trainer a % of the earnings going forward
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Tough deal for Ronnie for sure, but personally I can't wait to see A.L. light this beast up!
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No shot they are giving the old trainer a nickel and I hope it blows up in their face! If they were going to make the switch why not go with a top trainer? If you feel like you have the best three-year-old trotter, she should not have been your choice.
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With it being a trotter, messing with success is asking for trouble. Changing drivers would
have been expected and accepted by Gillespie. Nice horse. Ohio horse. Would like to see
him continue to improve. Giilespie made some good $$ and drew some good attention to
himself and his potential training skill. Hopefully it will bring him more opportunities. It's
their horse. I agree, she wouldn't have been my first choice. When her horses are good, they're
good but she also seems to have a lot of jumpers. A lot of eyes will be watching.
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Shit bag move but thats harness racing for you
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Shit bag move but thats harness racing for you
Hambo eligible and Ronnie wanted to drive. Owners did what was best for them. They pay the bills and can do whatever they want. Get over it!
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Most people who criticize the move would do the same thing if it was their horse.
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It's their horse to do what they want with. However, I do find the replacement choice a bit perplexing.
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Ronnie struck gold 2x bargain shopping in what 4 or 5 years
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Hambo eligible and Ronnie wanted to drive. Owners did what was best for them. They pay the bills and can do whatever they want. Get over it!
Nothing for me to get over it doesnt change my life one bit.
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If I owned the horse I would change drivers too for the big money, change trainers no way, especially to her.
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If I owned the horse I would change drivers too for the big money, change trainers no way, especially to her.
Agree on both
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Agree on both
Agreed - the horse is going to come back to Ohio at some point for the Super Final at least so why not find a trainer with a Meadowlands outfit and then give him back to Ronnie. Lorentzon is middle of the road in Ohio and that’s your go to.
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Agreed - the horse is going to come back to Ohio at some point for the Super Final at least so why not find a trainer with a Meadowlands outfit and then give him back to Ronnie. Lorentzon is middle of the road in Ohio and that’s your go to.
100% correct.
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If I owned the horse I would change drivers too for the big money, change trainers no way, especially to her.
If I owned him I'd believe in the guy that developed him. He just drove the horse against the likes of Dexter, Yannick etc now If he screwed up id make a suggestion but in no way id pull the horse. My point being was harness racing is ll tough game worth no loyalty
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Agree on both
What would say if Ronnie said I drive or take the horse?
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I don' t know the whole story but I would have said "take him take the rest" and good luck. I lost an owner, same deal 2yr old colt trotter, won a couple of baby races and a 2yr old maiden. Called me and told me he was sending him to NJ, I asked to who? Oh I just want to give him a real chance. I told him to come and get all 3 of his horses with a check for what he owed me. He never was a quick payer. He sent his wife and kids with a shipper. I had raced horses at the Big M, Freehold and GSP. I wasn't scared to go back, I never left.
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What would say if Ronnie said I drive or take the horse?
I would say that’s dumb and shortsighted of Ronnie while also saying it doesn’t really make sense given that they left their other horses with him. Also doesn’t make the Annette part of this any smarter.
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I don' t know the whole story but I would have said "take him take the rest" and good luck. I lost an owner, same deal 2yr old colt trotter, won a couple of baby races and a 2yr old maiden. Called me and told me he was sending him to NJ, I asked to who? Oh I just want to give him a real chance. I told him to come and get all 3 of his horses with a check for what he owed me. He never was a quick payer. He sent his wife and kids with a shipper. I had raced horses at the Big M, Freehold and GSP. I wasn't scared to go back, I never left.
Sending the wife was a total chicken shit move!!
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If Ronnie G was given the option of training but not driving he should've said yes. And that to me is the right move by all. Not sure how it went down
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It always amazed me how some trainers think they are in charge when it comes to decisions about a horse they don’t own. When trainers forget that’s when problems start.
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The owner's obligation is to pay his/her bills in a timely fashion. That's it.
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Kicking it around, would like to know what kind of conversations were had before making a decision on how I feel?
Does Ronnie want to or have the resources to travel around the country while managing his stable ?
Was RG asked to give up driving ?
Was the decision based on someone doing better training of the horse ?
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In to go Saturday at Scioto Race 11 in an Ohio Sire Stakes Race for $75,000
Driver listed...Tim Tetrick
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It always amazed me how some trainers think they are in charge when it comes to decisions about a horse they don’t own. When trainers forget that’s when problems start.
Define decisions?
Vet work?
Driver choices?
Other?
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Big Ranger will have been off for a month as of tomorrow. Missing the 3yo colt OSS tonight at NFLD; did not surface in anything at the Meadowlands over the last couple weeks either (though to be fair, I don't know if he was eligible).
Anyone know where he will surface next, or did something happen?
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Maybe karma paid a visit!
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I have also wondered where he has been. I would assume he would atleast be qualified somewhere if they didn’t want to race him 1/2 mile nfld
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In the lower class Buckeye on Saturday night at Scioto. Going to win by the length of the stretch not sure what good it will do him for prepping for Hambletonian.
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Maybe a test run for the Annette "Gold Fire" blend 🤔 😅?!
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In the lower class Buckeye on Saturday night at Scioto. Going to win by the length of the stretch not sure what good it will do him for prepping for Hambletonian.
Paid qualifier
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Ronnie does fine on his own that horse is good, but he will probably find another one just as good, as he has in the past, he seems to have a way developing babies and carrying on to the fairs, he’s very old school and that’s a good thing, if there’s no malice then all will be well, if it’s because Annette stole him out from under him, Karma will catch up to her and the owner, she is not someone I personally would pick over someone who is already doing well with him, she just hasn’t impressed me at all 🤷♀️ I would have also told the owner to get lost
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Ronnie is a good trainer and decent driver. From what I have seen he drives the horse to win but saves a little for next week. 2 starts for AL with TT they seem to want track record
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Bush league to put that horse in a Buckeye Stallion and does his no good to prep for the hambo. First time the horse goes on a mile track will be in the elim. He should be at the Big M but if not then they should have put him in the open at Hoosier, raced him off the pace and let him buzz home. That stretch would have got his legs underneath him for next week.
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Why wouldn’t you take him to the Red Mile down the road from the farm and let it rip on a mile track? The big fella would be licking his chops flying down those straightaways. It would better simulate a Meadowlands experience. Instead stuff him in a trailer 3.5-4 hours in this heat! 🥵 🤷🏻♀️
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I would have tested on a big track but RH did win with Vivid Photo without seeing one before the Hambo. TT still has a choice to make in who he drives Big Ranger or LT colt in the Hambo.
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I would have tested on a big track but RH did win with Vivid Photo without seeing one before the Hambo. TT still has a choice to make in who he drives Big Ranger or LT colt in the Hambo.
Feels like he kind of made his choice hoofin it out to the middle of Ohio. My guess is he is hoping to split the baby until the final. Linda’s colt is fast but is ready to blow up at any time