Masterpiece wins Dr. Jozcef Vecsekloy Memorial

Veteran HU-bred Masterpiece (10m Tony Oaks-Fairplay-Witsends Speedy) endured multiple heats and a sloppy harness racing racetrack to win the classic Vecsekloy Memorial for a purse of 2,000,000Huf over 1800 meters autostart (both heats and final) at Kincsem Park (Budapest).

Lajos Marton teamed the winner that he also trains for owner/breeder Amma i. Masterpiece won the first heat timed in 1.20.2kr defeating Orlando Bloom (8g Zador-Donna Summer-First Dust) reined by Andrea Nagyvary for trainer Imre Fazekas and third finishing Orangyal (8f Wall Street Banker-Derengo-Endless Sands) that Laszlo Kolozsi drove for trainer Balazs Juhasz.

Masterpiece came back five races later to be second in heat two, losing to Rocket Boy (6g Wall Street Banker-Elegant Lady-Mill H) that trainer Imre Fazekas drove to victory timed in 1.20.4kr for owner Baggio i. Kabala Menes Kft bred this winner. Orangyal was third in this heat.

After four entrants were scratched including Orangyal and Orlando Bloom, the final was a match race that Masterpiece won in 1.23.6kr over Rocket Boy.

The Saturday nocturnal trotting card at Kincsem Park also included an interesting undercard. The Nemzeti DIJ (purse 2Huf million, 1960 meters distance handicap for three and four year-olds) went to Ujrazz! (3m Maximus Lindy-Gyorsulj!-Witsends Speedy) traveling 1960 meters for trainer/driver Sandor Varga clocked in 1.23kr over the off-going. Time To Say Goodbye (4m Maximus Lindy-Jungfrau-Valley Guardian) overcame a 40 meter handicap to land second for trainer/driver Lajos Marton and also a 40 meter handicapped performer Tonnyo (4m Incredible Cole-Intelligent Star-Oaklea Buejay) took third for Laszlo Kolozs and owner/breeder Kulik Farm.

The card also included the Butterfly DIF (1800 meters autostart, 650,000Huf purse) that went to 1.21kr timed Sclihamidzic (4m Wall Street Banker-Helikon-Awesome Goal) with Lajos Marton driving, he also the trainer. The fast campaigner Sanger MS (6g Victory Scream-Samba MS-Armbro Goal) took second for trainer/driver Imre Fazekas, ahead of US-bred Working Out (7m Muscles Yankee-Enjoy Our Nanny-Enjoy Lavec) with Csaba Lakatos driving.

Other winners on the program were Stone Capes Judy (9f SJ’s Caviar-Kallassy-Yankee Glide) in the Effendi Handicap (1800 meters autostart, purse 360,000Huf) with Csaba Lakatos aboard, timed in 1.20kr. The Prime Prospect-Becky Ami-Keyser Lobell) daughter Rafael Bit was second with Poeta home third.

The Kekszakall DIJ (2400 meters autostart, 400,000Huf purse) went to 1.22.2kr timed Titan Ville (4g Noir Desir-Izaville-Endless Sands) for trainer/driver Imre Fazekas, who had a training second later in the Amatorverseny Handicap (1960 meters autostart, 360,000Huf purse) with Uttillo d’Amour that Andrea Nagyvary drove.

The winner of this contest was Szaguldji (5f Wall Street Banker-Gyorsulj!-Witsends Speedy) that Tamas Tazczer teamed for trainer Attila Budai. The dam of this winner, timed in 1.22.3kr, also produced today’s Nemzeti DIJ winner.

Finally, the Cinnia Handicap (1900 meters autostart, 360,000Huf purse) went to 1.23.4kr clocked Ranoir Lag (6g Guccione Jet-Ivory OM-Coktail Jet) with Arpad Lakatos up for trainer Zoltan Horvath. Mountain Mambi (9f Victor Victor-Give Me Five-Lindy’s Crown) was second for driver Emese Vezer and third home was the Zoltan Horvath trained and driven Celebrity Classic (7m Classic Response-Musli Star-Somolli Star).

Thomas H. Hicks