Racing fans have eagerly waited to see the first-crop offspring of the great Somebeachsomewhere hit the track and since bursting onto the scene, it appears that the apples haven’t fallen far from the tree.
In the 2012 edition of the $1 million Metro Pace, set for this Saturday at Mohawk, the 2007 Metro winner, Somebeachsomewhere, will be well represented.
Defeated just once in 21 career starts, Somebeachsomewhere, driven by Paul MacDonell for trainer/co-owner Brent MacGrath, smashed numerous world records en route to earning $3,328,755 in his career.
The bay, who was voted the 2008 Horse of the Year on both sides of the border, was retired to stud duty to Hanover Shoe Farms in Pennsylvania following his three-year-old campaign.
With his two-year-olds surfacing across North America, there is no doubt that Somebeachsomewhere passed his traits and characteristics on to his sons and daughters.
“A lot of his offspring are very good gaited, like he was,” MacGrath said. “They all seem to be very intelligent and able to carry their speed. I guess that’s what you look for in a racehorse today and they all seem to have his attributes.”
“So far this season, Somebeachsomewhere has posted impressive statistics. From 124 horses born from his first season at stud, 92 offspring have already been showcased on the racetrack. Eleven of which have already posted victories in 1:53 or faster.
We’ve seen a lot of his offspring in the winner’s circle in the last 60 days, both here in Canada and the U.S.,” MacGrath said. “Every person I talk to doesn’t have a bad thing to say about their ‘Beach’s. It’s great to see, that’s for sure.”
In this year’s Metro, two of three elimination winners are sons of the superstar pacer. Captaintreacherous, the 9-5 morning line favourite, crossed the wire in a sizzling 1:49.3 in his elimination, just three-fifths of a second off the world record.
A winner of $241,337 so far the season, Captaintreacherous has crafted a 4-1-0 from five starts this season for driver Tim Tetrick and trainer Tony Alagna.
“I see a lot of resemblance [between Captaintreacherous and Somebeachsomewhere],” Alagna said. “He’s [Captaintreacherous] got a powerful way of going. When he gets into gear, he’s got a tremendous reach on him and he’s a very smart horse. He has all the tools of a great horse.”
Apprentice Hanover, who is installed as the 3-1 second choice, captured his elimination in a speedy 1:49.4 for driver Jody Jamieson and trainer Ben Wallace.
“He’s very much like the Mach Threes [Somebeachsomewhere’s sire] and ‘Beach’s,” Wallace said. “This guy reminded me a lot of him [Somebeachsomewhere]. He’s such a professional gentleman.”
A winner of $95,592 this season, Apprentice Hanover has amassed a 4-0-1 record from five starts this season.
Also on the 13-race program on Metro Pace night, the $610,000 Shes A Great Lady final will take place, featuring the top rookie pacing fillies on the continent.
Two contenders for this year’s edition are offspring of Somebeachsomewhere.
Elimination winner L Dees Lioness and Parlee Beach will look to cross the wire first for their connections.
“They [Captaintreacherous and Apprentice Hanover] look like they were within themselves in their elimination and they will likely go even faster in the final,” MacGrath said. “The fillies [in the Shes A Great Lady] look to have just as much speed as the boys and every bit as deep in talent.”
Come Saturday evening at Mohawk, the ‘Beach’ babies will look to continue to make their father proud.
To view Saturday's harness racing entries, click on the following link: Saturday Entries - Mohawk Racetrack.
(WEG)