Columbus, OH --- Stable 45, Richard Taylor, Steve Springer and Nina Simmonds’ Golden Receiver has gotten off to a good start in 2012 -- in fact, has gotten off to the best start possible -- and that start has resulted in the veteran pacer being named January’s Horse of the Month by the U.S. Trotting Association.
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| Lisa photo |
| Golden Receiver was named January Horse of the Month after sweeping the Presidential Series. |
Four January trips to the track resulted in four wins, comprised of an Invitational victory followed by a sweep of the Presidential Pacing Series, including this past Saturday’s $110,500 Presidential Series Final for Free For Allers. In addition, all four races were accomplished in wire-to-wire fashion.
The Mark Harder trainee began 2012 by capturing a $30,000 Meadowlands Invitational, in 1:50, and then swept through the Presidential medley by winning in 1:48, 1:49.2 and 1:49.1 -- all in rein to Brian Sears.
Aggressive. That’s what his trainer says is Golden Receiver’s best trait.
“He’ll come off a helmet, but he’s got such tremendous gate speed that in 50 yards he can be in front of the field,” Harder said before the Presidential Final. “You can take advantage of that. When you draw outside, what do you do from out there? It’s hard to beat those horses sitting last.”
Pacing last was never in Sears’ or Golden Receiver’s game plan in January -- ask the horses and drivers who saw nothing but his backside last month.