Wayne Chrebet
visits Tioga Downs to watch his 2-year-old trotter on Thursday Night
NICHOLS, NY – He was a star receiver during his 11
years in the NFL with the New York Jets and now Wayne Chrebet is hoping to find
the same success as the owner of standardbred racehorses.
Chrebet was at Tioga Downs in Upstate New York on Thursday
night, watching his 2-year-old trotting colt, Lukas Hall, race in the Tompkins
Memorial Stakes.
“Nothing replaces the rush of playing or running out of the
tunnel,” said Chrebet, who retired in 2005 as the second-leading receiver in
Jets franchise history, “but it’s a minute and 51 second rush. When they’re
turning for home and you’re second-over or you’re on the lead, your chest gets
pounding and that’s part of the reason I’m in it.”
Lukas Hall would finish third, following a fifth-place
finish and third-place finish in his two previous starts. Chrebet owns the
horse in partnership with Jeffrey Gural, the owner of Tioga Downs.
Chrebet said he has been involved as an owner for 10 years,
at one point owning as many as 15 horses. Now, he owns a trio of two-year-old
horses.
“I moved down to Colts Neck in New Jersey which is horse
country,” said Chrebet. I went to Freehold Raceway one day and I decided to get
a horse. Then I found Kevin McDermott, he’s my trainer now and my best friend.
We had some success early, then bought some younger horses and we’re still
going.”
Not only has Chrebet been bitten by the racing bug, his
family is along for the ride too. Chrebet was joined at Tioga Downs by his
family, including son Lukas, who serves as the racehorse’s namesake.
“It’s a family thing for me,” said Chrebet. “The reason I
bought a New York horse is so we can go to all the New York tracks together, we
like to travel like that.”
After a football career that saw Chrebet go from undrafted
out of Hofstra University to having his jersey retired by the Jets, the
39-year-old sums up his racing goals very simply.
“Hopefully, we have some luck together.”
Note: A video replay of tonight’s race is available by
following this link: http://youtu.be/Lzo0chUKQsM
