Lucky Chucky, who was voted last season’s best two-year-old male trotter by the U.S. Harness Writers Association, and Peter Haughton Memorial winner Holiday Road are among the eight horses entered in Friday’s $80,900 Historic-Dickerson Cup at the Meadowlands Racetrack
. Both three-year-old trotters will be making their seasonal debuts. The field also includes New Jersey Sire Stakes champion Muscle Massive.
Last season, Lucky Chucky won nine of 12 races, including the Valley Victory, Matron and divisions of the International Stallion and Bluegrass stakes. He was second in the Breeders Crown and third in the Haughton. He earned $672,634.
Lucky Chucky was slated to make his 2010 debut on June 25 at the Meadowlands, but was scratched because of illness.
“He caught a virus for a day or two,” said trainer Chuck Sylvester, whose SGS Partners (Neal Goldman and Amy Lynn Stoltzfus) own Lucky Chucky with the Perretti Racing Stable and Lindy Racing Stable. “He had a high fever on Wednesday [June 23]. By Thursday night he was fine and he’s been fine ever since. We hope there are no lingering effects; he trained good Monday, so I don’t think there’s any problem with him.”
Lucky Chucky spent the winter in Florida and won two qualifiers at the Meadowlands in preparation for his three-year-old debut.
“He trained super all winter; never missed a workout,” Sylvester said. “He had a great winter. He never showed us one time that he wasn’t going to come back and have a great year. He always wants to please.”
Tyler Buter will drive Lucky Chucky on Friday, subbing for an unavailable John Campbell.
“I’m just hoping he gives him a nice trip,” Sylvester said. “We’ll probably follow along and trot to the wire and see what he can do. He needs a race; we’ve got to get going.”
Holiday Road won three of six races last year, earning $312,350. His biggest moment came with his stakes-record Haughton victory, winning by 1-1/4 lengths over Pilgrims Taj (who later won the Breeders Crown) in 1:54. Holiday Road, a full brother to multiple stakes winner Ken Warkentin, enters Friday night off three qualifier wins. Brian Sears will drive for trainer Greg Peck. Holiday Road was 9-5 in the morning line; Lucky Chucky was 2-1.
In addition to Muscle Massive, the remainder of the field is Classic Viking, Coco Lindy, Pilgrims Chuckie, Temple Of Doom, and Wishing Stone.
Seven three-year-old fillies will line up for Friday’s $72,400 Historic-Coaching Club Trotting Oaks. The group has combined to win 11 of 17 starts and post 15 on-the-board finishes so far this year. Glide Power, coming off a win in the New Jersey Sire Stakes championship, was made the slight 2-1 morning line favourite over Springtime Volo, who was second in the sire stakes final. The remainder of the field is Behindclosedoors, Impressive Kemp, In The Mean Time, Levi’s Lady, and Southwind Samurai.
Tonight, in the $83,800 Historic-Acorn Stakes for two-year-old filly trotters, Global Desire looks to make it two-for-two in her blossoming career. The two-year-old filly trotter is a full sister to 2006 Horse of the Year Glidemaster. Trained by Jimmy Takter and driven by Ron Pierce, she won her debut in a division of the New Jersey Sires Stakes by seven lengths in 1:57.1 at the Meadowlands on June 24.
Also in the Acorn field is Jezzy, a daughter of Credit Winner out of the mare Ladylind, who won the 2003 Merrie Annabelle. Jezzy, trained by Ray Schnittker and driven by Tim Tetrick, is making her debut after two wins in qualifiers. Schnittker also sends out Epona Blue Chip, who is a half sister to last year’s New York Sire Stakes two-year-old filly champion Munis Blue Chip, and Electra Blue Chip.
On Thursday, two divisions of the Historic-Harriman Cup for two-year-old male trotters will be contested. Schnittker’s Musclelaneous (a full brother to multiple stakes winner No Pain No Gain) and High Pan Tolerance are the morning line favourites in the first division. In the second division, Takter’s Leader Of The Gang, a $170,000 yearling purchase at the Standardbred Horse Sale, is the favourite. He won his debut, a division of the New Jersey Sire Stakes.
This story courtesy of Harness Racing Communications, a division of the U.S. Trotting Association. For more information, visit www.ustrotting.com.