During the 70's I had a horse I had bred in partners with Benny Webster. We owned the mare and bred it to an Avon Farms nothingburger stud. Horse showed some promise at Fay & Ellie's farm in Hilton (Benny's folks) as a 2 yo and we started racing him at 3. At that time the horse could pace around 2:05 AND he could also trot in 2:05, but neither was good enough to earn his keep and he took the usual tour of "farm team" tracks (Buffalo, Batavia, Monticello, Freehold, and even Green Mountain.) We tried to donate him to the Nassau County mounted police, but after his training his first assignment was the Nassau Coliseum and he tried to throw his mounted partner through the windows, so we then donated him to Lou Miller (and his companion JoAnn), who had a driving/training program at RR. He was great for this purpose since he was double-gaited and completely sound, and he was getting great care and enjoyed his role. Long story much, much shorter...Nick learned to train and drive on the horse (whom I made the mistake of naming after my son.) I also spent many happy hours on the back track jogging my own horses until RR was swept away in a massive "steal." In any event I have followed Nick over the past 45+ years since then. Tough business.
