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Fate and Keen Vision Draws Boni to Indiana

It is impossible to tell the story of harness racing without Robert “Bob” Boni and for over a decade it has been impossible to tell the story of Indiana harness racing without his name as well. Since 1969, Boni has been full time in some capacity in harness racing and the results have been nothing short of remarkable on the East Coast as well as the Hoosier state. 


Boni’s full time involvement in harness began at Pine Hollow Stud but not exactly by design. “I finished school, got in my car, and made my way to Goshen, New York in hopes of securing a job with Arden Homestead’s main trainer Harry Pownall,” said Boni. His plan did not come to fruition as he had planned which in hindsight may have been for the best. “Mr. Pownall said he would have loved to hire me, but he simply did not have any openings or much turnover in his grooms for a spot to be available for me,” Boni remembered. 


Boni’s harness racing aspirations were not squashed by the fruitless venture to Goshen as he took the short drive over to Pine Bush where Pine Hollow Stud was located. “Pine Hollow looked to be the premier farm in New York at the time and I was lucky that they had an opening when I showed up and asked for a job. It was only about an hour and a half from my boyhood home in Queens so it made a lot of sense to start there,” Boni noted. “I spent 11 years there and I do not regret it one bit.” 


After his tenure at Pine Hollow, Boni ventured out on his own with almost immediate success. He managed the Wall Street Stable that went “all-in” on the first crop of Niatross which led Boni to travel all the way to Indiana one winter day where he inspected and purchased the former fastest horse of all time, Nihilator. “I’ve always said Indiana is my second favorite state and that is a big reason why,” Boni said with a laugh. 


Boni has certainly been no one hit wonder with his connected standardbreds. His other standouts include $800,000 winner Pershing Square, 1987 Pacer of the Year Camtastic, Indiana standout stallion Always A Virgin, and the 2nd fastest horse of all time Always B Miki. The latter two certainly have strong connections to the Midwest and Boni was instrumental in both of their paths. 


Always A Virgin was partially purchased by Boni with multiple other partners prior to his three year old season where he earned over $1 million in purses. After his 4-year-old season, the decision came on where he should stand, at which point Boni made the case for Indiana. “It definitely took some convincing of our fellow partners, but my partner Mitchell Skolnick and I had studied and admired the Indiana program and thought it was the best spot for him. We knew he would have several years of support where in some states that is not always the case because you never know which new hot sire might come in after you,” Boni stated. 


The success of Always A Virgin as a sire has been immense and his impact on the growth of Indiana Standardbreds cannot be overstated. His first two two crops produced 3 millionaires, 3 Breeders Crown winners, and the at one time fastest horse of all time. In total, Always A Virgin’s offspring have earned over $60 million and still counting. “Always A Virgin is what you hope for from a regional sire. He immediately produced horses that could leave the state program and win. Once you do that, you are made as a stallion, and Indiana certainly gave him the support,” said Boni. 


Boni’s connection to Always A Virgin played a role in leading him to one of Indiana sired sons, Always B Miki. After watching Always B Miki’s early baby races, Boni was enamored by the colt. “He showed incredible speed as a young horse, and my connection to Always A Virgin definitely made me take a closer look at him. Luckily, he was owned by Joe Hurley’s Roll The Dice stable who owned Always A Virgin so we already had a strong relationship there,” Boni noted. 


Always B Miki took Boni and the other connections on an incredible ride, but he was not the last tie to Indiana for Boni. He has continued to play a role in sending multiple stallions to Indiana including the likes of Class Included, JK Endofanera, and newcomer in 2023 Rebuff. The latter stallion is an extremely exciting prospect in the eyes of Boni. “He is a horse that could have stood anywhere. He is a Breeders Crown winner and the fastest son of Muscle Hill, which is a remarkable accomplishment,” said Boni. 


In Boni’s eyes, Rebuff is a further affirmation of the rise of the Midwest in harness racing. The massive growth of Kentucky combined with the addition of the Peter Haughton and Jim Doherty trots now at Hoosier has created a shift in the business in Boni’s opinion. “It is a validation of the midwest. Some people did not pay attention to this program due to the distance from the east coast, but with so many stables established in Kentucky, that is now changed. It really is a cataclysmic shift in the way we race horses. It is going to open up the thought process and Indiana will be looked at much differently,” Boni explained. 


Besides the rise of the midwest coming in the future, Boni has glowing remarks for the current program. “People really do not realize the amount of open stakes offered by Hoosier Park. Indiana and Hoosier Park put on an excellent presentation. I think with the growth of dual eligibility in Kentucky, you are going to see nominations to the big races in Indiana rise dramatically.”


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