Don’t count Alagna out in $350,000 Adios Pace

WASHINGTON, PA, July 28, 2022 — Elimination winners Beach Glass (Somebeachsomewhere) and Pebble Beach (Downbytheseaside) may appear unbeatable in Saturday’s (July 30) $350,000 harness racing final of the Delvin Miller Adios Pace for the Orchids at Hollywood Casino at The Meadows, but don’t count out Tony Alagna. Few trainers can match his Adios success in recent years.

Alagna won the Orchids in 2016 with Racing Hill and finished second the following year with American History. He’s sent eight colts into the Adios final over the last three years, including Atlas Hanover (Captaintreacherous), Quick Snap (Betting Line) and Nautical Hanover (Captaintreacherous) on Saturday.

The 16-race Adios Day card gets underway at 11:45 AM; the Adios goes as race 15 with an approximate off time of 5 PM. The Pace for the Orchids anchors a power-packed program that features a total of six Grand Circuit stakes, including the $102,355 Quinton Patterson Adioo Volo for 3-year-old filly pacers.

Alagna acknowledged that defeating Beach Glass and Pebble Beach is a tall order.

“Those two will be very tough to beat, and two of mine are hampered with outside posts,” he says. “But I’m not embarrassed to have any of these three colts in there. They earned the right with the way they raced in the eliminations.”

Here’s a look at each of Alagna’s trio:

• Atlas Hanover (post 1, Andrew McCarthy). This gelding is a versatile type who finished fourth in his elim. A big concern: he hasn’t won in 14 tries this year. “We gelded him last year, and it really helped him,” Alagna says. “He’s come back much better. From the rail, you leave out of there as best you can, sit the wood and hope you pick up a good check,” Robert Leblanc, David Anderson, Ken Jacobs and In The Gym Partners own Atlas Hanover.
• Quick Snap (post 8, Dave Palone). Quick Snap has three victories in five starts this year, but all those wins have come in overnights. “He had some breathing issues last year, so we gave him some time off. I’m happy about how he’s come back. Last week was his first major step up against stakes company, and he raced very well. He’s quick off the gate, but I’ll let Dave figure out the trip.” Quick Snap finished third in his elim for owners Let It Ride Stables, Bottom Line Racing LLC, MT Pockets Stables and Alagna Racing LLC.
• Nautical Hanover (post 9, Tim Tetrick). “He was as sharp as anybody in the eliminations (finishing third). He’s sneaky good. I was disappointed in his performance in the Meadowlands Pace, but we found his blood work was a little out of kilter. We addressed that, and he’s been really good since.” He races for Bradley Grant, VJ Stable, Jablonsky Held Stable and In The Gym Partners.

Here’s the Adios field in post-position order with drivers, trainers and morning line odds:

1. Atlas Hanover (Captaintreacherous), Andrew McCarthy, Tony Alagna, 20-1
2. Ario Hanover (Captaintreacherous), David Miller, Brian Brown, 8-1
3. Pebble Beach (Downbytheseaside), Todd McCarthy, Noel Daley, 5-2
4. River Ness (Huntsville), Ronnie Wrenn, Jr., Ron Burke, 20-1
5. Beach Glass (Somebeachsomewhere), Yannick Gingras, Brent MacGrath, 9-5
6. Fourever Boy (Sweet Lou), Mike Wilder, Tim Twaddle, 7-1
7. Bythemissal (Downbytheseaside), Chris Page, Ron Burke, 6-1
8. Quick Snap (Betting Line), Dave Palone, Tony Alagna, 15-1
9. Nautical Hanover (Captaintreacherous), Tim Tetrick, Tony Alagna, 20-1

For complete race entries, click here.

by Evan Pattak, for The Meadows Standardbred Owners Association