Swandre The Giant recorded his first charted line for trainer Ron Burke Thursday morning (May 9), as the highly-regarded son of Swan For All took part in the first qualifier of his three-year-old campaign.
The brown colt took to the track at the Meadows on Thursday for the third race on the docket. Swandre The Giant lined up in Post 8 over a track that was rated ‘fast.’
Swandre The Giant, en route to his career-best 1:54.2 win on July 31, 2018.
The career winner of $257,900 in purses was in rein to driver Ricky Macomber Jr., and the duo found themselves first-over in third at the quarter pole, which was clicked off in :29.2.
Although they were leading by two lengths, Macomber and Swandre The Giant were overland when they flashed the half-mile timer in :59.1.
Macomber called for some trot in the third panel, and the career winner of nine of 12 career races responded with a :27.3 quarter and tripped the three quarters clock in 1:26.4.
After having been leading by four lengths, Macomber had Swandre The Giant on cruise control through the lane. The pair came home in :29.2 and hit the wire in 1:56.1. The margin of victory was five and three-quarter lengths.
Swandre The Giant dominated the Indiana Sires Stakes during his freshman campaign. He was narrowly defeated in his season-ending Super Final in early October. A miscue in the final of the William Wellwood Memorial at Woodbine Mohawk Park proved to be Swandre The Giant’s only off-the-board finish in 2018.
The colt made news last September when he was sold to Diamond Creek Farm, Jerry Silva and Howard Taylor.
A three-year-old pacing colt that is eligible to the $1 million Pepsi North America Cup also made his 2019 charted debut during the qualifying session. Crusher Q, who was driven by Mike Wilder for trainer Kevin Johnson, took part in Race 2. The Mach Three colt started from Post 4, was first to every call (:28.3, :58.2, 1:26.4), and paced home in :28.2 for a 1:55.1 victory. The margin of victory was 14 lengths. Rockridge Racing Inc., of Washington, PA, purchased Crusher Q last November.