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Likeabatoutahell Kicks Off Hambletonian Day
Likeabatoutahell rebuffed looming challenger Lubbock and held off a late rush from Misterizi to kick off Hambletonian Day with a career-best 1:51.3 victory in the $75,000 Paris – Vincennes Invitational Trot on Saturday at the Meadowlands Racetrack.
Driver Brian Sears fired Likeabatoutahell to the lead from Post 3 with Lubbock (Ron Pierce) parked and pressing past the first quarter in :27.1. Lubbock pushed ahead briefly down the backstretch but Likeabatoutahell repelled his rough-gaited challenger and hit the half in :54.2.
Lubbock came back on with Dont Know Chip (Tyler Buter) angling three-wide as they neared the 1:23.3 third quarter mark, but Likeabatoutahell continued on down the stretch and held off favourite Misterizi (Tim Tetrick) for the half-length victory. Dont Know Chip finished third.
Michael Andrew of Gorham of Maine owns and bred the seven-year-old son of SJs Caviar-Miss Molly Tamale, who paid $8.60 to win as the 3-1 second choice. Trained by Trond Smedshammer, Likeabatoutahell notched his seventh win in 22 starts this year and watched his earnings climb to $176,660 for 2010 and $689,898 lifetime.
Buck I St Pat In 1:51
Buck I St Pat dazzled the Hambletonian Day crowd on Saturday afternoon at the Meadowlands Racetrack with a 1:51 track record mile in the $100,000 Perretti Farms Matchmaker for free for all trotting mares.
Elusive Desire (John Campbell) was used hard to wrestle the lead away from Autumn Escapade (Dave Miller) past the :27-second opening quarter. She took the field to the half in :55 before Yursa Hanover (Dan Dube) forged to the front from fourth with Windsong Soprano (Ron Pierce) following and Buck I St Pat and Tim Tetrick spotted second over.
Three-quarters was up in 1:23.1 with Yursa Hanover still in control, but Windsong Soprano and Buck I St Pat took it to the leader down the stretch. Buck I St Pat won the sprint to the wire thanks to a :27.1 final frame. She stopped the clock in a career-best 1:51, shaving four-fifths of a second off Maid For Tag's track record for aged trotting mares set in 2009. Windsong Soprano finished one and three-quarter lengths behind while Jersey As (George Brennan) edged out Autumn Escapade for third.
“She’s as good as she’s ever been,” said Tetrick in the winner's circle. “She’s just strong, loves her work and when the money is down she shows up, boy."
“I hope not,” he said when asked if the seven-year-old daughter of Jailhouse Jesse-Name It Something would be retiring after this year. “I’m going to bat that she comes back for another year. She’s so much fun to drive. I hope she doesn’t go away.”
Buck I St Pat paid $3.20 to win as the 3-5 popular choice. The two-time Dan Patch Award winner has won five times in 11 starts this year for $367,455 in earnings. The 44-time career winner now sports $1,788,855 in purses on her card for trainer Ron Burke and owners Howard Taylor, Edwin Gold, Abraham Basen and Ronald Fuller.
As a winner of the race, Buck I St Pat’s connections will get to choose any of Perretti Farms’ stallions for a breeding in the future.
“Right now we have Muscles Yankee and Revenue and hopefully next year we’ll have Lucky Chucky,” said Bob Marks of Perretti Farms.
Merrie Annabelle To Thatsnotmyname
As expected, the regally-bred Thatsnotmyname was victorious in Saturday's $437,000 Merrie Annabelle for two-year-old filly trotters.
With one scratch and three of the nine fillies made breaks before the start, John Campbell eased favoured Thatsnotmyname away from the two hold and settled into third while Grace Marie (George Brennan) took the field to the first quarter in :28.2. Campbell was out and moving just as Grace Marie went off stride and took herself out of contention, with pocket sitter Refuse To Lose (Yannick Gingras) content to stay in the pocket.
As Thatsnotmyname passed the half in :57.4, Creme De Cocoa (D.R. Ackerman) started a challenging bid first up with Fitness Girl (Tim Tetrick) following her cover second over. The three-quarter station was reached in 1:26.3 and the field rounded the final turn and came into the stretch. Campbell pulled the plugs on Thatsnotmyname and she responded with a :28.2 final quarter to trip the timer two lengths to the good in a lifetime best 1:55. Creme De Cocoa stayed for second with Fitness Girl and Refuse To Lose rounded out the top four.
