Almost immediately after Resolve crossed the finish line four lengths in front of runner-up Bee A Magician in the inaugural $150,000 Elitlopp Playoff at the Meadowlands, his number '4' began to blink on the infield tote board with the word 'Inquiry.'
Resolve, driven and trained by two-time Elitloppet champion Ake Svanstedt, had just scorched a field of top-class trotters in 1:51.2, but had clearly gone inside three pylons turning into the stretch.
After a lengthy judges’ inquiry, Resolve was disqualified and placed ninth while Bee A Magician was elevated to the victory. Gural Hanover finished third and was placed second while long shot Obrigado was elevated to third. The winner paid $7.20 and keyed a $2 exacta worth $46.60. The $2 trifecta paid $882.80.
Svanstedt had the barefooted Resolve fired up off the starting gate, racing through the opening quarter-mile in :27.2. John Campbell had the favourite, JL Cruze, comfortably away in the pocket, but was not content to follow Resolve. Campbell aggressively moved JL Cruze to the outside and took the lead through a taxing :54.3 half-mile. At that point, Svanstedt pulled the pocket and re-took the lead through three-quarters in 1:23.1. JL Cruze offered no resistance, eventually finishing sixth, but placed ninth for his own pylon violation. Leaving the final turn and turning into the stretch, Resolve went inside three pylons before Svanstedt could straighten his course. Resolve finished four lengths in front of Bee A Magician, but ultimately was disqualified.
Following the race, Markus Myron, Christer Haggstrom, and Mats Lagerholm from Solvalla Racecourse in Sweden, home of The Elitloppet, presented the trophy and extended an invitation to the race to David McDuffee, co-owner of Bee A Magician.
“It is certainly a great honour to receive the invitation and I will speak with the other owners before we make a final decision,” said McDuffee during a winner’s circle interview.
“Resolve went a tremendous mile,” said winning driver Brian Sears. “I was very impressed with him. My mare raced well, but I thought she was still a little soft in only her second start of the season.”
Despite the disqualification, Resolve was also extended an invitation to The Elitloppet on May 29.
Mother’s Day at the Meadowlands wasn’t all about the Mack Lobell Elitlopp Playoff as Always B Miki and Gallie Bythe Beach were winners in the co-features on the Sunday matinee program’s undercard.
Making his second start of the year, Always B Miki scored decisively in the $25,000 Open Handicap Pace for trainer Jimmy Takter.
After making the top in a leisurely opening quarter that was timed in :27.4, the field raced in a straight line past the half in :55. The five-year-old son of Always A Virgin, who was four-for-four a year ago, reached three-quarters in 1:22.1 before sprinting home in :27 to record a two and three-quarter length, never-an-anxious-moment victory in 1:49.1 with David Miller at the lines. McArdles Lightning was second with Doctor Butch third.
As the 1-9 post time choice, Always B Miki returned $2.10 to win. He is owned by Bluewood Stable, Roll The Dice Stable and Christina Takter, and now has 19 wins in 37 career starts.
Gallie Bythe Beach sat fourth to the three-eighths and was brushed to the top before the half by driver Tim Tetrick and maintained the lead from there to win the $25,000 Open Pace for fillies and mares by a hard-fought neck over Aniston Seelster. Empress Deo was third.
Sent postward as the 7-1 fourth choice, Gallie Bythe Beach returned $16.80 to her backers and covered the mile in 1:50.2 for owners Fashion Farms of New Hope, Pennsylvania. The Jim Campbell trainee now has 16 wins in 57 career starts.
Sheeza Shark N, the 3-5 favourite who entered the race perfect in three starts at the Big M since shipping in from New Zealand, went an ideal second-over trip, but did not fire in the stretch.
Mother’s Day proved to be extra sweet for one lucky horseplayer who took down the $22,612 jackpot in the Meadowlands Super High Five wager. The 20-cent wager requires a horseplayer to correctly pick the first five finishers of the race in order. The jackpot amount only pays out in its entirety if there is one single winning ticket. Otherwise, 75 percent of the net pool is paid out to the multiple winners while the remaining 25 percent is added to the jackpot amount.
The Race 5 winning combination of 4-10-2-4-5 was led by 2-1 second choice Can Do. 24-1 Sheer Flex helped juice up the sequence in second place while 18-1 I C Caviar was third. Fellow long shots Blue Muse and Never Ever Clever rounded out the top five. Favourite Forever As made a break in stride while third choice Mesmerized faded down the stretch to finish sixth.
The winning ticket was purchased through the AmTote Oregon Hub.
The wager featured a carryover of more than $17,250 coming into Sunday afternoon.
Nobody had hit the Jackpot Super High Five at the Meadowlands since April 1 when the wager was hit for $20,354.
The 12th race version of the wager continues to not get hit and now sports a carryover of $212,593.38 heading into the Big M’s next live program, which is Friday night. Post time is 7:15 p.m.
(with files from The Meadowlands)