Harness Racing, Impossible Comeback! - Hitchhiker
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- Опубліковано 4 жов 2024
- California Harness Racing's Sire Stakes Champion Trotter, Hitchhiker breaks stride and spots the field 20 lengths only to settle down and win the race. To make the feat more impressive...the track condition was AWFUL and was favoring the front end.
What's not to like about the call, Stu? Scott was clear, concise, and correct. He gave me all the information I needed, and when Hitchhiker broke stride up the backstretch, he was farther back in the field, and Scott's binoculars have about a seven length range of view. I don't call every breaker as soon as they jump off. Everything in its proper context. Again, Scott is clear, concise, and correct--and this call was no exception.
Disagree the odds on favorite broke and he called it a half an hour later and then seemed surprised terrible situational awareness period anyone says otherwise doesn’t know announcing
Outstanding. That's the best effort I've ever seen in a harness race. It even beats Mount Eden's win in the Harold Park Miracle Mile in 1971.
TOTALLY MISLEADING! Last half was in 1:05 1/5. Field was total garbage. Hitchiker even breaker did what he was supposed to do because he was vastly superior.
That 2:07 Mile with the equipment used by 2007 is PAINFULLY SLOW, equal to a 2:15 mile on a mile track or a 2:20+ mile on a half-miler in the 1980's.
@@WaltGekko The time has nothing to do with it. It is the effort to give away 30 lengths (mid race) and go on to win that matters. If racing was all about "times" then there would be no point running the races. Just award the race to the horse with the fastest registered mile rate.
@@grahamleadbeatter5981 The point was, Hitchiker was vastly superior to this field and easily would have won by double-digit lengths and maybe 30+ lengths had he not broke. He also didn't spot the field nearly as much as it looked, and by the time he was moving, he looked like he'd win as long as he didn't break again.
@@WaltGekko He might well have been a class above them, but he DID break and he DID concede about 30 lengths. That's what made it such an enormous effort, particularly when the break happened about half way through the race. So regardless of times or class, my point still stands. It was the best effort that I've ever seen in a harness race.
@@grahamleadbeatter5981 I watched it again. He conceded about 10-12 lengths, not 30. Once he got moving, as slow as they were going, he had this race won.
IMPRESSIVE!!! Thanks for posting!
What a comeback! What heart!
keep in mind, the announcer was outdoors in the tower and it was about 10 degrees windchill that night with some fog and rain (I was there, probably the first time I ever hit a tri where two of the horses I needed were off stride in the race). update: Hitchiker is still perfect for his career.
in California? Quit exaggerating the windchill
What does the weather have to do with his eyes he called an odds on favorite that broke 20 minutes later stop making excuses for the guy are you his defense attorney?
great comeback! you almost never see this kind of recovery in a harness race
Misleading! Even breaking he should have romped. The last half was 1:05 1/5. Hitchiker had this race won as soon as he started moving after the break and he had plenty of time to get by.
@@WaltGekko mzvm
Glen it’s paced back not trot….I drove at rosecroft raceway trotted back never belongs in a statement with niatross and I bet my lungs on hitchhiker
Thanks for the video. I have seen many harness races and with that weather you could expect for horses to break stride. However that comeback from the break was incredible. Most horses when they break and fall that far back have no chance of winning. This horse came back trotting and finished very strong to win the race. The weather most likely helped as all the horses were getting tired due to the poor track conditions.
The lead horse ran full speed from the start so it was tired at the end. But Hitchhiker was fabulous to say the least!
That was like Secretariat of Trotters! Too Cool. Wish I could get my horse to extend like that! lol
MISLEADING! Last half was in 1:05 1/5. Even breaking he did what he was supposed to do.
Hey, negative posters: stop bringing up side issues-this comeback by Hitchiker was a incredible event...
You are a starry eyed liberal
Never gave up, all ❤️.
That is by far the best come back ever! Niatross was impressive when he trotted back to get into the final at Meadowlands after a break but this was awe inspiring!
And expected. Hitchiker was clearly the best of a very sorry lot that trotted the last half in 1:05 1/5. C-2 (bottom level trotters) at Roosevelt and Yonkers back in the day could have broke, spotted the field 20+ lengths and if there was a Hitchiker in the field still come back to win easily, especially with the equipment in use by 2007. 2:07 with that equipment on a mile track is PAINFULLY SLOW, in similar conditions at Roosevelt in the '80s that would have been a 2:17-2:20 mile or even slower (no joke!).