The time of the mile tied Macaria Hanover's track record and shaved one-fifth of a second off the stakes record.
"She's got a lot of talent, a great set of lungs and doesn't seem to get tired," said Campbell. "She was a bit rocky finishing but she keeps trying and that's the main thing."
Trainer Jimmy Takter wondered if he'd finished second in this race "nine or 10 times" but he knew for sure that this was his first win in the Merrie Annabelle.
"We've had so many seconds in this one, this race I wanted to win," said Takter.
Thatsnotmyname (Windsongs Legacy-Graceful Touch) was a $250,000 yearling purchase from the Standardbred Horse Sale in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and is a half sister to successful trotters Muscle Mass and Muscle Massive. Thatsnotmyname is owned by Order By Stable of Boras, Sweden and now has three wins in four starts.
Dancinwiththestarz Busts A Move, And World Record, In Mistletoe Shalee
An uncharacteristically flat effort from 1-5 favourite Put On A Show was music to the ears of Dancinwiththestarz, who strutted to a 1:48.4 World Record performance in winning the $275,000 Mistletoe Shalee for three-year-old filly pacers at the Meadowlands.
Driver Brian Sears hustled 7-1 second choice Dancinwiththestarz out early and landed in third while 85-1 shot Rock N Soul (Gingras) were on top of the field at the :27.1 first panel. Sears quarter-pole moved from third to first while favoured Put On A Show was flushed out of fourth. As the field passed the half in :55, Tim Tetrick and Put On A Show were applying first over pressure to Sears and the leader but could not get by Dancinwiththestarz through the 1:21.2 third split. As the first up trip got to Put On A Show, she began to fade and Dancinwiththestarz started to pull away and held off a late bid by Rock N Soul to win in a lifetime best, track, stakes and World Record 1:48.4. A And Gs Princess (David Miller) held off Seriously (Jamieson) for third, with Put On A Show finishing sixth.
"I thought I needed to be up close. I moved her to the front, and she's been getting better and better," said Sears after the win. "What she did today was pretty impressive. Last week I thought her her best mile of her life and then she put in this mile today."
Dancinwiththestarz (Four Starzzz Shark-So Western) races from the Mark Harder stable for W Springtime Racing Stable and Shannon Brott of New York, and has amassed an impressive record of six wins and three seconds in nine starts this year.
Hypnotic Blue Chip Upsets Shark Gesture In World Record Time
Hypnotic Blue Chip made a breathtaking brush to the lead ahead of heavy favourite Shark Gesture past the third quarter mark and sprinted home to win the first $182,500 U.S. Pacing Championship division setting a World Record of 1:47.2 for four-year-olds.
Foiled Again (Yannick Gingras), 1-5 favourite Shark Gesture (George Brennan) and Annieswesterncard (Ron Pierce) left quickly off the gate and raced three-wide into the first turn. Annieswesterncard forged his way to the front ahead of Shark Gesture during :25.4 first quarter but Shark Gesture was out for the re-take as they headed down the backstretch.
Meanwhile, Hypnotic Blue Chip and Jody Jamieson, who watched the action from fourth, made his move after the :53.3 half mile mark. He surged to the lead ahead of Shark Gesture past the 1:21.3 third quarter pole and unleashed a wicked :25.4 final frame to stop the clock in 1:47.2. Shark Gesture finished two lengths behind in second and Oliver Cleo (Tim Tetrick) picked up third.
The time of the mile set a new World Record for four-year-old pacing horses in a race. Jennas Beach Boy set the prior mark of 1:47.3 in 1996 and Lis Mara equaled that time in 2006. Hypnotic Blue Chip’s effort was just two-fifths of a second off Jeremes Jet’s overall four-year-old mark set in a time trial at the Red Mile in 2007.
“I got him in a terrible spot last week and came first up way before I did tonight,” said Jamieson following the record win. “If you get to the last turn at the Meadowlands and you get a chance to get out and get at them that’s the time. Kevin [trainer Kevin McDermott] had him so awesome. I’m so pumped for Kevin. At Northfield [in the Battle of Lake Erie] we put on a good show there in the winner’s circle and he’s just pumped today, he’s done a great job.
“Last week he kind of just lightened up on me a little bit late but it was because I was out a long way. Today, I was just going to keep driving him right to the wire.”
Hypnotic Blue Chip was the Tattersalls January Select Mixed Sale sale topper, purchased for $325,000 by owner Francis Azur of Coraopolis, Pennsylvania.
