Hammered down to 1-5 off his surprising fourth in the Hambletonian, Canadian-owned Il Sogno Dream lived up to expectations Friday at The Meadows when he dominated his Currier & Ives division and scored in a stake-record 1:53.2.
Wheelsandthelegman took the other split in the $120,000 stake for three-year-old colt and gelding trotters.
Il Sogno Dream caught the public’s attention with his Hambletonian rally at 90-1, and they deemed him much the best. So did winning driver David Miller, who moved the son of Cantab Hall-Le Reve to the front at the quarter. He jogged from there, lowering the previous Currier & Ives record of 1:54.1 established by Vivid Photo in 2005.
“I was very impressed with him,” Miller said. “He was very easy to get along with and just raced super. He felt strong in the stretch. He felt like he had enough to finish it off.”
Chris Beaver trains Il Sogno Dream, who vaulted over $300,000 in career earnings, for Bill Manes of Rockwood, Ont., Dan Manes of Erin, Ont., Leonard Christopher of Acton, Ont. and Randy Christopher of Rockwood, Ont.
Wheelsandthelegman had to work much harder for his victory, first repelling Amped Up Hanover and forcing him back to the pylons past the quarter, then thwarting him again when he challenged anew near the three-quarters. The Donato Hanover-Carmita gelding triumphed for Dick Stillings in 1:55.1, a neck better than the game Amped Up Hanover, with Frost Free Hanover third. The win was the seventh for Wheelsandthelegman in nine career outings.
“He’s a real tough guy, but there’s something not quite right about him,” said Walt Carroll, who trains Wheelsandthelegman for Beth Carroll. “He got bit by a spider or something after he raced here Adios Day. There’s just something missing. But he’s a real competitor. I thought he was beat a couple times today, and he hung in there and did what he had to do.”
He attributed much of the youngster’s success to trainer/driver Jim Raymer, who helped develop him. Carroll said Wheelsandthelegman likely will remain in Pennsylvania stakes for the balance of the season.
Yankee Bounty Streaks To PASS Record
Yankee Bounty stretched his career unbeaten streak to five with his most impressive performance yet, a 1:50.4 mile that erased the Pennsylvania Sires Stakes record of Johns Polyview and is the fastest mile this year by a freshman pacing gelding on a five-eighths-mile track. Lyons Again was second, three and a quarter lengths back, while Lost For Words earned show.
Blood Brother and Tomy Terror captured the other splits in the $231,260 event for two-year-old colt and gelding pacers known as the Tyler B. Yannick Gingras enjoyed a PASS double behind Yankee Bounty and Blood Brother.
Making his initial start in the Ron Burke stable, Yankee Bounty was under wraps late, making Gingras wonder how fast the son of Yankee Cruiser-Bootleg Yankee ultimately can go.
“He can go faster than 1:50.4, that’s for sure. He had plenty left,” Gingras said. “He certainly is impressive. He’s the best two-year-old I’ve driven so far this year, probably the best two-year-old in the country.”
Yankee Bounty Partnership and Frank Chick campaign Yankee Bounty, who soared over $100,000 in lifetime earnings.
A three-race maiden entering the race, Blood Brother was dismissed at 18-1 but found the Lightning Lane in time to score in 1:51.3. Wakizashi Hanover, the 3-5 favourite, was second by a nose, while Dragon Eddy completed the ticket.
“He always could go, but he shakes his head the whole race,” Gingras said. “He has the ability, but he just doesn’t pay attention. Today he was a little bit better as far as that goes, and he got a good trip and got it done. We’re working with different bits, and hopefully someday we’ll find one he likes.”
Jimmy Takter trains the son of Somebeachsomewhere-Blood Diamond for Diamond Creek Racing and J&T Silva Stables.
Tomy Terror snapped his bridesmaid streak of three consecutive seconds by shooting the Lightning Lane to down Cooperstown by half a length in 1:52.2, with Badiou Hanover third. Mike Simons drove the Western Terror-Mib Hanover gelding for trainer John Butenschoen and owners William Wiswell, Jean Goehlen, Eugene Schick and VIP Internet Stable.
“He’s been on the front the last two times and just got caught, but we always thought he would be better off a helmet,” said assistant trainer Tyler Butenschoen. “He got the cover he needed and exploded through there real good.”
Raber 'Marvelous' In Billings Midwest Final
“Marvelous” Marvin Raber and Catching Katie waltzed to a convincing victory in Friday’s $10,000 final of the C.K.G. Billings Midwest Series amateur trot at The Meadows.
Raber was sitting in the pocket down the backside when he pulled Catching Katie, a six-year-old daughter of Revenue S-Shes Queenie owned by John Schlabach, and easily gobbled up the leader, Richard Roach and Margarita Man. Raber, who trains Catching Katie, went on to score in 1:57.2, five and three-quarter lengths better than “Law Book Larry” Farley and Good Friend. Jerry “The Jet” Mihelich and Texas Ridge — also conditioned by Raber — earned show.
“I have a lot of faith in her,” Raber said. “She got a good trip and closed well. I was waiting for the right time to move her. I thought the leader was slowing up a little bit, so I decided to go on the straightaway instead of around the turn.”
Raber, who at 37 is at least 17 years younger than every other competitor in the finals, indicated he doesn't necessarily view his victory as a triumph for youth.
“The other drivers have a lot more experience and probably know a lot more about racing than I do,” he said, “but it doesn’t really matter who I’m driving against. It’s a horse race, and it’s all about fun.”
(With files from The Meadows)