Tom Harmer is a collector of rare records. His collection consists of the all-time fastest clockings at three of Chicago`s four harness tracks, a feat he has accomplished driving three different pacers.
Last weekend at Sportsman`s Park, Harmer collaborated with a 5-year-old pacer, Sammy Blue Chip, to win the $20,000 Sampson Direct Handicap in 1 minute 53 3/5 seconds, the fastest mile in the 37 years the track has conducted harness racing.
Last year the 36-year-old driver was driving Falcon Seelster when the colt won in 1:53 1/5 at Maywood Park, an all-time record for Chicago harness racing.
Also in 1986, Harmer established Balmoral Park`s all-time record by winning with Incredible Finale in 1:54 1/5.
According to Harmer, the latest record at Sportsman`s was cut by Sammy Blue Chip because ”the race was made to order for my horse, and we got a perfect trip. They were rolling along pretty fast up front. I figured they had to be getting tired, and they were.”
Starting from the outside slot in a five-horse field, Harmer bided his time, almost nine lengths back at one point, watching Jonny A. Heritage play the role of the rabbit by whizzing fractions of :26 4/5, :55 3/5 and 1:25 1/5. Sammy Blue Chip made a high-powered move to take command in the stretch and won by 4 1/4 lengths, streaking the final quarter in :27 4/5. His Sportsman`s record time was 3/5 seconds faster than his previous best of 1:54 1/5 last year at the Meadowlands.
Sammy Blue Chip`s 1987 composite consists of 8 triumphs and 2 places and earnings of $68,550 in 14 starts for owner Neil Silverman of Miami. ”We bought this horse for $75,000,” said Harmer. ”It was a super-good buy.”
Another member of Harmer`s go-go stable won Monday at Sportsman`s. Pacific made restitution for her first loss of the year in her previous outing by winning the $15,000 Active Donna V. Invitational for fillies and mares in 1:56.
Pacific was 1/5 seconds shy of the track record for a 3-year-old filly pacer, held by Desperate Lady and Dancing Almahurst in 1983.
Pacific prevailed by 3/4 lengths over Vain Jane in winning for the seventh time this year for Harmer and her two other owners, Charles Day and George Steinbrenner.
Her lone loss came at Sportsman`s a week earlier when she broke stride passing the stands the first time and almost came to a halt before regaining her gait. She finished last in the field of seven.
Confident that Pacific would rebound, win bettors made her the 2-5 favorite Monday. Apparently, the crowd had her pegged as an all-or-nothing type because her place price of $3.20 was a bigger return than her win price of $2.80. Show bettors collected $2.60.
Sharing the limelight with Pacific was another sophomore coed, Gambi`s Sugar, winner of the $34,550 Violet Stake for 3-year-old Illinois-bred filly trotters.
With Walt Paisley in the sulky, Gambi`s Sugar won by 3/4 lengths over Mismieser, a 51-1 shot.
Although Gambi`s Sugar has raced 16 times in her career–woth six wins
–her owner, William Horner of Roseto, Pa., saw her for the first time in the Violet.
”I`m in racing primarily as a breeder,” said Horner, who makes his living as a mill-worker. ”I sell all of the horses I breed. This filly I bought at a sale and gave to my friend, Jim Schooley, to train.
”She`s a real playful filly, that`s her main problem. But she loves to race. Even in the mornings when she`s on the track jogging, she likes to slow up and wait for a horse to catch up with her. Then, she`ll dig in and try to race.”
