Hall Of Fame - Igetmoney

Original article written by Danny Warren posted 12 years 3 weeks ago

For a horse to get inducted in the Hall Of Fame, it has to more than just a racehorse.
It needs to capture the public’s attention in a way that places them in a special, revered place in their memory. The sort of horse that prompts the question “Do you remember when…….. ?”
When a horse can achieve this honour on the back of just one single season of racing, it is something special. When it is of one of the so-called mixed breeds, it is something truly amazing.
But such is the legend of Igetmoney and his friendly rivalry with his stablemate Writethisdown.

Larry Burndorf was one of the first trainers who embraced the new types of horse which were introduced into the SIM alumni for their debut slated for Year 23.
Larry took the trip along the then unfamiliar route to an area of Kentucky, long believed to be unpopulated. A places kept so secret it appears on no map you will ever find. He parked the horse truck where he was stopped by men wearing black at a boom gate in front of a glowing light off in the distance, far behind the electrified fence either side of the gate. He was taken deep into the enclosure to the front office of the Create-A-Horse company and after a viewing of some prospects, he and his new horses, including a pitch black standard-bred pacer colt were just as quietly taken back to Larry’s truck for the journey home, with his mind racing about what had actually just occurred.
In these early days, the Create-A-Horse company refused to provide any names on the registration papers of their foals, something that was amended in later years as a wider range of possibilities were developed.

Larry arrived home wondering what to name his colt, but the very next day, the colt provided the answer.
Always keeping a private stash of petty cash in an old feed tub, just for emergencies, Larry had nearly forgotten it was there, but was reacquainted with it’s existence by a sight he would never forget.
Up at dawn to see how his newcomer had settled in, Larry heard banging and clanging and ran to the barn. What met his eyes was the new colt, somehow out of his stable and with muzzle stuck in an old feed tub. He rushed over and the colt lifted his head, a mouth filled with greenbacks and wondering what the fuss was all about. Many shakes of the head and a vet check later, the colt had his new moniker, Igetmoney.

With all the pacers being new, no-one really knew what would be a nice workout time, but Igetmoney moved sweetly enough and seemed to enjoy his work, giving no signs that he had any traits that would affect his chances on the track.
Larry waited for the new year to begin, not knowing what to expect, but then neither did anyone else.
Hopeful, he entered Igetmoney in the listed Meadowfields Prince Pace along with another pacer he had bought called Writethisdown. The field of twelve took off, but it was soon apparent that there was a wide range of talent within the field and it didn’t take long for the runners to spread out. In the run home though, just one trainer had a smile on his face. Larry watched on gob smacked as Writethisdown surged to the lead and onto victory while Igetmoney, who had been trapped deep throughout the race, worked home well into second. All things considered and the total mystery before the race of how any of the horses would run, to take home first and second was remarkable, especially as the margin back to the third horse was over three lengths.

Two weeks later, Larry entered both horses again in the same race, the New Jersey Stallion Series against three rivals, the main danger of them seemingly the gray Pace On.
The addition of a head pole seemed only to annoy Igetmoney and he bolted at the start, behaving erratically through the race, clearly antagonised, doing very well to hang onto third as Writethisdown ran on to win, with Pace On moving into second after some issues making the turns.

Thrilled with Writethisdown, but concerned with Igetmoney’s behaviour, Larry added a shadow roll to Igetmoney’s gear for his next start, hoping he would concentrate on the wooly thing in his sight. Again both horses were entered in the same race, the Northern Hemisphere Cup alongside Pace On and Tough Decision, who had demolished the opposition by over five lengths in his recent maiden win. There were four others running but most agreed it would be the main four who would fight out the finish and so it proved, but while Larry still came home with a smile, this time it was Igetmoney providing them. Igetmoney went to the lead and although Pace On made ground late to challenge, Igetmoney won by three quarters of a length, with Tough Decision holding out an unlucky Writethisdown for third.

The Meadowfields Pace was next and with now an established group of better three year old male pacers around, the field was much the same as last time. This time Tough Decision and Pace On went to the front, with Igetmoney content to sit one out, one back, with Writethisdown on his inside. In the run home, Tough Decision ran out of steam and Igetmoney ran on strongly to grab Pace On just before the post for the win, three wide as Writethisdown made a dive along the rail to be just a neck back in third.

