Confederate destroys his rivals in $668,000 Meadowlands Pace

The Grand Circuit hit The Meadowlands tonight (Jul. 15) with $2.3 million purses on the line in nine harness racing stakes, including the $668,000 Meadowlands Pace.

Below is the live, up-to-the-minute coverage provided by Harnesslink’s team of award-winning writers.

Confederate destroys his rivals in $668,000 Meadowlands Pace

Confederate (Sweet Lou) prevailed impressively in the $668,000 Meadowlands Pace, giving trainer Brett Pelling a terrific birthday gift in the form of his fifth Pace title as his charge stopped the clock in a blistering 1:47 as the 1-2 favorite.

Bred and owned by Diamond Creek Racing, Confederate bested nine rivals in the one-mile contest for 3-year-old pacers and pushed his lifetime earnings to $999,950 and his seasonal earnings to $556,250.  It was his ninth win in 12 career starts and his fourth win this season and gave winning driver Tim Tetrick his sixth Pace trophy in 17 starts in the classic.

“I was afraid I was going to have to be first up and that’s the way it worked out,” Tetrick noted.  “My horse drug me around there and I was just a passenger. He raced really, really good.”

Confederate took the lead at the :54.3 half, racing first up, followed by Fulton, as they challenged the leading Hungry Angel Boy through the 1:21.1, before the winner simply opened up lengths on the rest of his rivals.

Hungry Angel Boy, a 70-1 shot trained by Tony Alagna, finished second for Todd McCarthy, while Christchurch, one of three trained by Nancy Taker, was third at 6-1 for driver Yannick Gingras. Fulton, a 14-1 longshot got up for fourth for driver Dexter Dunn and trainer Linda Toscano.

CONFEDERATE REPLAY

“He’s a gorgeous horse and super smart and I really thought he’d be on his game tonight and he was,” confirmed Pelling. “Tonight, Tim wasn’t going to let up on him, and the horse said, ‘alright let’s keep going.’”

Initiated in 1977, that first edition was captured by Escort for trainer-driver Carl Le Cause in 1:54.4 and has become known as the pinnacle of events for sophomore pacers. The names of previous winners is like a who’s who of harness racing, including such stars as Falcon Almahurst, Niatross, Nihilator, Matt’s Scooter, Beach Towel, Precious Bunny, Presidential Ball, Hot Lead, Gallo Blue Chip, Rocknroll Hanover, Captaintreacherous, and Wiggle It Jiggleit. He’s Watching captured the fastest edition in 2014, when he paced to a 1:46.4, all-aged world record clocking for driver Tim Tetrick and trainer David Menary.

The race sported a one-million-dollar purse until 2013, the year Captaintreacherous was victorious in 1:48.1. John Campbell has scored the most wins by a driver (1982-1989-1994, 1995, 1999, 2001, 2002), while Brett Pelling had won this race previously in 1995, 1997, 1999, and 2005.  Nancy Takter had three starters in the Meadowlands Pace (Christchurch, Cannibal, Save America) while Tony Alagna had two (Hungry Angel Boy, El Rey).

by Kimberly Rinker, for Harnesslink

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Quick Stop never gives up in $105,250 Del Miller Trot

Quick Stop (Tactical Landing), despiting being parked out first-over in the backstretch, was able to grind out a lifetime mark in capturing her $105,250 division of the Del Miller Memorial for three-year-old trotting fillies at The Meadowlands.

The 3^rd race started off with Blonde Bombshell (David Miller) working their way to the lead and then to be challenged and overtaken by even-money favorite Secret Volo (Brian Sears) to the first quarter in :26.4.

Coming to the half mile in :56, Tim Tetrick came first-over with Quick Stop, giving second-over cover to Heart Of Fire (Todd McCarthy). They went by the three-quarters in 1:24.4.

With Secret Volo still on the lead heading down the stretch, Quick Stop would not be denied as she picked off Secret Volo and then held off a late charging Instagram Model (Andy McCarthy) to win by a head in 1:52.2. Secret Volo was third.

“We got away in kind of a bad spot,” Tetrick said. “She had to do a lot of work. She definitely earned that one. I tried to leave and get a better position and got put where I didn’t really want to be, but she hung tough. She’s a fighter. I really like that part of her.

“It was a horse race. The favorite was on the front, and I’m trying to beat her, and I know I’ve got another one on my back and I did all the work first up with the littlest horse on the track. I give her credit. It was a hard-fought win.”

QUICK STOP REPLAY

It was the second straight win for Quick Stop, who is trained by Anette Lorentzonw, who co-owns the filly with Acl Stuteri Ab. She paid $9.20 to win.

by Steve Wolf, for Harnesslink

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Heaven Hanover ends win streak for Bond

Heaven Hanover (Father Patrick), given a perfect second-over trip by Hall of Fame driver Tim Tetrick, nosed out Rose Run Yolanda (Scott Zeron) and ended the nine-race winning streak for Bond (Ake Svanstedt) in capturing the $105,250 4^th race second division of the Del Miller Memorial Trot for three-year-old fillies.

