Homicide Hunter became the fastest trotter in harness racing history with a 1:48.4 mile in the $145,000 Allerage Farms Open Trot on Saturday afternoon (Oct. 6) at The Red Mile during a Grand Circuit card full of stakes races that either broke, matched or just missed world records in 10 of the 11 dashes.
Driver Brian Sears was content to sit off the pace in fifth while Guardian Angel AS (Matt Kakaley) made the front first before yielding to Lindy The Great (Scott Zeron) in :26.2. Will Take Charge (Tim Tetrick) brushed from fourth to take control and front the field through subsequent :53.2 and 1:22 fractions.
Guardian Angel AS re-emerged from third to challenge first over with Sears shifting Homicide Hunter from third over to three-wide to four-wide around the final turn. Turning for home, Homicide Hunter showed no mercy and brushed past the field with powerful strides to trip the timer in a sizzling 1:48.4. Guardian Angel AS stayed for second with Pinkman (Yannick Gingras) completing the triactor.
That mile time breaks the 1:49 record of Sebastian K set at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono in 2014 and makes Homicide Hunter the fastest trotter in the history of harness racing.
"The horse races great everytime I sit behind him," said Sears after the historic win. "He's got a lot of talent and really deserves the record as he's gone some huge miles, no doubt."
Chris Oakes trains six-year-old Homicide Hunter (Mr Cantab - Evening Prayer) for Crawford Farms Racing of Syracuse, N.Y.
"I'm shaking right now, that was a great mile," said Michelle Crawford in the winner's circle. "He's one of our favourites; we actually went back and got the mom and Evening Prayer's in foal to Cantab Hall so I'm pretty sure he's going to have a brother or sister fairly soon. Hopefully we can do this again."
McWicked evened the score against archrival Lazarus with a hard-fought win in the $179,000 Allerage Open Pace.
Driver Brian Sears settled slight second choice McWicked into fourth as Western Fame (Brett Miller) buzzed to the frton from the far outside ahead of Filibuster Hanover (Kakaley) in :26.1. Heaven Rocks A (David Miller) had front-end intentions and cleared those two to front the field down the backside and hit the half in :52.1. Filibuster Hanover started to pressure the pacesetter, giving McWicked cover second over while favoured Lazarus (Gingras) was third over and had yet to see the rail for the mile.
The third quarter was reached in a scorching 1:19.1 and the crowd started to buzz anticipating a stretch showdown with McWicked and Lazarus. They got it but Lazarus couldn't wear down McWicked, who hit the wire in 1:46.2 -- the second fastest race mile in harness racing history. Lazarus was a valiant second, a length back, with Filibuster Hanover finishing third.
With the win, the 30th in his career, McWicked (Mcardle - Western Sahara) passed the $3.5 million mark and owner Ed James' SSG Stables.
"To do that at seven is pretty special," said trainer Casie Coleman after the win. "I've always liked the big horse. When we got him at three he made about $1.5 [million] and won a lot of the majors. He couldn't go to stud, he had a bad year [at four] and nobody wanted him as a stud. He's still racing now and still going strong."
Coleman indicated that the plans were originally for the horse to get a week off but those plans have since changed as McWicked was invited to race on International Trot Day at Yonkers Raceway in a $250,000 invitational pace and the connections have accepted that invite.
The Saturday afternoon stakes-packed card of harness racing at The Red Mile kicked off with a bang before the major events even started.
In the afternoon's first race, a $11,000 late closing event for trotting fillies and mares, Impinktoo crushed her foes and matched the world record for sophomore trotters with a gate-to-wire 1:49.4 score. That mile ties the mark of Plunge Blue Chip set earlier this year at The Meadowlands and gives her a share of the title of harness racing's fastest ever three-year-old trotter.
Impinktoo (Manofmanymissions - Margie Seelster) was driven to victory by Yannick Gingras for trainer Ron Burke and current owners William Walters, Joe Mc Lead and RTK Racing LLC of Ohio. The filly, who dropped her lifetime mark by more than four seconds, is set to sell on Sunday night in the 2018 Lexington Selected Mixed Sale.
Double A Mint hadn't won a race in 2018 but got off the schneid in a big way by winning the first $111,250 Tattersalls Filly Pace division. After sitting the pocket behind supplemental entry Wisdom Tree (Matt Kakaley) through fractions of :27.2, :54.2 and 1:21.1, driver Yannick Gingras right-lined his filly in the stretch and she exploded with pace to power past the pacesetter and trip the timer in 1:47.3. That mile time is three-fifths of a second off the 1:47 world record held by Shebestingin but is the second fastest mile by a three-year-old pacing filly in harness racing history.
Ron Burke trains Double A Mint (Bettors Delight - Doubel Creme) for Burke Racing Stable LLC, Dandy Farms Inc., Silva Purnel And Libby, and Weaver Bruscemi LLC.
The second $113,750 Tattersalls Filly Pace looked to be the one with the most firepower and 1-5 favourite Kissin In The Sand delivered to her backers and her connections.
Scott Zeron left from post six for early position and took the pocket ride from second choice Youaremycandygirl (Yannick Gingras). That filly made the first call in :27.2 and then rebuffed a challenge for the lead from Kissin In The Sand heading to the half, reached in :53.4
There were no challengers to the front duo off that hot pace as the third station flashed up in 1:20.3. Heading for home, Youaremycandygirl maintained a strong presence on the lead with pocket-riding Kissin In The Sand getting in gear for a run at the leader. In deep stretch Kissin In The Sand managed to power past her rival and hit the wire a short length the best in 1:47.4. Baron Remy (Matt Kakaley) completed the triactor.
