2023 Hambletonian Undercard
Confederate vaults to victory in Cane Pace
by Jay Bergman, for the Hambletonian Society
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Confederate and driver Tim Tetrick exploded in the homestretch and blew away 10 rivals to capture the $315,700 Cane Pace, for 3-year-old colts and geldings, in dynamic fashion, equaling the 1:47.3 stakes record in the process on Saturday afternoon (Aug. 5) at the Meadowlands.
Confederate, returning to the scene of his Meadowlands Pace victory for the first time since the July 15 conquest, was a $35,000 supplemental entry to the Cane. Driver Tim Tetrick drove him with superb confidence, sitting back in the early stages as El Ray and driver Scott Zeron motored to the front at the outset and set a :26.3 opening fraction, putting Christchurch into the pocket briefly as Ammo and driver David Miller moved to gain control after the quarter. As soon as Ammo had cleared the front, Yannick Gingras wheeled Christchurch with power to the front well before the :54.1 half-mile marker.
Confederate sat comfortably off the opening half but was on the move shortly thereafter, flushing the cover of Seven Colors and Dexter Dunn and following them intently. Dunn had Seven Colors moving with purpose on the final turn, and he reached even terms with leader Christchurch as the field hit three-quarters in 1:21.2. In the stretch, a game Seven Colors wore down the pacesetter while, to his flank on the outside, Confederate picked up momentum and shifted into an entirely different gear. With Tetrick virtually still in the sulky, Confederate kicked away from the field in an individually-timed :25.4 final quarter. Seven Colors finished second, four lengths behind, with Christchurch holding onto the third spot. Hungry Angel Boy followed the winner on the final turn but couldn’t pace as strongly in the stretch, yet barely held Voukefalas at bay in the battle for fourth.
It was the fifth win in six starts this year for Confederate, a homebred son of Sweet Lou from the A Rocknroll Dance mare Geothermal owned by Diamond Creek Racing. For his career, Confederate has earned $1,131,629.
“That was absolutely a perfect trip for him,” said Brett Pelling, who trains Confederate, who returned $2.40 to win as the overwhelming favorite. “He was just cruising.”
Owner Adam Bowden deflected talk as to whether Confederate might race in the Little Brown Jug this September.
“This guy's in a league of his own,” said Bowden, whose stable also shares ownership in third-place finisher Christchurch.
Sylvia Hanover a gutsy winner in Shady Daisy
by Ken Weingartner, USTA Media Relations Manager
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Harness racing’s No. 1-ranked horse, Sylvia Hanover, made it 13 wins in a row Saturday (Aug. 5) at the Meadowlands, capturing the $100,000 Shady Daisy, for 3-year-old female pacers, by a head over Beach Cowgirl in 1:48.3. Bellisima Hanover finished third.
Sylvia Hanover and driver Bob McClure were content to sit in fourth place through the first half of the race as Bellisima Hanover set fractions of :26 and :54.1. As the leader reached the half, McClure had Sylvia Hanover in motion, but she remained nearly four lengths behind at three-quarters, which was reached in 1:21.4.
In the stretch, Sylvia Hanover overtook Bellisima Hanover, but still had to fight off Beach Cowgirl to her inside to get the hard-earned victory. Sylvia Hanover paced her last quarter in :26 while Beach Cowgirl was timed in :25.4.
“You have to give her credit, that other filly raced huge,” McClure said. “We came a good last quarter, and she was with us the whole way. (Sylvia Hanover) dug in all the way down the lane. It was a good battle. I’m glad we came out on top.”
Sylvia Hanover is a daughter of Always B Miki-Shyaway owned by Hudson Standardbred Stable. The Hanover Shoe Farms-bred filly is trained by the father-son team of Mark and Shawn Steacy. She is 6-for-6 this season and 14-for-15 lifetime. With her win Saturday, she pushed her career earnings to just over $1 million.
“She’s got what most horses don’t have: the desire to win,” Mark Steacy said. “It doesn’t matter what type of trip she gets, she wants to get her nose in front at the end.”
Sent off as the 1-9 favorite, Sylvia Hanover paid $2.10 to win.
