Upstart vs. early-season star in Tompkins-Geers

Secret Agent Man (Chapter Seven), coming off a 1:50.3 mile, will face off with Battle of Bunker Hill winner Spaaaanzano (Coraggioso) in the $76,700 Tompkins-Geers for three-year-old harness racing trotting males on tonight (Jul. 20) at The Meadowlands.

Secret Agent Man, from Team Miller, scored his first win of the season last time in a conditioned race on Jul. 26 at the Big M in a lifetime-best 1:50.3. The gelding broke in two previous starts this year, both in stakes events, and is now two-for-eight in his career. Julie Miller trains the former $170,000 Lexington Select purchase for owners Andy Miller Stable, Plouffe Racing, Patrick Hoopes, and Knutsson Trotting. The 2-1 favourite will depart from the rail with Andy Miller in the bike.

Spaaaanzano, 6-1 on the morning line, is two-for-five in 2024 with three place finishes. He won the Battle of Bunker Hill and his division of the Currier & Ives Stake, taking a career mark of 1:53.2 in the former. The Chris Beaver-trained gelding has racked up seven victories in 12 career starts. Beaver co-owns the sophomore with Spaaaartners, Bill Manes, and Leo Fleming. Spaaaanzano has gone to the front in three of his past four starts but will leave from post eight this time for Andy McCarthy.

Those two will have to contend with a host of Swedish challengers, including Bryant Bros S (Varenne, Tim Tetrick, 12-1), Big Ben Pellini S (Ready Cash, Dexter Dunn, 10-1), and Edvard Palema S (Readly Express, Ake Svanstedt, 12-1). Big Ben Pellini S looks most poised to make an impact, coming off a five-and-a-quarter-length win in 1:52.1 at Pocono Downs. The Svanstedt-trained colt has won three of four starts since debuting on Jun. 2, with his one loss coming in the Reynolds.

Also in the field are French Kronos (Face Time Bourbon, Mattias Melander, 10-1), Bright Star (Muscle Hill, Scott Zeron, 7/2), Bella’s Musclehill (Muscle Hill, Dave Miller, 5/2), Bargain (Chapter Seven, Yannick Gingras, 8-1), and Mr Grant (Tactical Landing, Todd McCarthy, 15-1). Bella’s Musclehill, the first son of double New Jersey champion Barn Bella, seeks his first stakes win. The gelding has finished in the exacta in four straight outings, including a lifetime-best 1:52 score at The Meadowlands on Jun. 28. Nifty Norman has trained him to $44,943 in earnings since his first start on May 3.

The race is set to go off at 9:40 p.m. EDT.

There are also three divisions of the Tompkins-Geers for three-year-old trotting fillies on the card, going for $30,800 each. They are carded as races six, eight, and 12.

The first features Elista Hanover (International Moni, Dave Miller), aiming for her ninth consecutive stakes victory. She has not been defeated since her seasonal debut with wins in the Weiss Series, Pennsylvania Sires Stakes (PaSS), PA All-Stars, and Reynolds. Annie Stoebe trains the filly and co-owns her with R. L. Curry and Philomena Curry. She drew the three-hole and has been assigned a 4/5 morning line billing.

Her top rivals will be St Pauli Girl (Six Pack, Jim Marohn, Jr. 4-1), a four-time winner this year, and Miss I LA (Walner, Joe Bongiorno, 5-1), who won the New York New York Mile and placed in the New Jersey Sire Stakes (NJSS) Final. They will start from posts six and two, respectively.

Honey’s Sweet (Chapter Seven, Gingras, post five) is the 5/2 favourite in the second split. The filly won the Empire Breeders Classic and a leg of the New York Sire Stakes. She tries for her third win of the season as she starts from post five. Sambuca Hanover (Bar Hopping, Dave Miller, 7/2, post six) will look to regain her previous form after a poor showing the Zweig on Jul. 4. The Nifty Norman pupil won a PA All-Stars division in May and hit the board in three PaSS legs. She took the Kindergarten Final and placed in the Goldsmith Maid at two.

Other notable entrants are PA All-Stars winner She Shaq (Southwind Frank, Svanstedt, 9/2, post four) and Meetmeatthebar (Six Pack, Zeron, 10-1, post one), who has earned more than $50,000 this year.

The competitive third group features Spy Coast (Walner, Gingras, 5/2), Upallnight Hanover (Bar Hopping, Dunn, 3-1, post six), and Tactical Lori (Tactical Landing, Andy McCarthy, 7/2). Spy Coast won two legs of the NJSS and was second to Elista Hanover in a Reynolds division on Jun. 29. The filly, from the Burke Barn, will line up fourth from the pylons. Upallnight Hanover enters the event off a month break. Her sole victory this year came in the PaSS on May 10, in which she took a 1:54.4 mark. She also finished third in the PA All-Stars three back and placed in the PaSS last time for trainer Svanstedt. Tactical Lori, a six-time winner this season, took a career-best of 1:53 in her victory on Jun. 22 and swept her preliminary legs of the Weiss Series in April. She will aim for back-to-back wins as she leaves from post three.

The first dash of 14 in East Rutherford, N.J. is set for 6:20 p.m. EDT.

For complete race entries, click here: US Trotting results.

by Nicholas Barnsdale, for Harnesslink