The Gr.1 Niatross Pace had all the usual suspects, but with two more competitors who were becoming more noticed. I’m On My Way had won both starts, while Feather It In had won his maiden well last time out. Pace On and I’m On My Way headed the field, with Igetmoney four wide in the run behind them, with Writethisdown right inside him. All six fancied runners flashed over the line together, with Writethisdown edging a half length clear of the game Pace On, with Igetmoney showing his toughness, running third despite another wide journey.

With the score 3-2 to Writethisdown, the stablemates were slated to face five others in the Gr.1 Western Dreamer Pace, and in this smaller field, Igetmoney raced to the lead on the fence under very little pressure. While Feather It In and I’m On My Way fought with their drivers, the well behaved Burndorf pair finished one-two comfortably, with Igetmoney evening the score at three each after winning by three quarters of a length.

Larry Burndorf now had the Pacing Triple Crown seemingly at his mercy, but with one win each, Writethisdown and Igetmoney would have to share in a collective satisfaction, if one of them could win the final leg. The $500,000 Big Blue Bucket Stakes brought a big crowd to New Jersey as reporters and punters alike, argued for days of the relative merits of the contenders. They were not disappointed with what they saw. Igetmoney broke beautifully, settling in front on the rail, with Pace On right on his outside, and Writethisdown perfectly positioned to pounce. The two leaders ensured that the speed was to their own liking and at the final turn, they exploded away to fight it out. Igetmoney eased away from Pace On to win by a length, with Feather It In, Writethisdown and When I Need Love all crossing the line together a further length back.

Igetmoney was now perhaps just in front for the people’s affection, but the inaugural title for Champion Three Year Old Pacer would be decided in the very first Gr.1 Stewards Crown Classic Pace worth half a million dollars. While the field revealed no dark horse and no real surprises, the nervousness and pressure was as high as it could be for Larry as he arrived on course.
His mind wandered back to that fateful night and he thought of how fortunate he had been to buy two of the main chances of this biggest of races. Was it his keen eye for detail that selected them ? Or was he just simply one lucky guy ? Either way, this race now meant a lot to him and the prospect of owning the first ever Stewards Crown Pacing Champion had left him sleepless.
Tough Decision had the early lead from Igetmoney, Writethisdown and Pace On who was four wide. These four class horses were relentless in their quest for the victory and as they turned for home it was anyone’s race. Tough Decision was headed by Pace On and then fought back again, but then the Burndorf silks surged forward in the middle of the track and Igetmoney extended his gait and stride away. There are moments you get rarely when all the world seems as if stopped, all sound vanishes and the about to be winner has a moment in time all too themselves as reality kicks in. Larry had this privilege just as Igetmoney reached the finish line. The silence of that milli-second turned to a deafening wall of sound as friends and family rushed to spend this special moment with Larry. Igetmoney had won by a length and a half from Pace On, with Tough Decision back in third.

Realising that for the Pacers to develop and grow as a breed, Larry put the SIMWorld in front of his own potential ambitions for Igetmoney and after just eight glorious starts, where two legs of the Pacing Triple Crown and the first running of the Stewards Crown Classic Pace trophies were now sitting in his cabinet, Igetmoney was retired.
His eight starts yielded five wins and earnings of $867,000 and at the first SIMMY awards night including the mixed breeds, Igetmoney won both the Champion Three Year Old Standardbred Pacer Male and also the Standardbred Pacer Horse Of The Year, the one prize everyone involved in pacing wanted.

Igetmoney is now twelve and approaching the end of his days at stud.
It says much to the importance that he has had as a stallion and breed shaper to a still growing part of the SIM, that he still warrants $85,000 to visit with a mare.
That is a high price to pay, but he is worth every cent, with currently 200 winners from 265 runners, a percentage of 75.5 winners to runners, with nearly 18% of those being stakes winners.
Igetmoney has two millionaires and his top fifteen earners each have more than half a million dollars in prize money. His two millionaires are new stallion Patria O Muerte who also won the Stewards Crown Classic Pace and two legs of the triple crown and the incredible Igetcash, who managed to take home the lot, the Pacing Triple Crown and Stewards Crown in a career of nine wins from 12 starts. He too is making a name for himself as a stallion.

All together Igetmoney’s foals have brought home nearly 22 million dollars in prize money, giving further evidence that Larry named his colt well.

Igetmoney……..I say you do !!

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