“You’re the only person that said he was a bargain,” said McDermott to Bob Heyden in the winner’s circle. “You interviewed me two months ago and asked 'what’s the race you want to win this year?' I said 'the U.S. Pacing Championship'.”
“I started crying at that point [at the top of the stretch],” said McDermott when he knew Hypnotic Blue Chip had the win. “I’m just real emotional right now. Yesterday I was jogging him and he got scared by a scooter and dumped me out of the jog cart. I held onto the lines and he dragged me about 25 feet and here we are in the winner’s circle today.
“I just want to thank Fran Azur, the greatest owner that ever lived,” he added. “Thank you so much.”
Hypnotic Blue Chip paid $25.20 for the 11-1 upset. The son of Art Major-A Traceofmagic has won five of his 17 starts this year earning $318,060. His 17th career win boosted his bankroll to $890,468.
Hypnotic Blue Chip’s next stop will be the William Haughton Memorial at the Meadowlands.
The Lindy Reserve Inherits Peter Haughton Win
The Lindy Reserve rallied from the backfield and crossed the wire behind Pastor Stephen, but inherited the victory after a judges’ placing in the $500,000 Peter Haughton Memorial for two-year-old trotting colts and geldings on Saturday at the Meadowlands.
With Evil Urges (Dave Miller), Broad Bahn (Brian Sears) and Whit (Andy Miller) making breaks before the start of the race, a recall was called. After the field reset, the undefeated Pastor Stephen (Yannick Gingras) took control with the inside advantage while Orlando (George Brennan) made a break going for the lead along with Evil Urges, Broad Bahn and Whit, once again.
At the :27.3 first quarter mark, Charlie De Vie (Mike Lachance) pulled the pocket but was jammed up and ducked back to the pylons as Pastor Stephen put in a few steps in front of him. From there, Leader Of The Gang (Ron Pierce) brushed up from third taking over at the :56.3 half-mile mark.
As the field raced to three-quarters 1:25.3, Neal (John Campbell) went first up from fourth and pushed ahead down the stretch while Pastor Stephen came flying home on the outside to stop the clock in 1:55.2 with The Lindy Reserve rallying from the backfield in :28.2 to get second, three-quarters of a length behind. Pastor Stephen was, however, disqualified for causing interference in the backstretch jamming Charlie De Vie and Leader Of The Gang. Consequently, he was placed sixth behind Charlie De Vie. The Lindy Reserve was second placed first in 1:55.3 with Neal and Leader Of The Gang bumped up to second and third.
“It’s definitely a tough one to swallow because I didn’t think he [Pastor Stephen] should have come down but that’s horse racing and people have different opinions,” commented Gingras.
“There was some confusion in the backstretch. Everybody was riding tight. Yannick’s horse put in a few steps and they got jammed up a little bit,” said Tetrick when asked about the backstretch action in the winner's circle. “I was back there last. I was just back there hanging out waiting for the end of the mile and they went enough speed and my horse really responded late.
“I was still last turning for home and I knew I hadn’t used my horse at all and he was going to give me a good run. He really did. He gave me a nice big last quarter and got the job done for me.”
“It feels great," said trainer Frank Antonacci. "It’s bitter sweet not having anything in the Hambletonian out of the barn but this is our Hambletonian today and we got it done."
The son of SJs Caviar-Crown N Lindy has won half of his four starts for owner-breeder Lindy Racing Stable of Enfield, Connecticut. The lion’s share of the purse pushes his earnings to $257,900.
“I drove him out here myself and he won by open lengths. At that point I knew he was a real horse and we just needed to take care of him,” said Antonacci of The Lindy Reserve’s first win in a division of the Kindergarten Stakes on July 22.
The Lindy Reserve paid $72.60 for the 35-1 upset today.
“If the horse drew inside, I would have thought he should have been first or second choice but when you have the nine-hole with two-year-olds you never know. You want to take care of them. He has a long career ahead of him. It worked out for him today and it’s a great feeling.”
Canadian Invader Slave Dream Scores In Nat Ray
Despite making a break at the start of the race, Mohawk ship-in Slave Dream chose a great time to score his first win of the year with an impressive come-from-behind victory in Saturday's $300,000 Nat Ray Invitational for older trotters at the Meadowlands.
