Eight years ago a then 26-year-old Annie Stoebe had no idea she would even be in the Standardbred racing industry no less winning a prestigious Grand Circuit race like the Jim Doherty Memorial at The Meadowlands. The trainer of Instagram Model has completed her first goal with the 2-year-old filly trotter and now has her sights set on the Breeders Crown at Woodbine Mohawk Park in October. A native of Montana, Stoebe's life took her to New Jersey where she is in the second year of her solo career as trainer and has a barn of five under her care. The young conditioner took some time out from her other new passion of golf to speak to us between holes about Instagram Model, her owners and her life as a trainer.     How did you get started in harness racing? I moved out here [New Jersey] from Montana eight years ago and I was giving riding lessons to a vet's wife. She asked if I ever wanted to get into racing horses and I thought that would be interesting. Brett Bittle was looking for a groom and the rest is history. You career started with trainer Brett Bittle. What did you learn about training from him? I learned a lot about how to manage a horse and lots of different training techniques. With him having a small stable, I learned the importance of being able to give every horse a specific training routine that fits them. A lot of the big stables, every horse does the same thing and you either make it or you don't. With Brett having smaller numbers, he focused on what it took to get each horse to make it rather than getting horses to fit one program. I have a five-horse stable and I do everything myself, but I still stick with the same program of what is best for every horse to make the races rather than what I can do to get out of the barn faster. You also drove in the amateur ranks at the start of your career. Did you enjoy your time in the bike? I loved it. My first trotter Uriel I claimed and he taught me so many lessons good and bad. Finally owning my own racehorse, that is what really got me into wanting to train.  How important are amateur races for the sport? I think they are very important because it shows you don't have to be the picture-perfect driver to be in the sport. I truly believe that something harness racing has even over thoroughbred racing, depending on the owner and their capabilities, the owner can actually jog their own horse and get to know their temperament. My good owner Lynn Curry, when he was trying to figure out who was going to train his horses, the first thing I did was let him jog a horse. To this day he says that is was drew him in, letting him go behind a horse around the track and have fun. It would benefit our entire industry to teach people who are becoming owners how big of a part they can play in their own horses. How did you end up hooking up with owner R. Lynn Curry? He is an amazing business man and he does a lot of research in every area no matter what business. At the time he wanted Brett [Bittle] but he wasn't taking on owners. Brett said I could take him on as an owner and he would oversee it for the first year. Then I put Lynn on a horse and that was the beginning of the story. For a new owner to plunk down $350,000 at a yearling sale on Instagram Model with a somewhat unexperienced trainer, that is quite a plunge, no? The year before when Harrisburg got moved to Timonium, that was his first year. He spent decent money on the two Bar Hopping yearlings that year. Both of them made it to the races. One of them won a stakes race and the other had a chip in her knee. They said she wouldn't make it and she ended up getting a mark in 1:58. As a first-year trainer of babies I got 100% to the track. In his mind he wanted to expand. He's a very educated man and his program is to only do trotting fillies, which is perfect for me. You take a gamble buying colts but with fillies if you spend money on a pedigree they are going to hold residual value no matter what. So was Instagram a gamble, yes, but she had the pedigree to validate the price tag.  Talking to Lynn's wife Mimi, she said he used to be involved in the sport as a groom? He grew up as a groom at The Meadows and loved the horses but his parents told him to go to college and get a real job. He always had the passion for horses and now he is in a position in life that he can do it. He has a three-year plan and five-year plan. He came into the game prepared and with a lot of knowledge. He had worked in a barn and knew the backside of the track.  You just won one of the most coveted races for 2-year-olds with Instagram Model. Can you describe the thrill of winning the Jim Doherty Memorial as your 16th career win? It is days later and I'm still speechless. I'm so blessed to have an animal that is so talented. I'm not on the radar of a lot of people so for me it was a very validating win.  I know you would rather keep a smaller stable, but do you see a win like this getting you a few calls? I would like to expand but very slowly because I want to be able to put my hands on every horse every day. I feel like there is a huge benefit to my having a relationship with every horse, so as much as I do want to expand I want it to be slowly.  