3 Year Olds & 2 Year Olds
The Meadowlands, Plainridge Racecourse
NJ, MA
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Two $49,875 divisions of the W.M. Reynolds Memorial Tar Heel for pacing colts and geldings.
In the first division more records were set, and by two horses as Howlenthehills (American Ideal-Arielle Lynn) and Solid Character (Sweet Lou-Riley Character) finished in a dead-heat for the win.
Solid Character (Yannick Gingras) took the first lead but Howlenthehills (Matt Kakaley) brushed up from second to grab the front in a quick :26.4. With Armada Hanover (Matty Athearn) tracking the leaders from third, Howlenthehills got to the half in :55.1 and three-quarters in 1:22.4 unchallenged. After they came off the last turn, Howlenthehills had opened up a two length advantage and was looking like a winner. But Gingras tipped Solid Character and asked for more and Solid Character delivered, as he flew down the lane and caught Howlenthehills in the shadow of the wire as they both crossed at the same time in 1:50.3.
The time was a new track record for 3-year-old pacing geldings and also a new stake record for the Tar Heel at Plainridge Park.
It was the 13th win of the year for Howlenthehills ($2.10) who is owned by Symmetry Stable and trained by Travis Alexander and also the fifth win of the year for Solid Character ($2.10) who is owned by Burke Racing, Robert Jackson, Timothy Sullivan and Tom Wilson and trained by Ron Burke.
Howlenthehills was bred by Crawford Farms and Solid Character was bred by Winterwood Farm.
In the second split, the pair of records just set by the first group would go down hard as Sweet Beach Life went the mile of his career in an easy victory.
Matt Kakaley wasted no time getting Sweet Beach Life to the front and dominated once he crossed over. After setting fast and unchallenged fractions of :26.3, :54.4 and 1:22.3, Sweet Beach Life swelled up at the top of the lane and bolted home under Kakaley wraps by 5-¼ lengths in 1:49.3.
The time was a new lifetime mark for the winner, set a new track record for 3-year-old pacing geldings and also set a new stake record for the Tar Heel at Plainridge Park.
It was the sixth win of the year for Sweet Beach Life ($2.20) who is owned by A Sweet Beach Life Stable and trained by Travis Alexander.
Sergeant Stables bred Sweet Beach Life.
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Karl and T C I entered their respective divisions of Saturday’s (June 29) W.N. Reynolds Memorial for 3-year-old male trotters at the Meadowlands ranked as the top two contenders for August’s $1 million Hambletonian Stakes, and both solidified their standing with victories.
Karl won the first $34,250 Reynolds division by 1-1/2 lengths in 1:51, equaling his career-best time. Bright Star finished second and French Kronos was third.
Three races later, T C I overcame rain and wind in his $34,750 division to win by 2-1/4 lengths in 1:53.1 over a track labeled good. Tony Adams S finished second and Caballero was third.
Both winners were sent off as 1-9 favorites.
In the opening division, Bright Star led the field to the opening quarter in :27.3 before driver Yannick Gingras put Karl, ranked No. 1 in Meadowlands announcer and analyst Ken Warkentin’s Road to the Hambletonian, in motion from third and took the lead in a :56.1 half. Nothing changed from there, with Karl hitting three quarters in 1:24.2 and stepping home in :26.3 to victory.
“I just let people settle (on the first turn),” Gingras said. “When you’re 1-9, just trying to keep him out of trouble, not have someone make a break in front of him, then march my way to the front and go from there.”
Undefeated in four races this season, Karl has won 13 of 14 career starts and earned $1.20 million for trainer Nancy Takter. He has captured eight in a row since his lone setback, which came by a nose against T C I, last October.
Karl, a 2023 Dan Patch Award winner, is owned by Christina and Nancy Takter, Black Horse Racing, Crawford Farms Racing, and Bender Sweden Inc. The son of Tactical Landing-Avalicious was bred by Crawford Farms.
In the second division, Ron Burke-trained T C I, the No. 2-ranked horse in the Road to the Hambletonian, methodically worked his way to the front with driver David Miller in a :57.2 half and remained in control, reaching three quarters in 1:26 and coming home in :27.1.
“Our plan was to trip him out, get him in a hole, but it really wasn’t developing around the first turn,” Miller said. “Everybody was just kind of floating out of there. There was one little hole in the first turn, but it closed up quickly, so I had to go on. But I thought he raced well. He finished up strong.”
Unbeaten in three races this year, T C I has won 13 of 15 career starts and earned $1.32 million. A 2023 O’Brien Award recipient, T C I is owned by Burke Racing Stable, Hatfield Stables, Knox Services Inc., and Weaver Bruscemi LLC. The son of Cantab Hall-Nicole’s Promise was bred by Concord Stud Farm.