Before the wings folded, Campbell lost Slave Dream as he rolled off-stride and spotted the field some 10 lengths before settling and eventually catching the field. Jody Jamieson, meanwhile, hustled out Tacs Delight to the front as favoured Enough Talk (Ron Pierce) sat to his outside. Pierce cleared just before the :27.2 quarter but then felt pressure from European invader Reven Damour (Frederik Larrson), so surged to the lead and fronted the field through the :55.2 half. Lanson (Mike LaChance) started a challenge first up and kept Enough Talk pinned on the rail through a 1:23.1 third panel while Campbell had Slave Dream seventh, fourth along the rail.
As the field hit the stretch, Reven Damour was in front with Lanson second, right along side Enough Talk as Pierce looked to the outside for room. Campbell, meanwhile, took the rail skimming route. As Lanson stalled and Pierce angled out Enough Talk for the stretch drive, Campbell had already passed Reven Damour along the inside. The late rally from Enough Talk was just that - late, as Slave Dream was a quarter-length the best in a lifetime best 1:52. Reven Damour stayed for third with Looking Hanover (Gingras) finishing fourth.
When asked about the trip he gave his horses, Campbell stated bluntly, "It wasn't very good, I couldn't get him squared up and trotting at the start of the race. He made up a lot of ground considering the trip he went. I'd raced him before when he was here for the Hiram Woodruff, he's a real professional and he showed it today."
The win was Campbell's fifth in the Nat Ray.
Owner Franco Cianci of St. Laurent, Quebec was ecstatic in the winner's circle.
"It was our dream to be here. We put John Campbell on our horse, he answered our prayers and he did it. We had no reservations about bringing [Slave Dream] here without a win on the year. He was almost second there in the Maple Leaf Trot but he just made a break at the end."
The situation facing racing in New Jersey was certainly not lost on Cianci.
"Don't close this place down, it's great. We went through it, and it's terrible."
Slave Dream (Pearsall Hanover - Hungarie F) is a five-year-old gelding owned by Cianci and Isidoro Russo of Montreal, and trained by Ontario's Frank O'Reilly.
Hambletonian Oaks To Bar Slide
Bar Slide grabbed the lead heading into the stretch and opened up multiple lengths on the field to secure the victory in the $750,000 Hambletonian Oaks on Saturday at the Meadowlands Racetrack.
Leaving from Post 5, Bar Slide and Tim Tetrick fired off the gate with outside starters Ultimate Cameron (Trevor Ritchie) and Fashion Feline (Brian Sears) racing three-wide into the first turn. Fashion Feline crossed over to the pylons in front of Bar Slide in a :27-second opening quarter with Ultimate Cameron taking back to third.
Fashion Feline led the way past the half in :54.4 before Tetrick pulled the pocket with Bar Slide in front of the lurking Poof Shes Gone (David Miller). As Bar Slide moved into the lead past three-quarters in 1:24.1, Poof Shes Gone made a costly break scattering the trailers. Bar Slide opened up an insurmountable four-length lead on her rivals in the stretch and cruised to the wire for the 1:53.4 one and a half length triumph with Ultimate Cameron and Springtime Volo (George Brennan) closing well for second and third.
“If Brian would have got me to the top of the lane it would have been better, but I took my shot when I got out,” said Tetrick when asked if he could have got a better trip. “We went a pretty big half so I was trying to get as much distance as I could from him. The little mare tries her little guts out, I give her a lot of credit.
“I waited until somebody was coming," he continued. "I was watching Brian’s horse really close and I know she’s fast for three-quarters of a mile but with the 10-hole and getting out of there that hard I knew I had to make a move and hopefully my mare would get to the wire first and she did.
“The last eighth my mare was tired and I’m glad I did try to jump two or three [lengths] up and get ahead of them a little bit because she was tired at the wire but it doesn’t say that on the paycheck.”
Bar Slide paid $8.40 to win as the 3-1 second choice in the field of 10. The daughter of Yankee Glide-Marla Bar, who was purchased for $37,000 at the Harrisburg Sale, is owned by Fredericka Caldwell of Georgetown, Kentucky and Bluestone Farms LLC of Hopewell, New Jersey. The victory was her third in nine starts this year and sixth overall. She now boasts $473,780 in earnings this year and $553,222 lifetime.
“It felt like I was running it [the last eighth of a mile], that’s how long it took,” laughed trainer Joe Holloway in the winner’s circle.
Holloway stated that he knew Bar Slide would be a top contender in the Oaks as she entered the race with a lifetime mark that is faster than any Oaks has ever gone. She entered the Oaks with 1:52.4 record taken in a Three-Year-Old Open at the Meadowlands prior to her second-place effort to Poof Shes Gone in her Oaks elimination.
