Miami Valley: Beautiful Seaside helping Rowe launch career

As Logan Rowe continues to establish himself as a trainer, he knows he can always count on his "big mare" for big efforts.

Beautiful Seaside, a 5-year-old female pacer, has been a top-level performer for the Rowe family throughout her career. Bred and owned by Rowe's cousin, Matt, she has won 17 of 54 lifetime races and earned $239,310.

As a 3-year-old in 2023, she was a multiple winner in the Buckeye Stallion Series and captured the BSS championship. She competed in an elimination of the Jugette but missed advancing to the final by a half-length.

Last year, Rowe's first as a trainer, she won six times and hit the board an additional seven on her way to earning $80,225. Her top victory came in a $26,000 Fillies & Mares Open Handicap at Hollywood Dayton Raceway in December. She also won in a career-best 1:50 in an August conditioned race at Eldorado Scioto Downs.

So far this season, Beautiful Seaside has a win and a third in six starts, and $21,375 in earnings. On Thursday, the daughter of Downbytheseaside-Your Beautiful heads to the $36,000 F&M Open Handicap at Miami Valley Raceway, where she will leave from post three with Dan Noble in the sulky. She is 6-1 on the morning line.

"She's been racing there (in the Open) a few times, and that's a field of tough horses; the best of the best in Ohio," said Rowe, who watched Beautiful Seaside finish fourth at that level a week ago. "She seems like she's good. She's just tough. She's just a good horse. We call her the big mare. Overall, she's just a great easygoing mare. You can do anything you want with her at the barn. She's the biggest sweetheart in the barn.

"When she gets on the track, she knows she's a racehorse. She knows she's out there to do some work, and that's what she intends to do. That's why I think she's good pretty much every time she goes out there. She's always going to give effort. You could give her to anyone, and they could probably go out and be in the Open with that mare."

Beautiful Seaside is one of about 18 horses for Rowe, an Urbana, Ohio, resident who turned 29 earlier this month. Last year, Rowe's stable won 23 of 127 races and earned $202,989. In addition to Beautiful Seaside, he saw 3-year-old male pacer Well That's Marky and 2-year-old male pacer Twice As Much win Buckeye Stallion Series divisions. Twice As Much was one of four Rowe trainees to win on the Ohio Fair Stakes circuit.

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This year, the stable has hit the board in 10 of 18 races, winning three and earning $52,895.

"I think we're doing all right," Rowe said, adding with a laugh, "I guess that all depends on who you ask. It seems like the horses are pretty good at Miami Valley right now."

Rowe has spent most of his life around livestock, but he didn't begin getting involved in working at his cousin's farm until he was 15 or 16. It was several additional years before he started working hands on with the horses.

"I've been around animals my whole life," Rowe said. "When I was a kid, my dad (Dean) and I raised sheep, and I showed sheep in the 4-H.

"I didn't really know too much about horses when I first started. I cleaned stalls at a riding horse farm for a while, and then I started coming out to Matt's and doing a little bit of work here and there. Eventually, I started working horses. I helped him with the young horses and doing chores out here. I was laid off one winter from my construction job, so I started working for him in the wintertime and it ended up turning into a full-time thing."

Rowe said the stable operation is "family oriented," with a number of cousins and others helping out.

"You're pretty much around family a lot," he said, "So, that's good too."

As for his future, Rowe has a pragmatic mindset.

"I just go out and try to develop some good horses," Rowe said. "I want to be competitive. It seems to be going well. I just hope we keep getting good horses. I think that's what it boils down to more than anything I do. You're not going to make one do it if they don't want to. Good athletes definitely make my job easier, that's for sure."

Racing begins at 4 p.m. (EST) at Miami Valley. For Thursday's complete entries, click here.