Alluneedisfaith N brings a three-race win streak to Saturday’s $22,500 Hello Spring Series final for older male pacers at The Meadowlands, and when co-owner Robert Cooper says the eight-year-old gelding might be in career form, he might be on the mark.
Since arriving in the U.S. in the spring of 2019, Alluneedisfaith N has won 19 of 72 races, hit the board an additional 30 times, and earned $317,357. Last year, he had a streak of finishing no worse than second in eight consecutive starts, winning three of them, but this is the first time Alluneedisfaith N has strung together three victories in a row.
“He knows his job, and he loves his work,” said Cooper, who shares ownership of Alluneedisfaith N with his son Jared. “He’s a very happy horse around the barn, and is very smart, very low maintenance. He might be in career form right now. He knows what he’s got to do, and he does it.”
Alluneedisfaith N, who has earned $453,633 lifetime when Down Under purses are added, is the 3-1 morning-line favourite in the Hello Spring Series final. He will start from post four with George Brennan driving for trainer Nik Drennan.
“He’s an old warhorse,” said Drennan. “He doesn’t do anything wrong; he’s very professional. He’s always been a good horse. He’s made a lot of money lifetime and he’s earned it. He’s got class.”
Alluneedisfaith N finished third in the 2019 Foiled Again Invitational at The Meadows for then-trainer Ross Croghan, who helped the Coopers bring the horse to the States. He competed against a field that included future millionaires Backstreet Shadow, Southwind Amazon and American History, who later that year won the Breeders Crown.
During his career, Alluneedisfaith N has won an Open Handicap at Yonkers and hit the board there in the Open on six other occasions.
He enters the Hello Spring final off wins in the two preliminary rounds and a victory at Freehold. In the first leg of the Hello Spring, Alluneedisfaith N won by a length in 1:51. Last week, he came home in :26.1 to beat Ill Drink To That by a nose in 1:50.3.
“He’s always super competitive and can go any kind of trip,” said Jared Cooper, who trained Alluneedisfaith N before sending the horse to Drennan in March. “Last week was a perfect example. He was like two lengths off [the lead] at the top of the stretch, and he saw his target and ran them down. He knows what to do. He’s been real good for us.”
Added Robert Cooper, “Last week, George said he was airborne the last sixteenth [of a mile] against Ill Drink To That. He said as soon as he saw his target, he was pacing as hard as a horse can pace. That was nice because Ill Drink To That is a very nice horse.”
Another horse from the Drennan Stable, Alta Engen A, is the 7-2 morning-line second choice in the Hello Spring final. The six-year-old gelding also won a second-round division last week, stopping the timer in 1:50.4 in only his second start since arriving in North America. He is owned by Phillip Scott McKenzie and will have Andy McCarthy in the sulky on Saturday, leaving from post two.
“When he was in Australia, he was going a mile and five-sixteenths,” Drennan said about Alta Engen A, who has won 13 of 29 career races and $94,713. “He’s used to going distance, he isn’t really used to turning for home and sprinting. I expect him to improve as he adapts. And even though he’s six, he’s had only 29 starts and he’s still kind of green. I think he will get better.”
Ill Drink To That is the 4-1 third choice, starting from post nine with Dexter Dunn driving for Chris Ryder. Like Clockwork, another preliminary round winner, is 5-1 and will have Tim Tetrick at the lines for Eric Abbatiello.
Saturday’s card also includes a $31,500 Open Trot, with Chin Chin Hall the 5-2 morning-line favourite, and a $31,500 Open Pace, with Workin Ona Mystery the 2-1 choice.
Racing begins at 6:20 p.m. EDT at The Meadowlands. TrackMaster past performances for all Big M cards can be found at the track’s website.
Prior to the main card, at 5 p.m., there will be two non-wagering New Jersey Breeder Maturity events for four-year-olds.
(USTA)