Taking full advantage of the 990-foot Meadowlands stretch, longshot Raycer
Thad wore down the two-length lead of heavily favored Megamind to win the
$310,500 Berry's Creek Final at the Meadowlands on Saturday night.
Driven by Bill Fahy for trainer Ray Remmen and owner Thaddeus Weir, Raycer
Thad, at odds of 24-1, sat third, stalked Megamind and Mike Lachance through
early fractions of :27.4, :56.2, 1:24.4 before sprinting home in :26.4 to win
by three-quarters of a length.
Very Sentimental was second with
Megamind holding for third.
Raycer Thad paid $50.80, $25.20 and $5.80.
The $155,250 winner's paycheck was the first of the year and just the second
of his career for the bay son of Beach Towel, who was a $210,000 yearling
purchase.
The Berry's Creek is the first major test of the stakes season for
three-year-old pacing colts. Last year's winner, Hot Lead, went on to win the
$1 million Meadowlands Pace and divisional championship honors.
Raycer Thad
is eligible to the Meadowlands Pace as well as the $500,000 New Jersey
Classic, both this summer at the Meadowlands. Raycer Thad is also eligible to
the Little Brown Jug.
"He doesn't have real high speed, but he can go fast," said driver Bill
Fahy, who won this race in 1992 with Bilateral. "He has no snappy speed, but
I wanted to be sitting second or third and be able to get out at the top of
the stretch."
Records fall as Classic Series debuts
Last weekend marked the debut of the new Classic Series with the Trotting
Horse Classic at the Meadowlands on Saturday night and the Pacing Horse
Classic at Dover on Sunday.
Former Amish buggy horse B Cor Pete inaugurated
the Trotting Classic Series in spectacular fashion, trotting to a world
record 2:09.2 for the 1 1/8 mile course in the opening leg of the series.
B Cor Pete, an eight-year-old gelded son of Balanced Image, sat third through
the early going as Georgia Limited and Mike Lachance pressed the early pace
to the quarter in :27.1, then took control and guided the 10-horse field
through fractions of :56 and 1:25.1 and 1:54:3 before yielding to B Cor
Pete's onslaught.
Yentls Iceman closed strongly for second with Classic Adam
third. The win was the fourth in six seasonal starts for B Cor Pete, who
earned over $400,000 in 1996 while racing in North America and Europe.
"His strategy was completely different than mine," said driver Howard
Parker. "He drug me out there, and I had to go to Plan B. Fortunately he was
right and everything worked out fine."
Said Larry Campagna, trainer of B Cor Pete, "I was a little concerned about
the distance, although he handled it fine. This series is a great thing. It
gives a chance for the older horses to keep racing and show what they're made
of. It's good racing, and it gives the fan a chance to follow a favorite
horse and root for him all season."
Mack Lobell held the previous world record over the 1 1/8-mile distance of 2:09.4, set in 1988.
On Sunday afternoon, Hi Ho Silverheel's showed those heels to a field of
nine open pacers as he demolished the world record for a 1¼ miles,
winning by half a length in 2:22. The previous record was 2:24.4 set by Roan
Spirit in 1991.
Driven by Peter Wrenn for owners Myrna and Milan Smith and Roy Moorefield,
Hi Ho Silverheel's followed Riyadh to the quarter in :29.1, then assumed
command and was unchallenged through remaining fractions of :58, 1:27.1, 1:56
and 2:22. Riyadh held for second with Oye Vay third.
"I hadn't planned to move when I did," Wrenn said. "But when I saw that we
hadn't gone much to the quarter, I thought that was my chance. This is the
best horse I've ever driven."
The win was the fourth in seven seasonal starts for the six-year-old Walton
Hanover stallion, who has now earned $775,471 in his career.
Dover closes on a high note
Continuing its resurgence, Dover Downs completed its winter-spring meet on a
high note. During the 97 days of racing, the Delaware capital city raceway
offered more then $10,000,000 in purses and the highest quality of racing
seen on the Delmarva Peninsula, with 36 track records either broken or
equaled, including two world records.
Early in the meet Riyadh scorched the
5/8-mile track with a 1:49.1 world record mile and Hi Ho
Silverheel's 1¼-mile world record of 2:22 was taken on closing
day (April 27).
Luc Ouellette, who switched his base of operations from New York to Delaware
and New Jersey a few months ago, ran away with all the major driving honors:
203 wins, $1,325,036 in purses and a .403 UDRS.
Niatross at All-Star Cafe
In celebration of the debut of the American
Championship Harness Series (ACHS) on ESPN2, Niatross, Horse of the
Year in 1979 and 1980, and John Campbell, harness racing's all time money
winning driver, will jog down 45th Street and will stop on Broadway in front
of the Official All-Star Cafe where they'll participate in a special
presentation on May 6.
Memorabilia from Niatross' career and from Campbell will
be presented to the All-Star Cafe for permanent display inside the
restaurant.
The event is part of a press conference to announce plans for the ACHS,
which will feature 18 live telecasts in prime time on ESPN2, starting May 16.
The ACHS will include:
Point standings for 10 divisions of racehorses.
Betting from home by phone (call 1-800-Ladbroke to open an account up to
one hour before race time).
New bet types, including and odd/even bet (odd bettors collect if the 1,3,5
or 7 horse wins, while even bettors are winners if the 2,4,6 or 8
horse wins).
Leading stakes races in the country, broadcast from the leading racetracks
in North America.
Speakers at the event will include Barry Weisbord, President of the ACHS; Robert Mulcahy III, Chairman of the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority; Campbell; and Bruce Beck, host of the ACHS on ESPN2.
