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The Delaware Standardbred Owners Association held their 12th Annual Dinner and Awards Banquet on January 9 at the Sheraton Hotel in Dover. A packed ballroom gathered to celebrate some of the best performers of 2008.

At Harrington Raceway Vicki Gram, now eight years old, was recognized as the top of her class winning the honor for Trotter of the Year. The daughter of Valley Victor, had 19 starts with seven wins, three seconds and one third. Her earnings totaled $98,000 at the Kent County half mile for owner/trainer Art Stafford.

Village Blitz took home the Horse of 2008 Award at Harrington Raceway. This son of Village Jiffy, competed 22 times and crossed the wire first seven times and had four seconds and four thirds with $100 grand in the bank at just the Harrington meet last year. Owned and trained by Arty Foster Jr, this pacer also took a seasonal best of 1:52 over the half mile oval.

Claimer of the Year Award was presented to Pt’s Gold Dust, who racked up seven wins, one second and one third out of 12 starts while competing at Harrington Raceway. Trainer Brit Evans co-owns the son of Dream Away with good friends Chad and Trish Foulk.

Dover Downs also honored their best competitors starting with Claimer of the Year going to Unn. Not only did the daughter of Ace’s N Sevens win 10 out of 16 starts at the meet with two seconds and two thirds, but she never missed a check during that time. Owned and trained by John Wagonhoffer, Unn also took her lifetime best last year at the five-eighth mile oval with a 1:53.2 mile.

"The last claiming race I raced her in was as $15,000 claimer at Dover Downs," Wagonhoffer said of that career mark, which was won by seven lengths. "She really showed a lot of potential and since then I’ve taken her out of claimers. She switched hands a few times during that Dover meet and she raced great for everybody who had her. She’s just got a lot of heart."

Taking home top honors for Trotter at Delaware’s five eighth mile oval was the CR Commando daughter, Go Sassy Go, who just turned seven this year. This highsteppin’ lass, owned by Delbert Cain, raced 17 times, making it to the winner circle on four occasions with four seconds and three wins.Trained and driven by George Dennis she earned over $74,000 at the meet and took her career mark in 1:54.2 on April 9, 2008.

"I’ve had her since she was a baby," remembers Dennis. "And she was big back then and just keeps getting bigger and bigger. She’s not really sassy, but she’s definitely set in her ways. She likes to go in the field every morning and if she doesn’t she’ll run circles in the stall."

Sharky Osborne scooped up the Horse of the Year award for owners Gary Minner and Peter Richardson. The Cam’s Card Shark took a seasonal best and matched=2 0his lifetime mark in 1:49.4 at Dover Downs in January of 2008. At the Dover meet alone, the Josh Green trainee he made over $170,000. His record included 18 starts with seven wins, three seconds and three thirds - never missing a check the entire meet.

The winner of the Horizon Award was Doug Lewis. For many years he teamed up with his best friend Kevin Lare, who was always quick to say that Lewis was the backbone to the stable.In 2008 Lewis ventured out on his own, grabbing the spotlight and having a stellar year training a stable of horses whose earnings totaled $410,000.

The final award of the evening was a Special Recognition given to Stormont Northstar. The now 15 year old trotter retired from the track after the 14th race at Dover Downs on December 10th and he went out in style with a win. That was 72nd trip to the winner circle during his career and he went to pasture in Hartly, Delaware with over $600 grand in the bank.

"If you could see him now that he’s retired, you could tell he misses it already," said trainer and co-owner Bob Stevenson. "We use to bring him in every morning, throw a harness on him and jog him. Now we just bring him in to give him lunch. After he eats he’s got his head over the gate nickering and wondering why he’s not jogging."

Stormont Northstar, who has overcome two pulled suspensories, a broken splint bone and stifle problems during his career, is also the winningest horse in Harrington Raceway history with 35 victories at that half mile. Stormont Northstar owned by Bob and Diana Stevenson and Eric Davis.

He was a Trotter of the Meet at Harrington Raceway in 2000 and 2002. Plus, just last year, in his final racing season, he was a nominee for that top honor again.

Among the guests at the Delaware Standardbred Owners Associations banquet were Governor Ruth Ann Minner, Senator Thurman Adams, Senator Nancy Cook, Senator Gary Simpson, Representative Gerald Brady   Representative John Kawalko Representative Biff Lee Representative Bobby Outten, Representative Michael Ramone, Representative Bob Walls and Representative Dave Wilson. Representatives from the Delaware Harness Racing Commission were there including Chairwoman Beth Steele and her husband Myron, who is the Chief Justice of Delaware Supreme Court. Also in the crowd was Tommy Cook, the Assistant Secretary for the Delaware Department of Revenue and Finance.


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