Harness Racing: Modern Family could be Bier's best ever trotter

The first time Daryl Bier drove Modern Family in a training mile at Dover Downs earlier this year, he came to an exciting conclusion.

“I knew he was the best trotter I ever had,” Bier said. “He went in (1):58 2/5 and came home in 28 2/5 (seconds) by himself. Regular horses can’t do that. I was like: Wow.”

Bier bought Modern Family for $110,000 at the Tattersalls January Select Mixed Sale at the Meadowlands. He owns the 4-year-old with Charles Dombeck and Richard Poillucci.

Modern Family is 3-for-3 this year for Bier. On Friday night, he races in the first round of the Horse & Groom series at the Meadowlands. Modern Family and driver Tim Tetrick will start from post four in the second of two $18,000 divisions. His split includes Super Bowl series winner Windsun Galliano.

The second leg of the series is March 8 and the final is March 16.

Unraced at age 2, the horse won four of 20 starts and earned $67,772 last season while in the stable of trainer Tony Alagna. Modern Family appeared in a number of stakes finals and/or eliminations, including the Breeders Crown, Canadian Trotting Classic, Simcoe, Beal Memorial and Matron, but was unable to break through for a major victory.

“I called Tony before the sale and asked him about the horse,” Bier said. “He said they liked him a lot, had high hopes for him, and it just didn’t work out. I was prepared to go $100,000, or a little more. It was well worth it.”

Modern Family is a son of stallion Cantab Hall and the first foal out of the mare Domestic Diva. His dam is a full-sister to 2003 New Jersey Sire Stakes champion Glide About and a half-sister to multiple-stakes-winners Maven and Lanson.

This year, Modern Family opened the campaign with a 16-length win in a condition race at Dover Downs, and then moved into the open handicap. He won his first try in the open handicap by one length over He’s Spooky in 1:54 2/5 over a sloppy track and was victorious by 1-1/4 lengths over He’s Spooky in 1:53 1/5 on Feb. 20.

“That was a huge mile,” Bier said. “It was 31 degrees, the wind was blowing; that’s a great mile at Dover.”

Bier drove Modern Family in his three races at Dover, but will turn over the lines to Tetrick at the Meadowlands because of a flare up of chronic back woes. Bier has enjoyed success at the Big M in the past few years, winning the 2012 Clyde Hirt series and finishing second in the Exit 16W with Special T Rocks and finishing second with Higher And Higher in the Cape & Cutter series final. In 2011, he won the Super Bowl with Alcarine.

Modern Family is scheduled to race in the Maturity for 4-year-old trotters and the Cutler Memorial following the Horse & Groom series.

“I think he can go (1):52 or better up there,” Bier said. “I love to race at the Meadowlands, but I want to come up there to win, or at least have a shot. I feel strongly this horse will do well in the (Horse & Groom) series. I couldn’t find anything this year for the (other) series at the Meadowlands, so this is my only shot.

“This horse is a true professional. And he can go.”