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With the first weekend of May in the books, many of harness racing's top performers from 2021 have started to return to the racetrack for the upcoming stakes season or hit the racetrack in racing action.
Many of those horses comprise the 2022 TROT Magazine Fantasy Stable, with entries closing on Friday, May 27. Trot Insider will break down the contenders in each category as the deadline approaches. (All entries and results information is up to date as of publication.)
Our previous feature examined the participants comprising Groups E and F as well as Groups G and H. This feature looks at the contenders in Groups C and D, with the remaining groups to be profiled in advance of the contest deadline.
GROUP C
Bulldog Hanover (Shadow Play – BJs Squall) solidly established himself as one of Ontario’s top pacing sophomores of 2021. He won three prelims of Ontario Sires Stakes (OSS) Gold, an $85,250 Somebeachsomewhere split and a $50,000 elimination for the North America Cup. He added stateside wins with a sweep of Hoosier Park’s fall stakes including a 1:48.3 mile in the $220,000 Monument Circle. Jack Darling trains the winner of 14 races from 21 starts for his Jack Darling Stables Ltd. and Brad Grant. He has qualified twice as a four-year-old in 2022 with his most recent mile a 1:53.2 effort at Flamboro Downs on May 7.
Indiana star Hot Mess Express (Panther Hanover – My Heart Was True) thrived in the Midwest with wins in the Indiana Sires Stakes before ascending to the Grand Circuit following a win in the $110,000 Nadia Lobell. She won the $174,400 Mistletoe Shalee at the Meadowlands and an elimination of the Fan Hanover before finishing second in the $425,000 final. She wrapped the season with wins in the $270,000 Indiana Sires Stakes Super Final, Pegasus Stakes and Circle City Pace. Tony Alagna trains the winner of 17 from 25 starts for owner Sam Bowie. She has qualified twice as a four-year-old in 2022 with her most recent foray to the track a 1:52.4 mile on May 6 at The Meadowlands.
Racing for the Luther brothers in 2021, Catch The Fire (Captaintreacherous – Dream Outloud) broke through among the aged ranks with a win in the $157,100 Sam McKee Memorial and immediately followed that win with a 1:48.1 score in the $325,000 Dan Patch Stakes at Harrah’s Hoosier Park. He remained a stout competitor at the free-for-all ranks, finishing second in the $590,000 Canadian Pacing Derby and $182,000 Hoosier Park Pacing Derby; and third in the $158,000 Allerage Farms Pace and $350,000 TVG Free For All Final. Todd Luther trains the stallion for brother Greg’s Black Magic Racing LLC and co-owner CT Stables LLC. He has yet to start as a five-year-old in 2022.
Coming back from a minor injury which sidelined him for the last quarter of 2020, Forbidden Trade (Kadabra – Pure Ivory) slowly regained his stride coming into the fall of 2021. He set a Georgian Downs track record with a 1:51.3 win in the $75,000 Earl Rowe Memorial and soon after finished second in the $546,000 Maple Leaf Trot. He also won the $210,000 Caesar’s Trotting Classic and the $350,000 TVG Free For All Final. Luc Blais trains the stallion for Determination. He has qualified twice as a six-year-old in 2022 with his most recent mile a 1:54.1 clocking on May 6 at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
Abuckabett Hanover (Betting Line – All Tucked Up) struggled to break through on the Grand Circuit, but successfully rebounded late in the season north of the border with a 1:49.1 win in the $176,815 Simcoe Stakes before shipping to Lexington, where he won the $500,000 Tattersalls Pace. He also finished second in the $310,000 Progress Pace and third in the $164,750 Matron Pace. Tony Alagna trains the stallion for owners Crawford Farms Racing, Alagna Racing LLC, Jablonsky Held Stable and Barbera Wienick Stable. He has one start as a four-year-old in 2022, winning a preliminary of the Graduate Series at The Meadowlands on May 7 in 1:50.
