Jul 3, 2025 4 min read

By John Sacco

For the Observer-Reporter

newsroom@observer-reporter.com

The late Bob Key was a significant owner and his stable was a force at The Meadows, and nationally, for many years.

He also kept local trainers and drivers busy with work in taking care of his homebred “babies.”

Key also owned a horse, American Winner, stabled at the North Strabane Township racetrack, that became a Hambletonian champion.

For their efforts, Key and American Winner will receive their just due Saturday in Goshen, N.Y. Last year, the Harness Racing Museum & Hall of Fame announced that the trustees of the Museum unanimously endorsed the election of Key and American Winner as harness racing Immortals.

Key became involved in harness racing through his work as an attorney. It didn’t take Key long to find success. He was an owner of 2-year-old filly pacer Amneris, that won a Breeders Crown in 1984. Four years later, Key increased his breeding efforts and in 1993, American Winner, a product of his Hall of Fame broodmare BJ’s Pleasure, won the Hambletonian.

“There’s no one out there anymore like (Bob),” said Kim French, adjunct professor for the University of Louisville College of business equine industry program. “He was the last who bred, owned and raced his horses and did it all over the country.”

Key’s reputation for giving everyone a chance paid off in a history-making moment when Milton Smith became the first African-American trainer to win the Hambletonian.

As a 3-year-old, American Winner (1990-2018) won the first leg of trotting’s Triple Crown, the Yonkers Trot (in world record time), and took an eight-race winning streak to the Meadowlands for the Beacon Course and Hambletonian. He finished second to Pine Chip in the Beacon and then defeated Pine Chip in the Hambletonian, giving him victories in two of the three legs of the Triple Crown. He finished his racing career with 16 wins in 27 starts and $1,302,451 in earnings. American Winner’s sire (Super Bowl) and dam (BJ’s Pleasure) are both members of the Harness Racing Hall of Fame, as is his son, Credit Winner.

“I had the opportunity to speak with Bob at his office on multiple occasions,” said Jeff Zidek, The Meadows’ track announcer. “That family of race resources, which included American Winner, is kind of the pinnacle of Bob’s career as an owner.

“Anybody who gets involved in racing, you want that big horse. Not only did he get that big horse, but he also got that big horse a few times — all from the same family.”

Zidek added, “if you were to put together an all-star list of the top horses ever to come out of The Meadows of the last 60-plus years, (American Winner) is one of the best ones ever. He is definitely at or near the top of that list.”

American Winner’s daughter Yankee Blondie produced Hall of Fame trotter Muscle Hill and other daughters produced Dan Patch Award winners Sand Vic and Maven, O’Brien Award winners Define The World and Classic Photo. Key’s stable ranked in the top 20 in earnings every year from 2010 through 2019. It exceeded $3 million in purses three times during that span.

“They’re very few people who have done so much for the sport as Bob,” Zidek said. “It’s great for him to get any type of recognition, but I think it would be even more special to him for it to include American Winner. He was very proud of him. What that horse accomplished and him being a homebred, makes it special. It’s along the lines of associating Delvin Miller and Adios.”

Meadowlands Pace

With only 10 entries for the $656,000 Meadowlands Pace on July 12, there will be no eliminations.

Louprint, trained by Ron Burke, and owned by the Burke Racing Stable LLC, Fredericktown, Weaver Bruscemi LLC, Phil Collura, and Lawrence Karr, will enter as one of the favorites.

His opposition will be Captain Optimistic, Fallout, Jo and the Jets, Madden Oaks, Knockout Round, Manolete, Papis Pistol, Papi’s Rocket and Prince Hal Hanover.

Louprint is five-for-five this season and has won 12 of 15 career starts, never finishing out of the money. Louprint has won more than $1.6 million in his career and won the Dan Patch Award last season as the top 2-year-old colt pacer.