Off an impressive win in last week's elimination, expectations were high for Incommunicado in Saturday's (May 1) $115,583 Dexter Cup final at Freehold Raceway. He lived up to all of them, cruising to an impressive 3-1/2 length win.
Just like he did in his elimination, Incommunicado drew post position seven in the field of eight. That did not deter the betting public, who made him the 3/5 favourite.
At the start, Yannick Gingras immediately pushed the gas pedal, sending his drive up to the front. Without much trouble, Gingras got him to the lead and the inside at the opening quarter, trotting that split in :28.2.
Incommunicado slowed things down in the second quarter, trotting the opening half in :58.4, but soon encountered first-over pressure from Believer. Believer moved up to Incommunicado's throat latch around the third turn, but Incommunicado held firm and would not let his rival by. Turning for home, he pulled clear and left his rivals in the dust, winning in 1:56.3.
Incommunicado is owned by Knutsson Trotting Inc, Little E LLC, Arthur Geiger and David Stolz, and trained by Åke Svanstedt. He made waves last year by sweeping the Massachusetts Sire Stakes at Plainridge Park, winning the final by 17-1/4 lengths. Subsequently, he was second in the Matron at Dover Downs by a half length. For his career, he has won six times from 12 starts, with earnings of more than $250,000.
"I wanted to get him in the race, and when (Credit Con) made a break in the first turn, it made things a little easier for me." said Gingras, who won his second straight edition of the Dexter Cup. "I knew (starting from post seven) wasn’t ideal. I knew it was going to be harder than last week, there wasn’t going to be a hole or something like that, but he still did it pretty easy. The horse raced good and did the job. He’s a nice horse. He does everything you ask of him."
Sunny Crockett, Fifty Ways, Ambassador Hanover, Believer, Chapolier, Credit Con and Share The Wealth completed the order of finish.
Each of the two divisions of the Lady Suffolk trot at Freehold Raceway on Saturday (May 1) featured an odds-on favourite. In both cases, the odds-on favourite went down in defeat, as Izzy Demsky and Spruce Creek prevailed in their respective divisions.
In the first division, Illuminata, racing for trainer-driver Ake Svanstedt, was the 3-5 favourite in the seven-horse field. Izzy Demsky, a three-time winner in the Excelsior A series last summer, was 7/2. Svanstedt put Illuminata on the lead early as she cruised through fast fractions. Although she looked clear turning for home, she grew leg-weary in the last eighth, and Izzy Demsky surged by her tired rival to win by two lengths in 1:58.4.
Izzy Demsky is owned by Courant Inc, trained by Marcus Melander, and driven by Mattias Melander. In her career, she's now won four times from nine starts, with earnings of over $50,000.
Jula Shines On, also trained by Svanstedt, got up for second while Illuminata was third. The Queen B, Victoriana, Just Joshing, and Lilybet completed the order of finish in the first division.
In the second division, Ron Burke trainee Hot As Hill was the overwhelming 2-5 favourite in the field of seven. However, while on the lead at the three-eighth point, she made a costly break. Though Joe Bongiorno quickly got her back trotting, she was parked on the outside and lost precious ground.
Julie Miller-trained Alpine, with driver Andy Miller, inherited the lead as a result, and turned for home with the lead. However, 15-1 shot Spruce Creek, who rated on the pylons the whole way by Dan Dube, stormed up the outside late to win by two-and-a-half lengths, in 1:58.
Spruce Creek is owned by Robert Don and Yolanda Fellows, and Erna Corbeil, and trained by Ron Coyne Jr. She's now won four times from 11 starts, with earnings of more than $60,000. Three of those wins have come at Freehold.
Alpine, Insured Am S, Move Over Some, Hot As Hill, Presto, and Big Sky Suprise rounded out the order of finish.
Live racing resumes at Freehold on Friday (May 7), starting at about 12:30 p.m. (EDT).
(Freehold Raceway)