While Suslow Series champion River Shark gets the week off, his stablemate Vertigo Hanover will make his three-year-old debut in the sixth race Friday night
at the Meadowlands.
Both colts are being pointed toward the May 2 eliminations for the $225,000 (est.) Berry's Creek. The first major stakes race of the season for sophomore pacing colts, the Berry's Creek Final will be contested Saturday, May 9.
Vertigo Hanover is rated as the 3-1 morning line favourite in Friday's sixth race for trainer Duane Marfisi and owner Aaron Waxman, who races as the Uncirculated Stable. A $65,000 yearling purchase, the son of The Panderosa-Varbo hit the board in five of seven starts as a two-year-old.
Vertigo Hanover is a great looking animal and a solid pedigree," Waxman said. "He was reasonable at $65,000. His dam, Varbo, was a hard knocking mare, and I like her sire Bo Knows Jate. He had the speed to be any kind of horse.
"I'm into pedigrees and our trainer Duane Marfisi is a bloodstock guy," he continued. "When he and I pick the same horse, those are the ones we go after. However, if it's the kind of horse Duane likes, I know they're going to be pricey. But we steer clear of the top five percent or the obvious ones, and I try to look for something a little obscure."
Highlights of Vertigo Hanover's freshman campaign were a 1:51.1 score over divisional champion Major In Art in a Woodrow Wilson elimination and a 1:54.2 victory in a $60,000 Niatross division, both at the Meadowlands. However, the colt's form began to tail off once he returned home to Canada and he was turned out in September.
"He was a solid third in the Wilson final," Waxman noted. "Major In Art got away with it on the front end. There were three or four that belonged in there and the rest didn't. He was forced four wide around the final turn and couldn't make it up after that.
"Similar to Dali [Waxman's 2007 Wilson winner], when he shipped back to Canada we couldn't get him healthy," he continued. "That was a pretty stressful three weeks in New Jersey. He wasn't quite himself and that's why we shut him down early. He was second in the Metro consolation [at Mohawk], but still wasn't 100 percent."
Vertigo Hanover enters Friday's night race off two solid morning qualifiers at the Meadowlands. He posted 26.4 final panels in both efforts and won last Thursday's non-wagering test easily in 1:53.2.
"He had a great winter down in Florida, away from the cold weather," Waxman said. "He trained down phenomenally. In his last training trip down there he scoped a minimal amount of blood, so Duane decided to add Lasix as a precaution. His qualifiers were pretty solid, and John Campbell is driving him with an obvious eye to developing him for the major events. John will continue to teach him, and Duane admitted he was very strong in both qualifiers. According to Duane, he's our ace right now."
Waxman's other "ace," River Shark, will go straight to the Berry's Creek eliminations after a powerful victory in the $67,000 Robert J. Suslow Final last Saturday. Waxman shares ownership of River Shark with Carmine Fusco and the colt's trainer, Dave Sabatelli.
"River Shark should be ready to roll into the Berry's Creek eliminations," Waxman said. "The plan is to ultimately have an entry with Vertigo Hanover. I think River Shark has proven a lot more, but I'm going to reserve judgment on both of them. I'm really excited for Dave Sabatelli, and the fact he has the chance to prove himself again at the stakes level."
River Shark and Vertigo Hanover will not be Waxman's only irons in the fire this stakes season.
"I've also got a three-year-old colt named Best Dream Seeker qualifying next week," he said. "He's by Cambest and won a Bluegrass division in 1:51.4. He's a Meadowlands Pace eligible. Our sleeper horse is Mclaren, who was second in a Bluegrass division. He's a Mcardle, out of Juliets Fate. He had some healthy issues last year. If he can put it all together, I truly believe he'll be my best horse.
"Dali is training back like a gorilla," he added. " He had a couple of ailments last year, and knock on wood he's been perfect. Duane trained him a double header the other day at his farm in Ayr, Ontario. He's filled out, grown up and matured mentally. He also matured out of a couple of the physical issues that were bothering him. We're hoping to meet Mister Big, and beat Mister Big. We're very confident. He'll probably qualify and race in an Open at Mohawk. His first race will either be the Des Smith [Rideau Carleton] or Dan Patch [Hoosier Park]. Then it's right to the William R. Haughton [July 11, Meadowlands]."
Waxman, 30, of Hamilton, Ontario, operates a scrap metal company called Waxman Industrial, which has locations in Canada, Alabama and Syracuse, New York.
"It's the fastest growing scrap metal company in Canada, but I really love the horses," he said. "I'm hoping to eventually manage the horses full time. I've had a great relationship with Duane Marfisi, and we're fortunately able to turn a profit."
(The Meadowlands)