Christian and Muscle Hill

In a departure from my previous blogs that report on travel outside the US, this blog will review my great week hosting French friends for Hambletonian #100 at the Meadowlands Racetrack in New Jersey. Christian Le Barbey is the extremely busy owner of International Trot Services in France. Christian is involved in the management of over a dozen syndicated French stallions, both trotters and Thoroughbreds. He provides extensive assistance to horse owners as an agent and consultant, and is an officer of a trotting racetrack in Normandy. Christian has been indispensable in my purchase of three wonderful French trotting mares that I imported to the US for breeding.

Christian was accompanied by our friend Christophe Tourlorge. Christophe is the breeder and manager of the top French trotting stallion for longer distance races, Bird Parker. He also works with Phillipe Allaire of Haras de Bouttemont in managing the elite Allaire stallions, including the all-time great Ready Cash. Christophe brought his companion Elena and her university-age daughter to join our group.

       Paul E. Spears
     Colors At Museum

I accompanied the French in a whirlwind of side trips to the Harness Racing Museum and Hall of Fame, and to multiple breeding farms. After spending Friday morning at the Museum, my group reviewed Blue Chip Farms stallions Chapter Seven, Winner's Bet, Back of the Neck, and Crazy Wow before enjoying a wonderful outdoor lunch at the home of Blue Chip owner Tom Grossman. On Monday, Hanover Shoe Farms Farm Manager Patti Murphy assisted us to review their trotting stallions Greenshoe, Captain Corey, Volume Eight, and International Moni. The French were especially intrigued by Hanover's horse cemetery where some of the greatest stallions in the history of the sport are buried with individual grave markers. They were pleased to meet Hanover's owner Russell Williams at the cemetery. Thereafter, we made short trip to Diamond Creek Farm of PA, where the staff graciously showed us the young stallion Gimpanzee and now-retired Creatine and pacer Allywag Hanover, as well as some of their good mares.

Hanover Shoe Farms

Chapter Seven

Sarah Svanstedt, Nordic Catcher,
            and French Group

Of course, the ultimate focus of their trip was the Hambletonian and its associated events. The French were my guests at a Hambletonian Society party on Friday evening, and during the races on Hambletonian Day on Saturday. We reviewed many of the Hambletonian entrants in the race paddock prior to the big race. The Hambletonian was won decisively by Nordic Catcher S, trained and driven by Ake Svanstedt. Nordic Catcher S is a son of Six Pack, out of the Somebeachsomewhere pacing mare That Woman Hanover. Later that evening, I was privileged to have Romain Deriuex, trainer of French trotting star and 2025 Elitloppet winner Go On Boy, join our group for dinner.

                 Times Square

My group wanted to spend Sunday touring New York City. We took a ferry from Weehawken NJ to Manhattan, and walked to Times Square where we had Sabrett hot dogs for lunch from a street vendor. We then took the subway to the Battery, where we rode ferries to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. Afterward, we took the subway uptown to 96th Street for a very long walk on a beautiful afternoon through Central Park. Our walk concluded back at 5th Avenue and 59th Street, where I convinced the group to visit nearby Trump Tower. We took turns doing fun videos of each of us coming down Tower escalators, mirroring Trump's famous descent down the escalator when he announced his initial candidacy for President. Then we had yet another walk to Columbus Circle for a subway ride close to the ferries for our return to New Jersey.

With Elista Hanover
and Annie Stoebe

After I was obligated to leave the area on Tuesday, the French visited a number of famous trainers at their training centers as arranged by Perry Soderberg. Trainers hosting the group included Marcus Melander, Lucas Wallin, Annie Stoebe, Julie Miller, Ake Svanstedt, Noel Daley, and Nancy Takter. They concluded their horse pursuits with a visit to Southwind Farm, where they viewed the great Muscle Hill, Walner, Tactical Landing, and Ecurie D. The group especially enjoyed meeting the great Muscle Hill at Southwind, and the beautiful chestnut trotting mare Elista Hanover at the Annie Stoebe stable.

I think my friends had an excellent trip to the US, and I hope they will return soon. I will see them again in January when I visit France for the 2026 Prix d'Amerique.