It was Bond who was strung out early by Mambacita (Yannick Gingras) past the first quarter in :27.4. Then Bond was able to clear and cut the mile to the half in :55.3.

Then Rose Run Yolanda (Todd Luther) came first-over in the backstretch with 11-1 Heaven Hanover getting the second-over cover as they all raced to the three-quarters in 1:22.3.

Bond held first as they started down the stretch, but Rose Run Yolanda had collared the filly and was passing her by when Tetrick came charging with Heaven Hanover and those two tangled to the wire with Heaven Hanover winning by a long nose over Rose Run Yolanda in 1:51.3. Bond was third.

“I got away last, and I knew I could get Scott to pull his filly; I could see she was a little aggressive,” Tetrick said. “Bond got stretched out more than normal and we got led all the way to the promised land. I didn’t have to pull until halfway down the lane; my job was pretty easy there.”

HEAVEN HANOVER REPLAY

For Heaven Hanover, it was a lifetime mark and her second win on the season for trainer Marcus Melander. She is owned by S R F Stable, R. Washlstedt, Heights Stable and AMG Stable. She paid $25.00 to win and is eligible to the Hambletonian Oakes.

It was a stakes double for driver Tim Tetrick as he won both divisions of the Del Miller Memorial.

by Steve Wolf, for Harnesslink

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M-M’s Dream scores huge upset in Hambletonian Maturity

M-M’s Dream (Swan For All) captured the $410,250 E.T. Gerry Jr., Hambletonian Maturity. The 4-year-old mare bested eight rivals, including the 1-5 favorite, Jiggy Jog S, while covering the ground, over a track labeled as ‘good,’ in the one and one-eighth mile contest, in 2:04.3.

Driven by David Miler for trainer Ron Burke and owners Eleven Star Stables, F.D. Baldachine, and Hillside Stables, M-M’s Dream came rushing forward in the late going as the 12-1 choice to nip Jiggy Jog S and driver Dexter Dunn by a nose at the wire. Raised By Lindy, a 19-1 longshot, got up for third for driver Yannick Gingras. Looks Like Moni, 23-1, was fourth with Scott Zeron at the lines.

“We were trying to figure her out earlier this year, and we finally got her right,” trainer Burke reported. “Then I thought, this mare is better than I even thought. She gives you a handle on her vibes, and she’s just gotten better and better. You don’t get to pick these horses up very often. I wasn’t worried-we qualified her last week, and a lot of other horses paved the way for us to learn how to train horses like this.  We pulled her shoes tonight, and David (driver Miller) was a bit concerned, but I told him she was likely out in the paddock at some point in her life without shoes.”

M-M’S DREAM REPLAY

Jiggy Jog S had taken the lead at the :55.4 half and led the field through fractions of 1:24.3, and 1:51, before brushing home to nail down her 22^nd victory in 26 starts. She was the 2022 Indiana Trotter of the Year and with this latest triumph, became harness racing’s newest millionaire.  M-M’s Dream is the first foal out of the Classic Photo mare Trading Places 6, 1:53.2f ($294,631). M-M’s Dream upped her career earnings to $1,214,630 and her seasonal earnings to $449,618.

“She loves chasing horses, and just keeps digging in,” said winning owner Frank Baldachino. “We’ve had her since she was a baby, and she’s one special horse.  A lot of credit goes to Ronnie—this has been a great team effort with this mare.  For us to get up and beat Jiggy Jog S is unbelievable, it’s a dream come true.”

Three of the horses in this event were sired by Chapter Seven, and two each by Walner and Muscle Hill, and the total foal earnings of this group before the finish were $5,753,779. This was the seventh edition of the dash, which is for horses that were not eligible to the Hambletonian or the Hambletonian Oaks as 3-year-olds (in 2023) and prohibits the use of the anti-bleeder medication Lasix.

by Kimberly Rinker, for Harnesslink

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Sylvia Hanover perseveres to capture $169,000 Mistletoe Shalee

She looked in trouble at the midway point, but Sylvia Hanover (Always B Miki) rallied in the payoff half to prevail in the $169,000 Mistletoe Shalee.

Bob McClure floated the filly forward off the gate and went two-wide into the first turn on the cover of Twin B Joe Fresh (Dexter Dunn), who seized command before the quarter in :27.1. Sylvia Hanover, now uncovered, attempted a takeover too, but she began to tread water coming down the backstretch and failed to clear. Both My Little Captain (Dave Miller) and Strong Poison (Yannick Gingras) flew past her from the backfield, with the former taking the lead and the latter staying first-up at the half in :55.4.

Sylvia Hanover found her stride to maintain a second-over position while Strong Poison and My Little Captain threw down to three-quarters in 1:22. Sylvia Hanover then showed her best self, drifting off cover and roaring by the top two down the lane. Twin B Joe Fresh produced a last surge to test her once more, but Sylvia Hanover finished strong and stopped the clock with a three-quarter-length margin in 1:48.4.

Twin B Joe Fresh was second, and Strong Poison beat My Little Captain for second. The winner was off at 1-2.

