Jins Dragon, who recently suffered a heart ailment that left his racing career in doubt, showed that his ticker — and his legs — are doing just fine when he scored impressively in Tuesday’s Schoolkids Pace at The Meadows.
Jins Dragon took a mark of 1:55.2 last year at The Meadows and was preparing well for his 2013 campaign when, according to owner Craig McEvoy, several lengthy van trips stressed him and produced a heart problem, complete with blood in the lungs, that McEvoy feared would be fatal. But under the care of McEvoy, veterinarian Dr. Richard Balmer and trainer Brad Buxton, the son of Dragon Again-Gordons Jin Mist recovered and qualified March 29 in a slowish 2:01.2.
He was a different animal Tuesday, powering three wide to the lead past the quarter for Randy Tharps and prevailing in 1:53 over Tempster Hanover. Skylites Finale was third. McEvoy said Jins Dragon likely will sport earplugs next week to make him more manageable.
“It is nothing short of a miracle to see your horse go from almost dying to the winners’ circle,” McEvoy said.
The series for three-year-old colts and geldings was conducted over three divisions, with Counterterror (1:53.2 – Dave Palone/Michael Palone) and Terror High (1:52 – Brett Miller/Del S. Miller) — a pair of Western Terror geldings — doubling up in the series. Terror High’s mile was especially noteworthy, as it equaled the fastest this year by a sophomore gelding on a five-eighths-mile track.
In the $18,000 Preferred Trot, TSM Photo Bugger erased a three-length deficit in the stretch to defeat Hava Kadabra in 1:54.1. The performance matched his lifetime mark. Big And Little rallied for show.
Mike Wilder drove the six-year-old SJs Photo-Rewarding Wink gelding, who now boasts $294,083 in lifetime earnings, for trainer Jan Fread and owner/breeder Ted Tomson.
Dave Palone drove three winners on the 15-race card.
(The Meadows)