Meadowlands, Yonkers offer Saturday night stakes action
This past Saturday night a pair of tracks on opposite sides of the Hudson River offered stellar cards as the Meadowlands hosted a bevy of lucrative stakes and Yonkers Raceway hosted the first major stakes for two-year-olds this season.
In the second race on the Saturday night card at the Meadowlands, Evident Beauty (David Miller) just lived up to her role as the 1-5 favorite when she gained command in a modest 28.3 opener, cruised by the half in 57,3, faced serious pressure from Cloud Nine Fashion (Tim Tetrick) through the far turn, battled with that one in the lane and outkicked that gritty foe in the lane for a neck score in 1:52.3.
A sophomore daughter of Trixton trained by R. Nifty Norman, Evident Beauty rebounded from a fifth-place finish as the 3-5 choice in the $32,500 Reynolds division at Pocono Downs last weekend to record her fourth win in five starts this year. She now owns seven wins and banked $440,000 from 14 career outings. Cloud Nine Fashion was very game in defeat and certainly bares watching in future stakes for this group.
One race later in the first $153,000 Stanley Dancer Memorial for three-year-old colt trotters, Swandre The Giant (David Miller) overcame an extended first over trip and wore down 3-5 favorite Green Manalishi S (Tetrick) in the lane to score by a length in 1:51.3. A sophomore son of Swan For All trained by Ron Burke and racing on Lasix for the first time, Swandre The Giant notched his second win in six starts this year and now owns 11 wins and earned $415,000 in 18 career tries.
Green Manalishi S was able to get a breather to the half in 56.3 but offered little resistance to Swandre The Giant in the lane. Third in the $500,000 Earl Beal, Jr. Memorial at Pocono Downs in his most recent outing for trainer Marcus Melander, Green Manalishi S sports a 6-6-1 slate and $620,000 banked from 14 career tries but his reputation is diminishing this summer.
Two races later in the second $153,000 Stanley Dancer Memorial for sophomore trotting colts, Greenshoe (Brian Sears) easily lived up to his role as the 1-5 favorite for this event and future book favorite for the Grade I, $1 million Hambletonian next month when he tucked third initially, angled out first over past the half, collared Pilot Discretion (Andrew McCarthy) turning for home and drew clear to a three-length score in 1:50.1.
A sophomore son of Father Patrick trained by Marcus Melander, Greenshoe rebounded from an unlucky second in the $500,000 Earl Beal, Jr. Memorial at Pocono Downs to notch his fourth win in five starts this year and he now owns six wins and $400,000 from nine lifetime tries. More importantly, Greenshoe secured his status as the top three-year-old colt trotter in the land and looms a genuine Hambo favorite.
Pilot Discretion may have been no match for Greenshoe in the lane while suffering his first defeat in seven career tries, but he should be a factor on Hambo Day. The second split was considerably faster than the first and Pilot Discretion was unlucky to draw in with Greenshoe this weekend instead of the lighter first half.
Then one race later in the $180,000 Golden Girls for Free-For-All pacing mares traveling one-mile and one-eighth, Shartin N (Tetrick) just lived up to her role as the 1-5 favorite and the top horse of either gait or gender in the land when she brushed to command past a 26 opener, rolled by the half in 54.1 and 1:22.1 then held safe Caviart Ally (Andrew McCarthy) and the late inside bid of Apple Bottom Jeans (Corey Callahan) to prevail in 2:02.1.
A six-year-old Tintin In America mare trained by Jim King, Jr. and co-owned by Tetrick, Shartin N recorded her ninth straight win and now owns 10 wins in 11 seasonal starts and pushed her earnings past $615,000. The reigning division champion and runner-up to McWicked for pacer of the year and horse of the year in 2018, Shartin N maintained her top spot in the Top 10 poll with a handy, gritty score.
One race later in the $450,000 Hambletonian Maturity for four-year-old trotters also going nine furlongs, Crystal Fashion (Tetrick) left to gain command, yielded to 1=5 favorite Atlanta (Yannick Gingras) early backside, sat a pocket trip behind that one through the far turn, angled to the inside and overhauled the leader and outlasted the late surge of Custom Cantab (David Miller) to forge a 23-1 shocker in 2:04.3.
A four-year-old Cantab Hall gelding trained by Jim Campbell for owner Fashion Farms, Crystal Fashion notched his third win in seven starts this year and now owns 16 wins and over $1.54 million banked from 36 career outings. Atlanta suffered her first setback in seven starts this year for Burke and could drop several spots in the Top 10 poll on Tuesday.
