In our series highlighting some true APG TV champions, few have come close as the star couple of Casie Coleman and Mark Herlihy with 3051 views. More importantly Casie’s insights into what she likes to see in a yearling is a must see for buyers leading up to the APG Sydney sale.
Casie’s Bio below (taken from the Woobine site) tells it all in my view
Career
- In 2014, Coleman’s success with three-year-old pacers continued, as her stable star Mcwicked won the Adios and the Breeders Crown. Mcwicked also won the O’Brien Award as three-year-old pacer of the year.
- In 2013, Coleman’s Vegas Vacation captured her a second consecutive Little Brown Jug title.
- Coleman captured her first Little Brown Jug in 2012 with Michaels Power, who also won the Confederation Cup and Upper Canada Cup.
- In 2012, Coleman’s starters earned a career high $6,871,345 in earnings and won 223 races.
- In 2011, Coleman’s stable earned $5,832,350 with 253 victories from 980 starts.
- During the later months of 2011, Coleman’s Betterthancheddar proved to be a dominant force on the Grand Circuit with victories in the Breeders Crown, Cane Pace, American National and Windy City Pace. The son of Bettors Delight finished off his season with a record of 10-2-2 from 18 starts and $777,116 in earnings. Beterthancheddar was also a finalists for the O’Brien Award as Canada’s top sophomore pacing colt.
- Coleman captured her second Jugette title on September 21, 2011. Idyllic won her elimination and went on to score the $175,410 final.
- On March 18, 2011, Coleman notched her 1,500 career training win at Yonkers Raceway with Run On Luck.
- The Cambridge, Ontario resident enjoyed a career year in 2010 as she earned herself her fourth O’Brien Award as Canada’s top trainer. She once again finished in the top three in the WEG trainer standings with 80 wins and more than $4.3 million to her credit. Overall in 2010, Coleman sent out 187 winners and earned over $6.6 million.
- In 2010, Coleman’s pupils, Idyllic and Western Silk were voted Canada’s top pacing fillies in their respective divisions. Idyllic earned $805,829 in her freshman campaign and scored victories in the $688,000 Shes A Great Lady Stakes and $501,000 Three Diamonds. Coleman also trained Idyllic’s sire, American Ideal to $855,928 in career earnings. In her sophomore year, Western Silk earned $1,101,112 and was victorious in the $666,000 Fan Hanover Stakes, $240,312 Jugette and $300,000 O.S.S. Super Final.
- On September 11, 2010, Coleman tied the record of most training wins on a single program on the WEG scene. She shares this record with trainer Kevin McMaster.
- June 26, 2010 is a day in which Coleman will never forget. That evening, Sportswriter ($774,000) captured the $1.5 million Pepsi North America Cup and one hour later Western Silk ($1,101,112) was victorious in the $666,000 Fan Hanover Stakes. Both races are the richest events in North America for sophomore pacers in their respective divisions.
- Coleman continued to enjoy more prominence on the Grand Circuit and Ontario Sires Stakes with top performers like Pretty Katherine ($360,698) Bay Girl ($237,934), and Ohmygosh Hanover ($155,129) leading the way.
- Her biggest win prior to winning the $1.5 North America Cup came when Sportswriter captured the $1 million Metro Pace on his home turf at Mohawk Racetrack in 2009.
- In 2006, her stable star American Ideal was retired to stud duty after sustaining a career‑ending injury. He helped her land her second consecutive O’Brien Award that season as Canada’s Trainer Of The Year.
- In 2005, Coleman was thrust into the North American spotlight when American Ideal raced in the Pepsi North America Cup and the Meadowlands Pace, making Coleman the first female trainer in Harness racing history to enter a horse in two million dollar races in one season. That same season, American Ideal set a then Flamboro Downs and Canadian record with a resounding win in the rich Confederation Cup (1:50.3 over a half‑mile track).
- After another stakes win in a division of the Oliver Wendell Holmes, American Ideal became the fastest three‑year‑old pacer in history via his wire‑to‑wire win in 1:47.4 in a division of the Bluegrass Stakes. Coleman was rewarded for her standout 2005 campaign by receiving and O’Brien Award as Canada’s Trainer of The Year (the first time a female has earned the award).
- In 2004, Coleman rose from relative obscurity and made an instant impact in her first season as a regular trainer on the local circuit.
- In December of 2004, Coleman passed 100 wins and $1‑million in total season’s earnings, and in the process became the youngest female trainer in Canada to reach such milestones.
- A native of British Columbia, Coleman re‑located to Ontario a few years ago when her parents, Linda and Phil, moved their stable to the Flambor Downs area. The stable star was the talented open class pacing mare Fast Lane Cruizin.
- After doing some of the driving for the family operation, Coleman started her own stable and has since concentrated on training
- In 2001, Coleman suffered serious burns in a fire that required her to get skin grafts on roughly 22 per cent of her body.
- Two years ago, she made a special trip back to Fraser Downs in B.C. to host a special fundraising day in honour of the local hospital the Cambridge resident is quick to give credit for her success to her parents and principal owners Merlin Howse, Steve Calhoun and Mike Lindley.
Follow Casie on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/people/Casie-Coleman/692528573 or on Twitter: @fastlane111
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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