Ron Burke’s speedy filly Blue Diamond Eyes (Captaintreacherous – Aria Hanover) finished worst than fourth only twice in her 19 starts as a sophomore. She won a $106,745 Adioo Volo division, the $250,000 Kentucky Championship Series Final and the $120,000 U.S.S. Indianapolis with seconds in the $253,000 Pennsylvania Sires Stakes Final and $129,000 Matron. Thomas and Scott Dillon own the mare who has made one start as a four-year-old in 2022, finishing seventh in a $40,000 Fillies & Mares Open Pace on May 7 at The Meadowlands.
Rockyroad Hanover (Captaintreacherous – Romantic Moment) burst into the top rank of pacing glamour boys with a 1:48.1 win in the $276,150 Cane Pace on Hambletonian Day at The Meadowlands and numerous other cheque-earning finishes. He managed just one other Grand Circuit win when he surged from the pocket to win the $310,000 Progress Pace at Dover Downs. Tony Alagna trains the stallion now for M3 Racing Stable. He has one start as a four-year-old in 2022, finishing third in a $50,000 Graduate prelim on May 7 at The Meadowlands.
Once adding Lasix, Lous Pearlman (Sweet Lou – Lucys Pearl) turned around. He won five straight, including the $100,000 Max Hempt Consolation II, $253,000 Pennsylvania Sires Stakes Final and $397,080 Little Brown Jug. Ron Burke trains the stallion for his Burke Racing Stable LLC, Weaver Bruscemi LLC, Elizabeth Novak and Howard Taylor. He has one start as a four-year-old in 2022, finishing second in a $50,000 Graduate prelim on May 7 at The Meadowlands.
Winning thrice in OSS Gold company, Scarlett Hanover (Bettors Delight – Sammys Magic Girl) hit big when shipping to Delaware, Ohio and winning the $152,280 Jugette over Test Of Faith. She then took the crown in the $225,000 OSS Super Final. Ron Burke trains the mare for his Burke Racing Stable LLC, Frank Baldachino, JandT Silva-Purnel And Libby and Weaver Bruscemi LLC. She has raced five times as a four-year-old in 2022 but is winless. Her most recent race was a fifth-place finish in a conditioned event at The Meadowlands on April 30.
Rocknificent (Captaintreacherous – Rocklamation) became the main thorn in Lyons Sentinel’s side in the second half of the season. Finishing runner-up to the star mare in the Clara Barton, Lady Liberty, Roses Are Red, Milton Pace and Dayton Distaff, Rocknificent turned the tables with a 1:49 win in the $330,000 Breeders Crown Mare Pace at The Meadowlands. Linda Toscano trained the mare now owned by Enviro Stables Ltd., South Mountain Stables, Little E LLC and John Schmucker. She has not yet raced as a five-year-old in 2022.
GROUP D
Lawless Shadow (Shadow Play – Ladycino) scored a rare victory when he was placed first via disqualification in the $700,000 Meadowlands Pace Final. The Dr. Ian Moore trainee then won one more race with the $300,000 Max Hempt Memorial before getting sidelined due to injury, resulting in him missing the North America Cup and a number of major fall stakes. The stallion is owned by Dr. Ian Moore, R G McGroup Ltd., Serge Savard and Frank Cannon. He has not yet started as a four-year-old in 2022.
Fast As The Wind (Cantab Hall – Wind Stroll) popped onto the scene towards the end of the year after minor finishes in stakes including a third in the $293,450 Peter Haughton Memorial. He capped his freshman season sharply at The Meadowlands, winning the $300,960 Kindergarten Classic and $413,600 Valley Victory. Tony Alagna trains the colt for owners LeBlanc and Kribbs, Joe Sbrocco and Joseph Barbera. He has qualified twice as a three-year-old in 2022, most recently posting a 1:53.1 mile at The Meadowlands on May 6.