Then one race later in the $685,000 Meadowlands Pace final for three-year-old pacing colts, Best In Show (Brian Sears) left to secure good early position, sat third down the backside as favored Captain Crunch (Scott Zeron) and Bettor's Wish (Dexter Dunn) dueled through the far turn, slipped through along the inside and got up late to forge a 27-1 shocker in 1:48.
A sophomore son of Bettor's Delight trained by Hall of Fame conditioner Linda Toscano, Best In Show notched his third win in nine starts this year and now owns a 4-4-2 slate and $480,000 banked from 12 career tries. Bettor's Wish was very game in defeat first over for trainer Chris Ryder, while Workin On A Mystery (Tetrick) overtook Captain Crunch for the show spot.
One race later in the $420,000 William R. Haughton Memorial for Free-For-All pacers traveling one-mile and one-eighth, Lather Up (Montrell Teague) proved that his 1:46 score in the Graduate final was no fluke when he gained command before the half, raced unpressed down the backside and through the far turn then outlasted the late inside bid of This Is The Plan (Gingras) to score by a length in 2:01.1 for the added distance event.
A four-year-old I'm Gorgeous stallion trained by George Teague, Jr. of Rainbow Blue and Wiggle It Jiggleit fame for owner-breeder Gary & Barbara Iles, Lather Up has now won six of nine starts and banked $420,000 this year and 21 victories and $1.4 million banked from 34 career outings.This Is The Plan was a sharp second in defeat for Burke, With Always A Prince saving ground to finish third in a good try.
Then one race later in the $200,000 Mistletoe Shalee for three-year-old filly pacers also asked to contest nine furlongs, Stonebridge Soul (Tetrick) continued her winning ways by gaining command soon after the start and leading throughout to prevail in 2:04.2. A sophomore daughter of Somebeachsomewhere trained by Ryder, Stonebridge Soul now owns a 4-3-1 slate and $345,000 banked from nine seasonal outings and pushed her career earnings past $450,000 from 17 starts.
Then one race later in the $125,000 Del Miller Memorial for three-year-old filly trotters, Millies Possession (Dunn) overcame a long first over bid and wore down Starita (Sears) in the lane and edged clear late to a two-length score in 1:53.2. A sophomore daughter of Possess The Will trained by Jim Campbell for Fashion Farms, Millies Possession remained unbeaten in seven seasonal outings after being unraced at age two and looks poised to make some noise in the Hambo Oaks.
That same evening at Yonkers Raceway the famed New York half-mile oval offered the Lawrence B. Shepherd Memorial for two-year-old pacing colts and geldings in addition to several quality events for older pacers and trotters.
Just prior to the midway point of the program in the $46,000 Open for older pacers, Scott Rocks (Tyler Buter) brushed to command before a 27-second opener, got a breather to the half in 56.2, met serious pressure from 9-5 choice Alluneedisfaith N (Jason Bartlett) down the backside and through the far turn then edged clear late to a length score over Caviart Luca (George Brennan) in 1:51.2. It was his fifth win in 14 starts this year and his 55th career score and pushed his lifetime earnings toward $930.000.
Then one race later in the $46,000 Open Handicap for older trotters, Lord Cromwell (Bartlett) benefited from an inside assignment and perfect pocket trip behind Will Take Charge (Jordan Stratton) through the first three calls, angled out at the top of the lane and wore down the leader late to score in 1:53.3. A five-year-old Chapter Seven gelding trained by Ed Hart, Lord Cromwell notched his fourth win in 14 starts this year and now owns 16 wins and nearly $400,000 banked from 57 career outings.
One race later in the $37,000 4-Year-Old Open handicap for pacers, Mach N Cheese (Eric Goodell) forged a 10-1 upset when he saved ground through the early stages, angled out between horses on the far, ducked to the inside and nailed 4-5 favorite Shnitzledosomethin (Stratton) at the wire in 1:51.2. A Maryland-bred, four-year-old son of Betterthancheddar trained by Chris Choate, Mach N Cheese ended a drought by notching his fourth win in 12 starts this year and posted his 13th score in 38 career outings.
Then one race later in the $120,000 Shepherd final for freshman pacing colts and geldings, Columbo (Goodell) overcame a long, first over journey to wear down 9-5 favorite Hunter Hill (Tyler Buter) on the far turn and outlasted the late surge from Save Me A Dance (Bartlett) to prevail by a neck in 1:55.4. A juvenile son of Sweet Lou trained by Garrett Dowse for owner Kenneth Jacobs, Columbo remained perfect in two starts and pushed his earnings past $75,000.
