Artspeak flies from off the pace in ‘Crown’ elim

TORONTO, ON— Tony Alagna-trainee Artspeak racked his 14^th win of his 26-race career on Saturday, Oct. 17 by surging off cover and nailing 3-5 harness racing favorite Wakizashi Hanover on the wire by a neck in 1:51.3 in the latter elimination of the Breeders Crown Three-Year-Old Colt and Gelding Pace.

 

Wakizashi Hanover set a tepid pace, starting with a :28.2 first quarter. The first move came from Dealt A Winner down the backstretch, who initiated the two-wide flow through a :57.3 half. Carrying Artspeak into contention around the turn, Dealt A Winner stalled in his challenge towards Wakizashi Hanover, while In The Arsenal remained to his inside from the pocket.

 

Off a three-quarters in 1:25, Wakizashi Hanover gained two lengths of separation on In The Arsenal has he attempted to accelerate. Artspeak fanned wide into the stretch and didn’t begin to gain ground until the final eighth. As Artspeak loomed closer to Wakizashi Hanover, In The Arsenal shifted his path out of the pocket and tried to chase down the race leader, but was outkicked by Artspeak within a matter of strides.

 

Capping out the finalists were Lost For Words and Dealt A Winner.

 

Competing from the interests of Brittany Farms, Marvin Katz, Joe Sbrocco, and In The Gym Partners, Artspeak pushed his lifetime earnings to $1.6 million. An $8.00 winner, he was driven by Scott Zeron.

 

“I’ve gone on record many times saying that this horse had a lot of things not go his way earlier in the year,” Alagna said. “[There] were too many weeks in a row in his schedule; weeks that you couldn’t pass up for the amount of money they were going for. But, he’s as good right now as he’s ever been. Scott [Zeron] said today he was better in [1]:51[.3] than he was at Lexington in [1]:47 and change.”

 

“Concerned was probably the best way to put it,” Alagna also said in regards to his reaction towards the slow fractions in the race. “When the race is setting up that way, you know your horse can sprint, but it’s so important to win these eliminations so you have a chance at a decent draw. Just that he was able to get up for the win means a lot.”

 

“Earlier in the year, when he had the North America Cup, the [Max] Hempt, Meadowlands Pace, and the New Jersey Classic, that was seven weeks in a row and the horse just doesn’t recover like a standardbred,” Alagna also said. “He’s very much more like a thoroughbred; if he can just have a week off here and there in his schedule, he’s as good as ever.”

 

The draw for the $500,000 Breeders Crown Three-Year-Old Colt and Gelding Pace will take place on Tuesday, Oct. 20 at a press conference hosted by Woodbine Racetrack.

 

 

Artistic Major          Ti Tetrick          S Elliott           

Artspeak                S Zeron             T Alagna             

Dealt A Winner          Y Gingras           M Silva             

Dudes The Man           C Callahan          H Okusko Jr          

Freaky Feet Pete        Tr Tetrick          L Rheinheimer        

In The Arsenal          B Sears             K Harrison           

Lost For Words          D Miller            B Brown              

Reverend Hanover        C Christoforou      C Coleman            

Wakizashi Hanover       Ti Tetrick          J Looney King        

Penji Hanover           J Jamieson          B Wallace           

AE:1 Yankee Bounty      Y Gingras           R Burke              

AE:2 Arque Hanover      C Callahan          C Coleman