When race horses do well it creates interest. But when they
do real well the interest magnifies.
Case in point: Diamond Tiara and Shortest Distance, two of
the winningest harness horses in North America today. Diamond Tiara has won 17
times this year while Shortest Distance has 16 wins. And both pacing
mares compete at Monticello Raceway.
Diamond Tiara, a 7-year-old daughter of McArdle-Diamond In
The Rough, and Shortest Distance, a 9-year-old Park Place mare out of
Camrissa, were quality mares in their youth and now against lesser talent they
are stick-outs in their classes here at the Mighty M.
True, each mare’s number of wins is of interest and that
they are one-two in races won this season on the continent adds to their
appeal, but delving closer one will find that each mare has been claimed three
times in the past six weeks.
Now, that in itself, is not revolutionary but the fact that
those doing the claiming are the same people each time.
Yesterday (Mon. July 28) at Monticello Raceway Shortest
Distance carried a $6000 claiming tag in her race andwent wire to wire winning
in 1:56.2 with Bruce Aldrich, Jr. at the controls. When she got back to the
paddock her previous owner Philip Schultz claimed her back from trainer Al
Annunziata for owner, Marissa Godinez who claimed her from Schultz the
previous week.
That same afternoon, Diamond Tiara, who used to be Schultz’s
possession but currently owned by Al Annunziata, was beaten a nose in her
attempt to win her 18th race when Mike Merton, with Get Your Own,
stalked her and driver Bruce Aldrich, Jr. the entire mile and then beat Diamond
Tiara in the final strides in a mile timed in 1:57.
On June 10 Annunziata claimed Diamond Tiara from
Schultz for $9,000 and the following week Schultz claimed her back for the
identical price. But wait, on June 30 Annunziata took her home again for
$9,000. Yesterday (July 28), Schultz reclaimed Diamond Tiara for $9000 from
Annunziata.
But hold on, Schultz wasn’t done plunking down his denero.
After her 16th victory, Schultz reclaimed
Shortest Distance from Marissa Godinez --whose trainer, is the aforementioned,
Al Annunziata- who claimed her from Schultz last week.
Mike Watson was Diamond Tiara’s trainer when she won the
overwhelming majority of her races this year, and now she, and Shortest
Distance, will race from the Mike Watson barn, at least for next week!
So, for now, Philip Shultz owns the top two horses with the
most wins this year. But it’s a good bet that this saga is not over yet.
Stay tuned.