In the second race on the Saturday night card at the Meadowlands, Evident Beauty (David Miller) just lived up to her role as the 1-5 favorite when she gained command in a modest 28.3 opener, cruised by the half in 57,3, faced serious pressure from Cloud Nine Fashion (Tim Tetrick) through the far turn, battled with that one in the lane and outkicked that gritty foe in the lane for a neck score in 1:52.3.
A sophomore daughter of Trixton trained by R. Nifty Norman, Evident Beauty rebounded from a fifth-place finish as the 3-5 choice in the $32,500 Reynolds division at Pocono Downs last weekend to record her fourth win in five starts this year. She now owns seven wins and banked $440,000 from 14 career outings. Cloud Nine Fashion was very game in defeat and certainly bares watching in future stakes for this group.
One race later in the first $153,000 Stanley Dancer Memorial for three-year-old colt trotters, Swandre The Giant (David Miller) overcame an extended first over trip and wore down 3-5 favorite Green Manalishi S (Tetrick) in the lane to score by a length in 1:51.3. A sophomore son of Swan For All trained by Ron Burke and racing on Lasix for the first time, Swandre The Giant notched his second win in six starts this year and now owns 11 wins and earned $415,000 in 18 career tries.
Green Manalishi S was able to get a breather to the half in 56.3 but offered little resistance to Swandre The Giant in the lane. Third in the $500,000 Earl Beal, Jr. Memorial at Pocono Downs in his most recent outing for trainer Marcus Melander, Green Manalishi S sports a 6-6-1 slate and $620,000 banked from 14 career tries but his reputation is diminishing this summer.
Two races later in the second $153,000 Stanley Dancer Memorial for sophomore trotting colts, Greenshoe (Brian Sears) easily lived up to his role as the 1-5 favorite for this event and future book favorite for the Grade I, $1 million Hambletonian next month when he tucked third initially, angled out first over past the half, collared Pilot Discretion (Andrew McCarthy) turning for home and drew clear to a three-length score in 1:50.1.
A sophomore son of Father Patrick trained by Marcus Melander, Greenshoe rebounded from an unlucky second in the $500,000 Earl Beal, Jr. Memorial at Pocono Downs to notch his fourth win in five starts this year and he now owns six wins and $400,000 from nine lifetime tries. More importantly, Greenshoe secured his status as the top three-year-old colt trotter in the land and looms a genuine Hambo favorite.
Pilot Discretion may have been no match for Greenshoe in the lane while suffering his first defeat in seven career tries, but he should be a factor on Hambo Day. The second split was considerably faster than the first and Pilot Discretion was unlucky to draw in with Greenshoe this weekend instead of the lighter first half.
Then one race later in the $180,000 Golden Girls for Free-For-All pacing mares traveling one-mile and one-eighth, Shartin N (Tetrick) just lived up to her role as the 1-5 favorite and the top horse of either gait or gender in the land when she brushed to command past a 26 opener, rolled by the half in 54.1 and 1:22.1 then held safe Caviart Ally (Andrew McCarthy) and the late inside bid of Apple Bottom Jeans (Corey Callahan) to prevail in 2:02.1.
A six-year-old Tintin In America mare trained by Jim King, Jr. and co-owned by Tetrick, Shartin N recorded her ninth straight win and now owns 10 wins in 11 seasonal starts and pushed her earnings past $615,000. The reigning division champion and runner-up to McWicked for pacer of the year and horse of the year in 2018, Shartin N maintained her top spot in the Top 10 poll with a handy, gritty score.
One race later in the $450,000 Hambletonian Maturity for four-year-old trotters also going nine furlongs, Crystal Fashion (Tetrick) left to gain command, yielded to 1=5 favorite Atlanta (Yannick Gingras) early backside, sat a pocket trip behind that one through the far turn, angled to the inside and overhauled the leader and outlasted the late surge of Custom Cantab (David Miller) to forge a 23-1 shocker in 2:04.3.
A four-year-old Cantab Hall gelding trained by Jim Campbell for owner Fashion Farms, Crystal Fashion notched his third win in seven starts this year and now owns 16 wins and over $1.54 million banked from 36 career outings. Atlanta suffered her first setback in seven starts this year for Burke and could drop several spots in the Top 10 poll on Tuesday.
