Meme Queen Has The Last Laugh In $15,000 KYSS Goldenrod
July 30 - Meme Queen (Propulsion - SMS Princess) shipped from Ontario for today's first division of the Kentucky Golden Rod series at the Red Mile. Leaving from post 2 as the betting favorite, Meme Queen quickly stepped out into the lead, only to relinquish it temporarily to Pilot Area soon after a 30.0 first quarter. Meme Queen sat second going into the final turn when driver David Miller put her in gear, retaking the lead by the top of the stretch. From there her snappy 27.2 final quarter erased all doubts in a 1:57.1 victory by a comfortable length. This is Meme Queen's first lifetime parimutuel win for trainer Carter Pinske and owners N Yolanda Fellows, Blair Corbeil, and Windermere Stable LLC.
Just Teasing No Joke In $20,000 PA Stallion Series at Harrahs Philadelphia
July 17 - Just Teasing (Captain Corey - Just Joshing) was not just playing around today in her $20,000 division of the PA Stallion Series at Harrahs Philadelphia. Starting from post 1, Just Teasing got away third while two betting favorites broke stride. After a 58.4 half, driver Andy Miller put Just Teasing in another gear and she quickly gained the lead. She was never threatened in the stretch, winning by 3 lengths in a lifetime mark of 1:56.2f. This was her second pari-mutuel start for trainer Julie Miller and owners Andy Miller Stable, Jean Goehlen, and Windsong Stable.
Just Teasing is the first foal from 2020 2YO New York Excelsior A Final winner Just Joshing 2, 1:58.2; 3, 1:58.3h ($92, 690). Windsong Stable sells Fun And Games, a Greenshoe half sister to Just Teasing, in the Concord Stud Farm consignment at Harrisburg.
In Range Off To A Great Start With First Crop 2YOs
Big Ranger, photo by Conrad
July 6 - Windsong Stable-bred Ohio stallion In Range (Bar Hopping - Ilia) has already made a huge impression with his 2YOs very early in the 2025 racing season. In fact, In Range is the #1 sire of 2YO trotters nationally as of today!
In the $150,000 Next Generation series at Scioto Downs, In Range offspring absolutely crushed it in both colt and filly divisions. Big Ranger (In Range - Big Blue Bird) led wire-to-wire under a hand drive from Ronnie Gillespie to win by 3 lengths in a 1:54.0f track record, obliterating the previous track record of 1:55.1f for 2YO trotting colts. Big Ranger's 1:54.0f victory is the fastest recorded so far in 2025 by a 2YO trotting colt. Incredibly, this was Big Ranger's first pari-mutuel start for owner Madison Global, trainer/driver Ronnie Gillespie, and breeder Spring Haven Farm. Big Ranger was a big bargain $25,000 yearling purchase at the Ohio Select Sale. Two other In Range colts, Rose Run Banker and Rose Run Boom, finished third and fourth respectively.
Setyoursightshigh, photo by Conrad
In the filly division, Setyoursightshigh (In Range - Special Interest) took the lead at he top of the stretch to win by a length in 1:56.3f for driver Mike Wilder and trainer Marcus Melander. Setyoursightshigh was a $50,000 yearling purchase at the Lexington Selected Sale for owners Heights Stable, Mantorp LLC, AMG Stable, and K Kjellgren Livs AB from breeder Kentuckiana Farms. In Range sired fillies Demonic Niko and Range The Wish finished second and fourth respectively.
A completely dominant day by In Range! USTA coverage with Conrad photos can be viewed here.
To date, from 83 foals, In Range already has 47 starters and 18 winners (including Qualifiers). Demonic Niko (In Range - Can't Stop Marie) 2, 1:58f $57,500 has also won a $40,000 leg of the KYSS at Oak Grove. Setyoursightshigh 2, 1:56,3 $85,000 previously finished second in a $40,000 leg of the KYSS at Oak Grove. Fast qualifying records have been recorded by other Next Generation In Range-sired horses: Rose Run Banker 2, Q1:55:1f $18,000; Rose Run Boom 2, Q1:56.4f $12,000; and Range The Wish 2, Q1:59.2f $12,000. In Range currently is the sire of the #1 (Setyoursightshigh), #3 (Big Ranger), and #5 (Demonic Niko) money winning 2YO trotters so far in 2025.
Lil Sweet With A Return To Form Win In $25,000 ONSS-GR
June 24 - 2024 $300,000 ONSS-Gold 2TF Lil Sweet (Green Manalishi - Sweetspellosuccess) is finding her racing form again after a slow start this year. Her connections decided to try a $25,000 ONSS-GR instead, and were rewarded with a strong performance. Leaving from post 5 for driver James McDonald, Lil Sweet eased away from the gate comfortably to sit 5th along the rail through a 56.0 half. Lil Sweet came first over to be second at the 3/4 pole in 1:27.2, only then to have an intense stretch battle with pacesetter Shampoo Girl before securing a one length win over a fast closing P L Stevie in 1:54.2. Lil Sweet's first victory in 2025 increased her lifetime earnings to $195,583 for trainer Susan Kerwood and lessees M & L of Delaware and Armitage Farm.
Antognoni S Sweeps John Brennan Series at Yonkers
April 23 - After victories in all 3 legs of the John Brennan Series at Yonkers, Antognoni S cruised to an effortless 5 length win in the $132,000 Final tonight in 2:24.3h (1 1/4 miles). By Father Patrick out of the Windsong-bred NYSS champion Bouncing Bax, Antognoni S has totally dominated the early season trotting ranks in compiling a 9 - 8 - 1 - 0 record and $150,660 in seasonal earnings for owners Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi, FAC Racing, and Yannick Gingras.
