It was in May of 1980, as best as I can recall, that an undefeated pacer would make his stakes debut at Vernon Downs in upstate New York. Niatross had captured the sport's attention through a brilliant freshman campaign, and there was a need to see this horse in person, no matter what. A five-hour drive with relatively cheap gas and tolls made for an adventure, with much to discuss on the way and even more coming home. Niatross and Clint Galbraith lived up to their billing on that day and days to follow. Watching greatness in those days was only possible if you made the road trip; otherwise the details would come from second- and third-hand sources that I found over time came with wide exaggerations of the truth. Some 46 years later Beau Jangles made his second start as a sophomore at Woodbine Mohawk Park. Also undefeated, Beau Jangles never made it to the United States as a freshman, and other than training in Florida, has yet to go a mile at a pari-mutuel track in this country in 2026. Thankfully, I've been able to watch all of Beau Jangles' races to date and at any point can go back to watch them again should I care to put the microscope to every nuance of the son of Cattlewash. While I haven't seen Beau Jangles in person, I know a lot more about him from witnessing his races than I did about Niatross at the same point in their careers. Beau Jangles is a storyline for the sport, and thankfully those doing the telling at Woodbine Mohawk Park, where Beau Jangles made a mockery of the competition in the SBOA final this past Saturday (May 16), recognize the value of his presence and hope to expand the sport's popularity through the messaging. Through the in-house broadcast and the announcer notifying fans in attendance that Beau Jangles was going his final trip before the race, it was apparent every base was trying to be covered to help share and grow the horse and hopefully the sport he competes in. Storylines are vital in a world where the competition for eyeballs is fierce. Niatross had established himself and his story circulated in major newspapers throughout the country promoting his unique story in 1979. Today, those newspapers have largely disappeared, yet the medium for reaching the public has been amplified ten-fold by the presence of cellphones and expanded social media. Different as well in 2026 is the need and capacity to see a horse in person, or for that matter go anywhere of relatively long distance to see an event when you can save travel and expense by tuning in at home. Let's not forget that to wager on horse racing you had to be in attendance in 1980. I didn't go to Vernon to bet on or against Niatross in 1980, but track handle was the only handle of the day. ► Sign up for our FREE DRF Harness Digest Newsletter While Beau Jangles romped at Woodbine Mohawk Park on Saturday evening, a different story was being told in the afternoon at Oak Grove with the inaugural edition of the Oak Grove Trotting Derby and its filly companion race the Oak Grove Trotting Oaks. With purses of $500,000 and $300,000, respectively, there was enough money on the line to lure a solid influx of horses and horsemen to the event despite it coming roughly three months before the Hambletonian. Just as the pacing map has changed for sophomore colts and fillies over time, so have the dates shifted. The $1 million G1 Hambletonian placed in the first days of August on the schedule had become the focal point of all trainers with top contenders as they carefully mapped out plans to minimize prep races. Key races that in the past had come prior to the Hambletonian lost any star power and over time became less meaningful to the tracks or the public. The so-called "Road to the Hambletonian" had fewer stops and quite often meant contenders were represented more heavily in qualifying or regional events, as opposed to meeting other top horses. There's always a risk in trying to change the status quo, and critics are always quick to judge success or failure from limited sample size. Placing the two Oak Grove Stakes events in May, and at the same time offering byes to horses that were elite in 2025 proved to be an incredibly smart calculation that revealed itself when elimination races brought to the fore last year's Breeders Crown champion, as well as a host of Top 10 Hambletonian contenders. While the purse structure alone should have been enough to see horses nominate, sustain and declare to these races, it was vital to seek out and attract the best quality to make the race worth the risk. Two brilliant performances came out of the Oak Grove Derby, with race winner Spencer Hanover and runner-up Endurance putting on a great show, racing at the top of their game for the second straight week. Jason Bartlett, the 2025 Driver of the Year, again managed to find a winning trip, putting the Chapter Seven-sired Spencer Hanover in position to ride Endurance's cover into the stretch and wear that rival down. Endurance left well enough to overcome an outside draw, and driver Andrew McCarthy took a tuck before the quarter but found himself having to move to the outside shortly thereafter, otherwise getting locked inside. That left Endurance covering a lot of extra ground, and perhaps was the difference in the outcome. Jailbird Jog was brilliantly driven by Anthony MacDonald, who let a host of fillies battle through the first quarter and then pulled to the outside at the quarter pole, locking in favored Naked And Famous and getting into position to make her signature brush at the right time. Jailbird Jog's quick speed was the difference, as she shifted gears at the right time and lost the field in the process. The broadcast of the Oak Grove races was again exceptional as Ray Cotolo and Pete Kleinhans prove time and time again. Both are incredibly well-versed in not just the handicapping side of the sport but in pedigrees and history. It's often a difficult combination to pull off being entertaining and informative at the same time, but Cotolo and Kleinhans have managed to do just that. Our own Derick Giwner added extra color to the production on track with interviews throughout the day. A lot has changed since 1980 for the sport and many people struggle with that as opposed to adapting to it. There were virtually no owners in the winner's circle for either Oak Grove Derby and considering Jailbird Jog is owned by a lengthy group that may have come as a surprise or shock to some. Conversely, the same people trying to weigh the cost of horse ownership to the degree they could accept small fractions, are likely to celebrate some victories in the comfort of their own homes. It's a luxury for horse owners and fans alike. For those hoping to build a more provocative narrative leading to the $1 million Hambletonian, it's vital to see rivalries develop and horses get name recognition months, not weeks, before the big event. Here's hoping that the 2026 Oak Grove Derbies prove the foundation for that future.