Real Cool Sam took a 4-for-4 record into the $324,550 final of the Peter Haughton Memorial on Saturday afternoon at The Meadowlands, and he parlayed it into a fifth win in as many tries for driver David Miller and trainer Jim Campbell.
Real Cool Sam comes charging hard to win the Peter Haughton Memorial at The Meadowlands. (Lisa Photo)
Sent off as the overwhelming favourite in the rich event for two-year-old trotting colts and geldings, Real Cool Sam slid into an early five-hole for Miller while Back Of The Neck motored to the top and carved out an opening quarter clocked in :27.3. A backstretch blast by Synergy propelled him to the lead, and once he cleared he proceeded to take the field to the mid-way point in :56.2.
Synergy continued to lead the way toward the final turn, but longshot Expectations made a rapid first-over attack with Real Cool Sam tracking his every move from second over. Synergy and Expectations were locked in stride at the three-quarter pole in 1:25.2. Miller flipped his charge off cover coming into the lane and Real Cool Sam had no problem sailing past the leaders and drawing away from the others in 1:53.1 – a track record-setting performance and a world record-equalling effort. Rome Pays Off was second under the finish line, with Expectations holding on for third prize.
Owned by Jules Siegel’s Fashion Farms LLC of New Hope, PA, the son of Muscle Hill-Cooler Schooner bumped his lifetime earnings to $225,111 with the win.
“He was a real good friend of mine,” said owner Jules Siegel. “He used to come down to the apron and watch me walking around as nervous as I was.
“I really appreciated what Sam did. I realize he did things for a lot of people, but to me it was a very personal thing," added Siegel. "I know other people have done the same thing (naming horses in McKee’s honour), but for me it was something special.”
Stay up-to-date with all the happenings from 2019 Hambletonian Day at The Meadowlands in the 2019 Hambletonian Day News Centre