Madden Oaks was declared the winner of Saturday’s $898,630 Grade 1 Meadowlands Pace for three-year-olds at The Meadowlands on Saturday, July 12 after Prince Hal Hanover was disqualified and placed second for interference against Madden Oaks in the stretch.
Prince Hal Hanover, driven by Todd McCarthy for trainer Dr. Ian Moore, was first to the finish by a length over Madden Oaks in 1:47.4, but after a lengthy judges’ inquiry, Madden Oaks was elevated to first for driver Braxten Boyd and trainer Cameron Capone. Papis Pistol (David Miller) finished third.
Four years ago, Moore won the Meadowlands Pace with Lawless Shadow, who was placed first following the disqualification of Charlie May.
In Saturday’s race, Prince Hal Hanover went to the front from post four in a :26 opening quarter as Madden Oaks, who started from post nine in the nine-horse field, applied pressure on the outside. Madden Oaks got the lead, but Prince Hal Hanover, the 9-5 favourite, moved again and retook the top spot in a :54.1 half.
Prince Hal Hanover remained in front at three-quarters, reached in 1:21.3, while fending off a first-over bid from Captain Optimistic (Dexter Dunn). As the field turned for home, Prince Hal Hanover pulled away from Captain Optimistic while Boyd launched a move to the inside with Madden Oaks. Those two battled in close quarters through the lane, with Prince Hal Hanover ruled to have interfered with Madden Oaks nearing the finish line.
“I looked left and there wasn’t much place for me to fall, so it was kind of press time,” Boyd said about the first quarter of the race. “Once I got there, he relaxed, and we were able to let Todd go and not have him too wound up. He sat in there a little better today. At the top of the stretch, I just said, just let me get loose and this is over.”
When asked if he thought Madden Oaks would have gone by Prince Hal Hanover in the stretch, Boyd responded, “Absolutely.”
(helmet camera footage from Braxten Boyd courtesy Jessica Hallett)
Last month, Madden Oaks finished second by a head to Louprint in the million-dollar Pepsi North America Cup at Woodbine Mohawk Park. The Meadowlands Pace triumph gave the 25-year-old Boyd and recently turned 26-year-old Capone their biggest career wins to date.
“We’ve made a great team, and I can’t thank all the connections enough for believing in me and giving me these opportunities,” Boyd said. “And then we get it done. I couldn’t be more grateful.”
He later added about the victory, “It’s pretty hard to explain. What a blessing. I didn’t even imagine I would ever drive in this race as a kid. I watched a couple Meadowlands Paces with my dad, we came out to watch, and just to even think about being here right now, it doesn’t even really seem real. What an awesome feeling.”
Madden Oaks has won three of eight races this season and five of 11 in his career, earning $716,504. The colt is owned by Samir Tawil, Paul Kautz, Alexander Henn, and Nathan Fullmer. The son of Huntsville-Hard Eight was bred by The Bay’s Stable, Polger Holdings, South Mountain Stables, and Mark Mullen.
“He’s just an absolute beast of a horse,” Boyd said. “He just covers the ground so effortlessly and he’s got a huge set of lungs. He’s just a special horse.
“It’s not like I really had to do much; I just have to let him do his job.”
Madden Oaks, sent off at 6-1, paid $15.20 to win.
The full card replay from Meadowlands Pace night is available below. For recaps from the undercard, click the following link: Stars Shine On Pace Night Undercard.
(Meadowlands)