Shake It Cerry proved supreme once again, winning the last major stake of the season for the aged trotting mares, capturing the $200,000 TVG Mares Trotting Championship on Friday night at Meadowlands Racetrack.
Released as the even-money second-choice, Shake It Cerry was gathered off the gate by her pilot Dave Miller, while the 4-5 favourite Bee A Magician moved to the lead early in the mile. The 2013 Horse of the Year reached the quarter in :27.2 and, as soon as the field straightened up on the backstretch, the 2014 Trotter of the Year made her move for the lead and Shake It Cerry took charge three-eighths of a mile into the race. The four-year-old mare reach the half in a sharp :55.4, before getting a third-quarter breather, hitting three-quarters in 1:25, with Handover Bell committed first over, Classic Martine in the outer flow and Bee A Magician pinned in behind the leader. But Shake It Cerry was under a hand drive at the head of the stretch and, when Miller called on his mare, the response was instantaneous and she dominated through the stretch -- the result never in doubt -- and she scored decisively in 1:52.3. Bee A Magician could only manage a runner-up performance tonight, with Handover Belle a game third in what was the final start of her wonderful career.
Trainer Jimmy Takter had nothing but praise for his star mare. “She’s just really good. She chased the boys earlier in the year and trotted in 1:49.4 and maybe that was a bit hard on her. But, she rebounded now and has been just fantastic. She is in the caliber with Moni Maker and I think when she is done, she will be on the list as one of the great fillies that ever was.”
Shake It Cerry was named Trotter of the Year for her 2014 campaign that included 15 wins from 17 starts and $1.2 million in earnings. The 2015 season had been tougher on her, but she closes it out with a runner-up try in the Breeders Crown and then back-to-back wins in the TVG series, sending her lifetime earnings to $2,526,636, while earning her 28th victory. She is owned by Solveig’s Racing Partners.
Venus Delight Rebounds With TVG Championship Win
The pacing mares were up first in the $200,000 TVG Championships and delivered a compelling stretch drive with a familiar name finding the winner’s circle. Despite being the beaten favourite in her last two starts, Venus Delight was given the majority of support again by the bettors, established as the 8-5 choice and this time she did not disappoint.
Driven by Tim Tetrick for the first time since her Milton elimination, Venus Delight worked out a perfect pocket trip throughout the mile behind the speed of the very sharp Sandbetweenurtoes, who ripped through fractions of :27, :55.3 and 1:22.4 before turning home with a tenuous lead. The leader was facing challenges from all parts of the racetrack and began to drift, opening a path for Venus Delight to charge through, which she did convincingly and drew clear to a sharp 1:49.4 triumph over a fast-closing Gallie Bythe Beach. Colors A Virgin went a tough first over trip and fought-on to hold on to the show spot.
Venus Delight is trained by Jeffrey Bamond Jr. for Bamond Racing LLC, earning her eighth win of the season and sending her seasonal earnings to 5$655,174.
Double Exposure, Yankee Moonshine Win Filly Fall Finals
With Broadway Donna done for the season, the Breeders Crown winner All The Time had a chance to make her case for divisional honours in the $409,950 Goldsmith Maid Final. The bettors believed she was the horse to beat, establishing her as the 2-5 morning line favourite. But in the end, it was the lightly raced Double Exposure who proved best on this night.
Following a solid runner-up try in the elimination last week, Double Exposure was supported well at the windows, sent off as the 4-1 second choice. Tetrick moved his filly forward off the gate and she remained parked through an opening quarter of :28.1 as the favourite, All The Time, set the pace. Double Exposure cleared the lead and put up a sharp second quarter, reaching the half-mile in :55.4. All The Time was content to ride her pocket until the three-quarter pole, when Gingras showed his filly racetrack as the field moved past three-quarters in 1:24.3, but Double Exposure had plenty left in the tank and accelerated on the lead. All The Time could not trot with the winner and Double Exposure reached the wire in 1:54, a lifetime-best effort. Haughty rallied off the cover of All The Time to be second, while Womans Will stayed on to be third.
Driver Tim Tetrick expressed confidence in his filly. “I loved her at Lexington,” said Tetrick. “She got sick after baby races, but she has really matured. I have never gone three big quarters with her, but she proved she is really good tonight.”
Double Exposure is owned by Brittany Farms and Mel Hartman, and her earnings soar past $224,000 with the victory.
The $385,250 Three Diamonds was scratched down to a field of seven, with three fillies gathering the majority of the attention at the windows: Yankee Moonshine, Shezarealdeal and Penpal.
Shezarealdeal made a break heading to the start, which changed the complexion of the race for Yannick Gingras, who was driving Yankee Moonshine.
“Absolutely, when [Shezarealdeal] took off running, I looked over and saw Pat [Lachance] taking off the gate, so I made the lead rather easily,” said Gingras. “We were going pretty good to the half and [Penpal] leaned in and we got hooked up for a few steps, but the other filly took it tougher than we did.”
Yankee Moonshine was allowed to set the pace through fractions of :27.4, :56.2 and 1:24.3, turning for home with Penpal right off her flank. But, Yankee Moonshine kept on going in the stretch, keeping Blue Moon Stride trapped in the pocket for much of the stretch. That filly shook free, but it proved too late, while Shezarealdeal made a great recovery to rally to be third. Yankee Moonshine completed the mile in 1:52.2.
The winner is owned by Burke Racing Stable, JT45, Karr and Weaver Bruscemi. The victory was the fourth in the career of Yankee Moonshine, sending her earnings north of $380,000.
Handle for the 13-race Friday program was $2,426,263.
Racing returns on Saturday, with a 14-race blockbuster card that begins at 7:00 p.m. Featured on the program are the $400,000 TVG Free For All Championships as well as the Governor’s Cup, Valley Victory, Continentalvictory and Tarpot Hap Finals.
(With files from Meadowlands Racetrack)