National Seelster, Cooperstown and My Hero Ron were victorious in Saturday night's eliminations for the 49th edition of the $525,000 Delvin Miller Adios Pace for the Orchids Presented by Coors Light at The Meadows.
National Seelster and driver Tim Tetrick turned back all challengers to win the first $25,000 elimination.
Tetrick sent the overwhelming 1-2 favourite to the lead from third after the :26.2 opening panel and raced on to the half in :54.4 before being confronted by Rufo (Yannick Gingras). National Seelster and Rufo raced head-to-head past three-quarters in 1:22.3 with the former fighting back and then holding off the late-closers down the lane for the 1:51.1 triumph. Local contender Angelo J Fra (Tony Hall) rallied home from third over, widest of all, for the runner-up honours while Dreams Beachboy (Dave Palone) closed off Rufo's cover to finish third.
“My horse was kind of falling asleep on the front,” said Tetrick. “He’s only cut it a few times, and he didn’t know what to do up there. When he saw that Yannick couldn’t get around him, he got brave. He swelled up enough to get to the wire. I think he needs a helmet to follow for quite a while. He can rough it some, but on the front, he’s too lazy. I won’t do that again with him.”
Chris Ryder trains the Ontario-bred Bettors Delight colt for owners Robert Mondillo of Delaware, Ohio and Oompas Farm Inc. of Creamridge, New Jersey. Unraced as a freshman, National Seelster has won eight of his 14 career starts, with half of his wins in the New York Sire Stakes.
Sent postward as the longest shot on the board at odds of 35-1, Cooperstown turned in a career-best 1:49.4 performance to win the second elimination in rein to Yannick Gingras. He paid $77.40 to win.
Tomy Terror (Mike Wilder) was the first off the gate with Rock N Roll World (Tim Tetrick) leaving to his outside and taking over command around the first turn. But after Rock N Roll World reached the first quarter mark in :26.1, Tomy Terror moved back out for the retake in front of the grandstand. Badiou Hanover (Andy Miller) then launched a first over attack from third and applied pressure to the leader through middle splits of :55.3 and 1:22.3. However, it was the last three that would eventually be the first three across the wire. Favourite Lost For Words (David Miller) rushed three-wide off cover and took over command into the stretch with Cooperstown and Dudes The Man (Corey Callahan) closing from the backfield. Cooperstown prevailed in the three-across finish while Lost For Words edged out Dudes The Man in a photo for place.
“Actually, I liked my spot,” said Gingras of his third over position in the race. “I didn’t think the leaders were the horses to beat, and I knew my cover would take me a long way. I wasn’t thinking about winning -- he was 35-1 for a reason. But around the last turn, I knew I’d made the final, anyway.”
Cooperstown is trained by Ron Burke and owned by his Pennsylvania connections of Burke Racing Stable LLC, Weaver Bruscemi LLC, Keith Pippi and Michelle Yanek. His fourth winning mile in 23 starts was his first in sub-1:50 fashion.
Gingras and Burke also teamed up to win the third elimination with even-money favourite My Hero Ron while stablemate Yankee Bounty finished second.
Leaving from post six, My Hero Ron cleared to command at the :26.3 first quarter mark and led the field through middle panels of :55.1 and 1:23 en route to the 1:50.3 triumph. Yankee Bounty (Corey Callahan) advanced first over from fourth and chased his barn buddy home in second-place. Early leader Trading Up (Dave Palone) followed in third.
“He’s a little bit lazy, but he’s the kind of horse who will step up when they get to him,” said Gingras of the winner. “Those were pretty soft fractions for this bunch, so I knew he’d have plenty left.”
The Burke Racing Stable LLC and Weaver Bruscemi LLC share ownership of My Hero Ron with Lawrence Karr of Randolph, New Jersey and Frank Baldachino of Clarksburg, New Jersey. The Well Said gelding, who entered the eliminations off a career-best 1:50.1 qualifying mile at Meadowlands Racetrack, has won five of his 19 starts lifetime. He is currently riding a three-race win streak that includes a Pennsylvania Sires Stakes victory at The Meadows in early June.