“She was a contender and actually the race she went last week...it turns out the front end had been deadly and we were both concerned that she got caught at the wire even though she got caught by ‘Poof’, who’s a great horse. You don’t make a million dollars by accident. And I said well, we had a lot of factors and we can be better. Today, we did have a head wind that picked up just before the race, but the rest was up to Tim.
“It couldn’t be nicer for the owners,” he added. “For Mitchel [Skolnick of Bluestone Farms], the Caldwells and for Howard Kelly that works for me. You can’t find a man that likes the game better than Howie.”
A Rockin’ Good Time In The Oliver Wendell Holmes
The Canadian-owned Rockin Image kept the Takter train rolling as he advanced first up and edged out Rock N Roll Heaven to win the first $115,500 division of the Oliver Wendell Holmes for three-year-old pacing colts and geldings on Saturday at the Meadowlands.
Piece Of The Rock (Paul MacDonell) secured the early lead during a :26.3 opening quarter but a pocket-pulling Fred And Ginger (Dave Palone) quickly took control in the backstretch followed by Rock N Roll Heaven (Dan Dube), who advanced from fourth en route to the half in :53.3.
Rockin Image and Yannick Gingras moved underway from fifth applying pressure to Rock N Roll Heaven past three-quarters in 1:21.2 and into the stretch. The pair locked in a serious duel to the wire with Rockin Image getting up by the slimmest of margins thanks to a :26.4 final frame for the 1:48.2 triumph, equaling his lifetime mark. BGs Folly (Brian Sears) edged out Piece Of The Rock for third.
“In the [Meadowlands] Pace he had a tough trip and then last week in the Adios I had to use him a little bit early. I don’t think that’s his game,” noted Gingras. “I think if I can just slide up the rail like I just did in this race I think he likes it a lot better that way.”
Jimmy Takter, who won the Hambletonian with Muscle Massive one race prior and the Merrie Annabelle with Thatsnotmyname earlier this afternoon, trains Rockin Image for owner Lothlorien of Cheltenham, ON. The Rocknroll Hanover-Kikikatie colt picked up his fourth win in nine starts this season pushing his earnings to $216,157.
“He looked very good today and I’m happy he got the win,” added Marcus Johansson of the Takter barn.
Rockin Image returned $15.40 to win as the 6-1 third choice.
Won The West Wins Second U.S. Pacing Championship Division
Double millionaire Won The West showed his class and no ill effects from a scratch lame in his last scheduled start with an impressive stretch rally to overpower his foes in the second division of the U.S. Pacing Championship for a purse of $185,000.
Jeremys Successor (Brian Sears) was on the bit early and rebuffed the challenge of Bettor Sweet (Campbell) for the lead. Bettor Sweet made a speed break and settled back quickly, retreating to third as the opening panel was reached in a swift :25.4. Sears tried to apply the brakes but the field was still quite strung out as the half-mile was reached in :52.4 - the fastest time of the day to that point.
Campbell was intent on the lead and pulled out from third, with favoured Vintage Master (Dube) on his back and Won The West (David Miller) third over. Bettor Sweet cleared by the punishing 1:20.3 third-quarter station. Vintage Master swung out for the stretch drive and made the lead, but tipping off Dube's helmet was a fresh Won The West who exploded and cruised to a 1:48.1 win. Blueridge Western (Gingras) closed from the clouds for second with Vintage Master staying for third.
Won The West (Western Hanover-Gabrielle) is trained by Ron Burke for owners Strollin Stable, William Robinson and Jim Koehler of Ohio.
"I didn't have to go that much today," said driver David Miller after the win. "He's as good as ever."
When asked about the scratch from his last start, Miller downplayed the scratch and the time off.
"I went over last week and trained him and he trained back fine, he shows up every time and he's really a horse I appreciate."
Trainer Ron Burke shed some light on the scratch from the Ben Franklin Final.
"He had a bit of swelling in his leg after the Franklin elim and he's never had that before," said Burke. "The owners are great, they never put his career in risk so we scratched him. Everyday, he got better. This year, he's as good as he's ever been. Hopefully we'll have a good draw for the Haughton and see you back here in a couple of weeks."
On The Glass Takes Lady Liberty Trophy
On The Glass made a backstretch brush and held her own to take the $248,000 Lady Liberty for aged pacing mares giving trainer Ron Burke three stakes wins on Saturday’s card at the Big M.
