Goshen, NY — Musclesprinctonian has provided co-owner Jim Monismith with several win photos, but the trotter’s impact goes beyond the racetrack. In fact, harness racing as a whole has given Monismith a positive outlet since being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease two years ago.
Monismith, a retired probation officer from Middletown, N.Y., is among the 24 participants at the U.S. Trotting Association’s 17th annual Driving School. The school is conducted at the Harness Racing Museum and Hall of Fame in Goshen and the Mark Ford Training Center near Middletown.
On Thursday, the second day of the four-day program, participants spent the morning working with trainers at Ford’s complex and the afternoon gaining insight into amateur racing from Joe Faraldo and Lon Froncione and into stable management from Kelly Ford.
Monismith had the opportunity to jog a horse for the first time on Thursday morning. It was even more memorable because it was with Musclesprinctonian, a 4-year-old male trotter he owns with Oldford Farms, Tyler Buter and Nicole Monismith.
The group bought the son of Muscle Hill-Broadway Schooner last July.
“It’s a lot tougher than I thought,” Monismith said about sitting behind a race horse. “I didn’t realize that it takes such upper body strength. He really wanted to run. After I finally got him calmed down a little bit my back started bothering me. I was sitting straight up; I don’t know how these guys do it when you see them leaning all the way back. We only went around the track three times and I couldn’t imagine doing that every day, jogging horses and then racing horses at the track at night.
“I wanted to come to the Driving School just to gain more knowledge and to be able to jog a horse,” he added. “I’d been around the barn before, but now doing the work, I do it for the love of the sport.”
Monismith became a fan of harness racing as a teenager.
“I worked at a deli and the owner there had Standardbred horses, so I used to go to the track with them back in the day, especially at Monticello, and sit in the owner’s box,” he said. “From that point on, I just loved the sport.”
After retiring because of his illness, Monismith got the chance to buy into Musclesprinctonian thanks to his relationship with Amber and Tyler Buter. Musclesprinctonian has won two of seven races and hit the board a total of five times this year. He races Saturday night at Vernon Downs.
“I go to a lot of tracks and got to know a lot of people,” Monismith said. “This is very therapeutic for me. I go to a lot of the races when the Buters have horses in and especially when my horse is racing. He’s been in the winner’s circle a couple times so I’ve gotten my picture taken, but I just find being at the farm to be very therapeutic.
“This is just for the fun of it and whatever happens, happens. It’s been great. I have good days and bad days (dealing with Parkinson’s disease). This gives me something to do rather than just sitting at home doing nothing. I had a rough job for 27 years as a probation officer so it’s just nice to be on my own schedule and do things on my own. I’m alive and I’m enjoying it.”
by Ken Weingartner, Harness Racing Communications
