What Does The Sign read?

[Meadow Ford]

Near 90 degrees here in the mid-west.
Just before noon today I was driving along Fischer Road. Just a stones throw south of the IL./WI. border.
A 92 year old HOF tr/dr/owner was on his rider mower trimming up the area around his barns and training track.
The same barns that for several years held over a hundred stallions, mares, babies and horses in training.
Any one want to guess what the big sign by the road reads?
There used to be a littler sign that read
" Little Lexington"

[old guy]

Fox Valley Standsrdbreds

[Meadow Ford]

Fox Valley Standsrdbreds
[/quote
]No
For the first time in a coons life you are mistaken.
I will give the right answer Wednesday afternoon.

[Meadow Ford]

Where is Fuguzzi?
I bet he can tell some stories about this 92 year old HOF guy that now just mowes the lawn.

[pugdog1]

Del Insko the 92 year old?

[Generation XYZ]

Doc Walker?

[Fuguzzi]

Can only be Del Insko. Toothpick guy. Virtually no interaction with him personally. Excellent trainer, underrated driver. Big part of the 2 most notable race fixing scandals of the 70s.

[Brown jug]

come to think of it given that in the old days purses were low and gambling was high on a relative basis, race fixing was prominent and perhaps a necessity to survive for some
in todays world purses are high and gambling for the most part low so far fewer scandals

sure i suspect guys still stiff one or set one up but likely mostly in low class overnights
with all the sires stakes etc not much  race fixing going to happen in those races , just too much purse money on the line

[Mazola]

Sign says you've got to have a membership card to get inside. Ugh.

[Fuguzzi]

come to think of it given that in the old days purses were low and gambling was high on a relative basis, race fixing was prominent and perhaps a necessity to survive for some
in todays world purses are high and gambling for the most part low so far fewer scandals

sure i suspect guys still stiff one or set one up but likely mostly in low class overnights
with all the sires stakes etc not much  race fixing going to happen in those races , just too much purse money on the line

Agreed and also, the driver fraternities at most of the major tracks changes so often now with some guys regularly racing at 3 or 4 tracks weekly. Back in the day most of us cou;ld name the entire drivers list from a to z and barely miss a name.

[Meadow Ford]

What do this 92 year old HOFer and Bill O'Donnell have in common with two million?

[The Thorn]

Both won the Woodrow Wilson.  Land Grant for Insko and Nihilator for O'Donnell which I believe was the biggest purse ever for Harness

[Meadow Ford]

Can only be Del Insko. Toothpick guy. Virtually no interaction with him personally. Excellent trainer, underrated driver. Big part of the 2 most notable race fixing scandals of the 70s.

Del Insko the 92 year old?

Yes,
It was Del Insko out mowing in near 90 degree weather. The big sign he was mowing around read.
Del Insko Stable
Much of the  horse pasture has already been sold off for a sub division. I am guessing the sign, barns, and track will soon be replaced with more upscale houses.
One more horse stable to soon disappear.
Very sad!

[Meadow Ford]

Both won the Woodrow Wilson.  Land Grant for Insko and Nihilator for O'Donnell which I believe was the biggest purse ever for Harness

Yes,
Each winning a $2,000,000 race is what they have in common.

[Meadow Ford]

One last Insko trivia quiz.
What stallion did Insko train and drive as an aged(Not at two or three) FFa pacer, that is now in the pedigree of most every(maybe every) USA bred pacer?
If Confederate and Caninibal go on to be successful sires, then this Insko trained DIRECT MALE LINE will exist for generations to come.
The horse's stall name plate still hangs in Insko's main barn.