Leap To Fame (foaled 5 November 2018) is an Australian Standardbred racehorse, notable for winning multiple Group 1 races including the: 2023 and 2025 Inter Dominion Pacing Championship 2024 A G Hunter Cup 2024 and 2026 Miracle Mile Pace 2025 New Zealand Free For All 2025 and 2026 The Race by Sport Nation mobile pace 2022 Victoria Derby (harness).
Background
Owned by Kevin and Kay Seymour through Solid Earth Pty Ltd, Leap To Fame is a half brother to another champion standardbred racehorse Swayzee. They were sired by different USA stallions, Swayzee is by Rock N Roll Heaven, but both were out of the dam Lettucereason (Art Major, USA). Leap To Fame and Swayzee were both bred by Redbank Lodge Standardbreds.
Lettucereason, who won 17 races, is a sister to the 2013 Victoria Cup winner For A Reason
Leap To Fame is trained by Queensland trainer, Grant Dixon, who has also driven him in virtually all his races. His stable name is “Larry”.
Racing career
Leap To Fame's first race was the 2021 Changeover 2YO Classic over 1660m at Albion Park, Brisbane, on 27 March 2021 in which he was 2nd 17 lengths behind Dangerzone. Leap To Fame went on to win 8 out of 11 races in his 2YO season. He was 2nd in his Group 2 debut behind Class To The Max in the Australian Pacing Gold Bullion Final for 2YO Colts & Geldings.
In his 3YO season in 2022 he won 9 out of 12 races. This included wins in the Group 1 New South Wales Derby, Queensland Derby, Victoria Derby and NSW Breeders Challenge 3YO Colts & Geldings Final.
In 2023 as a 4YO he won 12 out of 16 races. This included wins in the Group 1 The Rising Sun, Sunshine Sprint and the Inter Dominion Pacing Championship. He was awarded the title of the Australian Harness Horse of the Year in 2023.
In 2024 Leap To Fame won 15 out of 16 races including the Group 1 A G Hunter Cup, Miracle Mile Pace, Sunshine Sprint and Blacks A Fake Queensland Championship. His one miss was a 2nd at Redcliffe in the Group 3 Chris Garrard's Patron's Purse over 2280m when beaten by a head by District Attorney. He was again voted the Australian Harness Horse of the Year. He was also inducted into the Queensland Harness Racing Hall of Fame.
As a 6YO in 2025 he was 2nd in both the A G Hunter Cup and Miracle Mile Pace behind Swayzee and Don Hugo respectively.
Notable performances include:https://www.harness.org.au/racing/horse-search/?horseId=814803
PlacingDateRaceTrackDriver1st2nd3rd1st 5 March 2022 G1 - NSW Derby Menangle Grant Dixon Leap To Fame Major Perry Hot Deal3rd 9 July 2022 G1 - The Rising Sun Albion ParkGrant DixonLadies In Red Better Eclipse Leap To Fame1st 23 July 2022 G1 - Queensland Derby Albion Park Grant Dixon Leap To Fame Cantfindabettorman Muscle Bart1st 8 October 2022 G1 - Victoria Derby MeltonGrant Dixon Leap To Fame Ripp Interest Free1st 29 October 2022 G1 - NSW Breeders Challenge 3YO Colts & Geldings Final Menangle Grant DixonLeap To Fame My Ultimate Ronnie Teddy Disco1st 8 July 2023 G1 - The Rising Sun Albion ParkGrant Dixon Leap To Fame Rocknroll Hammer My Ultimate Ronnie1st 15 July 2023 G1 - Sunshine Sprint Albion Park Grant Dixon Leap To Fame Spirit Of St Louis Hot And Treacherous2nd 22 July 2023 G1 - The Blacks A Fake Queensland Championship Albion Park Grant Dixon SwayzeeLeap To Fame Hot And Treacherous2nd2 September 2023The TAB EurekaMenangleGrant DixonEncipherLeap To FameCaptain Ravishing 3rd 14 October 2023 G1 - Victoria Cup Melton Grant DixonAct Now Catch A Wave Leap To Fame 1st 16 December 2023 G1 - Inter Dominion Pacing Championship Albion Park Grant Dixon Leap To Fame Better Eclipse Swayzee 1st 3 February 2024 G1 - A G Hunter Cup Melton Grant Dixon Leap To Fame Don't Stop Dreaming Max Delight1st10 February 2024G2 - Cranbourne Gold CupCranbourneGrant Dixon Leap To FameMax DelightRakero Rebel 1st 9 March 2024 G1 - Miracle Mile Pace Menangle Grant Dixon Leap To Fame Sooner The Bettor Speak The Truth 1st 20 July 2024 G1 - Sunshine Sprint Albion Park Grant Dixon Leap To Fame District Attorney Hi Manameisjeff 1st 27 July 2024 G1 - Blacks A Fake Queensland Championship Albion Park Grant Dixon Leap To Fame Swayzee Hector 2nd1 February 2025 G1 - A G Hunter Cup Melton Grant DixonSwayzee Leap To Fame Republican Party 1st8 February 2025G2 - Cranbourne Gold CupCranbourneGrant Dixon Leap To FameDont Stop DreamingTact McLeod 2nd 8 March 2025 G1 - Miracle Mile Pace Menangle Grant DixonDon Hugo Leap To Fame Tact McLeod1st4 April 2025 L - The Race by betchaCambridge, NZ Grant DixonLeap To FameChase A DreamMerlin1st19 July 2025 G1 - Inter Dominion Pacing Championship Albion Park Grant Dixon Leap To Fame Speak The Truth Cya Art3rd18 October 2025G1 - Victoria CupMeltonGrant DixonKingmanHi ManameisjeffLeap To Fame2nd11 November 2025G1 - New Zealand Trotting CupAddington Grant Dixon KingmanLeap To FameMerlin1st14 November 2025G1 - New Zealand Free For AllAddington Grant Dixon Leap To Fame Republican PartyMerlin 2nd 6 December 2025 G1 - Blacks A Fake Queensland Championship Albion Park Grant Dixon Don HugoLeap To Fame The Janitor2nd 17 January 2026G3 - Shepparton CupSheppartonGrant DixonKingmanLeap To FameOur Luciano1st24 January 2026G2 - Ballarat CupBallaratGrant Dixon Leap To Fame Dee RoeForty Love1st31 January 2026 G1 - Cranbourne Gold CupCranbourne Grant Dixon Leap To FameKingmanBulletproof Boy1sthttps://www.harness.org.au/racing/fields/race-fields/?mc=KI070226#KIM070226017 February 2026G1 - Kilmore Pacing CupKilmoreGrant DixonLeap To FameRepublican PartyWar Dan Buddy 2nd14 February 2026 G1 - A G Hunter Cup Melton Grant DixonSwayzee Leap To Fame Republican Party 1st7 March 2026International Animal Health SprintMenangle Grant Dixon Leap To FameChase A DreamDon Hugo1st14 March 2026G1 - Miracle Mile PaceMenangleGrant DixonLeap To FameThe JanitorDon Hugo1st10 April 2026 L - The Race by Sport Nation Cambridge Grant Dixon Leap To Fame Akuta Swayzee
See also Harness racing in Australia Harness racing in New Zealand
References