Entry Takes Artiscape; Pet Rock Shocks in Roll With Joe

NICHOLS, NY— Mare and Horse pacers met at Tioga Downs on Sunday afternoon to compete in the $158,000 Artiscape Mare Pace and the $184,000 Roll With Joe Horse Pace.

One mare from the five-horse entry crossed the finish line in the winning position, though not one that was expected. Economy Terror scratched out of the race, so it left the Burke quartet to square off against the other five mares. Of the entry, Camille took first with her stable mate, Rocklamation, finishing second.

As expected, a fast pace was set in the early stages of the mile. Big Mcdeal showed a jolt of speed off the gate and Anndrovette chased her down around the turn to clear the lead, but paced the first quarter in :25.1. Heading into the second turn, Feeling You edged out of fourth and began a charge towards the leader; Camille and Drop The Ball were on her tail following her every move. Anndrovette had no breather and went the half in :52.3 (:27.2).

Camille closing on the field to win the Artiscape

Feeling You was hung due to the tremendous speed being used by Anndrovette. Big Mcdeal sat the pocket for most of the mile and had room to tip out of the pocket and she stuck her nose infront of Anndrovette at three-quarters in a wicked 1:19.4 (:27.1). The backfield began flying after the leaders heading into the stretch. Camille was widest of all challengers, closing with Rocklamation alongside. Drop The Ball was too coming into contention late and Anndrovette was digging in for minor honors. Camille had more than Rocklamation and won the Artiscape in 1:48.3, equaling the all-age mare pacing world record. Anndrovette was third and Drop The Ball was fourth.

Camille returned $4.40 to win. She is owned by trainer Ron Burke’s Burke Racing Stables, Weaver Bruscemi LLC, M1 Stables LLC and Jack Piatt III and was driven by Matt Kakaley.

Arguably one of the hardest races to develop a scenario for was the Roll With Joe, taken by Pet Rock in 1:48.1, versus our Sweet Lou, Betterthancheddar and A Rocknroll Dance exotic.

Golden Receiver set the pace, with Betterthancheddar in second and Sweet Lou wide in an attempt to take the lead, versus racing off the pace like in his past races. Sweet Lou cleared the top from Golden Receiver after a :26 quarter. Pet Rock immediately made his move and edged out of the pocket, in desperate need of cover. Brennan was the one to provide Pet Rock that cover, as he brought Betterthancheddar to the outside to challenge Sweet Lou for the lead passing the half in :53.2 (:27.2).

Pet Rock strolling to victory in the Roll With Joe

Pet Rock sat second over, watching the fireworks unfold in front of him in the form of a duel. Sweet Lou was a game foe to Betterthancheddar and still held command at three-quarters in 1:20.1 (:26.4). Pet Rock fanned wide turning for home, as did other trackers Rockincam and Foiled Again. Pet Rock took the lead from the tiring Betterthancheddar and Sweet Lou. Foiled Again was closing fast, with Rockincam moving along with him. Pet Rock had just enough and won by a length in 1:48.1 (:28). Foiled Again was second, Rockincam was third and Betterthancheddar held on for fourth.

Pet Rock went off the fourth choice on the tote-board and returned $13.80 for the victory. He is owned by Frank Bellino, trained by Virgil Morgan Jr. and David Miller was in the bike. 

Michaels Power Takes Confederation Cup

The Casie Coleman trained Michaels Power, who finished second to Pet Rock in the first heat, got a pocket trip to win Confederation Cup XXXVI in 1:52.4. Dynamic Youth closed from last to finish second and Pet Rock was third.

Michaels Power was the tempo setter until Pet Rock cleared the lead at the three-eighths pole. After a :26.1 opening quarter, Pet Rock started to slow down the pace. I Found My Beach came first over to challenge Pet Rock at the half. I Found My Beach and Pet Rock were wheel to wheel after a :54.4 (:28.3) half mile.

