With a three-wide brush around the final turn, Vintage Master and driver Dan Dube posted a 13-1 upset in 1:49.2 in the $677,665 Delvin Miller Adios during Saturday afternoon's stakes-packed card at the Meadows
in front of an enthusiastic crowd of 4,210.
The 43rd edition of the Adios, held again at the Meadows after being contested at Pocono Downs last year, boasted a $827,665 total purse [including last week’s eliminations], a record for a harness race in Pennsylvania. The 1:49.2 clocking was a stakes record for the Adios Final as well.
Vintage Master’s win, just the second in the colt’s career, came as a surprise to many, but not to trainer Jimmy Takter and Dube.
The son of Western Ideal, owned and bred by Brittany Farms of Versailles, Kentucky, and the estate of Brian Monieson, may have had just one prior win, but also had nearly $600,000 in earnings. He’d been second in 10 of his 24 lifetime starts prior to the Adios, including the $1 million Meadowlands Pace.
“I said a month ago that one of these days, he was going to win one of these big ones, and I’m glad it was in the Adios,” said an exuberant Takter, who was making his Adios debut. “The caliber of races he’s been in, those are tough to win. I thought we’d get a good chunk of this at least.”
“Jimmy has been working hard with this colt, week after week, to make him better,” said Dube, who likewise was winning his first Adios final. “I was locked in, but when I finally got in the flow three-wide, I knew he’d give me a good kick. Down by the wire, he gave me another surge. He didn’t win by accident. He won because he’s good.”
Meadowlands Pace and North America Cup victor Well Said was sent off the 2-5 favourite. When the gate folded, Straight Shooting, Mr Wiggles and Chasin Racin vied for the lead. They hit the quarter in :26.2, with Well Said and Ron Pierce fifth on the outside at that point, and Vintage Master well back in eighth.
Mr Wiggles was parked the three-eighths, finally cleared, then yielded to Well Said, who was on top in :53.3. They hit the three quarters in 1:21, and Vintage Master was still sixth in the outer tier.
As they turned for home, Mr Wiggles and Corey Callahan charged out after Well Said, and got the lead briefly, but it was Vintage Master coming fastest of all after launching his three-wide move. He swept by in deep stretch to win by a half, with Mr Wiggles second and Well Said third.
Vintage Master returned $29,80 and 11.80, while Mr Wiggles returned $8.80. There was no show wagering on the race. The 3-2 exacta paid $243.40.
Driver Ron Pierce said Well Said simply got tired. “He’s had a lot of tough races,” he said. “There have been a lot in a row – Burlington, North America Cup elims and final. He went a huge mile in his Meadowlands Pace elim, was huge in the final, then set a track record 1:49 in his Adios elimination last week.
“I think it’s just caught up with him,” he said. “[Trainer] Steve Elliott will freshen him up, and I’m sure he’ll be just fine.”
Trainer George Teague Jr., who trains second-place Adios finisher Mr Wiggles, sent out 17 starters on the day. He had seven wins, a second, and a third for the day, and owned a part of each winner. Driver Brian Sears had six winners, four of them for the Teague operation.
Ginger And Fred The Belle Of The Ball In Adioo Volo
Ginger And Fred was the fast-stepping belle of the ball once more at the Meadows Saturday as she glided to the lead from Post 9 and captured a division of the $225,966 Quinton Patterson Adioo Volo for three-year-old pacing fillies.
Blogette Hanover came from well off the pace to take the other division. The race, part of Adios Day festivities at the Meadows, is named for the late Quinton Patterson, longtime grandstand manager for the Meadows and one of the track's original employees.
Ginger And Fred had put together a three-race win streak, including victories at the Meadows, Mohawk and the Meadowlands, but the deep post position in the Adioo Volo concerned her driver, Dave Palone.
"The nine hole is a big factor, always," Palone said. "You know you'll have to work for the lead. I was happy when we got to the front in :26.3. I thought that was pretty cheap. She relaxed for me. From there, never a nervous moment. She fought some tying up and sickness issues early and at the wrong time, but I never got down on her. I never felt that she went a bad race when she was feeling good. Now that she's starting to round back into form, she's getting cocky at the right time of year."
Ginger And Fred triumphed in 1:51, a tick off the stake record established last year by Pasta Lavista. Samantha Q was 2-1/4 lengths back in second, with Personal Ad third. Ron Burke trains Ginger And Fred, a daughter of Real Artist-Graceful Motion, for the partnership of Howard Taylor, Robert Feldman, Edwin Gold and Jerry Silva.
In the second division, Pedigree Snob opened a daylight lead on the field by tossing off some wicked fractions, including a front three-quarters in 1:20.4. But she tired badly late, leaving an opening for Blogette Hanover, an eight-time winner in her career, who trailed by seven lengths at the half.
"I thought she might come back to us; those are pretty good numbers, and my mare has some class," said winning driver Brian Sears. "She didn't get around the turns super, but she handled them well enough to get the job done. She didn't feel real good in the turns, but I had to keep the hammer down just to keep up."
Blogette Hanover won in 1:51.2, a career best, a neck ahead of the weary Pedigree Snob. Im Not Gonna Lie was third.
Bill Zendt is training Blogette Hanover for a stretch of Pennsylvania racing that includes several PASS events. Regular trainer John Burns owns the daughter of Allamerican Native-Bikini Hanover with Peter Berry and John Fielding.
