On February 8 in Ocean City, the Cloverleaf Standardbred Owners’ Association and Maryland Standardbred Breeders Association celebrated the best of the 2018 season of harness racing. Pete Medhurst, track announcer at Rosecroft, was the event’s emcee.
The CSOA award winners for 2018 were:
- 2-year-old colt or gelding pacer: Owzitgoin, owned by Breakaway Racing
- 2-year-old filly pacer: B For Real, owned by Bryan J. Truitt
- 2-year-old colt or gelding trotter: Whoopdee Goo, owned by Richard L. Hans
- 2-year-old filly trotter: Pats A Keeper, owned by Pamela E. Wagner
- 3-year-old colt or gelding pacer: Slick Tony, owned by George R. Leager
- 3-year-old filly pacer: Miss Choptank, owned by Legacy Racing of DE & Stephen Townsend
- 3-year-old colt or gelding trotter: What That Is, owned by Brian E. Emerson
- 3-year-old filly trotter (tie): Crystals Pistol, owned by Sylvanus B. King Jr., and Gaagaa Gone, owned by Corey Callahan
- Aged pacer: Sams Triple Crown, owned by Jerry D. Nock
- Aged trotter: Fashion Smile, owned by William C. De Lodovico
- Aged mare: Winter Games, owned by William “Bib” Roberts
- Ocean Downs Horse of the Year: Hickory Aloha, owned by Joseph M. Offutt
- Rosecroft Horse of the Year: Rock N’ Roll Jet, owned by Dawn D. Webb & William “Buddy” Bright
The MSBA award winners for 2018 were:
- 2-year-old colt or gelding pacer: Berzerker, bred and owned by Brandon, Clifton and Wanda Murray
- 2-year-old filly pacer: B For Real, bred and owned by Bryan J. Truitt
- 2-year-old colt or gelding trotter: Whoopdee Goo, bred and owned by Richard L. Hans
- 2-year-old filly trotter: Pats A Keeper, bred and owned by Pamela E. Wagner
- 3-year-old colt or gelding pacer (tie): BT’s Breeze, bred by Bryan J. Truitt and owned by Bryan J. Truitt Jr., and Allie’s Finale, bred by Jacob R. Ramsburg and owned by LeBlanc Racing, Count De Money Stable, William P. Lutz & James W. Stuart
- 3-year-old filly pacer: Miss Choptank, bred by Olive Branch Farm & Philip Wilson and owned by Legacy Racing of DE & Stephen Townsend
- 3-year-old colt or gelding trotter (tie): Chucky De Vie, bred by Joie De Vie Farm and owned by Joie De Vie Farm & Paul Nigito, and What That Is, bred by Richard L. Hans and owned by Brian E. Emerson
- 3-year-old filly trotter: Gaagaa Gone, bred and owned by Corey Callahan
- 4- or 5-year-old pacer: Mr Ham Sandwich, bred by Brian E. Emerson
- 4- or 5-year-old trotter: Hybrid Henry, bred by Richard L. Hans
- Pacing sire: Rusty’s For Real, owned by Fox Den Farm
- Trotting sire: Googoo Gaagaa, owned by Richard L. Hans
- Overall sire: Cam’s Rocket, owned by Roger Hans & Thomas B. Cooke
The CSOA and MSBA also honored Rocket Rosy (2008-2018) and Cool Flying Fun (2000-2019) in remembrance; I Wanna Go Fast, who retired in 2018; and Googoo Gaagaa for international achievement as a sire.
Ken Weckstein, an attorney and Standardbred owner from Ocean City who often drives his own horses at Rosecroft and Ocean Downs, was recognized for his behind-the-scenes work on behalf of breeders and the CSOA.
