Although they’ve just begun their racing careers, Seventh Secret and Limelight Beach have been traveling parallel paths.
As they approached Tuesday’s $269,805 Pennsylvania Sires Stake known as the Albatross at The Meadows, each was making his second career start. Each was sent off a considerable longshot, and each fell well off the pace early. But each rallied to capture his division in 1:52, and they now share the Albatross record.
Seventh Secret had first crack at it, but his prospects looked bleak when he dawdled 8-1/2 lengths off the lead at the there-quarters. The 22-1 outsider rallied through the lane for Mike Wilder to defeat Allstar Partner by a half-length margin, with Lets Drink On It third. The time shaved two ticks from the previous Albatross record established last year by Good Day Mate and is the fastest this year by a freshman colt on a five-eighths-mile track.
“I didn’t know if I could reach because of the ground I had to make up, but my colt sure had a lot of pace at that point,” Wilder said. “Once we got straightened out for home and I got him lined up, I knew I would run them down. He has the greatest attitude.”
Dan Altmeyer trains the Allamerican Native colt for owner/breeder Ruth Altmeyer. The youngster is the seventh foal out of Secret Song — thus the name Seventh Secret — and his two victories in two starts have made his dam a 100 percent producer.
About 90 minutes later, Limelight Beach, dismissed at 16-1, moved three wide at the three-quarters for David Miller and nailed Cabana Boy Hanover, the 1-2 favourite, by three-quarters of a length. Sometimes Said earned show. In another echo of Seventh Secret’s performance, it was the fastest mile this year by a freshman gelding on a five-eighths-mile track.
“When we went three wide, my horse felt strong,” Miller said. “The fractions were honest enough, so I thought he had a pretty good shot. He raced like I thought he would. I think he’ll keep going.”
Brian Brown trains Limelight Beach, a son of Somebeachsomewhere-Benear, for James Stambaugh, Milton Leeman and Charles Wingfield.
Westward Hanover was just as impressive in his career debut, making the lead with a quarter-pole move for trainer/driver Joe Pavia, Jr. and prevailing in 1:52.3. Naked City was next best, with At Press Time third. Steve Held, Joseph Barbera, Michael Rich and AGC Stables own the son of Somebeachsomewhere-Western Duel, a $145,000 yearling acquisition.
“We weren’t going to go higher than $125,000 for him,” Pavia said. “But Steve Held fell in love with him when he saw him at Hanover and said, ‘That’s the one I want.’ We’ll race him in the sires stakes, then give him a little breather. He’s eligible for the Breeders Crown, the Governor’s Cup and a bunch of them. We’ll take it one step at a time.”
The event for two-year-old colt and gelding pacers was conducted over five divisions, with Kingofthejungle (1:53.1) and Tellitlikeitis (1:52.2) taking the other splits.
In the $20,000 Preferred Handicap Trot, Bettis unleashed a determined uncovered bid that carried him to victory in a career-best 1:53.3 for Dan Rawlings. Ellisarro Hanover followed Bettis’ cover to be second, a neck back, while Big And Little completed the ticket. David Wade trains the eight-year-old son of Sierra Kosmos-SJs Shad Roe, who now boasts $387,970 in lifetime earnings, and owns with William F. Peel and Gerald Brittingham.
Wednesday’s card at The Meadows features four divisions of an $80,000 PA Stallion Series stake for two-year-old colt and gelding trotters, with the splits going as the first four races. First post is 6:55 p.m.
(The Meadows)