Bay gelding by Rocknroll Hanover – Paulas Promise – Artsplace


BREEDERS: Perretti Farms, Cream Ridge, NJ

OWNERS: Robert Young, Guelph, ON; Jamie Trott, Orangeville, ON; Brian Barton, Carlisle, ON & Frank Aloise, Brampton, ON

STATISTICS:
2010 9 2 1 4 $54,360
2009 7 0 2 1 $40,809
Totals 16 2 3 5 $95,169

LIFETIME MARK: 3, 1:51.1, Meadowlands

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS & NOTES:
Purchased for $50,000 at Lexington Select Sale in October 2008
Son of 2005 Pepsi North America Cup winner Rocknroll Hanover

At two:
• Failed to break his maiden in seven starts
• Best effort was second place finish to Dr Dreamy in Metro Consolation September 5 at Mohawk

At three:
• Has more starts this year (nine) than any other Cup entrant
• Broke maiden at the Meadowlands May 13 in career best 1:51.1
• Finished third to All Speed Hanover in New Jersey Classic elimination, June 5 before winding up fifth to BG’s Folly in $500,000 final on June 12
• Finished third to We Will See in third Cup elim June 19 at Mohawk after setting the pace


ELIMINATION QUOTES: Robert Young, Owner-Trainer
“We wanted to be close to the front. He raced tough all the way and stayed game right to the finish, which I was ecstatic with.”

“His tactical speed is a big weapon. You have to be up close to the front with these types of horses in order to have a realistic chance.”

“This is a big thrill to be in the NA Cup on home soil. Brian Barton and I have had horses together for years, like Artimittateslife and some other good ones, and the two other partners, Jamie Trott and Frank Aloise, both started out in the SBOA’s New Owners Program. So it’s very exciting for all of us.”

“He has a great attitude. He needed to go to the Meadowlands earlier this year to get woke up and now he’s a race horse.”


Trainer – Robert Young
Age: 56
Career wins through June 20, 2010: 694
Career earnings through June 20, 2010: $10,076,834

• Bob Young has been training horses since the early 1980s. His father and grandfather introduced him to the business as they raced horses as a hobby in the early 1960’s. Bob has been a regular trainer on the WEG circuit since 1984.
• Bob has had success in recent years with standout fillies Oven Mitt (p,3,1:52s.1 $396,542) and her daughter Artimittateslife (p,3,1:51.3s $874,881). With over $10 million in career earnings, this will be Bob’s first North America Cup appearance.
• Bob has been involved around the community of harness racing in Ontario. He was a Director of the Ontario Harness Horse Association before joining the Central Ontario Standardbred Association in 2009 where he currently remains. He resides in Guelph, Ontario with his wife Gail and his two children Scott and Heather.


Driver – Paul MacDonell
Age: 47
Career Wins through June 20, 2010: 4,702
Career Earnings through June 20, 2010: $97,605,881

• Born in Oshawa, Ontario, Paul MacDonell has been one of Canada’s leading drivers for more than two decades. He realized a career highlight in 2008 when guiding Somebeachsomewhere to the victory in the Pepsi North America Cup.
• MacDonell enjoyed the ride of his life in 2007-2008 when he partnered with long-time friend, Brent MacGrath, to drive the pacing phenomenon, Somebeachsomewhere.
• Together they dazzled the harness racing world, unbeaten in six starts and capturing the $1 million Metro Pace in a world record time of 1:49.3 in 2007. Somebeachsomewhere sat out the Breeders Crown and ended the year as co-Horse of the Year in Canada and a Dan Patch divisional champion in the United States.
• Of course, the two went on to make history in the colt’s nearly flawless 3-year-old campaign, culminating in a Horse of the Year title in both in Canada and the U.S.
• Another outstanding horse driven by MacDonell was an Angus Hall son, Laddie, who captured the William Wellwood Memorial Final in 2006 and was an O’Brien Award winner as Canada’s top two-year-old trotting colt. In 2007, Laddie and MacDonell also cashed big cheques with third place finishes in the Hambletonian and the Canadian Trotting Classic.
• Partnered with the pacing mare, Invitro, MacDonell scored victories in the Ontario Sire Stakes Super Final, the Ontario SBOA Final, and the Canadian Breeders Championship final in 2004, and the Roses are Red Stakes in 2005. The daughter of Camluck also had considerable success in 2006 and 2007, padding her bankroll to $ 2,330,527 (and counting).
• MacDonell has scored eight Breeders Crown wins, including Village Jiffy (1994), Village Jasper, (1997), Billyjojimbob (1991), Jeremes Jet (2005) and Somebeachsomewhere (2008). But the Breeders Crown which first brought him to national prominence was in 1990, when he steered the extreme longshot, Bay’s Fella, to a stunning upset of favoured Topnotcher. In the process he set a record for the longest mutual price in Crown history -- $140.60 on a $2 bet.
• He has been thrice nominated for an O’Brien Award as driver of the year, losing out to Mark MacDonald in 2005 and Jody Jamieson in 2007, before capturing the honour in 2008.
• MacDonell won his first race in 1981, in only his third lifetime start. He was the leading driver at the Charlottetown Driving Park in 1987 and 1988 before making his way back to Ontario. He credits the late Hall of Fame trainer, William Wellwood, with kick-starting his career.