Feb 16, 2023 4 min read

Capturing his 4,000th training win Wednesday afternoon at The Meadows speaks to Randy Bendis’ success and consistency.

That is exactly what Bendis, 63, has been in his harness racing training career.

The milestone victory came in the 11th race with Muscle Up The Gold driven by Aaron Merriman winning in 1:58.1.

Bendis, a Bridgeville resident, started his career in 1980 with seven wins at The Meadows.

According to historian and statistician, Roger Huston, Bendis had 263 wins prior to the USTA’s record keeping on trainers in 1991.

In his career, Bendis has recorded 25 years of at least 100-win seasons and 17 $1 million years. He was the top trainer at The Meadows in 1992, ’93, ’94, ’95, ’96 and ’99.

“It was great (the 4,000th win),” Bendis said. “Anytime you can win that many races shows you’ve been doing it a long time and have had success.

“It’s an accomplishment and says you are in the game and every year you’ve been a factor. Being one of the top trainers here is kind of fulfilling.

“Consistency means you have been fairly successful at your job and have earned some respect,” he continued. “I’ve received a lot of text messages from people and from some people I have not talked to in years.”

Bendis’ winningest season came in 1993 when his stable had 182 victories. His stable enjoyed its best year in earnings in 2012 with $2,723,919.

According to the USTA, Bendis has 25,644 starts and earnings of more than $32,150,000.

Bendis said Georgia Pacific ranks high among his favorite horses. In 2004, the horse won an elimination of the Adios Pace for the Orchids. He also said Ultimate Goal ranks high. It won a 1992 Breeders Crown elimination for freshman filly trotters and finished third in the Hambletonian Oaks the following year.

Bendis said a loyal and consistent team has contributed to the consistency and success.

“Dave Teed is my right and left arm, Bendis said. “He is the second trainer. He is the heart and soul of our operations. I ask him to do something and it gets done.”

Bendis might have a shot at the coveted Adios championship this year with American Fling, a 2022 New York Sires Stake freshman champion.

“I’m a local guy. Winning the Adios would be cool.”

Jujubee rebound

After a three-month layoff and a disappointing 4-year-old season in 2022, Jujubee is being geared for a big comeback as a 5-year-old trotter.

The horse, currently resting in Kentucky, will resume training next week.

“We’ll start him up next week with some jogging,” said Meadows’ trainer Greg Wright, Jr. “He’s staked to all the big races.

“He has nothing until May. After last season we had them do a bone scan. It was nothing major, in fact a good report. His feet were the problem last year. They recommended him going barefoot for two months. We gave him three. He’ll head for the Meadowlands in mid-May.

As a 3-year- old, Jujubee was outstanding winning the Kentucky Futurity and Breeders Crown championship.

Jujubee was the top money-earning male trotter this year, with $948,791. He won 14 times in 2021 and finished no worse than second in 17 of 18 races. In addition to his Breeders Crown ($650,000) and Kentucky Futurity ($561,000) victories, Jujubee won the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes final ($253,000) and Phil Langley Memorial.

Some of his top competitors the past two years – Back of the Neck, Cuatro De Julio and Eucurie D – have retired.

“He could have a big year,” Wright said.

That’s retirement?

“The Voice” – Roger Huston – recently announced three weeks, five days a week, in Ohio at Miami Valley as the announcer was out with an illness.

Quipped Huston: “Retirement is great.”

Speaking of track announcers, The Meadows’ Jeff Zidek coaches Saint Vincent, the 13th-ranked college bowling team in the nation.

Unusual look

Here’s a statistic one doesn’t see often: to start the week of racing at The Meadows, Ronnie Wrenn Jr. led the track in driving wins by two over Dave Palone, 44-42.

Palone tied it up, 45-45, winning three races Wednesday to Wrenn’s two.

After Thursday’s card, Wrenn holds a 49-47 lead.

It’s early.