Then one race later in the $685,000 Meadowlands Pace final for three-year-old pacing colts, Best In Show (Brian Sears) left to secure good early position, sat third down the backside as favored Captain Crunch (Scott Zeron) and Bettor's Wish (Dexter Dunn) dueled through the far turn, slipped through along the inside and got up late to forge a 27-1 shocker in 1:48.
A sophomore son of Bettor's Delight trained by Hall of Fame conditioner Linda Toscano, Best In Show notched his third win in nine starts this year and now owns a 4-4-2 slate and $480,000 banked from 12 career tries. Bettor's Wish was very game in defeat first over for trainer Chris Ryder, while Workin On A Mystery (Tetrick) overtook Captain Crunch for the show spot.
One race later in the $420,000 William R. Haughton Memorial for Free-For-All pacers traveling one-mile and one-eighth, Lather Up (Montrell Teague) proved that his 1:46 score in the Graduate final was no fluke when he gained command before the half, raced unpressed down the backside and through the far turn then outlasted the late inside bid of This Is The Plan (Gingras) to score by a length in 2:01.1 for the added distance event.
A four-year-old I'm Gorgeous stallion trained by George Teague, Jr. of Rainbow Blue and Wiggle It Jiggleit fame for owner-breeder Gary & Barbara Iles, Lather Up has now won six of nine starts and banked $420,000 this year and 21 victories and $1.4 million banked from 34 career outings.This Is The Plan was a sharp second in defeat for Burke, With Always A Prince saving ground to finish third in a good try.
Then one race later in the $200,000 Mistletoe Shalee for three-year-old filly pacers also asked to contest nine furlongs, Stonebridge Soul (Tetrick) continued her winning ways by gaining command soon after the start and leading throughout to prevail in 2:04.2. A sophomore daughter of Somebeachsomewhere trained by Ryder, Stonebridge Soul now owns a 4-3-1 slate and $345,000 banked from nine seasonal outings and pushed her career earnings past $450,000 from 17 starts.
Then one race later in the $125,000 Del Miller Memorial for three-year-old filly trotters, Millies Possession (Dunn) overcame a long first over bid and wore down Starita (Sears) in the lane and edged clear late to a two-length score in 1:53.2. A sophomore daughter of Possess The Will trained by Jim Campbell for Fashion Farms, Millies Possession remained unbeaten in seven seasonal outings after being unraced at age two and looks poised to make some noise in the Hambo Oaks.
That same evening at Yonkers Raceway the famed New York half-mile oval offered the Lawrence B. Shepherd Memorial for two-year-old pacing colts and geldings in addition to several quality events for older pacers and trotters.
Just prior to the midway point of the program in the $46,000 Open for older pacers, Scott Rocks (Tyler Buter) brushed to command before a 27-second opener, got a breather to the half in 56.2, met serious pressure from 9-5 choice Alluneedisfaith N (Jason Bartlett) down the backside and through the far turn then edged clear late to a length score over Caviart Luca (George Brennan) in 1:51.2. It was his fifth win in 14 starts this year and his 55th career score and pushed his lifetime earnings toward $930.000.
Then one race later in the $46,000 Open Handicap for older trotters, Lord Cromwell (Bartlett) benefited from an inside assignment and perfect pocket trip behind Will Take Charge (Jordan Stratton) through the first three calls, angled out at the top of the lane and wore down the leader late to score in 1:53.3. A five-year-old Chapter Seven gelding trained by Ed Hart, Lord Cromwell notched his fourth win in 14 starts this year and now owns 16 wins and nearly $400,000 banked from 57 career outings.
One race later in the $37,000 4-Year-Old Open handicap for pacers, Mach N Cheese (Eric Goodell) forged a 10-1 upset when he saved ground through the early stages, angled out between horses on the far, ducked to the inside and nailed 4-5 favorite Shnitzledosomethin (Stratton) at the wire in 1:51.2. A Maryland-bred, four-year-old son of Betterthancheddar trained by Chris Choate, Mach N Cheese ended a drought by notching his fourth win in 12 starts this year and posted his 13th score in 38 career outings.
Then one race later in the $120,000 Shepherd final for freshman pacing colts and geldings, Columbo (Goodell) overcame a long, first over journey to wear down 9-5 favorite Hunter Hill (Tyler Buter) on the far turn and outlasted the late surge from Save Me A Dance (Bartlett) to prevail by a neck in 1:55.4. A juvenile son of Sweet Lou trained by Garrett Dowse for owner Kenneth Jacobs, Columbo remained perfect in two starts and pushed his earnings past $75,000.
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