Bythemissal soars, 'Allywag' rebounds in Sam McKee Memorial
by Ray Cotolo, Meadowlands Media Relations
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Both Bythemissal and Allywag Hanover entered their respective divisions of the Sam McKee Memorial, for open pacers, seeking comeback wins – Bythemissal following a spell of sickness and Allywag Hanover on his 6-year-old return. The pair pounced and powered in the stretch to each land victories on Saturday (Aug. 5) at the Meadowlands.
In the $128,750 first division, driver Todd McCarthy motored Allywag Hanover through the first turn and procured the pocket past a :26.3 first quarter as 3-5 favorite Ruthless Hanover rolled to control. The field stayed in order to a :53.1 half while Ruthless Hanover attempted to rev into higher gear through the final turn. Ruthless Hanover clocked by three-quarters in 1:20.2 but began laboring off the bottom corner.
Allywag Hanover loomed out of the pocket spinning for home and punched to the lead as Backstreet Shadow ground into contention on his back. Others from the backfield swooped into action late, but Allywag Hanover had his foes measured by two lengths at the beam to register a 1:47.2 mile in his first win of the season. Lou’s Pearlman barreled from last for second with Backstreet Shadow holding third and Whichwaytothebeach rallying for fourth.
“We left out of there hard and I had to do a little more than I wanted to get around, but full credit to the horse,” Todd McCarthy said after the race. “He dug so deep down by the wire, and to win in [1:]47 after leaving like he did ... that was a tremendous mile.
Having made six starts now in 2023, Allywag Hanover notched his first photograph of the year while adding to a resume now worth $1,772,292 for owner Allywag Stable. The Captaintreacherous gelding now has 25 wins from 60 starts and returned $8.40 for the victory.
Bythemissal helmed a continuous assault on Tattoo Artist through the final half to take a 1:47.1 track record victory going away and under wraps in the $130,000 second division.
Leaving from post 10, driver Yannick Gingras managed to find a tuck in third to a :26.3 first quarter set by Tattoo Artist. Tattoo Artist rolled up the backside under minimal pressure and strolled to a :53.4 half before Gingras activated Bythemissal.
Tattoo Artist accelerated through the final turn to keep Bythemissal at bay, though Gingras kept a clenched grip on his charge’s rein as the duo charged clear of their rivals to three-quarters in 1:20.3. Upon straightening, Bythemissal took flight and sailed away from Tattoo Artist to post a 2-1/2-length victory with Taurasi closing for third and Fourever Boy fourth.
“A hundred percent, I think he’s back now,” Yannick Gingras said, since Saturday’s race was Bythemissal’s second start since scratching sick from the $193,880 Charles Juravinski Memorial on May 21 at Flamboro Downs. “I didn’t really want to be on the front with him. I figured anyway with Tattoo Artist – we all know his racing style – he was going to keep the fractions honest. But my horse was tremendous today. We were pacing pretty strong, but when I got to him, I thought my horse would give me a good run in the stretch. Feels good to win one today, anyway.”
A 4-year-old gelding by Downbytheseaside, Bythemissal has now won 18 races from 22 starts and banked $1,292,768 for owners Burke Racing Stable, Eric Good, Rich Lombardo Racing and Weaver Bruscemi LLC. The 1:47.1 mile puts his name onto a divisional track mark first established on June 5, 2021, by Captain Barbossa, and matched by Allywag Hanover in 2021 and Charlie May in 2022. Ron Burke trains the gelding, who paid $7.20 to win.
M-M's Dream cruises to Steele victory
by Mike Farrell, for the Hambletonian Society
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — M-M’s Dream cruised to a 1:50 victory in the $131,250 Dr. John R. Steele Memorial, the first trotting stakes of the Hambletonian Day (Saturday, Aug. 5) program at the Meadowlands.
The Steele, for open mares, drew a select field of six that was short on numbers but long on quality. The lineup included 2022 Hambletonian Oaks winner Fashion Schooner and Breeders Crown champion Jiggy Jog S. In the end, the Pride of Indiana prevailed with a dominant pacesetting score in a lifetime best effort.
The complexion of the race changed radically when Fashion Schooner, handled by Tim Tetrick on the rail, broke at the start. That left David Miller and M-M’s Dream squarely in control as Jiggy Jog, the 1-5 favorite, settled in fourth with Dexter Dunn at the lines.
