(Jeff Ruch at today’s January Select Mixed Sale at the Meadowlands Racetrack in New Jersey – Dave Briggs photo)
by Dave Briggs
Longtime owner and horse insurance agent Jeff Ruch of Innisfil, ON said he owes his farm to a horse named Free Hart.
Ruch was a young man of 22 in 1994 when he and some partners, including trainer Ted MacDonnell, purchased the son of Abercrombie out of Heather Hart for $15,000 (U.S.) at the Tattersalls Yearling Sale in Kentucky.
Two years later, Free Hart delivered Ruch to the winner’s circle with a surprise victory in a major stakes race for sophomore pacers at Northfield Park near Cleveland.
“He was just an over-achiever. I never expected him to be what he was and he ended up winning the Cleveland Classic as a long shot. The purse was about $200,000 (U.S.) when the dollar was kind of like it is now,” Ruch said.
On Aug. 17, 1996, Free Hart and driver Dave Palone posted a 22-1 upset in the $180,000 Cleveland Classic, defeating favoured Crisp Sahbra by a length.
Free Hart raced four years and posted a record of 9-13-12 in 113 starts with earnings of $185,947 and a mark of 1:53.4.
“He made a few hundred thousand dollars and it gave me money to put toward buying my farm. He helped put the deposit on it, Ruch said.
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