The Burke stable set two personal records on the evening. One, of course, was winning two Adios eliminations. The second may be even more impressive — the stable entered 24 horses, most ever for Burke on a single program at a single track. Ultimately, two were scratched. Nevertheless, Farm Manager Michelle Hill spent a good chunk of the preceding week preparing index cards for each horse with staff assignments.
The top three finishers in each elimination will advance to the Adios final on Saturday afternoon, August 1. Rock N Roll World will be the Also Eligible as the top money-earning fourth-place finisher. An open draw for Adios post positions will take place on Tuesday at 12:30 p.m. and can be seen on Meadows Live!
Saturday’s Adios eliminations card at The Meadows was supported by three other compelling stakes that, along with the elims, comprised 13 of the 15 races. Gingras and Burke each scored five times in those stakes while Tetrick enjoyed a stake four-bagger. Highlights from Saturday’s stakes:
The Albatross, $217,340 PASS – Two-Year-Old Colt and Gelding Pacers
Manhattan Beach zipped to the lead for Tetrick and rolled home in a stakes record 1:51.1, bettering the mark of 1:52 held jointly by Limelight Beach and Seventh Secret. Sossys King Kong was second, one and a half lengths back, with McPhil third. Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi LLC, Geoffrey Lyons Mound and Wingfield Brothers campaign the Somebeachsomewhere-Benear gelding, a full brother to the former record-holder, Limelight Beach, winner of the 2014 Little Brown Jug.
Check Six powered to the point with a quarter-pole move for Gingras and held off the late thrust of McDave to down him by a neck in 1:52.3, with Mr Right Hanover third. Burke trains the son of Somebeachsomewhere-Southwind Vanna for owners Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi, William Switala and James Martin.
“That was a horse race down the stretch — he wouldn’t let them go by him,” Gingras said. “He has all kinds of potential, He has the size, a nice gait, speed and guts. He has the package. Pacing colts are a little fickle at this stage. In another month, they’ll separate the men from the boys.”
Do Over Hanover pulled the pocket down the backside to avoid the faltering leader, Genovese, and held off Another Daily Copy by a neck to triumph in 1:52.4. Allies Cruiser earned show.
“He’s very versatile and good mannered,” said Jim Campbell, who trains the son of Western Ideal-Driven To Sin — a $25,000 yearling acquisition — for Jeffrey Snyder, Michael Snyder and Robert Unice. “I’ll give him a week or two off because he’s gone hard the last three weeks. We’ll probably get him ready for the next sires stake leg.”
Spider Man Hanover and The Catamount Kid took the other Albatross divisions.
The Romola Hanover, $182,016 PASS, Three-Year-Old Filly Pacers
Doctor Terror unleashed a huge uncovered bid from sixth that carried her to victory in 1:50.4 for Corey Callahan and trainer Blake MacIntosh, who owns the daughter of Western Terror-Doctor Seth with Stuart McIntosh. Imagine Dragon was second by a head, with Momas Got A Gun third. With the victory, Doctor Terror soared over $200,000 in career earnings.
The other Romola Hanover split also went to a daughter of Western Terror, as Safe From Terror and Gingras edged her stablemate, Storm Point, by a neck to win in 1:51.1. Macarena Mama completed the ticket. Burke conditions Safe From Terror for Our Horse Cents Stables, Stable 45 and J&T Silva Stables.
$60,000 PA Stallion Series – Three-Year-Old Filly Pacers
Off a layoff of more than two months, Dobre Povedane matched Icommandmyspirit’s stakes record of 1:51.3 when she followed cover and brushed home to defeat Lean On Yourself by one and three-quarter lengths, with Angel Or Terror third. Callahan drove for trainer John Butenschoen and owners David Prushnok and John Prushnok.
“We thought she could use a little time,” said Tyler Butenschoen, the winner’s assistant trainer. “She raced good her last race but maybe seemed a little sore afterward. Nothing major, but we gave her a little time, and she trained back great. I expected her to race good, but a 1:51.3 mile was an eye-opener.”
Mezzanine Fashion and Repeat Please captured the other stallion series splits.
(With files from The Meadows)