Chapercraz and driver Yannick Gingras delivered a multi-move trip for a 2:05.2 win over 11 rivals in the $582,192 E.T. Gerry Jr. Hambletonian Maturity, for four-year-old trotters over 1-1/8 miles, at the Meadowlands on Saturday, July 13.
The 32-1 shot fired from the outside post 10 to get the top with Hasty Bid (James MacDonald) and Oh Well (Todd McCarthy) on the outside also showing early interest. The crowded field produced much shuffling. Ari Ferrari J (Jason Bartlett) took a shot leading and Special Way (Tim Tetrick) challenged through a spirited :26 first quarter. After losing cover, Bestfriend Volo (Scott Zeron) forged to the lead over Special Way by the :55.2 half and Chapercraz was shuffled back to sixth. On the far turn, Ari Ferrari J, who was third-over when the flow began to develop, made a sustained push toward Bestfriend Volo and powered to the lead off the turn for home.
By the 1:23 three-quarters, the field was jam-packed going into the stretch until they fanned six across the track battling to reach the wire. Call Me Goo (Andy McCarthy) found room to move but broke stride lunging toward Bestfriend Volo, who was engulfed in mid-stretch, and French Wine (Andy Miller) made some noise fanning four-wide. Behind a wall of horses, Gingras swung Chapercraz around the faltering Call Me Goo and split rivals in the final yards to prevail by a neck in 2:05.2. French Wine, another long shot at 31-1, rallied to just nab the 12-1 Oh Well for second. Favourites Special Way and Winners Bet (Dexter Dunn) failed to make strong late impressions.
Trained by Ron Burke for owners Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi and Phil Collura, Chapercraz is a son of Crazy Wow from the Chapter Seven dam Chaperess. The win stretched his lifetime bankroll to $854,635, and he paid $67.40 to win.
Burke said Chapercraz "left well from the 10-hole and crossed over [well] on the turn. Then it got crazy. He's big and strong, and he'll get even better at four and five."
Gingras said his steed avoided a lot of activity:
"We got through the trouble [with Bestfriend Volo] and were in a good spot."
(Meadowlands)