Coming soon to a computer near you
The American Championship Harness
Series Web site is expected to be launched in early May. The web site's address will be:
http://www.achs.com
Morgan and Magee move tack
Tony Morgan, top dash winning driver for 1996
(852 -- a single season record) and co-winner (with Luc Ouellette) of the
1996 Harness Tracks of America driving title, is now driving at Hoosier Park
outside Indianapolis. His first Hoosier drive came on April 26 and he's
racked up three winners. Morgan was previously a fixture on the Chicago
circuit.
Dave Magee, another Chicago regular who was 1994 World Driving Champion
and also dash winning champ of 1994 (630), started the season at Hoosier on
April 24 and has seven wins there so far.
Quick brushes
1994 Glen Garnsey Trainer of the Year Carl Allen is on the
mend from quadruple heart bypass surgery, according to his son Rod. "He's
walking up to two miles a day," says Rod Allen. "The doctor OK'd him to
do some light work. He hasn't been in the barn as much, but he's coming
around well."
Howard Okusko, Jr. tied the Vernon Downs record for most
victories on a single program on April 26 with six wins. Jack Bailey (1978)
and Del Richards (1979) are co-holders of that mark.
Hot off the press
The 1997 Trotting and Pacing Guide, published by the U.S.
Trotting Association, is available for purchase.
The 416 page book contains
the numbers and addresses of every track in North America, as well as
complete statistics and world records for virtually every facet of the sport.
Also included are stakes schedules and histories and an expanded section on
the trotting and pacing triple crowns.
Q-ing up
The champion two-year-old pacing filly of 1996, Michelle's
Jackpot, won her qualifier at The Meadowlands on April 25, covering the mile
in 1:55.1, last quarter in :27.2. The daughter of Artsplace is trained by
Mickey McGivern and will make her first start on May 1 in a New Jersey Sires
Stakes event at The Meadowlands. John Campbell will drive.
1996 Woodrow
Wilson winner Jeremy's Gambit qualified for the second time at The
Meadowlands on April 25, winning in 1:55.3. Next up is a May 2 New Jersey
Sires Stakes race at The Meadowlands, with an eye toward prepping for the New
Jersey Classic on June 6.
The Big Dog, 2-year-old Pacing Colt champ of 1996, made quick work of the field in a qualifier at Balmoral Park outside
Chicago on April 25 when he won by 11¼ lengths in 1:57.2. Driven by his
trainer, Joe Anderson, The Big Dog covered the last quarter in 26.1. "I did
not want to go too fast with him in his first start back," Anderson said. "I just wanted to get him home (to the finish line) in good
fashion and I was extremely happy with his effort. He pulled up fresh and
sound and everything appears to be in good order."
The Big Dog will qualify
one more time, either at Balmoral or The Meadowlands before looking for a
three-year-old open at The Meadowlands. His first stakes engagement is May
31 in the Burlington Stake at Woodbine Racecourse outside Toronto.
Major race results
April 24, Classic Series Open Trot, 1 1/8 mile, $50,000, The
Meadowlands, B Cor Pete (H. Parker), Yentls Iceman (W. O'Donnell), Classic Adam (J.
Campbell). 2:09.2. World Record for 1 1/8 mile (1:54.3 for the mile). Margin: 2.
April 26, Berry's Creek Pace, 3yo colt pace, $310,500, The
Meadowlands. Raycer Thad (W. Fahy), Very Sentimental (G. Brennan), Megamind (M. Lachance). 1:52.1. Margin: ¾.
April 27, Classic Series Pace, $50,000, 1¼ miles, Dover
Downs, Hi Ho Silverheel's (P. Wrenn), Riyadh (J. Moiseyev), Oye Vay (J. Campbell). 2:22. World Record for ¼ mile (1:56 for the mile). Margin: ½.
Major upcoming races
May 2 Graduate Series open pace $50,000 Foxboro Park
May 10 Cinderella 3 yo filly pace $100,000 Pocono Downs
Joseph Banks Memorial 3 yo colt pace $200,000 Pocono Downs
Dexter Cup 3 yo colt trot $150,000 Freehold Raceway
May 16 Graduate Series Final open pace $163,500 Meadowlands
ESPN racehorse digest (all times ET)
April 30, 3:30 p.m.
May 1, 3:30 a.m.
May 3, 6 a.m.
May 7, 3:30 p.m.
May 8, 3 a.m.
May 10, 6 a.m.
May
14, 3:30 p.m.
Hambletonian Society Breeeders Crown
Standardbred poll
No. Name 1st Pl. Votes Age Gait Sex 97 Record `97 Earnings Points Pvs.
1. Riyadh 14 7 p h 13-7-1-2 $189,500 307 --
2. Hi Ho Silverheels 15 6 p h 7-4-2-1 $130,750 301 --
3. Hot Lead 2 4 p g 11-6-2-1 $125,325 254 --
4. Cami Whitestocking 2 4 p m 12-10-1-0 $135,650 253 --
5. Tune Town 2 5 p h 14-4-6-1 $156,550 161 --
6. B Cor Pete 8 t g 6-4-1-0 $88,250 149 --
7. Dr. Lecter Lobell 6 p h 15-6-2-2 $132,850 146 --
8. Sister Tami 6 p m 12-7-2-2 $143,350 90 --
9. Moni Maker 4 t m 2-1-0-0 $15,000 44 --
10. Megamind 3 p c 3-2-0-1 $54,760 38 --
Also: Raycer Thad (35); Georgia Limited (26); Pacific Flight N (18);
Mystical Maddy (17); Village Beretta (12); Impeccable Image (12); Easter Sun
Hanna (9); Little Steven (8); Rambaran (8); No Nonsense Woman (6); Tilly's
Sam (6); No Control (5); Danger of Fire (5); Misfit (5); Native Born (3);
Loco Hanover (2); CA Connection (2); Hot Rod Todd (2); Distinguished Baron
(2); Aparte (2).