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Horse racing owners lose far more often than they win. But Clifton veterinarian Adam S. Ainspan and his wife, Mary Beth Roberts, have beaten those odds with standout horses in two different forms of racing.
Their Graham Grace Stables owns Beau “Bo” Jangles, a record-setting Standardbred pacer, and Tour Player, a Thoroughbred preparing to compete on Kentucky Derby weekend.
Bo delivered a historic season in 2025, going undefeated in all 12 of his starts on the North American Grand Circuit. He became the first 2-year-old to be named Horse of the Year in both the United States and Canada in the same season.
As of April 12, Bo had earned $1,688,750, the most ever for a freshman pacer.
Ainspan’s ability to recognize the colt’s potential came from an unusual combination of experience. A 1989 University of Tennessee graduate who grew up near Saratoga Springs, New York, he evaluates Standardbreds through the perspective of a veterinarian familiar with Thoroughbreds.
That background shaped his decision to buy Bo as a yearling. Some of Ainspan’s partners worried the unusually large colt would not be athletic enough, but Ainspan noticed something different while watching a sales video.
Bo moved with the efficiency of a Thoroughbred turf horse, Ainspan said, distinguishing him from the other yearlings. He believes owning horses from both breeds enabled him to recognize the colt’s promise.
With his partners in place, Ainspan purchased Bo for $65,000.
The investment produced immediate results. Bo’s perfect 2025 campaign included a Canadian-record 1:48.3 mile in the Breeders Crown, matching a world record.
On Feb. 22, he was announced as the 2025 Dan Patch Horse of the Year. Bo became the first horse to receive the U.S. Harness Writers Association honor without having raced on American soil.
Ainspan has also found success in traditional flat racing with Tour Player, a son of Triple Crown winner American Pharoah. The Thoroughbred won the $100,000 Royal New Kent Stakes at Colonial Downs in March and is scheduled to compete on the Kentucky Derby undercard in May.
Simply reaching a race on Kentucky Derby Saturday is a significant achievement, Ainspan said.
Although the stable’s champions train in Florida, Kentucky and Toronto, the operation remains rooted in Ainspan’s family and his home in Clifton. The town’s five-acre minimum zoning has helped preserve its horse-friendly character.
Bo’s nickname also carries a family connection. Ainspan said it honors the family’s late Great Pyrenees, whose regal confidence reminded them of the colt’s commanding personality.
Despite Bo’s record-breaking first season, Ainspan is approaching the pacer’s 3-year-old campaign carefully.
“We’re in a good position,” he said. “But I don’t sit here thinking, ‘Oh, isn’t this great?’ because I know what can happen … We’ll just have to see.”