"I just removed at the quarter pole not with the intent to go to the front but just to make sure we picked up the pace because the only reason I felt I wouldn't have an opportunity to race is getting locked in the whole mile and his filly backing down the fractions," said Zeron. "It turned into a steady pace the whole race and I was able to sit a nice comfortable two-hole trip before I wanted to ask her to go, and she battled right to the wire."
Trained by Nancy Johansson for owners Marvin Katz of Toronto, Ont. and Hatfield Stables of Columbus, Ohio, Kissin In The Sand now boasts 10 wins and four runner-up finishes from 14 seasonal starts with $769,440 in earnings.
Rookie pacing colt Workin Ona Mystery extended his unbeaten streak to five races with a comfortable 1:49.3 win in the first $62,000 International Stallion Stake division. With driver Tim Tetrick up, the son of Captaintreacherous - Dragons Tale forged to the front from the outside post eight while being parked through a :27 opening panel. Workin Ona Mystery made the lead shortly thereafter, motored through splits of :54.3 and 1:23, and then sprinted home in :26.3 to trip the timer in a life's best 1:49.3.
Brian Brown trains Workin Ona Mystery, now five-for-five as a freshman, for Ohio-based owners Jim Stambaugh, Alan Keith, Milt Leeman and the Wingfield Brothers LLC.
Captain Trevor came from the clouds to win the second $62,000 International Stallion Stakes division for driver Andy McCarthy and trainer Tony Alagna.
McCarthy showed patience and confidence early, settling in sixth and third from last early while Love My Some Lou (Tetrick) buzzed the opening quarter in :27.1 before facing pressure from Blood Money (Gingras), who cleared to the top through a :54.4 half before ceding to Semi Tough (Kakaley). McCarthy was third over at this point with Captain Trevor as the field passed the third stanza in 1:22.1. Barely in the frame turning for home, Captain Trevor was out widest of all in the five path and exploded late to hit the wire a length to the good in 1:49.2 over Blood Money and Smooth Lou (Scott Zeron).
Now with five wins in his first seven lifetime starts, Captain Trevor is owned by Ontario's Marvin Katz and Brad Grant as well as Captain Trevor Racing and Brittany Farms LLC of Versailles, Ky.
With the spotlight on a number of early season standouts, No Mas Amor shined brightest of all and emerged victorious in the third International Stallion Stake division to the tune of a 114-1 upset.
Driver Matt Kakaley got away in fifth in the field of nine with the favourites all in front of him. Arties Ideal (Marcus Miller) had the lead heading to the first fraction under pressure from De Los Cielos Deo (Gingras). That colt got steppy trying to clear through a :26.4 quarter, reset, and then forged to the front. Captain Ahab (McCarthy)got his cue from third, right-lined and landed on top past a :54.2 half. Air Force Hanover (David Miller) started to challenge first-up, with No Mas Amor on his back through a 1:22.1 third quarter.
Turning for home, Air Force Hanover put away Captain Ahab but then faced the threat of the horse he towed into the lane -- No Mas Amor, and that fresh foe was flush with force. No Mas Amor forged to the front and hit the wire in 1:49.1 ahead of Air Force Hanover and longshot Yacht Week (Christian Lind).
No Mas Amor (Sweet Lou - No More Loving) picked up his first career win -- and just missed a share of the world record by one-fifth of a second -- for trainer Ron Burke and owner Ken Jacobs of Baldwinsville, N.Y.
The speed show continued as the two-year-old pacers continued to flirt with the world record in the fourth $62,000 Internatioal Stallion Stakes division.
As the field of eight left the gate, a four-across cavalry charge of colts hotly contested the first turn. Captain Victorious (Andy Miller) was swiftest of all. Captain Crunch (Scott Zeron) sat the pocket through that opening panel of :26.3 until Sugar Factory (Corey Callahan) came with a rush from fourth to take control past a :54.4 half. Favoured Proof (David Miller) started the first-over grind to attempt to wrestle command from the pacesetter through a 1:22 third station and kept that tussle active turning for home. Captain Victorious had pace in the pocket and managed to find a seam for a late bid. That move gave Zeron room up the cones and he left-lined Captain Crunch for a stretch run. In the final strides, Captain Crunch fronted Sugar Factory and tripped the timer in a brisk 1:49.1. Proof stayed for third.
Trained by Nancy Johansson, Captain Crunch (Captaintreacherous - Sweet Paprika) now sports four wins in six starts for 3 Brothers Stables, Christina Takter, Rojan Stables and Caviart Farms.
In the final race of the day -- the only mile of the day that was not within a second of a world record -- Mangogh captured the fifth $63,000 International Stallion Stakes division.
Jack Nation (Marcus Miller) was swiftest off the gate and fronted the field through a tepid :28.1 first quarter. Covered Bridge (David Miller) was gradually advancing and appeared set to clear but did not. Brett Miller had Waterway out and on the move from third once Covered Bridge passed him, but had to go three-wide to clear to the top and did just that to take the field past the opening half in :55. Covered Bridge was still the first-up rival at that point with Price Hanover (Corey Callahan) second over through a 1:22.3 third panel, Loutenant (Matt Kakaley) third over and Mangogh fourth over turning for home.
Fanning out five-wide turning for home, Covered Bridge showed his resolve and made the lead but faced pressure from the backfield in Loutentant and Mangogh. With three colts heading to the line in virtual unison, Mangogh had the most kick and had his nose on the wire first in a life's bets 1:50.3. A resolute Covered Bridge stayed for second with Loutenant completing the best company.
Trained by Bruce Saunders for M And L Of Delaware LLC and M And M Harness Racing LLC, Mangogh sports a summary of 4-2-2 from 10 seasonal starts.