Fire Start Hanover (Somebeachsomewhere – Fit To Frame) remained a top player in the three-year-old pacing filly ranks last season with wins in the $62,800 Tompkins-Geers and $425,000 Fan Hanover Final along with seconds in the $174,400 Mistletoe Shalee, $97,550 Shady Daisy, $250,000 James Lynch Memorial and $207,000 Glen Garnsey Memorial. Richard “Nifty” Norman trains the mare for owners Pinske Stables, David Hoese and Lawrence Means. She has yet to start as a four-year-old in 2022.
Swingforthefences (Swan For All – Sunday Yankee) earned his living almost exclusively in the Midwest, winning in several Indiana Sires Stakes prelims and then taking the $270,000 Super Final. He uncorked a four-race win streak following, including wins in the $165,000 Carl Erskine Memorial and $156,300 Matron. Jeff Cullipher now trains and co-owns the gelding with Pollack Racing LLC. He has raced five times in 2022 with his most recent effort a fifth-place finish in a $75,000 Graduate prelim on May 7 at The Meadowlands.
Missing the board only once in 18 starts last season, When Dovescry (Muscle Hill – Cedar Dove) remained one of the sports top trotting mares. She won the $233,000 Armbro Flight, $116,500 Miss Versatility and $175,000 TVG Mares Final while finishing second in the $156,000 Joie De Vie and $169,750 Dayton Trotting Derby. Brett Pelling trains the mare for owner John Lengacher who has one start as a six-year-old in 2022, finishing third in a $30,000 Miss Versatility prelim on May 6 at The Meadowlands.
Grace Hill (Always B Miki – Western Silk) hit a hot streak after winning the $97,550 Shady Daisy on Hambletonian Day. She rode a five-race win streak including wins in the $250,000 James Lynch Memorial and $253,000 Pennsylvania Sires Stakes Final. Richard “Nifty” Norman trains the mare for owner Tom Hill. She has raced twice as a four-year-old in 2022 with her most recent effort a second-place finish in the $30,000 New Jersey Maturity on April 30 at The Meadowlands.
Fashion Frenzie (Archangel – Striking Fashion) rose to be one of the top trotting sophomores in Ontario leading to the Grand Circuit meet, where he won the $240,000 Goodtimes Final. He wrapped the season with a facile win in the $225,000 Ontario Sires Stakes Super Final. Richard Moreau trains the gelding for owners Ecurie Francis Richard Inc., Mario Bourgea, Pierre Guillemette and Sylvain Richard. He has yet to start as a four-year-old in 2022.
Johan Palema (Bar Hopping – Sobti Hanover) scored his crowning win with a 1:55 wire-to-wire effort in the $500,000 Yonkers Trot. He landed notable finishes later in the season with a second in the $300,000 Earl Beal Jr. Memorial and $253,000 Pennsylvania Sires Stakes Final. Ake Svanstedt trains the stallion for owner Bender Sweden Inc. He has started once as a four-year-old in 2022, finishing third in a conditioned event at The Meadowlands on May 6.
Gulf Shores (Downbytheseaside – Western Drag) went unbeaten in six starts in progress to a victory in the $300,000 Ohio Sires Stakes Super Final. He then moved to the Grand Circuit, where he managed a second in the $110,000 Bluegrass Stakes and $600,000 Breeders Crown. Brian Brown trains the colt for owners Country Club Acres Inc., Crossover Racing and Wingfield Brothers LLC. He has qualified once as a three-year-old in 2022, posting a 1:56.4 mile on May 8 at Scioto Downs.
A consistent performer in the free-for-all trotting ranks, Lindy The Great (Crazed – Highscore Kemp) got his turn in the sun late in the season with a victory in the $546,000 Maple Leaf Trot at Woodbine Mohawk Park. Otherwise, he only missed the board in two of his 12 starts on the season. Julie Miller trains the stallion for Andy Miller Stable Inc., John Schmucker, John Mehlenbacher and VIP Internet Stable LLC. He has yet to start as an eight-year-old in 2022.
To enter the 2022 TROT Magazine Fantasy Stable contest, click the following link: 2022 TROT Magazine Fantasy Stable Entry Form.