Geers, Miss Versatility on Big M undercard

There were three special undercard harness racing stakes at the Meadowlands Saturday (July 30) in addition to the Hambletonian and Oaks elimination races.

The 7th race $61,800 Tompkins-Geers Stake for three-year-old pacing colts saw Mad Max Hanover (Always B Miki) and driver Tim Tetrick take the early lead away from Early Action (Brian Sears) and then held the field at bay in scoring a lifetime mark.

Mad Max Hanover cut fractions of :26.3, :53.4 and 1:21.1 while maintaining a two length lead the entire race. Then he pulled away from the field in the stretch to win in a romp by six open lengths in 1:47.4. Early Action was second with Captainryanmichael (Dexter Dunn) third.

It was Mad Max Hanover’s third win this season. He is trained by Jake Leamon for owner Marvin Rounick of Narberth, PA. He went off as the ½ favorite and paid $3.00 to win. It was win number four in 18 starts for the gelding and boosted his bankroll to $357,651.

MAD MAX HANOVER REPLAY

The 12th race was the $52,400 Tompkins-Geers Stake for three-year-old pacing fillies and overpowering with a :25.3 last quarter mile to win it all was Max Contract (Huntsville).

Treacherous Dragon (Tim Tetrick) was first on the lead with Boudoir Hanover (Todd McCarthy) stalking them in the two-hole to the first quarter in :26.2 and to the half in :55.1 before

Heading towards the three quarters, Onecrookedleg (Dexter Dunn) came first-over to challenge as they tripped the teletimer in 1:22.3.

As they started down the stretch, McCarthy came after Tetrick and Treacherous Dragon with Boudoir Hanover, but it was driver Andy Miller with the race favorite, Max Contract, who came charging down the stretch and was able to catch Boudoir Hanover on the wire to win by a head in 1:49.1. Treacherous Dragon was third.

MAX CONTACT REPLAY

It was the third straight win for Max Contract and her fourth win in five starts this year for trainer Julie Miller and the Andy Miller Stable of Millstone Township, NJ. She paid $4.40 to win. Max Contract is five-for-six lifetime with $118,600 in earnings.

Then in the 13th race, the $40,000 4th leg of the Miss Versatility for mares, it was world champion Atlanta (Chapter Seven) who stole the show for driver Yannick Gingras.

45-1 Weslynn Quest (Joe Bongiorno) shot right to the lead with Atlanta and Gingras grabbing the two-hole spot to the first quarter in :26.3. Weslynn Quest led the single lined field to the half mile in :55.2.

Then at the three quarters in 1:23, Refined (Todd McCarthy) had come up first-over, but it was still Weslynn Quest in control as Gingras slipped Atlanta from the pocket to challenge starting down the stretch and all of a sudden, Weslynn Quest went off-stride and off the course.

That pretty much left Atlanta all alone on the lead and she trotted away to win by three open lengths in 1:50. Refined was second with Bella Bellini (Dexter Dunn) third after a second-over trip as the race favorite.

ATLANTA REPLAY

It was the third win this year for Atlanta. She is trained by Ron Burke for owners Crawford Farms Racing, Brad Grant and Howard Taylor. She paid $8.00 to win. Her record is now 34-for-70, and she has earned $3,488,558.

To read about the Hambletonian Oaks elims, click here.

To read about the Hambletonian elims, click here.

For complete race results, click here.

by Steve Wolf, for Harnesslink