'Dewey' Makes It A Dozen In Dancer Elim

Published: July 4, 2008 05:01 pm EDT

Deweycheatumnhowe continued his excellence for trainer/driver Ray Schnittker by making it an even dozen when he scored in 1:52.2 to take the first of two $35,000 Stanley Dancer eliminations at the Meadowlands on Friday.

Starting from Post 3, Deweycheatumnhowe quickly grabbed the lead for Schnittker in :28 and the three-year-old Muscles Yankee – Trolley Square colt had things all his own way. 'Dewey' trotted through middle splits of :56.1 and 1:25 before blasting away to a four and a half-length score in a career best 1:52.2.

Clerk Magistrate (Trevor Ritchie), who won the Goodtimes at Mohawk, was second and Big Boy Lloyd (Ron Pierce) finished third. Also advancing to the final were Order By Lincoln (John Campbell) and Muscle Mass (Brian Sears).

Deweycheatumnhowe

"I thought he was real good last week. If I won by 20, they would tell me what a moron I am. I got soft fractions, but he was just awesome coming down the lane. He hasn't lost so I guess that's where we want to be," said Schnittker. "He just does everything – he leaves, he can come from behind, easy to drive, just a really nice horse. At the head of the lane, I just asked him and he opened up three or four. He has tremendous speed."

Schnittker co-owns Deweycheatumnhowe ($3.00) with Theodore Gewertz, Charles Iannazzo and Deweycheatumnhowe Stable. After going perfect in 10 starts and banking $922,525 as a freshman, the colt is just over $20,000 away from millionaire status.

Celebrity Secret made it four straight in the second elimination for driver Tim Tetrick. With Post 8, Tetrick had the Yankee Glide – Aimees Promise colt away in eighth as Ace High Hall (Dan Dube) was overtaking NF Rivertown (Yannick Gingras) after a quarter in :28.2. 50-1 longshot Helens Colt (Andy Miller) was the next to make front and he set fractions of :56.1 and 1:25.1.

Celebrity Secret had worked his way into the outside flow and was sitting third-over from sixth at the third marker, getting ready to tip three-wide. When Tetrick found Celebrity Secret a clear path in the lane, he had no problems disposing of the leaders to win by a length in 1:54, which tied his life's mark.

Ace High Hall re-emerged to get second while Guida Muscles (John Campbell) was third, despite being on a break under the wire. Atomic Hall (Eric Goodell) and Keystone Blitz (Ron Pierce) also made the final.

Celebrity Secret

"He is coming into himself, not that his last couple races have been bad, but this colt keeps improving. This is the right time to be doing that, going to the Hambo and I expect big things from him," said Tetrick. "He is push-button to drive. I moved him at the top of the lane and he gobbled up ground."

Staffan Lind trains Celebrity Secret ($7.60) for owners Celebrity Farms and Celebrity Secret Stable. Despite banking over $275,000 last year, the colt went winless in eight starts. This year has been a different story, however, as he is four-for-six with earnings of $127,900.

The elimination winners got to choose their posts for the final. Celebrity Secret's connections won the coin toss for first choice in the Dancer and selected Post 2. Schnittker chose the rail for Deweycheatumnhowe.

The $350,000 Stanley Dancer Final is next Friday.

To view the results from the Meadowlands, click here.

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