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Randy Waples wanted to Control The Moment and that's why he gunned the pacer to the lead going to the quarter pole. That decision led Control The Moment to his eighth straight career victory in the first US$20,000 Breeders Crown elimination for harness racing two-year-old pacing colts and geldings at Woodbine on Friday night.
After a near six-week absence from the racing scene Waples hadn't lost any confidence in Control The Moment at the outset. Pretty Boy Hill and Yannick Gingras alertly left the gate and sprinted to gain control but that lead was short-lived as Waples seized the front through a :27 1/5 opening quarter. The 1-2 public choice maintained a solid clip breezing to the half in :55 3/5 trailed by Pretty Boy Hill and American Passport at that point.
Betting Line and driver Chris Christoforou were the first to pull and didn't get the cover they were expecting. Waples hardly seemed concerned with the outer flow as he guided Control The Moment aggressively to the three quarters in 1:24.
The stretch drive proved interesting as the Brad Maxwell-trained Control The Moment didn't sprint away from the field but instead maintained his lead as American Passport angled out to challenge but couldn't gain. The only horse that did threaten the winner came in the form of Pretty Boy Hill with Gingras urging the Ron Burke-trained colt forward.
Waples put the whip to Control The Moment and his margin shrunk but enough to provide Control The Moment with his eighth straight win. The margin was a solid head for the son of Well Said, in a respectable 1:52 1/5 clocking.
Pretty Boy Hill held for second with Betting Line closing resolutely in third and American Passport and Nvestment Bluechip rounding out the qualifiers for the final.
"He was getting tired at the end," said winning driver Randy Waples. "It's a windy night and I had to cut it. I would rather have Yannick (Pretty Boy Hill) on my back than Scott (Zeron behind the streaking American Passport) but he nearly beat me."
"It's tough to have that kind of break between races with this type of horse. They need to be raced to be tight," Waples continued.
Brad Maxwell, Howard Taylor, Ed Gold and Ben Mudry own Control The Moment.
Control The Moment
Jay Bergman for Breeders Corwn
Racing Hill On A Roll Row Winning Two-Year-Old Colt Pace Second Division
TORONTO, ON – Racing Hill has become a different horse with the addition of Lasix. He won his third consecutive race Friday night in the second US$20,000 Breeders Crown division for two-year-old pacing colts.
Driven by Brett Miller for trainer Tony Alagna, Racing Hill made a move in deep stretch to overtake Spider Man Hanover and win by an easy 2¾ lengths in 1:52. Boston Red Sox, dismissed at more than 23-1, finished second. Spider Man Hanover, who led from the half-mile pole and into the stretch, placed third.
Bred and owned by Tom Hill, Racing Hill had been in a slump prior to the addition of Lasix. But beginning with his two races in Lexington prior to Friday night, it was obvious this was a different horse. He was the favorite in the field of seven at just under 9-5.
“He’s just getting stronger every start,” Alagna said. “You couldn’t have put any better series together. He couldn’t be coming into these races any better.”
His second-last start saw him defeat the previously unbeaten, highly-rated Travel Playlist, finishing the final quarter mile in a snappy 26 seconds.
“There for a little while he wasn’t just quite as sharp, and every time I’d scope him he’d have a lot of allergy mucus, so I put him on Lasix just basically to dry his head up a little bit and it really seemed to do the trick,” Alagna added. “Now he’s getting his confidence back.”
Hill said when Alagna was training the horse to get ready for his first start he felt Racing Hill was special. Now the Roll With Joe colt is starting to show that quality on a consistent basis. You might say he’s on a roll.
“The last two or three starts, especially tonight, the horses that he’s beat he’s proved he’s (the) number one contender for the Meadowlands Pace,” Hill said. “We’re very happy with him and just looking forward to next year, and let’s hope we have a good horse come next Saturday (for the final).”
It will be an interesting showdown in the final against Control The Moment, who is undefeated in eight starts. He raced in the first division and won in a time of 1:52 1/5.
Travel Playlist finished a disappointing fifth by more than 11 lengths, but qualified for the final. Driven by Marcus Miller, the Art Major colt made a move going around the final turn and appearing as if he would gain the lead, but flattened out.
Racing Hill, who upped his career bankroll to just under $140,000, paid $5.70, $3.90 and $2.40. Boston Red Socks paid $12.40 and $4.00. Spider Man Hanover, paid $2.90. The exacta paid $84.00, the trifecta $294.10.
Big Top Hanover placed fourth.
Racing Hill
Perry Lefko for Breeders Crown
2-year-old Colt Pace
1 Racing Hill, Brett Miller, Tony Alagna
2 Spider Man Hanover, Dave Miller, Brian Brown
3 Control The Moment, Randy Waples, Brad Maxwell
4 Nvestment Bluechip, Jody Jamieson, Dave Menary
5 American Passport, Scott Zeron, Tony Alagna
6 Boston Red Rocks, Tim Tetrick, Steve Elliott
7 Big Top Hanover, Yannick Gingras, Ron Burke
8 Travel Playlist, Marcus Miller, Erv Miller
9 Betting Line,Chris Christoforou, Casie Coleman
10 Pretty Boy Hill, Yannick Gingras, Ron Burke
Ae: Carlos Danger
AE: Talk Show