@@WaltGekko Agreed but it still looked great
Shows how much you know about harness racing Niatross was a pacer not a trotter glen you obviously don’t know the difference in gait that’s like saying beveled pride was a great pacer learn the game rookie I drove both duh you drove a vw
@@phil1727 I never said he was a trotter. What I mean;t was he was off stride and "trotted" back as an expression-do'nt be so picky
Unbelievable recovery!
dont know why this came up in my feed lol..14 years ago ..keeping this active :)
You guys need to chill a minute on the bashing of announcer Scott Ehrlich. He is probably the most knowledgeable and accessible announcer in Harness Racing. I have personally talked horses with him all the time. The rain that night was AWFUL, I can almost guarantee he had a pretty obscured view of the race because of the reflection from the heavy rain.
Sir Pye, Scoot was the best ever. I remember when he carried my mom's groceries all the way home from Sydney or Glasgow I forget but I'll never forget him chugging those barrels over his shoulder.
Never complained not once did I.
After this brief stint yelling out the calls for the horses he was finally made manager of the Northbrook greyhound station.
In Northbrook of course.
His mom was proud as heck to name him.
I'm proud to have known him cause I usually don't like Mexicans
Please stop making excuses he was awful in this race yes he is good that doesn’t mean he gets a pass when he is bad an odds on favorite broke and he called it 20 minutes later and then seemed surprised
What a fabulous race!!!
i was there there that night
hitchhiker almost stopped to a walk ive never seen a recovery like that
Me either. At least not in harness racing.
mrkeno1000 do you remeber the driver?
the driver was Tien Desomer son of Steve Desomer
I thought it was one of them by the color of the silks.
I did, twice. A 1-2 shot who was the favorite in all eight doubles from the previous race (my betting angle) spotted the field about 30 lengths and missed by a half. Much more impressive was No Nukes in 1981 at the Meadowlands, spotting the field 25 lengths and just missing at the wire against the best in the world.
Wow, that was a good comeback! I don't see many trotters anymore, mostly pacers.
They aren't automatically disqualified if they break strike?
No, as long as they dont impede the progress of other horses in the field.
Breaks are bad but I have seen three good ones. One was a standstill break at woodbine where the guy came back to win and another at Dover but the best had to be Vysoke Tatre in a stake where he was making winning move on far turn and then broke back to last and then rerally to win at the big M. Race went in 1:50 I think. That was truly amazing.
@lordpye i miss scott calling races at balmoral park. it was sad to see him go to cal-expo. i ve been to cal expo twice. nice track
How did this guy get the job as a race caller? That was one of the worst race calls i've ever heard. The horse in front gallops and the caller didn't pick it up until half a lap later.
That is Scott Erich and he’s one of the best callers ever.
Correct announcer was lost
Thats Scott Erlich. The best announcer in harness racing. I don’t know what you saw but it wasn’t that.
Please ignore his comment. Australia as a racing country is not represented by him. Bute is illegal to have in any horses system during racing and competition in Oz. If it is detected, then penalties will certainly follow. Most of us like myself, are not cheaters and follow the rules. I cannot believe he even said that, since when does he represent Australia as a racing country anyway?
What did he not see? I thought Ehrlich gave a pretty decent call.
I was saddened as shit to hear of his upcoming death but Scott was a good caller when it mattered it just never mattered to him I guess god bless the hell outta him though
I saw the race in question tonight as well.
1. He spotted 15L or so def not 20.
2. He did this at the beginning of the race as opposed to the half.
3. He didn't come to a complete stop before starting back up again.
He is not supposed to come to a complete stop just clear and lose ground and to me it looked like 20 but even 15 was awesome after a break because you have to have soft hands to not get the horse into a speed break. My argument might be that is competition was soft but still mad crazy comeback
I watched again and 20 is accurate maybe 22
@@glenbearh9109 And it didn't matter because even with that he has ZERO excuses. Last half was 1:05 1/5, EXTREMELY SLOW ANYWHERE even in 2007. If this were at Roosevelt or Yonkers back in the '80s, even with the modified sulky you'd be looking at a 2:20 or slower mile with this group.
