![captaintreacherous-vs-foiled-again.jpg](/sites/default/files/styles/headline_image_1024_x_577/public/captaintreacherous-vs-foiled-again.jpg?itok=A4kvUVF4)
The field for one of harness racing's most anticipated races this decade is now set for Saturday night at the Meadowlands Racetrack.
Still glowing from a Grand Opening of the new facility just days ago, the fall harness meet at Meadowlands Racing & Entertainment presents a stellar stakes card worth over $3.4 million in purses to the very best horses in racing on Saturday, November 30. Headlining the star-studded program are the $500,000 finals of the inaugural TVG Free For All trot and pace.
The pace (Race 10) offers the ultimate contest of old versus young with sophomore star Captaintreacherous battling the best older pacers on the continent in the match up that everyone wants to see. He enters the competition through a clause in the conditions offering an invitation to the winner of the three-year-old Breeders Crown. His connections, Captaintreacherous Racing, manager Myron Bell, trainer Tony Alagna and driver Tim Tetrick boldly accepted the challenge.
“The Captain’s” resume includes many of the 2013 major sophomore stakes including the Meadowlands Pace and North America Cup while earning over $2 million this season and nearly $3 million off his 21 wins in 25 career starts. His syndication, announced in October, place his value in the $12 million range.
The TVG Pacing Final competition is very deep with the lifetime earnings of the 10 horses just shy of $20 million. At the top of that list is the iron-tough nine-year-old Foiled Again, harness racing's richest pacer. Foiled Again won the last of the preliminary legs on Saturday past in 1:49.3 for his regular team of driver Yannick Gingras and trainer Ron Burke. He is closing in on $6 million lifetime for owners Burke Racing, Weaver Bruscemi and JJK Racing.
Pet Rock has had a great campaign and is but one fifth of a second away from holding the world speed record for the mile on all three track sizes concurrently. A win would vault him past the million mark in seasonal earnings in what is his last career start before retiring to stud in Ohio. Virgil Morgan Jr. trains and Dave Miller drives for owners Frank Bellino and Midland Acres.
The field for the TVG FFA Pace is as follows.
1-Dynamic Youth (R. Pierce*)
2-Modern Legend (J. Campbell)
3-Pet Rock (D. Miller)
4-Foiled Again (Y. Gingras)
5-Sweet Lou (M. Kakaley)
6-Bettors Edge (R. Pierce*)
7-Golden Receiver (C. Callahan)
8-Captaintreacherous (T. Tetrick)
9-Warrawee Needy (B. Sears)
10-Bolt The Duer (M. MacDonald)
The race is a media focus, with a Facebook page having been created expressly for this event. By following the link and casting your vote, Meals On Wheels will receive a cash donation. Follow along on twitter as well and mark your posts with #BigM, #TheCaptain or #FoiledAgain for your favourite. The weekly SC web poll also asks who you you think will win on Saturday.
The TVG FFA trot (Race 6) fields the seven best older trotters currently racing with likely favourite Market Share’s task made a bit more difficult by drawing the outside post. A win would cement year end honours in the division for Market Share, who would eclipse $1 million this year and $3 million life for owners Richard Gutnick, TLP Stables and William Augustine. Linda Toscano conditions the four-year-old son of Revenue S and Tetrick has the mount.
The supporting card offers the current number one in harness horse of the year polls, Bee A Magician, who will put her season-long unbeaten streak of sixteen on the line in the $253,000 Moni Maker (Race 11) stake for owners Mel Hartman, Herb Liverman and David Mc Duffee. She’ll vault past $1.5 million on the year with a victory for Brian Sears and Richard 'Nifty' Norman, her driver and trainer respectively.
The $167,500 Nadia Lobell (Race 3) lost some sparkle when division leader I Luv The Nitelife was sidelined today with an injury, but still boasts a great match up between the fastest female harness horse ever in Shebestingin, American National winner and current “hot filly” in the division Charisma Hanover and last season’s leader Somwherovrarainbow.
As if that wasn’t enough, the Fall Final Four for freshmen colts and fillies offers the last look of the season at many of those division leaders with nearly $2 million on the line for those races.
(with files from The Meadowlands)
Pet Rock/Warawee Needy exacta
Pet Rock/Warawee Needy exacta for me
Count me in the Pet Rock
Count me in the Pet Rock column as well. He's in mint condition....
I can't imagine the 3 year
I can't imagine the 3 year old beating the older horses.
No disrespect, but PET ROCK
No disrespect, but PET ROCK will beat them all!
Although Horse of the Year
Although Horse of the Year may be determined by this race, I don't believe that Captaintreacherous' connections had this in mind when they entered. Very early in the season Myron Bell was quoted as saying that if all worked out and there were not any impediments in his way, their goal was to participate in this race.
In reply to Although Horse of the Year by murray
Thanks to them for stepping
Thanks to them for stepping up to this challenge --- just wish the draw was better, and they were on a hot day in Lexington... He sure dominated a great group of 3yr old --- what a plus for racing and his sires true greatness. He will face the best group of aged pacers ever --- GOOD Luck to the Captain and hoping he shocks'em.
Guarentee you one thing.....
Guarentee you one thing..... he won't do this from the front end as he did with the 3 yr olds..... If he tries..... they'll get to the 3/4's in 1:18 with all that back class....
I've always loved watching
I've always loved watching the Kentucky Derby winner tackle the best older horses in the Breeders Cup Classic (when that happens). This Saturday's TVG FFA Pace is a must-watch for all harness racing fans and participants... and hopefully... somehow... some newbies. There are no losers here, regardless of outcome!
Hope they all show up and
Hope they all show up and they all race GREAT !!! This is Mr. Gural's dream come true field of horses.
This is a race that i can't
This is a race that i can't wait to watch. Not saying i am right but i think this is a calculated risk by the connections of the captain to try and capture horse of the year honors. They probably figure they are behind bee a magician in the voting but if he takes on the aged pacers and beats them he will likely win horse of the year.