St Elmo Hero Extends Streak to 20

East Rutherford, NJ — St Elmo Hero kept his perfect record intact in his Meadowlands debut on Saturday night (Jan. 8). With Tim Tetrick at the lines, St Elmo Hero led from gate to wire as he extended his streak to 20 wins in the second race, a $20,000 prep race for the Complex Series. He was clocked in 1:50.4.

The son of Western Hero has been perfect since winning his career debut on July 14, 2010, at Balmoral Park. Illinois owner John Barnard claimed the previously unraced 4-year-old gelding out of that start for $8,000 and he has since won $145,000. Charles Eustis III trains St Elmo Hero. “He is so easy to get along with,” Eustis said. “Whatever you ask him to do, he just does it. You can drive him with two fingers. When he sees another horse, that’s when he wants to go.”

St Elmo Hero has won all but two of his races on the front end, but Eustis is confident the gelding will be able to handle racing from off the pace at the Meadowlands. He has 20 wins and only two races has he come from behind,” he noted. “In one of them, he came from dead last. He relaxes when he is on top and controls things, but he can race from behind if he needs to.”

Eustis is most proud of St Elmo Hero’s victory in the Blue Route Final on Dec. 20, 2010 at Chester, in which he held off Meirs Hanover for a career-best 1:50.1 clocking. “Meirs Hanovers is a really nice horse and he fought him down to the wire,” he said. “The margin was only a neck, but that was his best win so far and his record, too.”

Eustis admits he feels pressure to keep the streak alive when the three-week Complex Series begins next Saturday at the Meadowlands. “I know he may get beat at some point,” he said. “Most good horses do, but the big thing with him is just to keep him healthy and sound.”

Amy Silver, publicity director, Meadowlands Racetrack