Leap To Fame

Last updated

Leap To Fame
Breed Standardbred
Sire Bettor's Delight (USA)
Grandsire Cam's Card Shark (USA)
DamLettucereason (Aus)
Maternal grandsireArt Major (USA)
Sex Stallion
Foaled (2018-11-05) 5 November 2018 (age 6)
CountryAustralia
TrainerGrant Dixon
Record
69: 56-9-2
Earnings
$4,630,884
Awards
Australian Harness Horse of the Year (2023, 2024)
Last updated on: 1 April 2025.

Leap To Fame (foaled 5 November 2018) is an Australian Standardbred racehorse, notable for winning multiple Group 1 races including the 2023 Inter Dominion Pacing Championship and the 2024 A G Hunter Cup and Miracle Mile Pace.

Contents

Background

Owned by Kevin and Kay Seymour through Solid Earth Pty Ltd, [1] Leap To Fame is a half brother to another champion standardbred racehorse Swayzee. They were sired by different USA stallions, Swayzee is by Rock N Roll Heaven, but both were out of the dam Lettucereason (Art Major, USA). Leap To Fame and Swayzee were both bred by Redbank Lodge Standardbreds.

Lettucereason, who won 17 races, is a sister to the 2013 Victoria Cup winner For A Reason [2] [3]

Leap To Fame is trained by Queensland trainer, Grant Dixon, who has also driven him in virtually all his races. His stable name is “Larry”.

Racing career

Leap To Fame's first race was the 2021 Changeover 2YO Classic over 1660m at Albion Park, Brisbane, on 27 March 2021 in which he was 2nd 17 lengths behind Dangerzone. Leap To Fame went on to win 8 out of 11 races in his 2YO season. He was 2nd in his Group 2 debut behind Class To The Max in the Australian Pacing Gold Bullion Final for 2YO Colts & Geldings.

In his 3YO season in 2022 he won 9 out of 12 races. This included wins in the Group 1 New South Wales Derby, Queensland Derby, Victoria Derby and NSW Breeders Challenge 3YO Colts & Geldings Final.

In 2023 as a 4YO he won 12 out of 16 races. This included wins in the Group 1 The Rising Sun, Sunshine Sprint and the Inter Dominion Pacing Championship. He was awarded the title of the Australian Harness Horse of the Year in 2023. [4]

In 2024 Leap To Fame won 15 out of 16 races including the Group 1 A G Hunter Cup, Miracle Mile Pace, [5] Sunshine Sprint and Blacks A Fake Queensland Championship. His one miss was a 2nd at Redcliffe in the Group 3 Chris Garrard's Patron's Purse over 2280m when beaten by a head by District Attorney. He was again voted the Australian Harness Horse of the Year. [6] He was also inducted into the Queensland Harness Racing Hall of Fame. [7]

As a 6YO in 2025 he was 2nd in both the A G Hunter Cup and Miracle Mile Pace behind Swayzee and Don Hugo respectively.

Notable performances include: [8]

PlacingDateRaceTrackDriver1st2nd3rd
1st5 March 2022G1 - NSW DerbyMenangleGrant DixonLeap To FameMajor PerryHot Deal
3rd9 July 2022G1 - The Rising SunAlbion ParkGrant DixonLadies In RedBetter EclipseLeap To Fame
1st23 July 2022G1 - Queensland DerbyAlbion ParkGrant DixonLeap To FameCantfindabettormanMuscle Bart
1st8 October 2022G1 - Victoria Derby MeltonGrant DixonLeap To FameRippInterest Free
1st29 October 2022G1 - NSW Breeders Challenge 3YO Colts & Geldings FinalMenangleGrant DixonLeap To FameMy Ultimate RonnieTeddy Disco
1st8 July 2023G1 - The Rising SunAlbion ParkGrant DixonLeap To FameRocknroll HammerMy Ultimate Ronnie
1st15 July 2023G1 - Sunshine SprintAlbion ParkGrant DixonLeap To FameSpirit Of St LouisHot And Treacherous
2nd22 July 2023G1 - The Blacks A Fake Queensland ChampionshipAlbion ParkGrant Dixon Swayzee Leap To FameHot And Treacherous
2nd2 September 2023 The TAB Eureka MenangleGrant DixonEncipherLeap To FameCaptain Ravishing
3rd14 October 2023G1 - Victoria Cup MeltonGrant DixonAct NowCatch A WaveLeap To Fame
1st16 December 2023G1 - Inter Dominion Pacing Championship Albion ParkGrant DixonLeap To FameBetter Eclipse Swayzee
1st3 February 2024G1 - A G Hunter Cup [9] MeltonGrant DixonLeap To FameDon't Stop DreamingMax Delight
1st9 March 2024G1 - Miracle Mile Pace [10] MenangleGrant DixonLeap To FameSooner The BettorSpeak The Truth
1st20 July 2024G1 - Sunshine SprintAlbion ParkGrant DixonLeap To FameDistrict AttorneyHi Manameisjeff
1st27 July 2024G1 - Blacks A Fake Queensland Championship [11] Albion ParkGrant DixonLeap To Fame Swayzee Hector
2nd1 February 2025G1 - A G Hunter Cup [12] MeltonGrant Dixon Swayzee Leap To FameRepublican Party
2nd8 March 2025G1 - Miracle Mile Pace MenangleGrant DixonDon HugoLeap To FameTact McLeod
1st4 April 2025L - The Race by betcha [13] Cambridge, NZGrant DixonLeap To FameChase A DreamMerlin
1st19 July 2025G1 - Inter Dominion Pacing Championship Albion ParkGrant DixonLeap To FameSpeak The TruthCya Art

See also

References

  1. "News Article - Australian Harness Racing". www.harness.org.au. Retrieved 1 April 2025.
  2. "Wagga breeder has good Reason to smile". 17 November 2023.
  3. Rando, Amanda (11 March 2022). "Weekly spotlight on breeding - Harnesslink".
  4. Hamilton, Adam. "2023 Australian Harness Horse of the Year and Lawn Derby Awards". Harness Racing Victoria. Retrieved 1 April 2025.
  5. "Racenet - Australia's Premier Horse Racing News, Form Guides & Tips". racenet.com.au. Retrieved 1 April 2025.
  6. "News Article - Australian Harness Racing". www.harness.org.au. Retrieved 1 April 2025.
  7. "News Article - Australian Harness Racing". www.harness.org.au. Retrieved 1 April 2025.
  8. "Australian Harness Racing". www.harness.org.au. Retrieved 1 April 2025.
  9. "Leap To Fame wins the 2024 G1 A G Hunter Cup". 7 February 2024. Retrieved 1 April 2025 via YouTube.
  10. "Leap To Fame Elevated To Greatness". Standardbred Canada. Retrieved 1 April 2025.
  11. "Redemption for Leap To Fame with BAF win :: Racing Queensland". www.racingqueensland.com.au. 31 March 2025. Retrieved 1 April 2025.
  12. Mitchell, Lachlan. "Swayzee wins the battle of the brothers in Hunter Cup thriller". Harness Racing Victoria. Retrieved 1 April 2025.
  13. "Leap To Fame smashes record in epic win in $1m Race by betcha". www.hrnz.co.nz. Retrieved 4 April 2025.