Antognoni S awaits the return of aged trotting stars Periculum, Logan Park, Oh Well, Chapercraz, Hillexotic, and others to measure himself against the very best trotters in harness racing. Some speculate that an invitation to the Elitloppet may be in consideration.
Coverage of the John Brennan S. Final can be found here.
Big Shot Wins Bigly In $20,000 (Leg) Bobby Weiss Series
April 14 - After two seconds in previous legs of the Bobby Weiss Series, Big Shot (Propulsion - A List Lindy) took a big step forward early in his racing career with a lifetime best 1:56.2f victory today at Pocono. Leaving from post 4 for driver George Napolitano, Big Shot moved smartly from the gate to be second in a hot 27.3 first quarter. After the half Big Shot took the lead and held off a late charge by Bondsman, who actually crossed the finish line first after a last second gallop. Big Shot was ultimately declared the winner. Trained by Nicholas Devita for owners David Hamm and Glenn Phillips of Delaware, Big Shot is now 5 - 2 - 2 - 0 with earnings of $24,200 in 2025. He should be one of the top contenders for the Bobby Weiss Series Final.
Big Shot is a half brother to 2024 PA Stallion Series winner Wish List 3, 1:55.3f ($75,240). His dam A List Lindy foaled a bay filly by Greenshoe on 2/4/25, and is booked to Captain Corey in 2025.
Long Tom Again A Leading North American Trotting Sire In 2024
February 6 - As reported in the February 2025 issue of TROT Magazine, the offspring of Windsong Stable-bred Ohio trotting stallion Long Tom had another great year at the races in 2024. Long Tom was the #1 Ohio and overall #6 North American trotting stallion with $2,223,590 in 2YO earnings. After finishing #2 to Walner in 2023, Long Tom was the #1 North American sire in 2YO total wins with 101. Long Tom ranked #5 in North America in starts per foal (5.78) and starters per number of foals (67.74%). His top earning 2YO was LT Loverboy 2, 1:56.1f ($304,855), who went 10 - 6 - 3 - 1 with victories in the $300,000 OHSS Final and 4 legs of the OHSS.
Long Tom also ranked #1 in Ohio and #11 in North America with $1,767,134 in 3YO earnings. He ranked was tied with Tactical Landing as the #8 North American stallion with 126 3YO victories. His top earning 3YO was last year's Mohawk Million runner-up Tennessee Tom 3, 1:53.0 ($750,880), who went 11 - 6 - 2 - 1 with $294,530 earnings in 2024 with victories in the $142,000 OHSF Final and 3 legs of the OHSS. USTA Stallion Showcase photo.
Long Tom will stand again in 2025 at Midland Acres for a fee of $5000.
Antognoni S Becomes A Suprise New Star at The Meadowlands
February 5 - Burke Racing Stable may have found its next new trotting star with their recent purchase and importation of Swedish trotter Antognoni S.
Antognoni S is a 5YO gelded son of Father Patrick out of the Windsong Stable-bred former NYSS champion mare Bouncing Bax 3, 1:56.1h ($444,980). He was a productive if not distinguished race horse in Sweden for the Timo Nurmos Stable at 3 and 4, taking a record of 1.10.8 (1:54.0) and earning 628,500 SEK with an overall record of 20 - 6 - 2 - 3. Antognoni S was third in the 4YO Swedish Breeders Crown from the most outside post 12 in November, perhaps foreshadowing better things to come.
Antognoni S quickly made himself noticed in his first Meadowlands qualifier on January 18, in which he came from fourth to win in 1:54.0, last quarter in a scorching 26.1. He improved even more in his first start on January 25 with a 4 length win in a season's fastest 1:52.4, and followed that with another 5 length victory on February 1 in 1:53.2. Both starts were in sub-freezing temperatures.
While the top aged horses have yet to return to racing, Antognoni S may soon prove himself a real contender in the aged trotting ranks. Windsong Stable is proud to have bred his dam, Bouncing Bax. Bouncing Bax is out of one of the all-time best Windsong Stable mares, Bax Machine. She is therefore a half sibling to a number of top performers including Baximum 1:53.3f ($636,684); Bax of Life 1:52.2 ($604,417); Six Bax 1:54.1 ($353,547); Never Bax Down 1:55.3 ($239,545); Q Forty Five 3, 1:56.2 ($210,000 Intl.); Swedish stallion Bring Me Back US 1:58.2 ($70,153); etc.
Meadowlands coverage of Antognoni S's second victory can be found here.
2025 Racing Highlights for Horses Bred by Windsong Stable
February 6 - As reported in the February 2025 issue of TROT Magazine, the offspring of Windsong Stable-bred Ohio trotting stallion Long Tom had another great year at the races in 2024. Long Tom was the #1 Ohio and overall #6 North American trotting stallion with $2,223,590 in 2YO earnings. After finishing #2 to Walner in 2023, Long Tom was the #1 North American sire in 2YO total wins with 101. Long Tom ranked #5 in North America in starts per foal (5.78) and starters per number of foals (67.74%). His top earning 2YO was LT Loverboy 2, 1:56.1f ($304,855), who went 10 - 6 - 3 - 1 with victories in the $300,000 OHSS Final and 4 legs of the OHSS.