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Pennsylvania champion Papi’s Rocket converted a pocket trip to a sharp 1:50.4 victory in Friday’s Keystone Classic at Hollywood Casino at The Meadows. Wedlock Blue Chip captured the other division of the $82,700 stake for freshman colt and gelding pacers.
Papi’s Rocket let Dreamboat Hanover do the dirty work up front before overtaking him in mid-stretch. But winning driver Ronnie Wrenn, Jr. indicated at that point, Dreamboat Hanover wasn’t his principal concern.
“I was a little nervous leaving the two hole early because I thought I might be giving a shot to Railroad Station in the passing lane,” Wrenn said. “But I thought it was my time to move. He’s not real big, but he gives 100 percent every time.”
The son of Papi Rob Hanover-Real Touch remained in charge, downing Railroad Station by 1/2 length, with Steamboat Springs a rallying third. Ron Burke trains Papi’s Rocket, who vaulted over $200,000 in career earnings, for Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi LLC, Knox Services and Slaughter Racing Stable. Burke sent out eight of Friday’s 16 Keystone Classic starters.
Wedlock Blue Chip had only a qualifier in the past month, but he came back ready, moving crisply first over and drawing off to a 3-1/4-length triumph in 1:53.1. Snack Attack and Lou’s Albano finished second and third, respectively. Roland “Poly” Mallar conditions the son of Bettor’s Wish-Heavenly Bride for Richard Cortese and Don Hawk.
“I think Poly wanted to get a race in him but couldn’t find one for him,” said winning driver Troy Beyer. “But his fitness wasn’t a big concern. Poly always has his horses strong.”
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Frank Leahy outkicked track record-holder Cheers Hanover in the lane to triumph in Wednesday’s Keystone Classic at Hollywood Casino at The Meadows. Arrowhead Hanover captured the other division of the $77,900 stake for freshman colt and gelding trotters.
On Aug. 2, Cheers Hanover trotted in 1:54 for Hunter Myers, fastest mile ever by a freshman colt trotter. Ironically, in the Keystone Classic, it was Myers trying to pilot Frank Leahy around Myers’ erstwhile partner. Frank Leahy sat an unused third before taking up the attack entering the final turn, so Myers knew the son of Southwind Frank-Regal Woman was fresh.
“Once I saw that the quarter and half were a little soft, I thought it might be tough to catch him. But I got to sit as long as I wanted to. I got to take care of my horse before I had to use him,” Myers said of Frank Leahy, who entered Wednesday’s contest with a single victory on his card — that in an overnight.
Frank Leahy defeated Cheers Hanover by 1/2 length in 1:55.4, with Dignified Wheat third. Ron Burke trains Frank Leahy for Ben Mondello and Fac Racing LLC
In the other division, Arrowhead Hanover won under wraps in 1:55.2 for Ronnie Wrenn, Jr., trainer Tim Twaddle and owner TheStable Arrowheadhanover Group. With the victory, the International Moni-Aarena Hanover gelding soared over $100,000 in career earnings.
Messenger Hanover was second, beaten a length, with The Fix Is In third.
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$62,150 W.N. Reynolds Memorial Leta Long for 3-year-old pacing fillies where Ponynamedwildfire (Huntsville-Wordly Treasure) went the mile of her life in stake record time.
Bruce Ranger flew off the wings with Ponynamedwildfire and set a quick quarter pace of :26 flat. But that wasn’t fast enough for Leanne’s Choice (Marcus Miller) who pulled from second to take the lead before the :53.4 half. There was no rest for the leader as So Well Dressed (David Miller) was on the attack and took the lead on the backstretch. But as soon as she cleared, Chiapanecas (Yannick Gingras) was at her bridle pressing hard in 1:21.1 and Ponynamedwildfire was right in her back. When the race entered the stretch, the battling front-runners were collectively tiring and Ranger had a fresh horse and tipped Ponynamedwildfire three-deep and paced home the best by 1-½ lengths in 1:51.
The clocking was a new lifetime mark for the winner and also set a new stake record for the Leta Long at Plainridge Park.
It was the sixth win of the year for Ponynamedwildfire ($8.20) who is owned and bred by Steve Jones and trained by Ray Schnittker.
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Sunkist Beauty won the first of the three $25,667 divisions for the sophomore female trotters by three lengths in a career-best 1:52.2 for driver-trainer Åke Svanstedt. St Pauli Girl finished second and Dolce Amara was third.
