Beau Jangles Wins 2025 Dan Patch Horse of the Year at USHWA

Beau Jangles was named the 2025 Dan Patch Horse of the Year and Pacer of the Year at the U.S. Harness Writers Association banquet after a perfect 12-for-12 2-year-old season, becoming the first Dan Patch Horse of the Year to win the honor without ever going to post on U.S. soil. The announcement came at the Rosen Shingle Creek resort in Orlando during the Feb. 22 banquet honoring the 2025 season.

Beau Jangles captured 59 of the 133 returned Horse of the Year ballots; Louprint finished second with 30 votes and Miki And Minnie received 21. Lexus Kody drew 9 votes, Yo Tillie 7, Twin B Joe Fresh 2, On To Norway 2, Ervin Hanover 1 and Setyoursightshigh 1. The vote totals were read at the ceremony attended by roughly 350 people.

Connections listed on the award credits include owners Graham Grace Stables, Kiwi Stables and Bolton Stables; trainer Dr. Ian Moore; driver Bob McClure; caretaker Riley Noble; and breeder Tara Hills Stud Ltd. HarnessRacingUpdate reported that Moore, described as 72 years old and quietly contemplating retirement when the 2025 season ended, agreed to take the colt after the owners asked and after finding enough help. The horse was renamed Beau Jangles in honor of one of Ainspan’s dogs named Beau.

The selection carries historical weight: Beau Jangles is the fifth 2-year-old to be named Horse of the Year and the third freshman pacing colt so honored, joining names such as Niatross (1979) and Bret Hanover (1964). He is the first undefeated Horse of the Year since JK She’salady, who also went 12-for-12 en route to the 2014 honor. Dave Briggs of HarnessRacingUpdate wrote, “That Beau Jangles stands astride North America this morning was far from a lock despite the fact he has never tasted defeat.” Briggs added, “In the end, Dan Patch HOY voters rewarded perfection over proximity; accolades over age.”

Lexus Kody was announced as the 2025 Trotter of the Year at the same banquet; sources describe Lexus Kody as a 7-year-old trotting gelding, and photo captions link driver Yannick Gingras with Lexus Kody’s Dayton Trotting Derby victory. Lexus Kody also received 9 Horse of the Year votes in the ballot count presented that night.

The Dan Patch Awards banquet was presented by Caesars Entertainment and featured divisional honors beyond the Horse of the Year and Trotter of the Year announcements. Standardbred Canada coverage and weekly polls in 2025 repeatedly showed Beau Jangles atop rankings, and an Instagram post captured the social reaction, reading: “Congratulations to Beau Jangles on being 2025 Horse of the Year! #harnessracing #danpatch.”

Commentary after the awards already positioned Beau Jangles for 2026 expectations. As Harness Racing Update’s Brett Sturman noted, “When Beau Jangles was named Horse of the Year at last night’s (Feb. 22) U.S. Harness Writers Association’s (USHWA) Dan Patch awards, his status as the way-too-early leading choice for next year’s U.S. Horse of the Year award was already determined.” The selection leaves the sport facing a new precedent: an undefeated, non-U.S.-based juvenile can claim North America’s top harness honor and immediately become the horse to beat for the coming season.