Millionaire Well Said, fresh off his impressive victory in the Meadowlands Pace, heads a field of 26 three-year
-old colts and geldings which will 'pace for the orchids' in the $827,665 Delvin Miller Adios at the Meadows.
The three eliminations will go as Races 9, 10 and 11 on Friday, July 24, with the top three from each advancing to the $677,665 final Saturday, August 1.
With his wins in the Meadowlands Pace and the North America Cup, Well Said has already banked $1,914,627 in his 18-race career, and the colt will be sent forward Friday by connections rich with Adios titles. Jeff Snyder, who owns Well Said with Lothlorien Stables, already boasts three Adios victories as an owner (Cams Card Shark, 1994; Million Dollar Cam, 2002; Village Jolt, 2005), while trainer Steve Elliott conditioned Riverboat King, winner of the 2000 Adios. Well Said drew Post 5 in the second elim.
Other notable Adios contenders include Vintage Master, runner-up to Well Said in the Meadowlands Pace, and Keep It Real, a respectable third to Well Said in the North America Cup.
Trainer George Teague, Jr. dropped in five Adios hopefuls (Built To Drive, Bunkmeister, Chasin Racin, Johnny Z, Mr Wiggles); should all five start, Teague would tie the unofficial record for most entries in an Adios established by the Burke stable in 2007. Bulletproof Enterprises entered four (If I Can Dream, Straight Shooting, Vertical Horizon, Schoolkids), while trainers Ron Burke, Tracy Brainard and Tony Alagna also have multiple contenders.
This year's Adios purse is the richest in the 43-year history of the event. The August 1 card also will feature a $50,000 Adios consolation, the $225,000 Quinton Patterson for three-year-old pacing fillies, the $100,000 Gov. Lawrence for freshman colt pacers, and the inaugural $100,000 Catherine Baker Knoll for two-year-old pacing fillies. First race post time for both Adios cards is 12:15 p.m.
The line-up for the three eliminations, in post-position order:
Race 9
1. Roadway
2. If I Can Dream
3. Born To Rockn Roll
4. Vertigo Hanover
5. Ideal Danny
6. El Cucuy
7. Chasin Racin
8. Clear Vision
9. Vertical Horizon
Race 10
1. Panmunjom
2. Schoolkids
3. Doubleshotascotch
4. Built To Drive
5. Well Said
6. Upfront Hoosierboy
7. Keep It Real
8. Mobile
9. Johnny Z
Race 11
1. Precious Medal
2. Mr Wiggles
3. Vintage Master
4. Rusty's All In
5. Sheer Desire
6. Straight Shooting
7. Fireintheshark
8. Bunkmeister
(With files from the Meadows)