@@WaltGekko You are right. I did not even look at the times. Still pretty cool to watch. In the 70's I always bet a horse called Sally's choice with Herve. The horse could not be clocked- He was doing 27 first quarters in cheapo races and would be twenty to thirty ahead but almost always lost. Once in a while she'd win. Tried to just steal it!
very easy to tell, just pause and use the top screen and put two fingers on the horse in front and then see how many lengths of the buggy it is back to Hitchiker. Each buggy length is one and a half horse lengths. He is about 18 lengths behind at one point in the race.
Wow what a race
Terrible announcer! Hitchiker breaks stride on the front end, and he makes no mention of it for 15 seconds, because he was too busy babbling on about horses that were 50 lengths back. wow!
You still have to announce the other horses even if they might not be in the front
I think Mark needs to step up into the booth to call one race and see how he does....This job is not easy
Whipping the horse that far ahead? What was the condition?
@@jacobsandbulte3599 You have the big name in the race break, you call it then announce the other horses.
lol correct terrible call
Steve Desomer was the trotting guy in California at that time heck of a trainer and heck of a horseman.
The most successful trainers use 110 volts and cattle prods. Then there was the undetectable Epigen an aids drug. Not to mention prodigious amounts of anabolic steroids. And let's not forget blood doping. Add to that parenteral joint injections with of all things Silicone, and you just cut the life expectancy of the animal in half. A big profane excuse for rich people to write off taxes... oh almost forgot baking soda, pepto bismol, DMSO in the vein, etc. etc. etc....
this horse never went to last after breaking . i thought that was the rule
Wow the Silky Sullivan of Harness Racing !
Was that Rich Kubler? The hillside strangler in the bike? Lol
Steve desomer
I had a pacing bred colt that wanted to trot. My farrier said to shoe him like a trotter and keep going. Wasn't too long and he hit the pace. Hardly needed hopples after that.
HE JUST DIDN'T WANT TO LOSE.
serious that is nothing compared to australian trotter knight pistol off a 20metre handicap beating free for all pacers at moonee valley. galloped and lost 80 metres rounded em up and won but i admit it was over 2500 metres but the horses he beat that night ended up running 149 mile rates in yankee land. must of been the bute or lasix
this is definitely a good comeback, not the best, perhaps, but a good one.
haven't heard enough of this announcer to know how good he is, but he dropped the ball on this one. the second time through the order is not that big of a deal, and while he is busy calculating how many lengths the early breakers have fallen behind the leader, a 2/5 shot is off-stride and backing through the field. should have been noted MUCH sooner, imho.
...and then the stablemate broke in the stretch. "I'm going to win. I'm going to lose. I could still win. Crap. I'm going to lose. Wait! What?! I won!!!!
What was track management doing sending horses out in that slop??
Hitchhiker hitchhiked a ride to the winners circle
pretty amazing!
@JR08620 The horse is in Michigan with Ronnie Wrenn Jr
Wow! What a comeback.
Misleading. Last half was in 1:05 1/5. Mile was in 2:07, which with the equipment used by 2007 is PAINFULLY SLOW, equal to say a 2:15 mile on a mile track or a 2:20+ mile on a half-miler in the 1980's.
There were a lot of breaks in the gait, the most I've seen in a race.
@Shazzy172 The horse is still alive and was racing over the summer at Hazel Park. Not sure what the owner plans on doing but slaughter house is definitely not an option.
1- remember that this horse is actually PACING-bred, even more remarkable
2- one of the worst calls ever... the horse had broke and was 20 lengths out of it before the announcer even noticed :(
The track was in bad condition for all the horses not just Hitchiker so that was a non factor. And as for favoring the front end- that was mere coincidence. water tends to drain down to the rail if anything so that was a non factor also.
2:07 in the Goo! Hoo Hoo.
he knew when to rest the horse
This horse would have been disqualified for an extensive break today, and rightfully so. Staying on gait for the entire mile should be paramount, and any horse off-stride should be automatically disqualified imo. These are not hot-bloods.
this was a very good race i just wish i could of been there that night but i got layed off by lou pena the Harness driver cal expo rules
though and sctott ehrlich is the man
Pena a crook
Like the night I was gsp ( garden state park ) and CR cay Susie broke gave them about 17 lengths and won
Mcmarkle Sparkle Wins first leg of OSS for 3 year old Fillies at Scioto Downs in track record @.1 @fKWI
WOW, love it. hope the horse enjoyed it.
The only time that happens is if the driver fails to yield to the horses on-stride (pacing/totting) safely, and without causing interference.
woow O.o if the track was that wet over her in the netherlands they wouldn't even let them start. Great race dowh ^^
The track was wet but still very firm actually the tracks get a bit hard when it rains
he saw the winner when he was still more than 10 back, how is that crummy?
