The world champion pacer was inducted into the Harness Racing Living Horse Hall of Fame in Goshen, N.Y., during a ceremony on Sunday.
“It’s incredible for a horse from Atlantic Canada to get inducted into the Hall of Fame in both countries now,” said trainer and co-owner Brent MacGrath. “He got in on his first year of eligibility, which is rare. Just an unbelievable feeling, but it just goes along with everything he’s done, really.”
What he did was nothing short of brilliant.
Somebeachsomewhere, owned by Schooner Stables of Bible Hill, won 20 of 21 lifetime races with career earnings of more than $3.2 million.
As a two-year-old in 2007, Somebeachsomewhere won all six of his starts, earning $773,296 and was voted Two-Year-Old Pacing Colt of the Year in both the U.S. and Canada, and voted O’Brien Award Horse of the Year in a tie with Tell All.
In 2008, the he won 14 of 15 starts and had the highest earnings by a pacer in a single season of $2.4 million.
Major victories during that phenomenal season included the North America Cup, Messenger, Breeders Crown, Confederation Cup, Tattersalls, Ontario Sire Stakes Super Final and the Bluegrass, where he equalled the all-time race record of 1:46.4.
Somebeachsomewhere was voted 2008 Dan Patch and O’Brien Horse of the Year (the only standardbred to win the O’Brien title twice), Dan Patch Pacer of the Year, and Dan Patch and O’Brien Three-Year-Old Pacing Colt of the Year.
“I think what puts it in perspective the most is the number of horses that are sold every year trying to get to the pinnacle, and him doing it just basically with ease every time he went on the racetrack,” said MacGrath. “Just an incredible feat and incredible feeling to be part of it … we were just lucky enough to get him and I was lucky enough to be the one in charge of looking out for him.”
Somebeachsomewhere retired after his three-year-old year. He is standing stud in Pennsylvania and is breeding about 160 mares a year.
“And his offspring have been very impressive also,” said MacGrath, who owns Melmerby Beach, a son of Somebeachsomewhere.
Somebeachsomewhere, who was driven by Paul MacDonnell of Guelph, Ont., was inducted into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame in 2009.
“It really is an unbelievable feat what he’s accomplished,” MacGrath said.
