By Mike Bozich, Track Announcer for Hazel Park Raceway

This will not be your regular, everyday article you are about to read. Then again, this was not your ordinary harness race. A regular description of a race, which is usually re-capped in articles found in this section cannot do justice to what was witnessed here at Hazel Park Raceway on Saturday night. Make no mistake about it, a true superstar of harness racing was at this racetrack, and the racing fans who packed the track apron, knew it.

As Ponder came to the track to warm up several races before the one in which he was in, fans pointed and stared. All eyes were on the bay 5 year old horse as he and trainer Bob McIntosh made their initial appearance on a track which has been in existence since 1955. He was smooth. He was sound, and as he made his slow exit from the racetrack, as all McIntosh trainees do after a pre-race warm-up, he was intimidating.

During the race (a $12,600 Invitational pace), he came away third as Yankee Lariat and Copeland Comet battled for early supremacy. In the blink of an eye, Ponder erupted from third to snatch the lead away while gutsy Meal Ticket attempted to follow. For a while down the backside, it looked as if Meal Ticket could stay with Ponder, but he tired on the chase. Three quarters in 1:22 and change and the only opponent for Ponder at this point was time.

I probably broke the mortal sin of track announcing when, after that point, I quit watching the race and started watching the timer. I was no longer a track announcer, I was a fan just like the fans that scurried to the apron and were 3 and 4 deep off the fence to get a look at history. I thought to myself, as they turned for home, my God, look at Pete Wrenn (driver of Ponder) - he was motionless. So was I and everyone else, as the timer stopped in 1:51, the fastest mile in Hazel Park history. If pushed, I firmly believe this horse could have achieved a sub 1:50 mile.

Trainer Robert McIntosh was all smiles. "He gained muscle mass and size during his time off and I trained him 1:55 on my farm track so he was ready," he said. When asked about future plans for Ponder, he said he will race in Toronto a few starts, then he will begin tackling some Canadian Stakes races, which he is all paid up to do.

After the night was over, I saw Pete Wrenn in passing. I asked him about his drive and all he could do say was "I guess he was due." I thought to myself, yeah that's it. He was due.