He may not be the biggest standardbred that ever looked
through a bridle but, for sure, Talldarkandhandsome is one of the biggest.
The 6-year-old altered son of Life Sign, who’s every bit of
17 hands, scored his second seasonal triumph at Monticello Raceway when the
pacer turned back seven others en route to a 1:57.3 victory.
Jimmy Marohn, Jr. was at the controls for trainer Danny Gill
and he sent the ‘equine giant’ to lead from the two-hole and they made every
pole a winning one to score an easy three-length triumph over Spectacular Man,
driven by Jimmy Devaux. Haroun Hanover was a close third for Jason Ryan.
Marohn, who’s all of 5feet, 5 inches tall and 135 pounds,
was asked how can he see where he’s going when he’s up behind
Talldarkandhandsome?
“It’s not easy. He’s a big boy. Sometimes I have to look
between his legs,” he said with a laugh and then added, “No, not really, but I
do have to look from side to side to see where I’m going. He likes to be
on the front end and so do I. When we’re on the lead there’s (sic) no horses in
front us to worry about.”
Talldarkandhandsome’s victory followed a sixth and seventh
place finish in his previous two starts.
After the race trainer Danny Gill was asked how come his
horse was up the track in his last two starts and went such a good mile today,
to which he replied with a laugh; “He’s a Life Sign.”
Asked what he meant by that, Gill responded, “I had a few
and found that Life Signs (off-spring) are only good on the front end, and the
last two times he raced, Talldarkandhandsome started from the outside.”
A quick check of the official program verified that in
Talldarkandhandsome last two outings he raced from post positions six and eight,
respectively, was never a factor in the race and finished sixth and seventh,
well in the rears. Prior to that, Marohn, Jr. put him on the front end he was a
three length 1:58 winner.
“That’s exactly what I mean. If he’s not on the lead he
wouldn’t pass a parked car, and being (on the) inside today Jimmy sent him down
the road”, Gill said in response to why his horse raced well today.
Owned by Ed Hall and James Hall Talldarkandhandsome paid
just $2.50 for win.
That victory was one of four that Jimmy Marohn, Jr. had on
the nine-race card. He followed Talldarkandhandsome’s triumph with a victory
behind Arden Homestead’s trotter, Drill Sergeant Sam ($43.00) in 2:02.1
and then scored with another Gill-trained, Ed Hall-owned pacer,
Community Sprit ($5.10) in 2:00.
Marohn capped his day with a 1:57.4 victory with Benny
Eggars’ promising 4 –year-old, Thisguysarockstar ($23.80).