Spotted the early advantage, M-M’s Dream was not going to be denied.
“The race went nothing like I thought,” Miller said. “When Timmy’s mare made a break leaving, I thought for sure Dexter would be coming. In the middle of the first turn, I was all by myself. We just took it as easy as we could, and she had lots left.”
That was an understatement.
M-M’s Dream polished off the unchallenged mile with a :26 final quarter for her 23rd victory in 29 starts for Eleven Star Stables, Frank Baldachino and Hillside Stables. Jiggy Jog S rallied to secure the place spot, two lengths behind, from Warrawee Xenia.
The Ron Burke trainee has now firmly established her credentials outside the Hoosier State. This was her third Meadowlands stakes win this season, along with a leg of the Miss Versatility and the Hambletonian Maturity, the latter of which saw her shock Jiggy Jog S by a neck at 12-1.
“She’s been racing excellent,” Miller said. “She’s really stepped up. It’s been a nice surprise.”
Bettors were as surprised this time. M-M’s Dream paid $9.80 to win as the 7-2 second choice.
Silver Label equals stakes mark in Lady Liberty
by Jay Bergman, for the Hambletonian Society
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Silver Label and driver Scott Zeron made a powerful move without cover on the final turn and powered to a stakes record-equaling 1:47.3 performance in the $171,400 Lady Liberty, for open pacing mares, at the Meadowlands on Saturday afternoon (Aug. 5).
The 4-year-old by Bettor's Delight, owned and bred by Millar Farms, took home her second major stakes at the Meadowlands with her record-equaling performance coming after she captured the Perfect Sting in July.
The action was hot and heavy in the early stages, and Zeron was careful not to get involved through the opening portion of the race as Max Contract and Andy Miller left boldly with Boudoir Hanover on their outside. Miller forced his rival to take a seat in second through the :26.3 opening quarter. Zeron thought of leaving but settled in sixth, behind second-tier starter Kobe’s Gigi, in the opening bend.
After the early dust settled, second choice Grace Hill and Doug McNair made a quarter-pole move and were followed quickly by favored Test Of Faith and David Miller. Those two exchanged the lead, but Test Of Faith was under attack quickly by Kobe’s Gigi and Brian Sears. Kobe’s Gigi cleared to the lead following the :53.1 half and kept the motor running with a brisk :26.3 third quarter. Zeron had Silver Label moving sharply into that third-quarter sprint and Mikala unsuccessfully tried to follow it, leaving an opening for McNair and Grace Hill to slip out tidily and gain the eventual winner’s cover.
With three quarters timed in 1:19.4, the final quarter turned into a one-mare race as Silver Label strode out powerfully to an open-length lead in mid-stretch and held on by three-quarters of a length over runner-up Mikala and George Brennan. Grace Hill settled for third money, with Always B First and Test Of Faith finishing up the top five.
Silver Label, now a winner in seven of 12 starts during her 4-year-old campaign for trainer Nick Gallucci, pushed her career bankroll to $957,369.
"She doesn’t mind being first-up," said Zeron in the winner’s circle, reflecting on her victory in the Perfect Sting captured in almost identical fashion. "She raced super."
Silver Label equaled Put On A Show’s 1:47.3 clocking taken in the 2012 edition of the race.
As a 4-1 shot, Silver Label returned $10.60 to win.
It's Academic reaches in Cashman
by James Witherite, Meadowlands Media Relations
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — It's Academic passed all eight of his rivals and found the winning post in time to narrowly nab Venerate in 1:51.2 in the $278,000 John Cashman Memorial Trot — his third consecutive Grand Circuit score — on Saturday (Aug. 5) at the Meadowlands.
Being hampered with the outside post in the field of nine, driver David Miller opted to retreat to last with It's Academic as four horses — Ambassador Hanover, Asteroid, Rattle My Cage and Southwind Tyrion — vied for early contention. Rattle My Cage and driver Tim Tetrick seized control through a :26.4 first quarter before backing the half down to :55 while uncontested up the backstretch. Meanwhile, It's Academic found himself fourth-over in an outer flow led by Asteroid — who re-emerged from third to engage Rattle My Cage on the far turn — and seven lengths off the lead.
