Undefeated and untested, that sums up the winter for Wiggle It Jiggleit. The three-year-old gelded son of Mr Wiggles made it a perfect six-for-six to start his career with a three length romp in the $58,000 final of the William 'Buddy' Gilmour Series.
The 1-9 favourite, Wiggle It Jiggleit was sent right to the front on this night by Montrell Teague and he would never look back, gliding through fractions of :26.4, :55 and 1:22.3 before hitting the wire in 1:50 flat. National Seelster, who sat third throughout the mile, moved to the outside at the head of the stretch and paced well to land the runner-up spot over Midnight Lightning, but he was never a threat to the winner.
Montrell Teague talked about the ease in which his horse continues to win.
“That is all horsepower,” said the gelding's reinsman. “I just let him go at his own pace and it does it so easy. The last couple of starts I looked back [to see where the competition was], but tonight I was confident. This was probably the best race of the six. It’s his last start [before he comes back in May], so I wanted to open him up a little bit.”
Trainer George Teague was beaming with excitement in the winner's circle.
“This is one of the best horses I have ever had, and I trained some good ones,” he said. “I only put one above him and he may be even better than [Rainbow Blue]. It’s hard not to look to the future and I think it’s bright.”
Wiggle It Jiggleit will be kept in training for the next five to six weeks before making his next expected start in the Simpson at The Meadowlands on Kentucky Derby Day, Saturday, May 2.
There have not been many better horses in the sport of harness racing this winter than Rockeyed Optimist and his win Saturday night at The Meadowlands in the first round of the Clyde Hirt Series may have been his most impressive victory yet.
Fresh off his win in the $59,000 Sonsam Final, a lifetime-best 1:50 performance, Rockeyed Optimist was a 1-5 favourite to win the $20,000 first round of the Clyde Hirt and he did not disappoint.
Reunited with Tim Tetrick, who returned from the World Drivers Championship in Australia, Rockeyed Optimist sat third early in the mile and was relaxed through a quarter of :26.4 before making his move for the lead. He would spring past Rock Out before the half-mile in :55-seconds and that essentially closed the book on the race. From the moment he seized command, the lead would only expand through the final three-eighths of a mile, sprinting a :27.4 third panel before setting sail for home. At the top of the stretch, Tetrick asked his star for speed and the response was devastating as Rockeyed Optimist sprinted to the wire in :26.4 to win by open lengths in a new lifetime-best 1:49.3. Caviart Luca was the runner-up with Rock Out third.
Rockeyed Optimist has now won five times from six starts this season for trainer Steve Elliot and owners Anthony Perretti, Virginia Berkner, A&B Stable and Joseph Battaglia.
The $25,000 Preferred Handicap for pacers featured a competitive field and a thrilling finish.
Speed Again and Yannick Gingras made an easy lead off the gate, with Doctor Butch, the 7-5 favourite securing the pocket spot into the first turn. Speed Again rolled through fractions of :27.2, :56.2 and 1:24.2, and Doctor Butch remained right behind the leader throughout the first three-quarters of a mile. Ontario Success moved first over and challenged for the lead around the far turn, effectively keeping Tim Tetrick and Doctor Butch locked in the pocket. That scenario played out in the stretch with Tetrick look for racing room as Ontario Success hit the front in the final eighth of a mile. Blatantly Best was gathering momentum from the back of the pack and began to close in as Tetrick tried to thread the needle between horses nearing the wire. There was just enough room for Doctor Butch as he slipped through and just got his nose on the wire first in 1:51.2. Blatantly Best finished second with Ontario Success not far behind in third.
Doctor Butch is trained by Linda Toscano for Kenneth Jacobs. The win was the 20th in the five-year-old's career.
The Jackpot Super Hi-5 in the last race was hit and it returned over $188,000 for one winning ticket. The net Jackpot Pool was guaranteed at $200,000 less the eight per cent takeout.
The fifth race Jackpot Super Hi-5 went unclaimed and the carryover is now $53,249.
Racing returns on Friday with first post time at 7:15 p.m.
(Meadowlands Racetrack)