The difference on
Hambletonian Day [August 4, 2012] was that she was the winner, guiding Master
Pine to victory in a Riding Under Saddle [RUS] Trot at the Meadowlands
Racetrack.
The non-wagering
exhibition race, tucked between the fourth and fifth races, boasted a purse of
$15,000 and a field of 10. Unlike the 15 other races on the card, in this
event the horses wore saddles and carried riders instead of drivers in sulkies.
Gregory, who lives
in East Windsor, NJ, prevailed in a photo finish at the end of the mile as
Master Pine finished a head in front of Take My Picture, ridden by Therese
Lindgren.
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| Helene Gregory pumps her fist in victory (Lisa Photo/Meadowlands Racetrack) |
“After watching the
replay of the RUS race, I am still at a loss for words,” said Gregory on Sunday
morning. “My old, handsome, classy Master Pine got the job done, with a
whisker.”
Her mount, Master
Pine, is a nine-year-old Master Lavec gelding owned by Mark Moger of New Hope,
PA and Albert Delia Jr. of Newtown, PA.
“I want to thank
Andy and [trainer] Julie Miller for the opportunity to work with him every day
and to get the ride in this race, and, of course, his owners,” she said.
“Also thanks to Rob
Pennington, super groom number one,” she added. “I could not have done it
without you!”
The 1:57.1 mile was
the fastest by a trotting horse racing under saddle. The overall world
record for trotting under saddle is 1:54.1, set on October 6, 2000 at the Red
Mile when Hall of Fame jockey Julie Krone rode the two-time Horse of the Year
Moni Maker in a time trial with prompters.
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| Helene Gregory (Lisa Photo/Meadowlands Racetrack) |
“All the riders did
a great job, and I also thank the trainers and owners for believing in RUS and
supporting the riders with horses,” Gregory noted. “I have to thank [New
Meadowlands LLC Chairman] Jeff Gural for putting up with me, and all the work
that led up to the race, and everyone working with us at the Big M.”
Gregory, who was
the driving force behind the organization of the event, was especially grateful
to the sponsors of the race: Walnut Hall Farm, Blue Chip Farms, Winbak Farm and
Big D’s.
The other riders
were Leigh Nichol, Emma Pettersson, Karen Isbell, Maria Andersson, Therese
Lindgren, Tina Duer, Susanne Kovacic, Jennifer Connor and Malin Beraas.
“I'm sure I am
forgetting someone, but thank you to everyone involved,” said Gregory, who
wears the green-white-yellow colors of her husband, Jeff Gregory, whom she
married on October 14, 2000. “
Gregory, who will
turn 44 on September 19, is from Malmo, Sweden, which, she says, is five
minutes from Jagersro, the third biggest racetrack in Sweden. Jagersro
races both thoroughbreds and standardbreds.
“I never took a
liking to thoroughbreds,” she explained. “I rode standardbreds my whole
life.”
Riding retired
standardbreds in dressage is one thing. Racing under saddle, or the
French word monte, is another.
“I started working
on RUS a little after the exhibition race at Yonkers last fall,” she
noted. “I went to Sweden in January and bought a race saddle there,
without even knowing if I would get it going. But it was my intentions
all along. I have had a lot of people telling me to give it up because it
was a lot of work and sometimes I was worn out from it, but I am a very
stubborn soul and my motto is ‘if there is a will, there is a way.’”
Under saddle racing
is popular in Europe but is new to North America.
“As I walked back
to the paddock, I had tons of people asking how come they were not allowed to
bet,” she said. “And Jeff Gural and everyone at the Big M loved it.”
“Before the race,
all I wanted was for the day to be over,” Gregory noted. “I was so
mentally wiped from the work and stress.”
A day later, she is
making plans for the next event which will be on Friday, August 17, closing
night at the Meadowlands.
--Submitted by
Carol Hodes for SBOANJ
