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Hambo king says 'Dewey' one of a kind
Sunday, August 3, 2008
By JOHN ROWE
RECORD COLUMNIST
EAST RUTHERFORD - Ray Schnittker atlanta jeep chrystler dodge peachtree industrial seemed oblivious to his surroundings. Here he was on the biggest stage of his profession, the Hambletonian at The Meadowlands, and he decided to drive like he did in his formative days at the smaller tracks of upstate New York.
The heck with any complicated strategy. Schnittker knew that in Deweycheatumnhowe he had the best horse, and if nobody else was going to take the early lead, he would.
Catch me if you can, he dared the rest of the 10-horse field in the $1.5 million race.
They couldn't, although Crazed, the second betting choice, almost did. rebecca dodge and nathaniel eaton Thanks to his half-length victory on Saturday before a crowd of 25,006, Deweycheatumnhowe, with his 15th victory and a career-best time of 1:52, became the first undefeated champion in the 83-year history of trotting's Super Bowl.
"When you're 15-for-15 after winning this, if you get beat next time so what?" said Schnittker, who also trains and is a part owner of the 3-year-old colt. "There can't be another one [like Deweycheatumnhowe]. Only a second one."
Schnittker knew early on that he had a special horse. In his first baby race, Deweycheatumnhowe finished second, yet he made up 15 or 20 lengths, and he was motoring down the lane.
"It was his stride," Schnittker remembered. "I always thought he'd be at least a decent horse, and maybe better later on in his career because he was so big, but he's also athletic."
He needed all of that in his biggest race. Maintaining a two-length lead throughout the everham dodge first three-quarters of the mile race, Schnittker, as is his way, took a peek from his bike as he headed down the dodge truck headlights stretch to see if anybody was gaining.
Crazed, driven by Tim Tetrick, was.
"I've seen too many races and seen the best horses lose," said Ted Gewertz, part of the small army that is Deweycheatumnhowe's ownership group. "The second-best horse was behind us and that horse has quick speed and is a good closer."
Schnittker's reaction was to use his whip on Deweycheatumnhowe, such an out-of-the ordinary circumstance that Gewertz never remembered Schnittker doing so.
Actually he had - twice in Deweycheatumnhowe's fourth career race. Back when the crowd was a lot smaller and the stakes a lot less.
With the stakes a lot higher, Schnittker was leaving nothing to chance.
"I was definitely worried," he said. "You don't want to get beat like that."
Because he didn't, the comparisons to the best trotters of all time can begin. So can the comparisons of how Deweycheatumnhowe has achieved what others in other sports have not.
"'Dewey' did what Big Brown could not in the Belmont," said Frank Baldassare, a former Bergen County resident who is part of the horse's ownership. "What Somebeachsomewhere couldn't do in the Meadowlands Pace."
And, as Giants' fans gladly will remind everybody, what the New England Patriots couldn't do.
Deweycheatumnhowe's future plans include a specially arranged race at Vernon Downs, one of Schnittker's old stomping grounds. Then it's on to the World Trotting Derby, the Big Red Mile in Lexington, Ky., and back to The Meadowlands for the Breeders Crown in fall.
"I'm not going to dodge any bullets," said Schnittker.
Those who dodge city ethanol know him wouldn't expect anything different. Schnittker is dodge quad cab a well-liked horseman who's paid his dues along the way.
"I had a lot of dodge caravan transmission trouble people rooting for me, including race secretaries and judges," he said. "A friend of mine called me this week and said, 'Even the guys who can't stand you are rooting for you.' "
Schnittker had been here before, driving a pair of 40-1 shots to third-place finishes. He also had sold two trotters that later developed into Hambo qualifiers. At 50, he has an appreciation chrysler dodge for this success that he might not have had earlier.
"As you get older, you don't get that many chances," he said. "I really wanted this one. It doesn't matter what happens after this. This is my greatest thrill. I've been doing this all my life, getting up at 3 in the morning to train [horses]. They can't take it away from me. It's in the history books."
Page 1 2 >>
EAST RUTHERFORD - Ray Schnittker seemed oblivious to his surroundings. Here he was on the biggest stage of his profession, the Hambletonian at The Meadowlands, and he decided to drive like he did in his formative days at the smaller tracks of upstate New York.
The heck with any complicated strategy. Schnittker knew that in Deweycheatumnhowe he had the best horse, and if nobody else was going to take the early lead, he would.
Catch me if you can, dempsey dodge plano il he dared the rest of the 10-horse field in the $1.5 million race.
They dodge swinger restoration couldn't, although Crazed, the second betting choice, almost did. Thanks to his half-length victory on Saturday before a crowd of 25,006, Deweycheatumnhowe, with his 15th victory and a career-best time of 1:52, became the first undefeated champion in the 83-year history of trotting's Super Bowl.
"When you're 15-for-15 after winning this, if you get beat next time so what?" said Schnittker, who also trains and is a part owner of the 3-year-old colt. "There can't be another one [like Deweycheatumnhowe]. Only a second one."
Schnittker knew early on that he had a special horse. In his first baby race, Deweycheatumnhowe finished second, yet he made dodge caravan recall up 15 or 20 lengths, and he was motoring down the lane.
"It was his stride," Schnittker remembered. "I always thought he'd be at least a decent horse, and maybe better later on in his career because he was so big, but he's also athletic."
He needed all of that in his biggest race. Maintaining a two-length lead throughout the first three-quarters of the mile race, Schnittker, as is his way, took a peek from his bike as he headed down the stretch to see if anybody was gaining.
Crazed, driven by Tim Tetrick, was.
"I've seen too many races and seen the best horses lose," said Ted Gewertz, part of the small army that is Deweycheatumnhowe's ownership group. "The second-best horse was behind us and that horse has quick speed and is a good closer."
Schnittker's reaction was to use his whip on Deweycheatumnhowe, such an out-of-the ordinary circumstance that Gewertz never remembered Schnittker doing so.
Actually he had - twice in Deweycheatumnhowe's fourth career race. Back when the crowd was a lot smaller and the stakes a lot less.
With the stakes a lot higher, Schnittker was leaving nothing to chance.
"I was definitely worried," he said. "You don't want to get beat like that."
Because he didn't, the comparisons to the best trotters of all time can begin. So can the comparisons of how Deweycheatumnhowe has achieved what others in other sports have dodge a100 van not.
"'Dewey' did what Big Brown could not in the Belmont," said Frank Baldassare, a former Bergen County resident who is part of the horse's ownership. "What Somebeachsomewhere couldn't do in the Meadowlands Pace."
And, as Giants' fans gladly will remind everybody, what the New England Patriots couldn't do.
Deweycheatumnhowe's future plans include a specially arranged race at Vernon Downs, one dodge ram bumper of Schnittker's old stomping grounds. Then it's on to the World Trotting Derby, the Big Red Mile in Lexington, Ky., and back to The Meadowlands for the Breeders Crown in fall.
"I'm not going to dodge any bullets," said Schnittker.
Those who know him wouldn't expect anything different. Schnittker is a well-liked horseman who's paid his dues dodge ram light sockets along the way.
Page 1 2 >>
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