The Record
Earl Action appears in the surviving Plainridge programs across 2 seasons, 2003 to 2004, with 8 starts for which the official chart records a finishing position. 2 of those produced wins, and the horse finished in the first three on 4 occasions altogether.
The fastest mile recorded here is 1:59.4, set on Tuesday, August 10, 2004. A harness time is written in minutes, seconds and fifths, so the final digit is a fifth of a second rather than a hundredth. On a track of this size like Plainridge a horse turns four times in a mile, which costs ground against the bigger tracks and makes direct comparison of raw times misleading.
The winner's line in the chart gives the breeding as EARL out of JAYDEES SOMOLLI, herself by SPEEDY SOMOLLI. Harness pedigrees are quoted in that order — sire, dam, then the dam's own sire — because the maternal grandsire carries much of the weight in judging a standardbred family.
The classes Earl Action was entered in run to CLMHC, 7500CL OP, NW200PS, 4000CL OP, NW350PS, 3000CL OP. These are condition races rather than claiming events, so eligibility rested on money already won rather than on a posted purchase price.
The drivers who sat behind Earl Action most often were Michael E Eaton (4), Ronald L Cushing (3), Greg D Bowden (1). Driver changes matter more in harness racing than the bare numbers suggest, because the same horse can be driven for early speed or held for a late quarter depending on who holds the lines.
Every Start Held Here
| Date | Rc | Fin | PP | Time | Odds | Driver | Class |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 13, 2004 | 5 | — | 4 | — | — | Greg D Bowden | CLMHC |
| Sep 7, 2004 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 2:01.2 | 24.30 | Greg D Bowden | 7500CL OP |
| Aug 10, 2004 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 1:59.4 | 3.00 | Michael E Eaton | NW200PS |
| Apr 19, 2004 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 2:00.4 | 4.60 | Ronald L Cushing | 4000CL OP |
| Apr 10, 2004 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 2:04.0 | 1.80 | Ronald L Cushing | NW200PS |
| Apr 5, 2004 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 2:05.4 | 4.20 | Ronald L Cushing | NW350PS |
| Dec 2, 2003 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 2:05.3 | 8.60 | Michael E Eaton | 3000CL OP |
| Nov 25, 2003 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 2:03.0 | .90 | Michael E Eaton | NW200PS |
| Nov 17, 2003 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 2:01.3 | 5.20 | Michael E Eaton | 3000CL OP |
Questions about this horse
What class did Earl Action race in?
CLMHC, 7500CL OP, NW200PS and 4000CL OP, plus 2 other conditions. Each code is a set of eligibility conditions rather than a grade — the class pages explain what each one admitted.
What were the odds on Earl Action?
The shortest price in the recovered charts is 0.90 to one. Odds are the closing figures printed on the chart, so they reflect what the pool decided at the off, not a forecast.
How often did Earl Action go to the gate here?
The record shows 8 charted starts for Earl Action, 2003 to 2004. The name appears on 9 race days in all once entry sheets are counted, because a horse can be drawn into a race and then scratched before it is run. That is what the programmes and result sheets hold, not necessarily the horse's full career: starts made at other tracks are outside this record.
Did Earl Action ever win here?
Yes — 2 wins from 8 starts, a strike rate of 25%. Adding 1 second and 1 third, Earl Action finished in the first three on 4 occasions.
What was Earl Action's fastest mile?
1:59.4, on 2004-08-10. Harness times are read as minutes, seconds and fifths, so 1:59.4 is 1 minute and the rest in seconds — the final fifth is the digit after the last point.
Which drivers sat behind Earl Action?
Michael E Eaton (4), Ronald L Cushing (3) and Greg D Bowden (1). The figure in brackets is the number of drives.
Was Earl Action a trotter or a pacer?
A trotter — every charted start is at the trot. A pacer moves its legs in lateral pairs, a trotter in diagonal pairs, and a horse is normally campaigned at one gait or the other.