The winner of the 2023 MGM Borgata Pacing Series final, Hellabalou returned to the racing wars after a two-month layoff with a victorious effort during the session of qualifiers on Saturday, Feb. 24 at The Meadowlands.
Now six, the millionaire son of Sweet Lou - Magestic Blue Chip won 10 races last year with seven of those coming on half-mile ovals. His lifetime mark of 1:48.4 came at the age of three in the 2021 Delvin Miller Adios at The Meadows — a five-eighth mile oval. His forte would appear to be the smaller surfaces, but his Saturday effort showed that size doesn't matter all that much to him.
With David Miller at the controls, Hellabalou made every call a winning one against his three rivals. After fractions of :29, :56.4 and 1:25, a :27.3 closer was enough to hold off the late bid of Dontpassme Hanover with a mile timed in 1:52.3.
Mickey Burke is the trainer of Hellabalou for Burke Racing Stable LLC, Eric Good, Weaver Bruscemi LLC and Larry Karr.
Fellow Burke pupil Beach Cowgirl also made a 2024 debut during the Big M's qualifiers. A late season addition to the Burke Brigade, Beach Cowgirl was also a wire-to-wire winner for Miller in 1:54.1.
Four-year-old Beach Cowgirl (Captaintreacherous - Stonebridge Sundae) sports a mark of 1:49.4 — taken in her most recent start on Dec. 9 — and $392,285 in purses for Joseph Di Scala Jr, Zippett Racing Stable, Scarlett Stables LLC and JAF Racing LLC.
(Standardbred Canada)