Yellow Diamond (Andy Miller) swooped across the track from Post 8 to take the early lead but Not Enough (Tim Tetrick) stole her thunder as she took over at the :26.3 opening quarter.
As the field raced down the backstretch, Yannick Gingras made his move with On The Glass. The 4-1 third choice advanced to the lead and checked in at the half in :53.2 and three-quarters in 1:21.4.
Meanwhile, Tug River Princess (John Campbell) began her first over attack from fifth with heavy 8-5 favourite Dreamfair Eternal (Randy Waples) following her cover and going three-wide. Those two mares, however, couldn’t catch On The Glass, who paced home in :27.1 for the win in 1:49 flat. Tug River Princess was the runner-up, finishing one and three-quarter lengths behind, with Dreamfair Eternal coming in third.
Trainer Ron Burke also won the Perretti Farms Matchmaker with Buck I St Pat and a division of the U.S. Pacing Championship with Won The West.
“They’re great people to work with,” said co-owner Joseph DiScala in the winner’s circle, referring to the Burke stable. “Your horses are always ready to race and they’re very easy to get along with. I love having Yannick drive my horse. We’re great friends and hopefully we’ll continue to be successful the rest of the year.”
“She’s been really good all year,” said Gingras, who also won a division of the Oliver Wendell Holmes with the Jimmy Takter-trained Rockin Image. “She’s had a couple of torture trips and I told Ronnie before the race if I can put her on the front I don’t think they would be able to catch me. She’s really game and she likes to fight them off. It feels good to win for my buddy. He’s one of my best friends and I haven’t been able to be really lucky in all the big ones for him so far this year but we pulled it through today.
“To be honest with you, I knew I was a winner at the five-eighths once I cleared and she swelled right up,” continued Gingras. “Around the last turn she heard John coming and John was talking to his mare and she just wanted to run off so I just tried to take it easy around the last turn and I knew I was a winner.”
On The Glass paid $11.40 to win for the 11th time in 23 starts this season. The four-year-old daughter of Art Major-Abbey Won has banked $343,300 so far in 2010 for Joseph DiScala and Cynthia Massari of Katonah, New York.
“I bought her as a yearling but I can’t take credit for it,” said DiScala of the $12,000 Harrisburg Sale acquisition. “I had a little too much fun the night before in Harrisburg and my partner bought her and offered me a piece of her and I was more than happy to take half.
“Last year she had a lot of tough miles on a half [mile track], outside posts, and I just think she matured a little bit more this year and she likes the bigger track,” he noted.
Delmarvalous Wins Second Oliver Wendell Holmes Division
He didn't get away at odds of 17-1 this time, but he was only the third choice at 5-1. After his last two outings and this 1:48.2 win, Delmarvalous has stamped himself as a serious divisional contender.
Tim Tetrick was intent on the lead with public choice One More Laugh, and fired the Meadowlands Pace winner away from the outside eight-hole to test Delmarvalous (Sears). One More Laugh was on the engine through splits of :26.4, :53.3 and 1:21.1 with little pressure while Sears looked loaded with pace in the pocket keeping a tight hold on Adios winner Delmarvalous.
When the field turned for home, Sears angled out Delmarvalous from the pocket and he responded with an explosive burst of speed to power past One More Laugh and win by a length in a lifetime best 1:48.2. Valentino (Brennan) closed well for third.
The win was the second straight for Delmarvalous (Badlands Hanover-Prymetyme Scootie), who is owned by trainer George Teague, Badlands Racing, Elmer Fannin and Howard Dorfman.
"It was nice to get a two-hole trip behind a horse like One More Laugh," noted Sears after the win. "He's an aggresive horse and it's nice to see him sit the pocket like that. I can't say enough about the job George has done with him. He's a great trainer and a great guy."
"He's getting much better, we started racing him from behind and now he seems to want to come home," stated co-owner John Celii (of Badlands Racing). "We have our eyes set on a couple of important races in the future with this colt. And I think a half-mile track is really his best game, we'll have to see come September."
Trot Bloggers Adam Mauntah and Kelly Spencer have added additional content pertaining to the Hambletonian. Mauntah's blog provides his perspective on the track's battle for survival in light of the Hanson Report.
Spencer is in New Jersey and set to receive her Golden Pen Award during today's card of racing. On Friday night, Spencer was able to get up close and personal with a different award than the one she'll be getting this afternoon.
Take a look at Hambletonian stars of the past and present in this video produced by Meadowlands Racetrack's television department.
Links:
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- Results - click here
- Race Program - click here
- Streaming Video - click here
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