Harness racing is a large part of Tony Somone’s life. As the Executive Director of the Illinois Harness Horsemen's Association, it’s only natural that his love for the sport and the Standardbred horse would trickle down to his children.
That love especially caught on with Tony’s son Tom, who is a student at Lyons Township High School in LaGrange, IL.
“Tom graduated in 2009 and afterward became involved in the ‘Life Skills Program’ there,” Tony explained. “It’s geared for special needs kids who have graduated from high school but who are not yet ready to go into the work force. Tom has been in the program for two years, and will continue in it until he’s 22.”
Tom, 21, has Downs Syndrome. He is one of 19 students currently enrolled in the program, according to lead instructor Joe Duffy, who has been part of the program during its three-year tenure, which follows a typical nine-month school year calendar.
“We work with all types of special needs kids who are looking to transition into being on their own; functioning independently in society,” Duffy, 31, offered.
“Harness racing is a big part of my life and also Tom’s life,” Tony, 49, admitted. “He’s often my companion at the racetrack and then talks to his classmates and his teachers about what he did the night before. So his teachers and friends became interested in visiting the barn area.”
An experience with horses for this group of extraordinary individuals was a result of Tom’s passion and love of harness racing, and his determination to get his classmates involved in sharing that passion.
“Joe (Duffy) approached me and said that Tom was always talking about the horses and wanted to know if he could bring the kids to the barn,” Tony continued. “His classmates encompass a pretty wide range of students in terms of both high-functioning kids and youngsters that require a lot more attention.”
Tom is very high functioning.
“He can cook for himself and takes care of our dogs,” Tony noted. “He enjoys working with others and previously worked at the Marriott Hotel in the laundry room, folding towels and clothes. Each semester the kids get a different job and a different life coach, but it’s not the job he’s doing but the people he’s involved with that really keeps him motivated. Currently he’s working at the Chalet Health Club (in Willow Springs, IL) where he has a variety of duties: sweeping floors, folding towels, wiping down machines—all normal health club chores.”
Tony and his wife Jenny—who reside in Willow Springs, IL, are also the parents of Elizabeth, 19, a nursing student at the University of Chicago.
“Tom normally works Monday-Friday from 9-12, then goes back to school,” Tony revealed. “The program also bought a house near the school where the kids spend their time cooking and cleaning, and learning what life is like living on their own.”
IHHA President Dave McCaffrey wasted no time getting involved. He and Tony have been friends for over a decade and have owned horses together during those years as well.
“Dave was very gracious,” Tony stated. “All of Tom’s classmates—including those in wheelchairs—came to Dave’s barn at Maywood Park. The kids just absolutely loved it.”
One horse in particular that seemed more interested in the kids than any other was a giant freshman son of Yankee Skyscraper-Miss Bootsy, that Tony owned in partnership with his brother Mike, 52, of Indian Head Park, IL, McCaffrey of Burr Ridge, IL and Michael Polansky of Loudinville, NY.
“This horse was amazingly playful and responsive to the children,” Tony acknowledged. “There was one little girl in particular, who has some serious issues and is in a wheelchair, and she wanted to pet him. We wheeled her up to his stall and he put his head over the gate and just stuck it in her lap and didn’t move.”
“Seeing how the kids responded to the horses—and vice versa, was a terrific experience,” Duffy related. “To see the connection that they had with this young horse was just amazing.”
“Horses sometimes get a bad rap and I often hear people say they’re stupid,” Tony added. “But in this case our colt was really keen and sharp and seemed to have a great deal of emotional intelligence.”
“It was really amazing,” McCaffrey confirmed. “This horse had all the kids crowded around him and he seemed to be quite taken with them. Kids that had never been around horses or were afraid didn’t seem to have a big problem with him. Even those with the greatest handicaps would go up to him and he was extremely accommodating. I was little nervous about it initially, because I wasn’t sure how the horses were going to react to them. But this horse in particular was taken with the group and the group was taken with him. He took treats from them and we brought him out and had the whole group stand around him. He inspired a lot of smiles that day.”
While Tony and Dave watched, it occurred to them that they should let the youngsters choose a new name for the robust gelding, who was then still unraced. His previous name was Fox Valley Matrix, a $7,000 yearling purchase from the 2010 Walker Standardbred Sale.
“When we told the kids that they could name the horse, they thought it was the greatest thing in the world,” Tony revealed. “When they got back to their classroom, the kicked around a bunch of names and eventually came up with Smooth Transition. It was so perfect because that’s what their teachers are always telling them, that their goal will be to make a smooth transition into life through the program.”
Since naming the colt, the class has kept a steady eye on the big freshman throughout the season. Tony, Tom and the rest of the family were at Balmoral Park when Smooth Transition scored his first career victory on Aug. 27 in 1:56.1 for driver Brian Carpenter.
“Since naming him the class has come back two other times to see him,” Tony noted. “For the kids, all the fun takes place on the backside. We don’t even delve into the racetrack side of things. It’s great because these kids get to smile for a day and have something to go back and talk to their parents about.”
Smooth Transition won his second start on Nov. 16 at Balmoral in a career best 1:55.2 and sports $12,360 in career earnings and a 3-1-2 record from 12 starts.
“I think he’s going to be a good horse—he’s getting better as he matures,” McCaffrey offered. “It would be great if knew he was the most-cheered-for horse around.”
“My son is constantly talking about the horse and about the program,” Tony confirmed. “And I know he’s talking about him with his classmates as well.”
“This has been a great opportunity for the class,” Duffy said. “It really makes you stop and think how all of us relate to one another, and how we relate to other beings.”
Tony said he’s confident Tom will one day be living away from home successfully.
“We talk about it but we don’t have a timeline in place yet,” he admitted. “Tom will be with us until he chooses to move out. An interesting twist is that my brother’s son Mike is studying at Elmhurst College to become a special education instructor. He and Tom have talked about moving in together, which would be great.”
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