Driver should of never tapped the horse going to the qtr , he was fine. Live and learn
Is your name Tom by any chance?
I'm Australian where is cal x in America im thinking California but I could be wrong
You're right. It's in Northern California near Sacramento (California's capital)
Thanks mate I know our work sells a lot of horse to eastern seaboard of america
Awful driver - gets after Hitchhiker in the slop while trotting comfortably 6 lengths in front - gathers him up and then the HORSE drives himself up for win by learning to ignore the driver. Was this an amateur race? The idiot show boats by tucking his whip 20 feet from the wire like he's some kind of hero. I'd put him down for 30 days.
I really like announcer.
VERY MISLEADING! Hitchiker was clearly the best of a sorry group by a mile. Yes, it was a sloppy track that was slow, but even then, 2:07 is an EXTREMELY slow time on a mile track for even two year old trotters. You knew as long as he didn't break again, Hitchiker would eventually get by the leader, especially since the last quarter was :33 1/5, which especially on a mile track is an EXTREMELY slow last quarter.
Isn't breaking stride in to a gallop automatic disqualification ?
Jamie Owens not in aus/usa
when a horse breaks he has to be pulled to the outside and not gain ground on any horse while off stride if he is lapped on to a horse at the finish and is on a break he will be DQ
Jamie Owens Not if the horse doesn't interfere with anyone and loses ground.
@@mrkeno1000 so you're saying if this happens as hes crossing the finish line it's a dq?
@@leobowman8149 if a horse breaks right on the wire they calculate if the lapped on horse would have won while the leader was on a break horse will be DQ to 2nd if the 2nd horse was further back no DQ
Amazing comeback especially in harness racing.
Horses were breaking stride because of the sloppy track conditions. Check out Alydar comeback in the Champagne stakes & Silky Sullivan unbelieveable 41 length comeback.
Mirage! Hitchhiker was the best of a VERY sorry lot. With the equipment in use by 2007, with the best pacers going under 1:50 with regularity, even for two year old trotters, 2:07 on a mile track with a 1:05 1/5 last half was PAINFULLY slow. If this were at Roosevelt or Yonkers in the 1980's and track was that slow, even with the modified sulky that came in by 1977 a race like this might have needed more than 2:20 for the mile. That is how SLOW this was.
Check Trigal - Clasico Seleccion de Potrillos 1990
Great comeback!!
Sorry to ask this but has anyone here know how mcwicked foal are going in America thinking of sending my 4 mates to him.
In the mud ! He was a muddier for sure.
I HAD A TICKET ON MATASTAR PICK WHEN HE MADE THE BREAK BEHIND THE GATE I THREW THE TICKET AWAY MATASTARPICK WAS 20 LENGTH BEHIND THEN HE COME ROARING UP THREE WIDE AND OPEN UP BY 6-7 LENGTHS AND WON BY 9 I HAD TO DO A LOT SEARCHING TO FIND MY TICKET AND HE ONLY PAID 280 ON HISS PROGRAM CARD ALL IT SHOWED WAS WINS
I wouldn't bet that track with your money
Why? You would rather bet ,where? You suck.
Superlative effort by the freeloader.
Coming home in 105 was impressive LOL
Maybe you should watch some races yourself. Clearly you didn't do your own "research" regarding the race. Of course the field was terrible, but HH comes to a STOP on the backstretch before starting again and wins anyway...how many times have you seen that before? Also, the track was an absolute deluge...barely anything could break 2:00 on that night...even the top pacers. And lastly, NOT A SINGLE OTHER WINNER ON THE CARD made up more than 3 lengths TOTAL on the leader to win. HH made up 20+.
2:07 mile cali sire stakes. just shows you how awful their sire stakes program is
always amazes me how you guys can actually take harness racing seriously
What's wrong with that buddy?
what's wrong with that? animal abuse, deceiving the public, I could go on but I am too busy...don't lose all your money
This guy actually says animal abuse lol
why bother watching then idiot
Aminal aboose
i reckon ayleens prince was the run of the race
that horse did not lose ground he post to lose 4 hourse ground not 3 horse
Should be DQ is they gallop, is the case in alot of euro countries.
