Check Me Out might be Ray Schnittker’s best known Hambletonian hopeful, but the three-year-old filly -- ready for her May 15 debut -- is not his only one
. She also is not his only good-looking female trotter as the stakes season begins to kick into gear.
Over the weekend, Schnittker sent out four-year-old trotting mare Jezzy and three-year-old colt trotter Delano in qualifiers at the Meadowlands. Both won and received high marks from their trainer/owner afterward.
Delano won six of 15 races last year, primarily on the New York circuit, and earned $195,2400. He went off stride in his first qualifier this year, but has since won two qualifiers in a row. The first came in 1:57.2 at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs despite making an early break and falling 13-1/2 lengths behind the leader. The most recent was Saturday in 1:54.4 at the Meadowlands as he minded his manners.
“I put his old bridle back on,” Schnittker said. “He’s been making a couple breaks on me; I put a blind bridle back on and he was very good. He was in against some nice horses. I think he’s going to be a Hambletonian horse. He’s a big strong horse.”
Schnittker owns Delano, a son of Credit Winner-Kelly Hall, with Tom Vassiliou, Nicholas Tallarico and the Delano Stable. Last season, he won a division of the New York Sire Stakes in a track-record 1:55.2 at Tioga Downs.
On Saturday, Schnittker put Delano on the lead early, even though he does not think it is the horse’s best game.
“He usually stinks on the front,” Schnittker said. “Today he was actually just OK, but he still went in (1):54. From the back of the bus I think he could go (1):53 right now. We’re getting in the ballpark.”
Jezzy, who has won 20 of 29 career races and $806,891, prepped for the start of her campaign with another qualifier win Saturday, holding off Dejarmbro by three-quarters of a length in 1:56. The time equaled her mark in her first qualifier, where she finished ahead of The Chancellor and Cedar Dove.
“She’s real good,” Schnittker said. “Dejarmbro is a nice horse and they came down the lane together, so I think she should be OK. We’ll probably race here, at the Meadowlands, next week and in two weeks she goes up to Canada for the Miss Versatility and the Armbro Flight.
“We’ll see what happens. She beat two quality horses, which is a positive, but I don’t know what to go from there.”
Jezzy won 18 of her first 19 career starts before finishing fourth in her elimination for the Hambletonian Oaks and fourth in the Hambletonian Oaks final from post 10, losing by 1-1/4 lengths, at the Meadowlands. She won the New York Sire Stakes championship in October for her final triumph of the campaign.
Schnittker owns Jezzy (Credit Winner-Ladylind) with Ted Gewertz, Jeff Gural and Steve Jones.
“She was good last year; she just got a little worn out,” Schnittker said. “It was tough racing here for the Hambletonian Oaks. I think it took a little out of her. But she’ll be all right this year. Right now I’m really happy with her.”
Schnittker also is happy with Check Me Out as she gets ready to make her debut May 15 at The Meadows in the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes.
Last year, Check Me Out won 14 of 16 races and finished second twice on her way to receiving the O’Brien Award and Dan Patch Award for best two-year-old filly trotter. Her victories included the Breeders Crown, Merrie Annabelle and Matron stakes. She won her Matron elimination in a world-record 1:53.2 at Dover Downs. She was second in the Peaceful Way and earned $898,343 for owners Charles Iannazzo and Schnittker.
To get ready for her first start, Check Me Out (Donato Hanover-Illusion Bi) won a qualifier in 1:54.4 at the Meadowlands and then another in 1:55 at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs.
“She’s been going great,” Schnittker said. “I’ve never seen a horse like her. We’ll see what happens. She’s something. She’s been very good. I think she could go in (1):53 right now at Pocono, and when you get in that area it’s rare.”
The world record for a three-year-old filly on a five-eighths-mile track, like Pocono Downs, is 1:53.1. The fastest mile by any three-year-old on a five-eighths-mile track is shared by Break The Bank K and Dejarmbro, at 1:52.2.
If Check Me Out lives up to expectations, there is a good chance she will race against the boys in the $1.5 million Hambletonian on August 4 at the Meadowlands.
“I always look at the first couple qualifiers; if they qualify and look bad, you’re in for a long year,” Schnittker said. “That first qualifier she went very good here and she came right back at Pocono and was awesome.
“She was just a killer all last year. Coming back, she didn’t change, which is good because she had a great attitude last year.”
This story courtesy of Harness Racing Communications, a division of the U.S. Trotting Association. For more information, visit www.ustrotting.com.