Horses get Final Preps for Hambo Day Spectacular

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ— With two weeks remaining in the Meadowlands’ championship meet, eliminations were contested for the U.S. Pacing Championship, with preps for the Miss New Jersey and New Jersey Classic being contested as well.

On Friday night, one elimination was held for the Merrie Annabelle and two for the Peter Haughton Memorial.

After brushing to the top past the half, Lifetime Pursuit kicked clear of original pace setter Cooler Schooner to win the Merrie Annabelle elimination in 1:55.2.

Cooler Schooner got the lead, with Heaven’s Door gunning from the gate and got caught first over trying to get the lead to the quarter timed in :28. Heaven’s Door went off stride entering the backstretch, soon recovering and trotting in fifth first over to the half. Lifetime Pursuit saw the recovered filly on the outside and flushed first over at the half in :57.4 (:29.4). Into the far turn, Lifetime Dream dictated the terms and Struck By Lindy pulled first over from third, supplying cover to Heaven’s Door. Lifetime Pursuit was in front at three-quarters in 1:27 (:29.1).

Lifetime Dream remains perfect in Merrie Annabelle elim
(Lisa Photo)

Lifetime Dream drew away by two lengths from Cooler Schooner, soon taking second, at the top of the stretch. Heaven’s Door fanned three wide in an attempt to chase down the top two, while Struck By Lindy was trying to hold on to fourth. Lifetime Dream was clear for victory entering the eighth pole and earned a choice of postposition once crossing the wire in front. Cooler Schooner finished second, Heaven’s Door was third and Struck By Lindy was fourth. Joining Cee Bee Yes and Shake It Cerry, who received byes, in the final are Fortunes Of Fables, Moonlight In Miami, Steppin Out and Love Detective.

Lifetime Dream is a two-year-old filly by Cantab Hall, out of the mare Queen Of Grace by Yankee Glide. She is owned by Brittany Farms, trained by Jimmy Takter and Yannick Gingras was in the bike, steering the freshman to a 1:55.2 victory and a payout tag of $2.60 on the win.

Public choice Southwind Spirit lived up to the hype on the tote board, winning the first of two eliminations for the Peter Haughton Memorial in 1:57.3.

Southwind Spirit winning the first Peter Haughton elim
(Lisa Photo)

Derby was the races early leader, Great Society followed him in second and Quikwit was working to make the lead, first over in third to the quarter in :29.3. Quikwit took the lead at the three-eighths mark just as Southwind Spirit began his pursuit of the lead, leading the two wide flow mid-way down the backstretch. Quikwit was under no pressure at the half in :59.3 (:30). Southwind Spirit inched closer to be within a head of the lead at three-quarters in 1:28.3 (:29.3).

Derby shifted off his spot at the pylons in third and began his bid at the head of the stretch. Southwind Spirit had overtaken Quikwit, but Derby appeared to be a threat in the center of the track. Southwind Spirit viewed him as no menace, winning the first Peter Haughton elimination in 1:57.3. Derby was second, Quikwit was third, Great Society was fourth and Well Built, off a break at the start, completed the top five.

The frosh-colt trotter is sired by Muscle Hill, out of the mare Spice On Ice by Pine Chip. Southwind Spirit is owned by Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi and Stable 45, trained by Ron Burke and Yannick Gingras was behind in the pilot seat, guiding the $2.60 winner to victory.

Completing the Friday night eliminations was the second Peter Haughton elimination, which defined Father Patrick, a full brother to freshman champion Pastor Stephen, as the one to beat next afternoon. Allowing Nuncio to cut fractions of :28.3, :57.3 (:29) and 1:26.3 (:29), Father Patrick was directed to make his move nearing the three-quarter pole.

Father Patrick overtaking Nuncio in the second Peter Haughton
elimination
(Lisa Photo)

At the top of the stretch, Nuncio and Father Patrick had 15 lengths on Kapow Hanover trotting in third and Song In My Heart trying to recover from a break in fourth. Cameras, eyes, tickets were focused on the stretch duel between Nuncio at the pylons and Father Patrick on his right flank. As the light of the wire came closer, Father Patrick was lunging his might at Nuncio, which at the wire, would prove devastating for the Jim Oscarsson-trainee, taking runner-up honors to Father Patrick in 1:53.4 (:27.1). Song In My Heart was third, Kapow Hanover was fourth and Jj Alex finished fifth.

Father Patrick, a two-year-old colt by Cantab Hall, out of the mare Gala Dream by Enjoy Lavec, is owned by Father Patrick Stable, trained by Jimmy Takter and Yannick Gingras completed his sweep of the evening’s stakes action, driving Father Patrick to a lifetime and national season’s mark of 1:53.4.

The Saturday evening race card opened with the $20,000 Miss New Jersey prep, taken by I Luv The Nitelife in 1:50.3.

Jk Letitgo was fast off the gate’s dispersal, getting a pocket to sit in heading to the quarter. Ideal Ginny was in behind her, leaving Ms Caila J Fra parked and forced to go to the front at the quarter in :27.1. I Luv The Nitelife tracked her and was patient in her approach to the front, clearing before the half-mile mark. Jerseylicious got away trailing the field and began devouring ground at the half, leading those two wide at the half in :54 (:26.4). Jerseylicious was up to I Luv The Nitelife’s wheel at the mid-point of the far turn. The two battled at three-quarters in 1:22.3 (:28.3).