Bute is swabbable and illegal to have in any horses system during racing and competition.Any trace of it found is immediate disqualification, and possible bans from race or competition events. Is that how you want to represent Australia as a racing country over You-Tube? Bute is used as an anti-inflammatory & pain relief for horses. It must be completely gone from a horses system before racing, not during.Luckily,you don't speak for all of us.Especially those of us who do follow the rules.
the video is entertaining, not exactly sure why the horse slowed down in the first place
the comments are some of the worst ive ever seen. a completely sad flailing of epeen over absolutely nothing. calm down, find a hobby you can speak about without insulting other people. please
i go to cal expo quite a bit only harness racing west of chicago
i go back to the days of western harness racing at hollywood park when big stakes races brought out the likes of stanley dancer the houghtons and the master joe obrien
now they race for 1700 purses and yes there have been some questionable races the son of one of the leading drivers went to prison for fixing a trifecta his brother won the race
danny ana Jason maier,todd ratchford,and ray burt.
I THOGHT THEY DID NOT RAIN MUCH IN CALFORNIA THEY WERE RACING IN THE SWAP I SAW SIMALAR EVENT LIKE THIS AT FLAMBORO WHEN MATSTAR PICK WAS THE FAVORITE AND MADE BREAK BEHIND THE GAIT AND WAS 16 L BEHIND THE FIELD CAUGHT THE FIELD AND CIRCLE THEM AND OPEN UP BY 8 LENGTH AND WON PEOPLE HAD TROWEN THEIR TICKETS AWAY AND WERE SEARCHING THE FLOOR FOR THEN ANY WAYS THE MILE WENT INTO 6 WITH BRIAN LAWSON DRIVING
Southern California is where it rains less.
日本のマルゼンスキーのようですね！
the race caller should use his guide dog to call races seeing that he cannot see shit
shit happens at red mile all the time. it just shows u how shitty those other horses are
+Walter Hager idiot it was at calexpo
Amazes me how you clearly don’t see that the jockey in front is leaned right back pulling as hard as he possibly can 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
It amazes me how democrats can make such asinine statements without knowing the facts. When the horse is tiring you lean back to take some of the weight off his back. It's a way to streamline, do the research before you speak Jack ass.
@@pablovelazquez5666 I never knew that thanks!
Can't understand why harness racing is missing in alot of states. Must be the christians,muslims,hindus and bhudda
lol haha one of the horses was cantering
Aussie harness racing is the best in the world...you american pacers go hard out from the start...which is just ridiculous...By the way Chris Barsby is No match for Craig Rail....Jim Jacques is the next best followed closely by The awesome Dan Mielecki....Aussie racing Rules....BE GOOD JOHNNY TO MAKE IT 3 MIRACLE MILES IN 2008..GO JOHNNY GO
Bullshit it stopped trotting midway and was galloping should be disqualified
bute is not a drug that is allowed for racing in NORTH AMERICA
NOT !!!
10 ta 1 your an aussie.. ditto mate ..this bloke could not call his own phone number
For Meadowlands harness racing thoughts and insights, hometrackadvantage com
lol american racing is bad....you must not know anything... walter case jr is the best half mile track ever in history...no1 can beat this man on a small track...as for race callers...we have some great ones also...ken werkington..john bothe..roger huston..and i forgot the guys name from freehold but he is very good also
poop one on net for mom 1 and 2???????????
@amzingjourney you're just on here to stir the pot, eh? get a life buddy. fixing races in michigan is old news. those guys are out of the business.
what a horrible race track
The worst caller ever
WTF is this racing? It's animal cruelty. They should ban this crap. The regular racing is already bad enough, now you got them pulling carts, with some c*nt inside it and with a long whip?!!
+arsenalmanic idiot
You're a moron. Standardbreds are much more durable than TBs. You could watch standardbreds for 10 years and not see one breakdown on the track, this is in fact much more humane than Thoroughbred racing.
Young man...I assume you are...I have watched the races over 4o years....I've seen 100's of thourobreds and quarter horses break down...and may a dozen harness harness....if that.
Mike Brewer Exactly. These horses are built like tanks.
They should ban silly sooky soccer before the trots with all there gay diving and ball hits them in the shin yet they claim it hit them in the head
Really bad drivers out there. Announcer is the old Chicago guy. A real yahoo if you know what I mean. Guess he suits the terrible racing. And yes, he's clueless...
pathetic call america has the worse callers and rules compared to australia
Announcer sucked. Race sucked. I never heard of this horse.What happened to him?