Prospective Hambletonian favourite Karl encountered a major bump in the road when Sig Sauer soared past him and posted a 65-1 upset in the first $184,931 division of the Stanley Dancer Memorial, for three-year-old male trotters, at The Meadowlands on Saturday, July 13. Driver Andy McCarthy guided the Noel Daley trainee past another long shot — Tony Adams S — in the shade of the wire to win for the first time in 2024 while handing Karl, the 1-9 favourite, his first defeat of the year.
With Karl starting from post eight, most of the field left the gate with purpose. Tony Adams S and Åke Svanstedt looked to protect their rail position, forcing Sig Sauer to take a seat along with Dame Good Time. Tim Tetrick moved four-wide with Security Protected and reached the front by the :27.1 opening quarter, but his lead would be short-lived.
Yannick Gingras had taken a brief tuck with Karl going to the quarter as Scott Zeron energized Dame Good Time for a second time to gain the front on the backstretch. Gingras gave Karl his marching orders, and the Tactical Landing-sired colt, wearing aluminum shoes in front for the first time this year, took off. Dame Good Time had the lead at the :55.2 half but relinquished it to Karl soon after.
Svanstedt didn’t wait very long with Tony Adams S, moving with solid speed five-eighths of a mile into the contest while tracked by Sig Sauer. Karl had command at three-quarters in 1:23 and appeared ready to sprint off, but by mid-stretch, it was clear that Tony Adams S was going to pass him. The 22-1 shot briefly looked the winner in the race, but McCarthy went to work on Sig Sauer, and the Muscle Hill colt form the Donato Hanover-sired Sigilwig shifted gears and sprinted by in the final yards, winning by a head in a career-best 1:50.
Tony Adams S was a solid second while Karl finished third for the first time in his 15-race career.
Sig Sauer (pictured above) is owned by Patricia Stable, Joe Sbrocco & JAF Racing, Allister Stables and Caviart Farms. He returned $138 to win and $335.80 for place with Karl off the ticket.
“I knew how much ability he has,” said McCarthy following the race. “Noel found the right shoe for him up front where he was interfering.”
Åke Svanstedt was more assertive in the second division, guiding Situationship to victory in a 1:51.1 mile in the $184,931 contest after taking control of the race at the half-mile pole.
Situationship and Wild Ticket left sharply from the outside as co-favoured Highland Kismet lagged the gate by three lengths and favourite T C I took early position along the pylons. Wild Ticket had control at the :26.3 opening fraction for Dexter Dunn and slowed the pace dramatically in the second quarter. That led T C I and David Miller to edge out, but before they were able to make a move, Svanstedt quickly regained with Situationship for control at the :55.4 halfway point.
T C I eventually moved for Miller on the turn, but not before Svanstedt had Situationship settled and on the lead in a pedestrian 1:24 three-quarter clocking. For most of the stretch, Situationship appeared vulnerable, but Svanstedt kept him to his task. The gelded son of Chapter Seven held firmly with a :27.1 final quarter completing the mile. Caballero and Tim Tetrick angled out late for the place spot with T C I holding third.
Owned by Knutsson Trotting, Little E LLC and Tomas Andersson, Situationship returned $5.60 to win.
“I saw David (Miller with T C I) moving and I wanted to get ahead of him,” said Svanstedt of his decisive move at the half.
Situationship is out of the Cantab Hall-sired Meegan Hall.
(Meadowlands)