Michaels Power was stuck at the inside in third and Secretsoftheknight was following the hoof prints of I Found My Beach approaching three-quarters. State Treasurer came third over from the back of the pack. Pet Rock was under pressure from I Found My Beach, Secretsoftheknight and Dynamic Youth at three-quarters in 1:23.4 (:29).

Pet Rock started to kick away at the top of the stretch, until Michaels Power found racing room and started his bid up the passing lane. Dynamic Youth was closing on the far outside and Secretsoftheknight had no rally. Michaels Power’s last threat was Dynamic Youth, but the line came just in time and Michaels Power was crowned champion. Dynamic Youth was second and Pet Rock was third.

Michaels Power is a three-year-old colt by Camluck, out of the mare Michelles Jackpot by Artsplace. He is owned by Jeff Snyder, trained by Casie Coleman and Scott Zeron was in the bike to win the Confederation Cup in 1:52.4. 

A Rocknroll Dance Strolls Home to Win Meadowlands Pace

After getting no racing room and interfered in many of the big stakes prepping for the Pace, A Rocknroll Dance takes the field wire-to-wire to win the $600,000 Meadowlands Pace.

Going off as the 9/2 third choice, A Rocknroll Dance and Allstar Legend (102-1) flew off the gate. A Rocknroll Dance was caught wide, but cleared the front. Allstar Legend sat second and Thinking Out Loud (2-1 favorite) got away third through a :26.4 opening quarter.

 

Down the backstretch, A Rocknroll Dance slew down the tempo. Thinking Out Loud was flushed first over, supplying cover to Pet Rock (17-1). A Rocknroll Dance paced by the half in :54.2 (:27.3). Getting a breather, A Rocknroll Dance was drawing off into the far turn. Thinking Out Loud was stalling first over and Pet Rock fanned off cover.

Into the stretch, A Rocknroll Dance drew off to a 2 length lead. Pet Rock was closing in between horses and Allstar Legend was closing up the rail. A Rocknroll Dance jogged to the finish to win in 1:48.1 (:26.4). 

“I was a little nervous because the weather’s been so hot, and my horse has been heading back and forth [to Ohio],” said Mulinix.  “We ship him home every week and make sure he gets green grass every day.
 
“I sold almost every horse I had, but I wanted to buy something before I retired,” he added.  “I’m 60 years old.  It’s a good think I had a partner on him.  I spent $15,000 on him, but I spent $18,000 on staking him.”

“Jim was not really happy that I was in the front, but I set that horse up the last couple of weeks and I knew he had a big mile in him tonight,” said Gingras. “I’m very pleased with the way he raced. My horse felt super.” 
 
“I wish my grandfather was here,” said Gingras, his eyes moistening. “He’s my number one fan and that’s who I was thinking about. It’s redemption [from finishing second in his first pace in 2004]. It was the race that got away from me. I really believed I had the best horse that day, and I didn’t drive him [well].  I was young and made a mistake. Tonight feels twice as good. We learn from each other and tonight was the night. It’s definitely the best night I’ve ever had.”

Sweet Lou: He’s not alone

After his 1:47.4 victory in the North America Cup, crowds all around the standardbred hemisphere think that he’ll dominate this division this year.

Then, I come in, proving he won’t.

It may be true that Sweet Lou leads the division, but that doesn’t mean he will beat this group in every start. What makes a great horse is he can lose, but make up for it the next start by doing something tremendous.

I’ll use Rock N Roll Heaven as an example. He was the super horse of 2010 and he lost some of the major races, including the Meadowlands Pace and North America Cup. But that doesn’t take away from how he did it that established his great legacy.

Rock N Roll Heaven started out his campaign with a win in the Berry’s Creek, which was not run in 2012, and rebounded to go the fastest mile in New Jersey Sires Stakes history, going 1:48.3.

Rock N Roll Heaven banked $2,748,818 in his campaign.

One of his major lows came in the Burlington, where he was caught in the fog and the light of the teletimer spooked him. He broke stride and circled the course in the wrong direction.