I Luv The Nitelife digging in to win the Miss New Jersey Prep
(Lisa Photo)

Ms Caila J Fra angled out of the pocket and attempted to catch the battlers, instead flattening out and racing for minor honors. Jerseylicious got a nose on I Luv The Nitelife mid-stretch, but Chris Ryder’s trainee dug in and with a will to win, fought off Jerseylicious in a game effort timed in 1:50.3 (:28). Ms Caila J Fra was third and Ideal Ginny finished fourth.

I Luv The Nitelife is a three-year-old filly by Rocknroll Hanover, out of the mare Lisjune by Camluck. She is owned by Richard and Joanne Young, trained by Chris Ryder and Tim Tetrick drove her to victory, returning $2.40 to win.

Veering towards the front paddock as the gate made it’s way to the start, Johny Rock was instantly corrected and flashed speed on the Meadowlands’ oval, taking the field gate-to-wire in the $25,000 New Jersey Classic prep in 1:50.1.

Johny Rock took the front, with Wake Up Peter in the pocket and stable mate Emeritus Maximus sitting third. Johny Rock took the field by the quarter in :27.1. There was no change in order passing the half in :55 (:27.4). Horses began making their moves at the far turn, led by Emeritus Maximus moving first over and Rockin Amadeus in behind him. Johny Rock was under no pressure at three-quarters in 1:22.3 (:27.3).

Johny Rock winning gate-to-wire in the New Jersey Classic Prep
(Lisa Photo)

Johny Rock had 3 lengths on the field entering the final three-sixteenths. Emeritus Maximus was closing ground for second and Wake Up Peter had open road, just giving chase in third. Johny Rock was an easy winner at the wire, winning in 1:50.1 (:27.3). Emeritus Maximus was second, Wake Up Peter was third and Rockin Amadeus was fourth.

Johny Rock is a three-year-old son of Rocknroll Hanover, out of the mare Soggy Britches by Allamerican Ingot. He is owned by William Wiswell, Jean Goehlen and Eugene Schick, trained by John Butenschoen and Andy Miller was the pilot, steering the third choice to victory and a $13.00 payoff at the windows.

Sweet Lou returned to his winning ways in the first elimination of the U.S. Pacing Championship, winning in 1:49.1.

Bolt The Duer got away quick and took the front at the quarter in :26.3. Dynamic Youth got away in the pocket and Sweet Lou was progressing first over, being parked at the quarter. Following him was A Rocknroll Dance, Modern Legend and Thinking Out Loud. Sweet Lou took a narrow advantage at the half in :55 (:28.2). Sweet Lou cleared the front into the far turn, leaving A Rocknroll Dance to fend for himself in a first over grind to three-quarters. Bolt The Duer was comfortable in the pocket and A Rocknroll Dance was on his journey first over at three-quarters in 1:22.4 (:27.4).

Sweet Lou winning the first U.S. Pacing Championship elim
in 1:49.1 (Lisa Photo)

Sweet Lou turned into the stretch with his game face, holding off all foes. Bolt The Duer snuck his way into second, A Rocknroll Dance was pacing in third, with Modern Legend flying off cover as well as Thinking Out Loud. Sweet Lou was a length-and-a-quarter winner over Bolt The Duer, A Rocknroll Dance, Modern Legend and Thinking Out Loud in 1:49.1 (:26.2).

Sweet Lou, a four-year-old horse by Yankee Cruiser, out of the mare Sweet Future by Falcons Future, is owned by Burke Racing Stables, Weaver Bruscemi, Lawrence Carr and Phillip Collura, trained by Ron Burke and was driven by Yannick Gingras to win as the second choice, returning $5.80 to win.

Elimination two was down to a photo at the wire, with Warrawee Needy having a nose on Golden Receiver at the red and white pole in 1:48.2.

Golden Receiver set the fractions for half the mile, pacing :26.3 and :54.2 (:27.4). Warrawee Needy was in the pocket while Pet Rock began to apply pressure entering the far turn, taking a narrow lead. Hurrikane Kingcole was looming large second over watching the battle unfolding in front of him. Three-quarters was reached in 1:21.3 (:27.1).

Warrawee Needy nosing Golden Receiver in 1:48.2
(Lisa Photo)

Pet Rock had the advantage over Golden Receiver into the stretch. Hurrikane Kingcole fanned off his cover and began rallying, while Warrawee Needy began to slingshot by Golden Receiver into the eighth pole. Foiled Again rode the pylons and was carried into third, while Pet Rock was clinging onto fifth. Warrawee Needy got the better of Golden Receiver, taking the victory at the wire in 1:48.2 (:26.4). Golden Receiver was second, Foiled Again finished third, Hurrikane Kingcole was fourth and closing out the top five was Pet Rock.

Warrawee Needy, the world champion four-year-old horse by E Dee’s Cam, out of the mare Great Memories by Apaches Fame, is owned by Dr. Michael Wilson, Thomas Kyron, Floyd Marshall and trainer Carl Jamieson, with son Jody Jamieson driving him to victory. Warrawee Needy paid $5.40 to win.

The John Cashman Memorial, formerly the Nat Ray Invitational, and the Lady Liberty required no eliminations and will go straight to the final on Hambltonian Day.

Listed below is the field in alphabetical order for the John Cashman Memorial.

Arch Madness
Guccio
Hot Shot Blue Chip
Luckycharm Hanover
Market Share
Mister Herbie
Sevruga
Southwind Pepino
Uncle Peter
Wishing Stone 

Listed below is the field in alphabetical order for the Lady Liberty final.

Anndrovette
Bettor B Lucky
Camille
Drop The Ball
Feeling You
Ginger and Fred
Krispy Apple
Rocklamation
Royal Cee Cee N

Post time on Hambletonian Day is 11:50 A.M., with a draw for the card being conducted Tuesday, July 30.