Sun shines on harness races in Humboldt
Postponement does nothing to dampen spiritsBy JO VETTER Messenger correspondent
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HUMBOLDT - The sun was shining in Humboldt, and the 2-year-olds were ready to run at the rescheduled Fourth of July Humboldt Harness Races.
"I counted 96 entries," said Mary Lou Lawless, a long-time volunteer with the Iowa Harness Horseman's Association, who was taking official pictures.
Referring to the horses, not the human crowd, which was somewhat diminished because of the rescheduling, Lawless said, "There's standing room only."
Lawless, who is from Independence, said there was a time when that town was considered the harness racing capital of the world.
"They called Iowa the 'Lexington of the North' back in the 1890s," she said.
Explaining the history of harness racing, Lawless said that years ago trotting races would break out as people returned home from market.
"Thoroughbred racing is the sport of kings," she said. "Harness racing is considered the pastime of the common people."
"But," Lawless said, "harness racing is in a crisis."
A proposed termination of harness racing at Prairie Meadows in Altoona after the 2009 season could have a devastating effect on the sport in Iowa, she said.
Mark Holtan, vice president of the Iowa Harness Horsemen's Association and Humboldt County Fair board member, agreed.
Holtan said the industry has a significant impact on the local economy.
Sunday's races in Humboldt awarded $40,000 in purses spread over 14 races.
"We have 10 races for $3,600 and four races for $1,000," Holtan said.
He said that the winning horse was awarded 45 percent of the total with the second- through fifth-place finishers each receiving diminishing shares.
In order to ensure the integrity of the races, horses are randomly tested to monitor for illegal drug use.
"We catch urine and take a blood sample and the samples are sent to Iowa State testing laboratories," Holtan said. "The testing we do is more sophisticated and stricter than the state rules or Prairie Meadows."
Elaine Schope, veterinarian at Emerson Veterinary Clinic in Eagle Grove, was on hand to draw blood.
The selection of the horses was indeed random as Holtan and Schope had crowd members pick numbers to select two of the horses tested.
Holtan said that in addition to those two, the winners of three of the races would undergo testing.
"Timing issues dictate which horses are tested," Schope said as she prepared to draw blood from the first-place finisher in the first race. "We have to get samples within an hour."
Holtan said that all the owners know ahead of time that their horse may be tested.
Tracy Goodson, of Moulton, held his horse, Kickin King, while Schope drew blood. Goodson and driver Mark King were thrilled that the horse had won the first race of the day.
Referring to Goodson, King said, "It's his first start and his first horse."
Goodson said it would be all right if his 2-year-old won a few more races.
"But you never know," he said. "They're just babies really."
A driver for 19 years, King said winning never gets old.
"It's the greatest rush in the world, can't beat it anywhere," King said.
Holtan agreed when his horse, Restless Yankee, driven by Mark Mintun, crossed the finish line first in the fourth race.
"How sweet it is," Holtan said.
Contact Jo Vetter at (515) 573-2141 or editor@messengernews.net