Qualifying four days before, Rock N Roll Heaven then took his North America Cup elimination in 1:48.4 (One second slower than Sweet Lou), to come up short in the final and lose to Sportswriter.

When Rock N Roll Heaven shipped back to the Meadowlands, he went the fastest Meadowlands Pace elimination in 1:47.3. Is it possible that Sweet Lou can face the same fate?

That is where I’m getting at. Sweet Lou may never equal Rock N Roll Heaven, but he is in the same spot as he was two years ago. Breaking the Canadian record, Sweet Lou will have to face the misfortune of some of the favorites in the North America Cup.

Right now, you’re probably saying well, who can beat Sweet Lou. One quote said that, “Every so often, there comes to racing a horse so perfectly conformed, so talented and so tragic that it breaks the hearts of even the most hardened horsemen.” That book came from The Complete Book of Thoroughbred Racing, aimed towards the great filly Ruffian.

It can slightly relate to Sweet Lou. There is no doubt that he is talented, but talent is one thing and luck is another. Any horsemen will tell you that it is entirely based on the trip, unless you get that horse of a lifetime. If that horse is Sweet Lou, that is too early to tell, but from a handicappers view, anything is possible.

Hurrikane Kingcole winning a leg of the NJSS

One competitor throughout the year will be Hurrikane Kingcole. Making a break in his elimination, he paced some unbelievable fractions. He went :30.3, :58 (:27.2), 1:23.3 (:25.3) and 1:49.2 (:25.4). Analyzing those fractions, you will see his final half was in :51.2 and final three-quarters in an astonishing 1:18.3! If you don’t know, the fastest three-quarters ever was in the 2009 Meadowlands Pace, where Somebeachsomewhere paced 1:19.1. The three-year-old son of Cams Card Shark was not in tip-top shape at two, but looks to beat a monster closer at three.

Ontario-Sired Warrawee Needy

Another threat on the trail is the Jamieson trained Warawee Needy. The three-year-old went amazing miles in the Ontario Sires Stakes, but did not equal Sweet Lou’s sub-1:50 Breeders Crown triumph. But, it takes one bad move to change the entire outcome of the race and Warawee Needy will likely follow Up The Credit’s path, just being slightly greater than he.

The Virgil Morgan trained Pet Rock also seems to be a likely-spoiler this stakes season. The Rooney champ always gets into the race late and seems to know how to get the trip. He may be like Rockin Image in 2010, running-up to Rock N Roll Heaven in nearly every outing.

The last one I’ll mention is oddball Simply Business. He seems to be as tempered as Hypnotic Blue Chip, by that I mean he races when he feels like it. How can we tell? Look at his last couple of lines. He lost his Metro elimination last year and exploded in the final. Its all up to how he looks before the race.

 
There are many more that can challenge Sweet Lou in his 2012 campaign. You can’t assume that he is the best from one race. A good horse can win, a great horse can win big, but a champion is truly the best. It is too early to tell if Sweet Lou is harness racing's next superstar.

Field Set for North America Cup XXIX

With drawmaster Michael Del Zotto, the defenseman for the New York Rangers, at the side of the Mohawk executives, ten of the seasons top sophomore pacers received their posts for the 29^th edition of the Pepsi North America Cup.

Listed below is the field:

1 Bettors Edge             Tim Tetrick           Linda Toscano

2 Dapper Dude            John Campbell      Bob McIntosh

3 Time To Roll           Andy Miller           Jimmy Takter 

4 Sweet Lou                Dave Palone          Ron Burke

5 Thinking Out Loud  Randall Waples     Bob McIntosh

6 State Treasurer         David Miller         Dr. Ian Moore

7 A Rocknroll Dance  Yannick Gingras   James Mulinix

8 Warawee Needy       Jody Jamieson      Carl Jamieson

9 Pet Rock                   Brian Sears           Virgil Morgan Jr.

10 Simply Business     Ron Pierce            Jimmy Takter

Full story later.