What are the future plans for Instagram Model? She'll be going to Vernon on the 19th for New York Sire Stakes. When it comes to staking any horse I like to pick two major races that I want to win. I went with the Doherty and the Breeders Crown. Her entire schedule revolves around those two races and the goal is to have them at peak performance for those races. I'll be doing some fill races between now and Breeders Crown. I amazingly accomplished my first goal and the next goal is to have her ready for the Breeders Crown. You went out on your own in 2021. Has it been hard to survive as a solo trainer? Obviously starting any new business is expensive but I think the most important part is having great owners to back you. Lynn is one owner and Rod Allen owns one with me. They have been so supportive since I've gone out on my own. Having good owners in this business is honestly more important than having good horses, because without good owners you won't get good horses.  What kind of car do you drive? 2015 Dodge truck. Favorite dinner meal? Snack? Filet and mash potatoes; Rice Krispies Treats. What is your favorite track to race at? Why? The Meadowlands. Going to The Meadowlands, it doesn't matter if it is an overnight or a Grand Circuit race, it is such a professional facility. You know they are going to take care of the track and the paddock is good.  ► Sign up for our FREE DRF Harness Digest Newsletter What is your favorite big event in racing? Why? Definitely Hambletonian Day because it is the Kentucky Derby of our industry and I feel like we have the most support from the industry around it knowing it is the biggest day. How often are horses or racing on your mind? All day long. I think about them and dream about them good and bad every night.  What is your favorite thing to do outside of harness racing? It would have to be golf. I'm quite addicted.  What is your favorite sport to watch? Team? It used to be football but since I've taken up golf I really appreciate watching it on TV now and how talented they are, men and women. My favorite would have to be Rory McIlroy. What is one thing about you most fans/bettors don't know? That eight years ago I didn't even know what a Standardbred was. I grew up in Montana Rodeoing my whole life. I Rodeoed in Canada, went to college and Rodeoed in Texas. That's a big turnaround from Rodeo to winning one of the most prestigious Standardbred races in eight years, no? It doesn't matter if you are running around three cans or going a mile. Yes, there is a huge difference in training, but at the end of the day conditioning and care is all the same. I feel like I bring some of the things from the riding horse world. A lot of my horses get ridden quite often. I raise every horse to ride because just like humans they need a day to go and be happy. I feel like when you ride them, they don't realize it is work, they just think it is something different and cool, like 'let's go on a trail ride'. As night and day as the two industries are, there are still commonalities. What is one word that describes harness racing for you? Exhilarating. You mentioned having a five-horse stable. That includes Mimi Ocean Hanover who won the Weiss final earlier this year at Pocono. How is she doing? She's coming back. We dealt with some minor health problems. Hopefully she'll be at the track in the next couple of months. Where are you stabled at? Winner's International in Chesterfield, New Jersey. Looking back, are you surprised at where you stand now in terms of your career? It blows me away. What I accomplished on Saturday is finally starting to sink in. I also know that without my owners, a great vet, a great woman that does massages on my horses twice weekly . . . I have a great team that helps me get there. In this industry you put in long, hard days. Some are a lot better than others, but days like Saturday make everything worth it. What is the best advice you've ever gotten about harness racing? Brett Bittle told me a horse is a bar of soap. At 2 they are a really small bar and the more you use the less you have. It puts it all in perspective because every time you race them, qualify them or train them hard, you just have what's there. If you had the power to change one thing in the sport, what would it be? I treat my horses as my children and they get all of the love I have time for. This breed just thrives on getting love and attention, and I just wish all horses in our industry got that. How do you view the future of harness racing? I feel like the future really lies in my generation and younger. We need to do more things in the sport to promote growth in the younger generations. Like I saw The Meadowlands brought in those guys [Tratter House] from TikTok. We have to reach out to younger generations to get them involved in order for the future to continue the way it is.  If you weren't involved in harness racing, what would you be doing? I don't know. I'd probably be back in Montana.  At just 34, what's your ideal scenario for your career? I would love to continue on the path I'm on. I'd like to get more quality horses and a couple of good quality owners would be amazing. I'd just like to keep doing what I'm doing because I'm so happy where my life is right now.  Time for the stretch drive... Best Horse you ever saw: Manchego. She was a breathtaking animal to watch race and just seeing how high she could get off the ground blew me away. Lasix -- Yes or No?: Yes. The industry already struggles with having enough horses to race and the reality is that 90% of horses bleed. It may not be to the level of detection, but for the longevity of our sport taking away Lasix would really hurt us. Favorite TV Show?: The Office. Trotters or Pacers?: Trotting fillies all day long.