NEARLY 70 years ago Jim Crosby purchased a mare named Winsome Like and began a still-standing family of runners who continue to impress of the race track.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The next of those horses looking to add to that mare's legacy will be the Bernie Hewitt-trained Sweet On Lexy in Saturday night's $150,000 Group 1 Gold Crown at the Bathurst Paceway.
Crosby's son Lex, president of the Forbes Harness Racing Club, has continued to run the operation to this day and has bred his share of eye-catching pacers through the years.
This latest one could be something very special.
Sweet On Lexy enters the Gold Crown decider with the fastest qualifying time of 1:53.9, in a race where she left the rest of the field more than 20 metres in her wake.
Crosby said it's a treat to see the family of horses still going as strong as ever.
"He's a beautiful horse and a ninth generation for us. My father bought a mare in 1955 and all my horses come from that one mare," he said.
"If you work back it's Im With Lexy, Lexys Laughing, Lexy Lobell, Aunty Alice, Big Sister, Flowing In, Rapid Flow and then Winsome Like. That group covers 69 years.
"I'm 71 and virtually all my life I've grown up with that family of horses."
The length of time that the one family of horses has stayed in the Crosby ranks isn't the only impressive thing, but also the fact that there's been sustained success across that time.
"Every generation something has happened in that family," Crosby said.
"Read About Lexy broke the Australian two-year-old mile rate record for fillies back in 2014, and I remember they did a story in the Trotguide about whether anyone else had a family who'd been going that long, and no-one came forward."
Forbes flyers on display
Sweet On Lexy isn't the only shining star for Forbes on finals night.
Raging Gold Tiara favourite Bittersweet, trained by Brad Hewitt, was bred virtually on Crosby's doorstep.
"I'm not only personally stoked about being in the final but I'm stoked for Forbes as well. Bittersweet is from just four kilometres up the road," he said.
"Phil and Denise Thurston bred and own her. It's great that two Forbes breeders have great chances in these finals.
"It's unbelievable to see. After going through all the floods years ago it's great that the town can have two horses, who are so close, be the fastest qualifiers."
Bittersweet opened at a $1.10 price for the Tiara Final and will be looking to make it four wins in as many starts to begin her career.
Hewitt hopes for a repeat effort
He won his heat from the wide draw but can he win the final from the same spot?
That's the task ahead for Sweet On Lexy in the finale on Saturday night, and the market thinks he's up for the challenge.
Sweet On Lexy opened up as second favourite for the Group 1 classic, only behind the Clayton Gallagher-trained Fox Dan.
Fellow heat winner Fox Dan gets the gate one advantage while Sanchez (Nathan Jack) and My Ultimate Barney (Jarrod Alchin) loom as other major threats on the front row.
Hewitt said his partnership with Crosby is one he greatly values.
"We're very excited with this one. He's quite talented but the draw will be something he'll have to overcome," he said.
"Lex's mares have been breeding to better stallions all the time and he's had some good ones by lesser stallions too. He's very happy with the way the family tree is going and hopefully he tick one off again this Saturday.
"It's a great setup for Lex and myself. I usually notice three to four quality yearlings he's placed, grab them and break them in.
"It's great for him because he doesn't have to worry about sales, and then we'll move some horses on to other trainers if they're not quite what we'd hoped but they'll have winning chances elsewhere."
Sweet On Lexy is one of two locally trained runners taking on the Group 1 finals, with Darryl Dwyer's The Sweet One in action for the Gold Tiara.
The Gold Crown Final headlines the evening at 9.57pm, with racing getting underway from 6.17pm.