Bit Of A Legend N dominant in Quillen Memorial
Since arriving in the United States less than two years ago, Bit Of A Legend N has emerged as one of harness racing's best aged pacers and Monday night he solidified his reputation further by delivering a dominant performance en route to a three-length score in the $150,000 Bobby Quillen Memorial Invitational at Harrington Raceway in Delaware.
An eight-year-old Bettor's Delight stallion trained by Peter Tritton for late owner Harry von Knoblauch, Bit Of A Legend N lived up to his role as the even-money favorite when he left alertly from post two to secure ideal position as Mel Mara (Corey Callahan) gained the initial advantage, quarter moved to command past a 27.1 opener, got a breather by the half in 56.3, met token pressure from Somewhere In L A (Tony Morgan) down the backside and by three-quarters in 1:25 then drew clear in the lane under confident handling to prevail in 1:52.1.
Bit Of A Legend N now owns a 7-4-3 slate and $485,000 banked from 21 starts this year and he still has several more invitationals on his schedule, including one for $250,000 at Yonkers Raceway on the undercard of the $1 Yonkers International Trot and then potentially the $100,000 Potomac Pace at Rosecroft Raceway in Maryland. Both Stratton and Tritton had high praise for the aged stallion's latest effort and looked forward to more good performances to come.
"When he drew the two post I knew he was going to be tough," Tritton said. "He's been sharp racing in the Open Handicap at Yonkers each week, so he doesn't need a lot of training. He usually just gallops, but I'll train him to get him ready for the bigger races. He's good right now. His next start will be the Open at Yonkers on Oct. 7 and then we'll go in the invitational on Oct. 14 and hope he draws well."
"He's really good right now," Stratton said. "He gets around the half-mile so well and I wasn't about to sit behind Mel Mara very long. He got a little breather to the half and he still was going easily down the backside when Somewhere In L A came to me. But I had plenty of horse and I never really turned him loose."
Bit Of A Legend N, who won all five legs and the final of the George Morton Levy series in 2016 when he won 13 of 28 starts and banked almost $725,000, recorded his 40th win from 112 lifetime tries and pushed his career earnings past $1.87 million. He posted earlier victories this year in the $150,000 Molson Pace at Western Fair and the $260,000 Jim Gerrity Memorial at Saratoga two months ago and he is likely headed to the Potomac Pace at Rosecroft later this fall.
Mach It So (David Miller) finished second for the second straight year in the Quillen after winning it two years ago. The seven-year-old Mach Three gelding trained by Jeff Bamond, Jr., owns a 3-4-4 slate and $480,000 banked from 19 starts this year and sports a 37-19-13 slate and $2.16 million banked in his 113-race career. All Bets Off (Matt Kakaley) rallied second over to finish third for trainer Ron Burke, while Somewhere In L A lasted for fourth following a long, first over bid.
One race earlier on the card, Christen Me N (Stratton) overcame post seven and a first over bid to capture the $17,500 Open Handicap in 1:53 for trainer Jim King, Jr., while Evolution Tour (Victor Kirby) and Transition Joy (Montrell Teague) won their $20,000 Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund elims for two-year-old colt pacers in 1:55.1 and 1:54.2, respectively, then Ponderingjacksfame (Ross Wolfenden) and Big Place (Art Stafford, Jr.) captured conditioned events in the last two races on the program.
An eight-year-old Bettor's Delight stallion trained by Peter Tritton for late owner Harry von Knoblauch, Bit Of A Legend N lived up to his role as the even-money favorite when he left alertly from post two to secure ideal position as Mel Mara (Corey Callahan) gained the initial advantage, quarter moved to command past a 27.1 opener, got a breather by the half in 56.3, met token pressure from Somewhere In L A (Tony Morgan) down the backside and by three-quarters in 1:25 then drew clear in the lane under confident handling to prevail in 1:52.1.
Bit Of A Legend N now owns a 7-4-3 slate and $485,000 banked from 21 starts this year and he still has several more invitationals on his schedule, including one for $250,000 at Yonkers Raceway on the undercard of the $1 Yonkers International Trot and then potentially the $100,000 Potomac Pace at Rosecroft Raceway in Maryland. Both Stratton and Tritton had high praise for the aged stallion's latest effort and looked forward to more good performances to come.
"When he drew the two post I knew he was going to be tough," Tritton said. "He's been sharp racing in the Open Handicap at Yonkers each week, so he doesn't need a lot of training. He usually just gallops, but I'll train him to get him ready for the bigger races. He's good right now. His next start will be the Open at Yonkers on Oct. 7 and then we'll go in the invitational on Oct. 14 and hope he draws well."
"He's really good right now," Stratton said. "He gets around the half-mile so well and I wasn't about to sit behind Mel Mara very long. He got a little breather to the half and he still was going easily down the backside when Somewhere In L A came to me. But I had plenty of horse and I never really turned him loose."
Bit Of A Legend N, who won all five legs and the final of the George Morton Levy series in 2016 when he won 13 of 28 starts and banked almost $725,000, recorded his 40th win from 112 lifetime tries and pushed his career earnings past $1.87 million. He posted earlier victories this year in the $150,000 Molson Pace at Western Fair and the $260,000 Jim Gerrity Memorial at Saratoga two months ago and he is likely headed to the Potomac Pace at Rosecroft later this fall.
Mach It So (David Miller) finished second for the second straight year in the Quillen after winning it two years ago. The seven-year-old Mach Three gelding trained by Jeff Bamond, Jr., owns a 3-4-4 slate and $480,000 banked from 19 starts this year and sports a 37-19-13 slate and $2.16 million banked in his 113-race career. All Bets Off (Matt Kakaley) rallied second over to finish third for trainer Ron Burke, while Somewhere In L A lasted for fourth following a long, first over bid.
One race earlier on the card, Christen Me N (Stratton) overcame post seven and a first over bid to capture the $17,500 Open Handicap in 1:53 for trainer Jim King, Jr., while Evolution Tour (Victor Kirby) and Transition Joy (Montrell Teague) won their $20,000 Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund elims for two-year-old colt pacers in 1:55.1 and 1:54.2, respectively, then Ponderingjacksfame (Ross Wolfenden) and Big Place (Art Stafford, Jr.) captured conditioned events in the last two races on the program.
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