Harness: Grieco and Market Share reunited for Hambletonian

He hadn’t heard the roar of a crowd in eight years, but on Saturday, August 2 at The Meadowlands, Market Share found himself back on the greatest stage in harness racing, leading out the field for the 100th edition of the Hambletonian.

A triple millionaire in his career, the gelded son of Revenue S – Classical Flirt made his last ever start, his 100th career start, at The Big M in November of 2017 at the age of 8 under the guidance of trainer Linda Toscano, driver Tim Tetrick, and caretaker Shelly Grieco. Five years before that, in August 2012, Market Share trotted a winning mile in the $1.5 million Hambletonian.

Fast forward to the centennial event and the champion stepped back onto the stone dust with Grieco leading him out, Tetrick in tow and Toscano flanking their trio.

“Have you ever met someone and instantly felt a connection with them?” caretaker Shelly Grieco asked. “That basically sums up Markie and I.”

A $16,000 purchase out of the 2010 Lexington Select Sale, Market Share found his home in the Toscano Stable from the start, with Grieco handling the behind-the-scenes work in the barn as his caretaker.

“I had broken my collar bone in July of 2010,” said Grieco. “Due to complications with my recovery, I wasn’t cleared to start back at work until Thanksgiving weekend. I was still weak and had limited mobility in that arm. Linda knew I had a fondness for trotters and Markie, at the time, was on stall rest due to sickness so she told me start with him.

“Here was a colt that had just recently arrived from the yearling sales cooped up in a stall and if he wasn’t down sleeping, he was over his stall gate watching everything going on in the barn. He was the most chill colt. Thankfully for me, he remained that way his whole career. And 15 years later he still loves to nap!”

The gelding was foaled in Kentucky but found a career all over, with stakes races on the Grand Circuit ranging from the East Coast to the Midwest and Canada. Each race he had his team behind him.

“We basically traveled all over and the majority of his races were detention barn,” said Grieco. “All this horse ever worried about was napping and eating. He would lay down and sleep anywhere. Detention barn at Balmoral was the race paddock and here I was both his 3- and 4-year-old years literally putting a halter on him and dragging his butt up five minutes before having to warm up.

“When he set the world record in the Maxie Lee at Chester, so many walked by and commented that they ‘counted him out’ that day because he was laying down sleeping the whole time. He truly made my job easy.”

Market Share has been spending his time at Southwind Farms as a babysitter for the yearlings. He has also competed at the National Standardbred Horse Show as a winner well-decorated in show ribbons. Tim Tetrick’s wife, Ashley, broke Market Share to ride and brought him to his first National Show.

“The owners sent him to me in April to break and prep for the national show which was in October,” said Ashley Tetrick. “He is extremely smart and took to riding very easily. When we started to work on collection under saddle, he didn’t understand what I was asking at first and would flip to the pace every time we asked him to soften to the bit and break at the poll. I really racked my brain for a few weeks and then asked Timmy what he thought.

“He told me, ‘just say Markie trot.’ I rolled my eyes and thought that was the most ridiculous thing I had ever heard. After another week of struggling, I finally called Linda and she said the same thing. The next day he broke into a pace and I said, ‘Markie trot’ and he flipped right back to the trot! From then on out, he was flawless. He was absolutely elegant the day we showed him at the National Standardbred Show and it just proved how classy he is. It was an honor to have the opportunity to ride him as he means so much to our family.”

Toscano brought Market Share back to the barn in advance of his return to the big stage, surprising Grieco with his homecoming.

“Having him here with me the last few weeks is like having my best friend back with me daily,” said Grieco. “I always said I couldn’t have a bad day with him in the barn and that is still true this time around. He’s the first face to greet me when I walk in the barn. He’s more talkative now than when he left. I’ll walk in and he gives me this gentle little nicker. And boy he makes sure you don’t forget him at feed time now.

“The first afternoon back with us he seemed a little out of sorts. I’m sure he was more confused than anything, but it was amazing how quickly he fell back into his ole routines. He’d get his stall cleaned early and then lay down for a few hours and nap before jogging, and still did that this time around. He used to get excited when I unzipped his harness bag to get him ready to jog or train and three days into being back, he started with the little bounces he used to do.”

Grieco led the now 16-year-old gelding through the paddock to his designated stall with his custom leather halter prominently flashing his name in gold on his cheek.

“I put his leather halter that he used to go race in on Saturday morning to get him cleaned up and ready to ship and he got all excited like he knew what that meant,” said the caretaker.

“He always was such a chill boy in the paddock. And Saturday was no different. I thought he’d be a little excitable after all of these years but like the classy boy that he is he truly was a gentleman. He was so used to being center of attention that I swear he thought everyone was there for him yesterday. Everyone that stopped to see him and take pictures with him thought it was hysterical how he basically ‘poses’ when the camera is on him.

“I wish I had a photo of him Saturday as we were walking out of the paddock to load up to go home. He walked towards the track and stopped and stood proud as a peacock looking at the track one last time. I’m not sure who enjoyed the day more… him? Or me?”

Market Share is one of many in Grieco’s long history as a caretaker, but he has permanently etched his name not only in history books, but in Grieco’s heart. In addition to the horses she cares for and the trainer she works for, Grieco herself is a veteran horsewoman in the industry, working for Toscano since January 2004.

“I grew up in the business. My dad had a decent-sized stable back home in Buffalo and Batavia, so it was weekends and summers at the barn for me for as long as I can remember,” said Grieco. “I actually went to college for elementary education, but couldn’t stay away from the horses. Sorry mom!”

Following the Hambletonian, Market Share returned to his duty as a babysitter at Southwind Farms, leaving another bittersweet goodbye between himself and Grieco.

The 100th anniversary of the Hambletonian not only drew in Market Share and his magnificent team in addition to many other horses and horsemen at the top of their game right now, but also veteran horsemen who share in a lengthy history in the sport. From past Hambletonian winning drivers to lifelong horsemen to champion Muscle Hill, the event was certainly one to remember. Grieco certainly will!