Older pacers take center stage
While much of the attention this weekend will be on the Grade I Travers Stakes for three-year-olds at Saratoga Race Course and the eliminations for the Grade I Messenger Stakes for three-year-old pacers at Yonkers Raceway, many of the sport's best older pacers competed last weekend and have more lucrative stakes on tap next weekend.
Although he has not competed in a stakes race in nearly three years, Wiggle It Jiggleit (Montrell Teague) made his long awaited return from the races on Tuesday morning to win a qualifier at Harrah's Philadelphia - aka Chester Downs - in 1:53.4. The seven-year-old Mr Wiggles gelding trained by George Teague, Jr. had not competed in a race since the Breeders Crown on October 28, 2016, when he was second to eventual horse of the year Always B Miki.
Wiggle It Jiggleit, who owns 39 wins and just over $3.9 million banked from 61 career tries, is expected back at Harrah's Philly next Tuesday morning and then could contest one or two more qualifiers after that before embarking on his first official start of 2019. Wiggle It Jiggleit was the 2015 harness horse of the year when he won 22 of 26 starts, including a memorable triumph in the Little Brown Jug.
On Sunday afternoon at Tioga Downs in New York, two of the best older pacers in the land each won a stakes. McWicked (Brian Sears), the reigning harness horse of the year, overcame a first over journey to capture the $170,000 Roll With Joe Stakes, then just over an hour later, Shartin N (Tim Tetrick), the early favorite for 2019 harness horse of the year after finishing second in the voting last season, outlasted the late bid of Seaswift Joy N to capture the $130,000 Sanabelle Island.
One night earlier at Yonkers Raceway, The Real One (Pat LaChance) overcame a first over bid to wear down Shneonurcrzydimd N to capture the $46,000 Open Handicap as the even-money choice. That same evening at Pocono Downs, Backstreet Shadow (Pat Berry) also overcame a first over bid to capture the $30,000 Great Northeast Open as the 9-5 second choice in 1:49.2. Both horses could be among those invited to the $150,000 Bobby Quillen Memorial at Harrington Raceway on September 16.
Although he has not competed in a stakes race in nearly three years, Wiggle It Jiggleit (Montrell Teague) made his long awaited return from the races on Tuesday morning to win a qualifier at Harrah's Philadelphia - aka Chester Downs - in 1:53.4. The seven-year-old Mr Wiggles gelding trained by George Teague, Jr. had not competed in a race since the Breeders Crown on October 28, 2016, when he was second to eventual horse of the year Always B Miki.
Wiggle It Jiggleit, who owns 39 wins and just over $3.9 million banked from 61 career tries, is expected back at Harrah's Philly next Tuesday morning and then could contest one or two more qualifiers after that before embarking on his first official start of 2019. Wiggle It Jiggleit was the 2015 harness horse of the year when he won 22 of 26 starts, including a memorable triumph in the Little Brown Jug.
On Sunday afternoon at Tioga Downs in New York, two of the best older pacers in the land each won a stakes. McWicked (Brian Sears), the reigning harness horse of the year, overcame a first over journey to capture the $170,000 Roll With Joe Stakes, then just over an hour later, Shartin N (Tim Tetrick), the early favorite for 2019 harness horse of the year after finishing second in the voting last season, outlasted the late bid of Seaswift Joy N to capture the $130,000 Sanabelle Island.
One night earlier at Yonkers Raceway, The Real One (Pat LaChance) overcame a first over bid to wear down Shneonurcrzydimd N to capture the $46,000 Open Handicap as the even-money choice. That same evening at Pocono Downs, Backstreet Shadow (Pat Berry) also overcame a first over bid to capture the $30,000 Great Northeast Open as the 9-5 second choice in 1:49.2. Both horses could be among those invited to the $150,000 Bobby Quillen Memorial at Harrington Raceway on September 16.
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