"They were waiting on cover, but they still went a good half," said Miller. "I was getting a little concerned being last and stacked up, but in the last turn he felt so good."
Just past the midpoint of the far turn, Asteroid broke stride and the second-over Jujubee stalled once losing cover, forcing Venerate to fan three-wide and carrying It's Academic widest of all in upper stretch. Rattle My Cage, who maintained control to three-quarters in 1:23.2 and extended his lead to 2-1/2 lengths off the corner for home, was engulfed in deep stretch as 2-1 favorite Southwind Tyrion knifed through traffic up the pegs, only for It's Academic to cascade down the grandstand side in tandem with runner-up Venerate to win by a nose. Southwind Tyrion was third, beaten only a half length; Rattle My Cage finished fourth, another 2-3/4 lengths in arrears.
"I felt (Venerate) was the horse to beat, and I just wanted to be close to him," continued Miller of his strategy to ride Venerate's cover as long as possible. "I stayed with Venerate right to the very end, and he got by him. He's an incredible horse."
Ron Burke trains It's Academic, a 28-time winner with $1,776,096 in career earnings, for owner Brad Grant. As the second choice, the 6-year-old son of Uncle Peter-Annapolis paid $7.60 to win.
'Daley' double with Sig Sauer, Buy A Round in NJSS frosh trot finals
by Frank Cotolo, Meadowlands Media Relations
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Trainer Noel Daley delivered both winners, Sig Sauer and Buy A Round, in the pair of $240,000 New Jersey Sire Stakes Finals for 2-year-olds held Saturday (Aug. 5) at the Meadowlands.
In the colt trot, a patient Sig Sauer won easily. Andrew McCarthy drove the Muscle Hill-Sigilwig colt to his second win in as many career starts, achieving a lifetime mark of 1:53.3.
The colt’s main rival in the betting, My Way, took the lead off the gate as the public’s third choice, Hankins Hanover, followed after leaving from the rail. After settling in third, McCarthy revved Sig Sauer to the outside up the backstretch and the pair passed My Way and cleared to control nearing the :56.3 half. The pair had no trouble putting the first-over Hankins Hanover away through three-quarters 1:25.1. From there, the public’s top trio marched in line with Sig Sauer sailing across the finish line in 1:53.3 a neck in front, My Way floating home second, and Hankins Hanover claiming the show spot.
Sig Sauer paid $4.60 to win.
Noel Daley trains Sig Sauer, whose victory inflated his bankroll to $135,000 in just two starts, for the partnership of Patricia Stable, Joe Sbrocco & JAF Racing, Allister Stables and Caviart Farms.
"I just wanted to get him out of there unscathed and get away handy enough, and then figure the speed of the race,” McCarthy said. “It looked like I could move him to the front. He's still pretty green and gets a little lost up front. I guess he'll get used to it if I keep doing it, right?”
About the competition, he said, "Sounded like [My Way] had a lot of trot on the inside of me. My colt was running out a little bit, but I tried to keep the rail closed to keep him at bay. Sounded like he would've given me a real shake, so I tried to keep it close and have Timmy [Tetrick] take a shot at me on the right. Luckily, my colt was good enough to hold on."
In the filly division, By A Round won for the second time in three starts at 2 with McCarthy haunting Walcango around each turn as that one cut fractions of :27.3, :57 and 1:26 with a meager challenge from favorite Soiree Hanover, who had to go three-wide around the final turn. In the stretch, By A Round put Walcango away and floated to the center of the track on the lead, closing well enough to keep late-charging Sunkist Beauty by three-quarters of a length in 1:55. Soiree Hanover got third.
The Walner-On Your Tab filly paid $11.40 to win.
Frederick Hertrich owns Buy A Round, who has now earned $137,400 in three starts.
"Toddy [McCarthy with Walcango] managed to steal some easy fractions,” Daley said. “That was a good place to be today. We didn't have a really good day coming into it. I wasn't sure how we'd be. The only thing I said to [Andrew McCarthy] was ‘under-drive’ her rather than overdrive her. We couldn't have gotten a much better trip than that."
