By Mark Ratzky, publicity – Cal Expo Harness
Jim Grundy made 2,617 trips to the charmed enclosure as a driver, with more than $10.3 million in earnings and was inducted into the California Hall of Fame in 2007. Originally a hockey player in his native Canada, a knee injury forced Grundy to hang up his skates and stick in 1958. Going into the family business of harness racing, he found his second niche in life as a driver/trainer.
Grundy apprenticed under famed horsemen Eddie Cobb, Clint Hodgins and Frank Popfinger before going out on his own in the early 1960s. He was the leading driver at Monticello for three straight years beginning in 1971 before heading west with his wife Deborah, a former schoolteacher and bookkeeper for the stable.
It was here that Grundy blossomed into one of the state’s top harness horsemen. Teaming with owners like Chris Bardis, Lloyd Arnold and Ron Zumbrun, he won countless stakes races with the likes of Googie, Hugabear, Steam and Easel. He was especially noted as an outstanding trainer of young trotters.
Steve Desomer, Gene Vallandingham and Rick Kuebler competed against Grundy for many years and have high praise for his skills. “Jim was not only our friend, but partners with us on many memorable horses,” Desomer said. “He was an exceptional horseman and that resulted in a long and successful career.
”
Vallandingham related, “I knew Jim from the time he came to California. He was a nice guy and a great horseman and I always enjoyed his company.”
Kuebler also did battle with Jim on many occasions at Cal Expo, Hollywood Park and Los Alamitos. “I’d have to say he was the most accomplished trainer of young trotters we’ve ever had in the state. Even after his retirement, horsemen would seek him out to get advice in shoeing and balancing a trotter. It was all about his expertise and passion and he is missed.”
Jim Grundy Series final, Open Pace,
Sire Stakes set
A
$10,000 California Sire Stakes headed by Rikybrnthegaragdwn and King Of The
Crop; the $12,300 finale of the Jim Grundy Trotting Series and an Open Pace
featuring One And Only are the highlights on Saturday evening’s 14-race card at
Cal Expo.
Rickybrnthegaragdwn
and King Of The Crop have divided up the first four stakes races at the meeting
for the 3-year-old pacing colts. Rikybrnthegaragdwn races for Maryann Plano
with Luke Plano driving and training, while King Of The Crop carries the banner
of his breeder Frank Nevarez and is trained and driven by James Kennedy.
A
son of Living It Up out of the Sportsmaster mare Sports Bra, Rikybrnthegaragdwn
captured the first stakes race of the season for this group on January 18, then
was second and third in the next two big-money events while King Of The Crop
was posing for pictures.
In the most recent stakes two weeks ago, he
made every pole a winning one, holding safe by nose over King Of The Crop in a
1:55 2/5 clocking, two ticks off the mark he established in his previous
decision in a conditioned affair.
The
latter is by Little Steven accounted for back-to-back stakes on February 1 and
15 in game fashion, including a 1:55 1/5 tally. Sent off the 4-5 choice in that
last added-money clash, he sat the pocket behind his arch-rival and just missed
while coming a :26 3/5 final quarter.
In
the Open Pace, One And Only is a 6-year-old son of Bettor’s Delight who carries
the banner of Richard Morita and David Yamada, takes his lessons from Lino
Pacheco and will once again have Luke Plano giving directions. He comes into
this assignment having posed for pictures following five of his seven starts on
the year and is closing in on the $100,000 mark in career earnings with a 1:52
2/5 standard.
The
field for the Jim Grundy finale will line up this way from the rail out: Axle,
with David Siegel at the controls; Donna Letsgo, Luke Plano; Try This with
Williams Hernandez; High Dollar for Tim Maier; Giles L S Hanover, Mooney
Svendsen; and Silverlode, to be guided by Steve Desomer.
