Travis Alexander has three in $400,000 Adios Pace

WASHINGTON, PA, July 19, 2024 — To a certain extent, Travis Alexander may be in stealth mode as a trainer, but he has a chance to burst into the spotlight when he sends three top harness racing colts into Saturday’s eliminations for the $400,000 Delvin Miller Adios Pace for the Orchids at Hollywood Casino at The Meadows.

The $25,000 Adios elims go as races 8 and 9 on the 15-race program. The first four finishers in each elim, along with the fifth-place finisher with higher lifetime earnings, return on Adios Say, Saturday, July 27, for the $350,000 final. Connections of the elimination winners get to pick their post positions for the final, with the other posts determined by random draw.

The Adios eliminations card also features a pair of stakes for freshman colt and gelding pacers–a $192,108 Pennsylvania Sires Stake and a $120,000 PA Stallion Series event. First post is 12:45 PM.

Alexander, 45, is hardly a newcomer; he’s been training since 1999 and has racked up 1,028 career wins and more than $19.1 million in purses. This year, he boasts a sparkling .416 UTRS. Nor is he a stranger to the Adios. He served as assistant to trainer Jim Campbell for Armbro Animate’s 2003 Adios victory and played the same role for trainer Brett Pelling when Village Jolt triumphed in 2005.

But with a lower profile than some other conditioners, he’s been able to quietly build his stable. He now has about 90 head based at the Mark Ford Training Center in New York. And he isn’t shy. Congratulate him on his trio of Adios contenders and he’s liable to say, “I got three New York breds who are just as good.”

Alexander says he expects big performances from his Adios entrants. Specifically, here’s his inside skinny:

Sweet Beach Life (race 8, post 1, Matt Kakaley). The Sweet Lou-Life Is A Beach gelding won the $225,000 final of the MGM Messenger at Yonkers on June 28, then disappeared until a July 10 qualifier at Pocono. Alexander cites several compelling reasons for the layoff.

“He’s not a kids’ horse, very high strung,” he says of his $87,000 yearling acquisition for A Sweet Beach Life Stable. “He’s a high-speed horse and not the easiest to handle. He’s gotten better as the season progressed. That was the plan, and we’re sticking with the plan.

“Also, when you make that high-dollar money, it’s hard to find (an overnight) race. I didn’t want to race him against older horses.”

Sweet Beach Life, who’s eligible for such rich stakes as the Little Brown Jug and the Breeders Crown, leaves from the rail, a problem for some speed horses who must be used hard to reach the point. Alexander, however, doesn’t consider the rail an impediment.

“For him, it’s okay. He doesn’t need to be forwardly placed.”

Huntingforchrome (race 8, post 4, James MacDonald). Owner NY Seb Inc. moved the Huntsville-All On Top Hanover gelding to Alexander’s stable only a few weeks ago, so the trainer has been experimenting with rigging.

“The first start (a Meadowlands Pace elimination) didn’t work so well,” Alexander allows. “He choked, and it took too much out of him. It was my fault; I had the wrong bits on him. I made the changes, and the next week, he was much better.”

Indeed. He won a $35,000 3-Year-Old Open at The Meadowlands, coming home in an eye-popping 25.2. He’s eligible to most of the prestigious late-season stakes.

Courtship (race 9, post 8, Kakaley). “I know he hasn’t shown enough yet, but things haven’t been lining up for him,” Alexander says. “He still has time to show what he can do.” One specific setback — he “blew up” an abscess in the $100,000 Kentucky Sires Stake final at Oak Grove, where the Betting Line-Midnight Romance gelding still managed a fifth-place finish. Alexander pronounces him fit and ready to shine.

Alexander purchased Courtship at the Lexington Selected Sale for $24,000 for owners Morrison Racing Stables (of Indiana, PA), Alexander Racing Stable LLC and Jeffrey Bell. Given that the horse has earned $171,345, Alexander is thrilled with him.

“We’re already in the black,” he says.

On Adios Day, the final of the Pace for the Orchids anchors a blockbuster program that features six Grand Circuit stakes. In addition, the card will offer a total of $200,000 in pool guarantees spread over11 wagers, thought to be the “Richest Day in PA” for bettors.

Here are the fields for Saturday’s Adios eliminations in post position order with drivers, trainers and morning line odds:

Race 8

1. Sweet Beach Life (Sweet Lou) Matt Kakaley Travis Alexander 2-1
2. Wish You Well (Bettor’s Wish) David Miller Nifty Norman 10-1
3. RNB Band (Sweet Lou) Mike Wilder Eddie Dennis 15-1
4. Huntingforchrome (Huntsville) James MacDonald Travis Alexander 4-1
5. Outer Banks (Downbytheseaside) Ronnie Wrenn, Jr. Ron Burke 12-1
6. Captain Luke (Captaintreacherous) Scott Zeron Tony Alagna 9-5
7. Clever Cody (The Panderosa) Aaron Merriman Ian Moore 7-1

Race 9

1. Timeisonmyside (Captain Crunch) Anthony MacDonald Tim Twaddle 10-1
2. Nuclear (Always B Miki) Dexter Dunn Sarah Andrews 9-2
3. Rush In (Heston Blue Chip) Scott Zeron Linda Toscano 8-1
4. Booming Economy (Captaintreacherous) David Miller Ron Burke 4-1
5. Captain Albano (Captaintreacherous) Todd McCarthy Noel Daley 2-1
6. Noblesville (JK Endofanera) Ronnie Wrenn, Jr Ron Burke 8-1
7. Number Cruncher (Captain Crunch) Jordan Stratton Erv Miller 6-1
8. Courtship (Betting Line) Matt Kakaley Travis Alexander 10-1

by Evan Pattak, for The Meadows Standardbred Owners Association