Modern Family captured the inaugural edition of the $200,000 Charlie Hill Memorial while equalling the 1:52.2 all-age trotting track record at Scioto Downs on Saturday night.
Driver Dave Palone sent Modern Family to the lead over Creatine and Archangel during a :27-second opening quarter. He continued to control the tempo to the half in :56.4 and three-quarters in 1:24.2 before drawing away from first over pursuer Arch Madness by three lengths turning for home. All alone on top, the Daryl Bier trainee cruised to the finish, winning by one and three-quarter lengths over Archangel. Creatine finished third. Dws Ny Yank rallied from second over for fourth with longshot Undercover Strike edging out favourite Market Share for the final paycheque in fifth.
"Daryl said he's a beautiful horse to drive," said Palone after the race. "He's great with the gate. He's got great tactical speed. He grabbed the racetrack in :27 and I was able to get a nice breather with him and the horse took over from there."
A runner-up in the Arthur J. Cutler Memorial on May 17 at The Meadowlands with a 1:53.3 qualifier over Pocono Downs in between, Modern Family was the 2-1 second choice in the field scratched down to nine and paid $5.80 to win. He has won now half of his 12 starts this year while never missing the board to bank $241,150.
"I was a fan of the horse," continued Palone, who drove Modern Family for the first time tonight. "He's been racing great against Sebastien K and I can see why. He's just a wonderful horse to drive, he's got a nice way of going.
"I was lucky enough to get the call [to drive him]. Me and Daryl have been friends for 25 years and it's just nice to do good things for good people."
The five-year-old son of Cantab Hall is owned by Bier, Charles Dombeck and Richard Poillucci.
Modern Family's 19th career win sent his bankroll over the half-million mark.
Thanks for great article.I
Thanks for great article.I was not able to be there in person but got to see it on the computer.