Explosive Matter, who bypassed the Breeders Crown for the Gran Premio Orsi Mangelli in Italy on November 1, will have a couple friends from the U.S. with him
when he goes into the race. Mystro Hanover, from the Trond Smedshammer Stable, and Copy Catch, from the Jimmy Takter Stable, also will participate in the event.
The Gran Premio Orsi Mangelli is a double-heat race contested around
a five-eighths-mile track. Explosive Matter is 6-for-6 lifetime on a five-eighths oval and raced heats in the Kentucky Futurity, where he was timed in 1:51.3 in the second heat and covered the final quarter-mile in :26.4 seconds.
Explosive Matter, trained by Noel Daley, will start from post one in the first 10-horse division of the opening round while Mystro Hanover will begin from post nine in the second tier. Copy Catch will begin from post nine in the second 10-horse division. Explosive Matter is coming off a win over Swan For All in a $102,000 division of the Bluegrass Stakes on October 10 at the Red Mile in Lexington. Driven by Ron Pierce, the colt won in 1:52.4 for the Adam Victor And Son Stable.
For the year, Explosive Matter has won five of 12 races, including the $500,000 Colonial, and earned $1.1 million. He has five second-place finishes, all against Muscle Hill, harness racing's No. 1-rated horse. He also finished second to Muscle Hill in last year's Breeders Crown, which was the only blemish on his record last season.
This year, Explosive Matter finished second to Muscle Hill in the Hambletonian, Kentucky Futurity, Canadian Trotting Classic and a division of the Stanley Dancer Memorial.
Mystro Hanover is owned by Scuderia S Giuliano of Italy and has won three of 15 career races while earning $99,459. He most recently was third in the Charles Smith Trot at Freehold Raceway on September 11, finishing behind Howthehaloareyou and Vesuvio AS. Copy Catch, who is owned by the Lindy Racing Stable along with the Victor And Son Stable and Blue Chip Bloodstock, has won three of 21 lifetime races and $194,757. His top win came in July in a $151,670 division of the Zweig Memorial at Tioga Downs.
Here are the first heat fields:
First Division
1. Explosive Matter
2. Mistero Lux
3. Megan Grif
4. Karaburan
5. Mondiale OK
6. Oracle
7. Mario Tommaseo
8. Merckx OK
9. Mystro Hanover
10. Merisi Font
Second Division
1. Mago D Amore
2. Mistral Bi
3. Mind Wise AS
4. Marimari
5. Mirtillo Rosso
6. Meriggio
7. Macho Gams
8. Mustang Grif
9. Copy Catch
10. Zola Boko
This story courtesy of Harness Racing Communications, a division of the U.S. Trotting Association. For more information, visit www.ustrotting.com.