Sent off as the 3-5 favorite, Sunkist Beauty was third for the first half of the mile before moving for the front on the final turn and overtaking leader Cheval Rapide at the top of the stretch to win her seasonal debut. Sunkist Beauty, a daughter of Six Pack-Orange Bigi, is owned by Åke Svanstedt Inc. and Stall Kalmar Inc. She was bred by Kiefer Elite Bloodstock and Martin Michalik. She has won three of six career races and earned $110,583.
In the second division, 6-5 favorite Elista Hanover grabbed the lead after the opening quarter and never relinquished it as she extended her win streak to eight with a 3-1/2-length victory in 1:52.3. Spy Coast finished second and Slip Sliding Away was third. Returning Dan Patch Award-winner Soiree Hanover finished fourth in her seasonal debut.
David Miller drove Elista Hanover for trainer Annie Stoebe, who co-owns the filly with Lynn and Philomena Curry. The daughter of International Moni-Evermore was bred by Hanover Shoe Farms. She has won eight of nine races this year and nine of 18 lifetime, earning $175,958.
The third division went to Buy A Round by 3-3/4 lengths in a career-best 1:53.2 on a track labeled sloppy. Honey’s Sweet finished second and Only One Cosmo was third.
Buy A Round, the 6-5 second choice, was driven by Andy McCarthy for trainer Noel Daley. The daughter of Walner-On Your Tab is owned by breeder Frederick Hertrich III. She has won two of three races this season and eight of 12 in her career, earning $390,933.
All three filly winners are eligible to August’s $500,000 Hambletonian Oaks at the Meadowlands.
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Always Ana Hanover overwhelmed the leader, even money favorite Pilar Hanover, with a powerful, uncovered backside move and rolled home in a stake-record 1:51.1 in Thursday’s Keystone Classic at Hollywood Casino at the Meadows. Royally Hot sprang a 12-1 upset in the other division of the stake for freshman filly pacers.
Always Ana Hanover was fourth when Ronnie Wrenn, Jr. sent her after Pilar Hanover, who offered resistance but succumbed in the stretch. The rallying Earth Angel was second, 1/2 length back, while 56-1 bomb Lyons Anitasangel earned show. The time is a career best for Always Ana Hanover and erased the previous stake mark of 1:51.3 Caviart Cherie established in 2016.
“They went pretty good to the half, but it’s always tough to come first over here and last,” Wrenn said. “That was probably her best race of the year.”
Ron Burke trains the daughter of Always B Miki-Ana Hanover for Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi LLC, William Switala and James Martin.
Royally Hot had won just once — and that in an overnight — but trainer Jim King, Jr. considered the Keystone Classic a good spot for her.
“She’s been competitive right along,” King said. “She’s a little healthier right now than she’s been. She hasn’t really had her feelings hurt all year, which makes a difference at the end of the year.”
Owner/breeder/driver Tim Tetrick moved the daughter of Bettor’s Wish-McSauna from third past the three-quarters. She zipped by the leader, 1-9 favorite Beach Rules, and scored in 1:51.4, a new life mark. Blessed Hanover was second, beaten 1-3/4 lengths, while Lyons Benz completed the ticket at 61-1.
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$63,350 Keystone Classic —2-Year Old Filly Trotters
Princess Jackie and Seal The Deal AS figured to be best in their split of Wednesday’s co-feature. Jim Marohn, Jr. aboard Princess Jackie knew it, so he gave the cold shoulder to Wrenn and Seal The Deal AS when they tried to wrest away the lead at the quarter.
“I wanted to put her on the lead,” Marohn said. “It’s been awhile since she’s been there, and she likes racing there. I was in a good spot to do it. When I called on her in the last turn, she scooted right off as if it were her first start of the year.”
That decision proved wise as Princess Jackie jogged away from her rival late and downed her by 2 lengths in 1:56.2. Can It Be Magic completed the ticket. The daughter of Greenshoe-Frisky Magic boosted her lifetime bankroll to $180,014 for owner/trainer D.R. Ackerman, who named the filly for his granddaughter. Ackerman indicated Princess Jackie would be pointed to the Breeders Crown.
Blueberry continued her fine season in the other division with a front-end score in 1:56.1, matching her career-best and giving her earnings of $130,793. Payback Moni was 3-3/4 lengths back in second, with Tally The Tab third.
“She was a perfect=gaited horse from Day 1, an absolute sweetheart,” said Doug Snyder, who trains the homebred daughter of Father Patrick-Perfect Image for Geraldine Poerio. “She’s from a good female family, so she has a right to be a good horse.”
He said Blueberry will race once more this year, in the Liberty Bell, but has a more extensive stakes schedule next season.