Pocono: Franklin finalist State Treasurer the horse of a lifetime

When it comes to providing thrills for his owners, State Treasurer is money.

The 6-year-old State Treasurer, purchased for a mere $6,500 at the 2010 Standardbred Horse Sale, is a multiple-stakes-winner with more than $1 million in earnings for owners Sally and Allan MacDonald and Paul and Sophie MacDonald. Earlier this year he won an unprecedented third Molson Pace and last season he captured the Allerage Farms Open Pace at Lexington’s Red Mile. He also missed by only a neck in last year’s Breeders Crown Open Pace, finishing third.

Last weekend, State Treasurer won his elimination for Saturday’s $500,000 Ben Franklin Pace for older male pacers from post nine by a neck over Dynamic Youth in 1:50 3/5 over a sloppy track at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono. He will start the final from post four with David Miller driving for trainer Dr. Ian Moore.

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“We refer to him as our once-in-a-lifetime horse,” said Sally MacDonald, who lives on Prince Edward Island. “When we stop and think about all the people we’ve met and the traveling we’ve done, it’s basically all because of him. It’s been just such an enjoyable time with him.”

Luck Be Withyou, who won the first of the two Franklin eliminations last weekend, drew post nine for the final. George Napolitano Jr. will drive for trainer Chris Oakes.

Saturday’s card at Pocono also includes the $500,000 Max C. Hempt Memorial for 3-year-old male pacers, $500,000 Earl Beal Jr. Memorial for 3-year-old male trotters, $300,000 James M. Lynch Memorial for 3-year-old female pacers, and $75,000 Sun Invitational for older trotters.

State Treasurer has won four of seven races this year. The four victories have come in his most recent five outings – despite starting from inside of post seven only once – and include the Molson Pace and Gold Cup Invitational. His setback came in the Battle of Lake Erie, where he was fifth by 1-3/4 lengths from post seven at half-mile Northfield Park.

“We’re very happy with the way he’s been racing of late, that’s for sure,” said Paul MacDonald, who lives in Toronto and is Allan MacDonald’s nephew. “We’ve been drawing poorly it seems quite a bit lately, but that’s horse racing. It’s certainly tough with such a strong group of older pacers when you’re drawing on the outside. I don’t think we’ll continue to get the breaks we’ve been getting in some of these races. You just can’t do that all the time against such a good group of horses.”

State Treasurer is a son of stallion Real Desire out of the mare Ideal Treasure, who is a full sister to stakes-winner Ideal Matters. His third dam is world champion stakes-winner Hit Parade. Allan MacDonald selected State Treasurer as a yearling. It was the first horse ever owned by Sally, Paul and Sophie.

“My husband had been involved (with horses previously) but we decided to put this horse in my name,” Sally MacDonald said. “He thinks I’m his good-luck charm.”

Said Paul, with a laugh, “Some people say I’m probably ruined now with him as the first horse.

“It’s been fantastic. Just to be there and participate against an incredible group of horses has been the highlight. Dr. Moore has said he’s never had a bad race and I think what he means by that is the horse always gives 110 percent. He may get a bad trip, or the draw may be terrible, or the flow doesn’t work out the way that you hope, but the horse is always giving it his best.

“We’ve just had such a great time with this guy. We owe a lot of it to Dr. Moore. He’s been just super with him.”

State Treasurer, who has been trained by Moore throughout his career, has won 25 of 78 career races and earned $1.08 million. He banked a career-best $464,311 last season.

“He’s an awesome horse to be around,” Sally MacDonald said. “He’s got a terrific personality. Everybody that sees him likes him.

“It’s just been such a good-news story with him.”

-Courtesy of Harness Racing Communications, a division of the U.S. Trotting Association. For more information, please visit www.ustrotting.com