In the first 50 years of the Delvin Miller Adios Pace for the Orchids, only four trainers have gone back-to-back. Stanley Dancer (1970-71) and Joe O’Brien (1975-76) won consecutive orchids. Brett Pelling did it twice (1995-96, 2004-05) while Billy Haughton won three straight (1967-69). All but Pelling are in the Hall of Fame.
“I wouldn’t mind being in that group,” allowed trainer Tony Alagna.
Now, Alagna can join them. The winner of last year’s Adios with Racing Hill, Alagna will send out Tom Hill’s homebred Western Hill (Western Ideal-Cosmo Blue Chip) in Saturday’s Adios eliminations at The Meadows. (Hill, by the way, bred and owned Racing Hill, so he, too, is pursuing a rare repeat.) First post is 1:05 p.m. with the eliminations (races 9 and 10) scheduled to begin at approximately 3:45 p.m.
The $400,000 Adios final the following Saturday anchors an afternoon card that features six Grand Circuit stakes. Post time that day is 12:00 noon.
Because Western Hill was a June foal, Alagna brought him along slowly last year, keeping him in the Pennsylvania Stallion Series, the lower level of sires stakes in the Keystone State.
“We tried to race him in a little easier company, and he got better and better each week,” Alagna said. “He was good at The Meadows when he won a stallion series leg there.”
Western Hill captured the $40,000 stallion series championship, but the step up in class this year has brought mixed results. He was a good second to Downbytheseaside in a North America Cup elimination before finishing fifth in the final — at 102-1.
He drew poorly in a Meadowlands Pace elimination, finishing ninth at 61-1.
Western Hill leaves from the rail in the second elimination with Dave Palone, another Hall of Famer, aboard.
“I’m tickled to death to have Dave driving him,” Alagna said. “Nobody knows that piece of earth better than he does.”
Alagna envisions several race scenarios that could produce a win, or at least a berth in the final, for Western Hill.
“If he gets away third or fourth from the rail and the right horse is in front of him, he can follow that one. Or he can sit in and try his luck getting out late. He’s very good with a target. He’s medium-sized -- that works to his advantage as far as his handiness.”
The first four finishers in each elimination, along with the fifth-place finisher with higher career earnings, return for the Adios final. The connections of the elim winners will choose their post positions for the final, with the other slots drawn randomly.
The fields for the Adios eliminations, in post position order with final driving assignments, trainers and morning-line odds, appear below.
Adios Elimination 1 (Race 9)
(Post – Horse –Listed Driver - Trainer - Morning Line Odds)
1. Boogie Shuffle – Scott Zeron – Mark Harder - 20-1
2. RJP – Yannick Gingras – Ron Burke - 5-1
3. Highalator – Dave Palone – Jeffrey Long - 10-1
4. Miso Fast – Matt Kakaley – Ron Burke - 5-2
5. Blood Line – Mark MacDonald – Jimmy Takter - 4-1
6. Southwind Yukon – David Miller – Ron Burke - 20-1
7. Huntsville – Tim Tetrick – Ray Schnittker - 7-5
Adios Elimination 2 (Race 10)
(Post – Horse –Listed Driver - Trainer - Morning Line Odds)
1. Western Hill – Dave Palone – Tony Alagna - 5-1
2. Lawrencetown Beach – Yannick Gingras – Ron Burke - 10-1
3. Fear The Dragon – David Miller – Brian Brown - 7-5
4. Hurricane Beach – Daniel Dube – Luc Blais - 20-1
5. Filibuster Hanover – Matt Kakaley – Ron Burke - 5-2
6. Eddard Hanover – Tim Tetrick – Ron Burke - 20-1
7. Independent One – Marcus Miller – John Butenschoen - 4-1
(with files from The Meadows)