Well Said Gives Owner Fourth NA Cup Title
Harness Colt's Record Breaking Run Eclipsed Red River Hanover
Jul 23, 2009
Pacer Well Said said it well for his Ohio breeding background at Mohawk Raceway, eclipsing stakes, track, and Canadian speed records in his blitzing of the field in the Pepsi North America Cup final, held for the third consecutive year at the Campbellville, Ontario facility.
Well Said, as well as Mach Three son Somebeachsomewhere, 2008's Harness Horse of the Year, trace to Ohio-breds introduced by Standardbred horsemen Jan McPherson and Bob Kauffman.
Snyder Gets Fourth NA Cup
The rapid pacer Well Said gave one of his owners, Jeffrey Snyder, a fourth NA Cup victory. Snyder is part owner of Well Said with Susan Grange, who has succeeded her late mother, Audrey Campbell, as owner of Lothlorien. Snyder and Lothlorien won the Cup in 2002 with Red River Hanover, who held the previous NA Cup speed mark of 1:48.4, and in 2005 with Rocknroll Hanover.
In addition, Snyder won in 1994 with Cam's Card Shark, with whom he favorably compared Well Said for speed after the colt's sizzling 1:48.1 NA Cup final.
Well Said Trained by Steve Elliott
Snyder assigned Well Said to the barn of two-time Trainer of the Year Steve Elliott in a first-time connection that soon spoke volumes. Elliott was voted Trainer of the Year by the U.S. Harness Writers Association in 2007 and in 1988.
"He (Well Said) did what I thought he could do if Ronnie gave him a trip," Elliott told post-race interviewers.
Order of Finish 2009 North America Cup (XXVI)
- Well Said, driven by Ron Pierce, from post position five, first by 3-1/4 lengths
- Art Colony, John Campbell, seven, second by 3-1/4
- Keep It Real, Steve Condren, six, third by 3-1/4
- Mr. Wiggles, Corey Callahan, two, fourth by 3-1/4
- Dial Or Nodial, Brain Sears, three, fifth by 4-3/4
- If I Can Dream, George Brennan, four, sixth by 5-1/2
- Chasin Racin, David Miller, eight, seventh by 7
- OK Boromir, Luc Quellette, one, eighth by 12
- Annieswesterncard, Tim Tetrick, nine, ninth by 15
- Millionaire Cam, J. Jamieson, ten, tenth by 17-1/4
Campbell and Pierce Battled
Driver John Campbell was competing for his seventh NA Cup title, while Ron Pierce was victorious for the second time in pacing's Big Dance. Pierce rode the bike to the title behind Total Truth in the Cup's 2006 edition.
Early on in this year's race, Pierce said he was "licking my chops" because his trip was playing just right to enable Well Said to make a speech in the winner's circle. Indeed, Well Said gave a brilliant pitch.
Well Said Traces to Ohio Breeding
When Ohio's Bob Kauffman crossed Susie Tup's favors to the mighty Albatross, a speed lineage transpired.
Well Said is a son of Western Hanover--Must See, by Artsplace. Albatross appears as a great- and a great-great grandsire in Well Said's paternal and maternal houses, respectively.
Susie Tup is Well Said's fourth dam, while pacing sensation Somebeachsomewhere's fourth dam is Little Miss Thompson. These two little known mares each paced a 2:00.4 on the undercard of the 1972 Kentucky Futurity won by Super Bowl, the colt who captured trotting's Triple Crown title that day.
Ohio Standardbred breeder and owner Jan McPherson purchased Susie Tup's dam, Trotwood Tup, in 1964. McPherson's prize Tup paced the mile at 2:00, far behind female harness stars going as fast as 1:56.2 in the 1960s.
In 1967, McPherson partnered Trotwood Tup with Race Time and named the foal Susie Tup.
On an equally significant Lexington undercard in 1971, Susie Tup paced an unnoticed 2:00.3 mile. It was the same day, however, during which the unstoppable Albatross blasted to historic consecutive heat wins of 1:54.4.
Susie Tup was later sold to Kauffman, then the overseer of Chandelle Farms, for her later famous pairing with Albatross. Kauffman also added to the Buckeye State's prominence in Standardbred history by breeding Somebeachsomewhere's dam, Wheres The Beach.
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