Sand Windsor Sets Stakes Record In Inaugeral Catherine Baker Knoll
In her second career start, Sand Windsor performed like a speedy, determined veteran, coming first over en route to a stake-record 1:53 victory in a division of the $120,000 Catherine Baker Knoll at the Meadows Saturday.
Formerly known as the Fred Jamison, the stake was renamed to honour the life and contributions of the late Catherine Baker Knoll, former Pennsylvania lieutenant governor and a great friend of harness racing. The inaugural edition of the Knoll was contested over six divisions, with Fancy Filly, Farouche Hanover, Tee Time, Jolenes Delight and Hokie Spirit taking the other splits.
Trainer George Teague, Jr. and driver Brian Sears had a prolific and productive Adios Day. In a pair of two-year-old stakes spanning 12 divisions, Teague sent out seven winners. Sears recorded a six-bagger on the card.
Sand Windsor won at first asking in a division of the Reynolds, and she won just as handily in the Knoll. She opened up after clearing for Brett Miller and went on to prevail by 4-1/4 lengths over Camsamericangirl. Mcultra finished third. The time lowered the previous stake record of 1:54.1 held jointly by Decor and Cam Swifty.
Miller called Sand Windsor "one of the smartest young horses I've ever driven."
"She lets you do anything you want with her, and she has wicked speed," Miller said. "We've been a little careful leaving with her because she has Jate Lobell in her breeding; Jates tend to get a little hot."
He said Sand Windsor is ticketed for a month of racing at The Red Mile. Jim Arledge, Jr. trains and Bill Sanders owns the daughter of Real Desire-Time N Again.
Fancy Filly remained undefeated in four career starts, scoring a no-suspense win for Sears in 1:53.2.
"She's been a good one since Day 1," said Teague, who had 17 starters in the card's 16 races. "A lot of the good ones are like that. She's been racing for some good money in Pennsylvania, and she's eligible to most of the big stakes later on."
Theodore Gewertz, Only Money Inc. and George Teague, Jr. Inc. own the daughter of Western Hanover-Fanciful Hanover, a $15,000 yearling purchase.
Farouche Hanover has gone to the lead in each of her four career starts. In the Knoll, she made that early lead stand up, defeating Smoke Pan Mirrors by 1/2 length in a career-best 1:54.4. Sand Gesture was third.
"We bought this filly at the early sale at Harrisburg last year," said Randy Bendis, who trains the daughter of Mcardle-Fatima and owns with Frank Castelli and Reed Broadway. "She was Hip No. 1, so she probably was the first horse to go on the auction block last year. We paid $11,000, kind of a bargain. The first sale usually includes some of the chancier prospects, but I thought she was the best-looking horse I saw that day. She would be fine racing from a hole."
Delmarvalous Simply 'Marvalous' In Adios Day Stakes Debut
Delmarvalous was "marvalous," indeed in his stakes debut on Adios Day at the Meadows, capturing the fastest division of a $120,000 Grand Circuit stake for freshman colt pacers.
The stake, known as the Governor David L. Lawrence, was contested over six divisions, with Beignet, Dr Dreamy, Oakmont, Jettin Justin and Fancyfreeshark taking the other splits. Trainer George Teague, Jr. had a monster day, sending out 17 starters on the 16-race card and winning seven divisions in a pair of stakes for two-year-olds. Brian Sears fashioned a six-bagger on the card.
A son of Badlands Hanover-Prymetyme Scootie, Delmarvalous didn't race until his July 16 debut at the Meadowlands, which he won handily. The Gov. Lawrence was his first scheduled stake.
"He's one of our best two-year-olds, he always has ranked right up there," Teague said of the $25,000 yearling acquisition. "He's done everything we ever wanted him to do. He's a gorgeous colt to look at. This was actually the first stake race on his schedule. My partner was adamant about not starting him too early. We wanted to gear him up for the later part of the year."
Delmarvalous made a quarter-pole move for Sears and drew away steadily to triumph by 6-1/2 lengths over Blueridge Fortune in 1:52.4. Indelible Hanover was third. Elmer Fannin, Badlands Racing LLC and George Teague, Jr. Inc. own Delmarvalous.
Beignet, a strong second in his two previous starts, broke his maiden in style for Tim Tetrick, scoring in 1:53 after a decisive quarter-pole move. Sand Savage was two lengths back in second, with Pan Of The Lost third.
"We bought him in Kentucky for $6,000," Teague said. "I don't know why he didn't bring more. He looked all right to me. He had all the qualifications, out of a pretty nice family. He's a little bit behind because of some sickness, but he's catching up rather quickly. Big holes in his game? If they have big holes, they don't get this far."
Ted Gewertz, George Teague, Jr. Inc. and Teague Racing Partnership own Beignet, a son of Four Starzzz Shark-Armbro Truffle.
Dr Dreamy kept his record unblemished after three starts, winning by 3-3/4 lengths in 1:53.4. Art N Charm was second, with Native Justice third. Sears made a winning quarter-pole brush with Dr Dreamy, a move he thinks the colt prefers.
"He has a lot of go," Sears said. "I don't think he's the most gifted in terms of gait, but he has speed and the desire to be a good racehorse. He won't circle them from fifth or sixth. He's the type who needs to be up close."
Ted Gewertz, Only Money Inc., George Teague, Jr. Inc. and Teague Racing Stable own Dr Dreamy, a son of Art Major-Candy Stripes.
(With files from the Meadows)