Bob McClure, a top pilot who usually has a reserved manner about him, said that at the quarter, “I was terrified. I thought I’d just follow Dexter after he made the lead and go right by, but that didn’t happen. And then two horses looping past the half … Actually, I felt a lot better at the five-eighths because I had live cover, and my filly still had pace – she has great endurance. I wasn’t surprised that it was Dexter’s [Twin B Joe Fresh] coming at me at the end – they’re great fillies.”

SYLVIA HANOVER REPLAY

Sylvia Hanover is perfect in four starts this year. The Shawn Steacy-trained filly won the Fan Hanover earlier this season, and Canada’s 2022 Two-year-old Pacing Filly of the Year is now 12-for-13 lifetime with $1,226,300 in earnings. She is a homebred for owner Hudson Standardbred Stable.

by Nicholas Barnsdale, for Harnesslink

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Stunning upset in $159,000 Dorothy Haughton Memorial

The night of upsets continued as Mikala (Always B Miki) and driver George Brennan scored a huge upset at 41-1 in winning the $159,000 Dorothy Haughton Memorial Mares Open Pace.

It was the only drive for George Brennan on the Big M card.

The 9^th race began with Silver Label and driver Scott Zeron shooting to the early lead with Racine Bell (Jason Bartlett) grabbing the pocket seat to a :26 opening quarter mile.

Silver Label maintained her lead past the half mile in :53.4 and then saw Max Contract (Andy Miller) come first-over with race favorite Grace Hill (Doug McNair) second over and third over was Mikala and Brennan. The three-quarters was in 1:21.

As they came down the stretch, Grace Hill came off her cover to collar Silver Label, but fastest of in mid-stretch was Mikala and Brennan and they blew by Grace Hill to win by two lengths in 1:47.4. Grace Hill was second with Silver Label third.

“I wanted to follow Grace Hill and I didn’t want to get involved in the early pace,” said Brennan. “It worked out perfectly.”

MIKALA REPLAY

It was a lifetime mark for Mikala and her first win in five starts this year. She is a five-year-old mare trained by Nik Drennan and owned by J. Davino and B. Shackman. At odds of 41-1, she paid $84.80 to win.

by Steve Wolf, for Harnesslink

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Oh Well is dominant in winning $138,500 Stanley Dancer Memorial

Tim Tetrick made it four wins on Meadowlands Pace night when he partnered the Marcus Melander trained, Oh Well (Muscle Hill), to a dominant victory in the 1^st division of the $138,500 Stanley Dancer Memorial for three-year-old trotting males.

The pair wired the field with well rated sectionals from the front having landed their easily from his post position of seven from behind the mobile. He scorched home in a :27.1 last quarter to record a lifetime mark of 1:51.2 for the mile and a decisive two length victory.

With little moves being made and the field strung out in single file, Tetrick was left alone with the 7/2 race favourite and only found company entering the stretch when Anke Svanstedt pulled Kierkegaard K from the pocket to mount a challenge.

Coming with him were the favoured pair in Dexter Dunn and Air Power, with the New Jersey Sires Stakes winner looking to be traveling within himself as they rounded for home.

With little over a furlong to run, Air Power went off stride leaving his Melander stablemate, Oh Well to fight out the finish with Kierkegaard K, who despite trotting solidly to the line in the hands of his trainer/driver, never looked like picking up the winner.

French Wine and Andy Miller rallied well late for third, while Father Stosh and Troy Beyer ran on into fourth.

OH WELL REPLAY

Speaking to Greg Blanchard post-race, ‘the bionic man’, Tim Tetrick was naturally delighted for his charge to break his run of four times being the bridesmaid.

“I was super happy. He trotted in 50 and he got beat pretty much every time right at the wire and every race could have gone his way,” said Tetrick.

“He raced good enough to win every time. We have been playing with the Open bridle all year to get him in shape. He’s a great big horse and we put the blind bridle on him tonight and he really responded. He’s a great big lazy colt who doesn’t pay attention all the time but when he gets his mind on business he knows what’s going on. When the summer comes and he’s hot and tight, he can carry the mail,” he said.

For his trainer in Marcus Melander, the victory signalled a refined approach to the gruelling three-year-old season with a view to peaking his charge at the right time of the year.

“I’ve kept the Open bridle on him all season so far, today was the time to put the closed one on like he wore every start last year,” said Melander.

“It’s a long season and we didn’t want to pull all the plugs right away, we have been managing him to have him right on top for Hambo day and so far he’s looking good. I think so, you know, other years we have always had horses in the Hambletonian, but it seems like I was peaking my horses a little too early. Now I have changed a bit in my training system, and it seems like this guy is peaking at the right time,” he said.

by Brad Reid, for Harnesslink

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Charlie May flies to Haughton Memorial shocker

Charlie May (McArdle) pulled off a 31-1 upset in the $444,000 William R. Haughton Memorial, surging down the stretch at the cones for his first win of the year.

The Ohio champion fired off the wings for Dave Miller and found the three hole from post nine. He watched Ruthless Hanover (Tim Tetrick) accomplish his front-end mission by the quarter in :26. Abuckabett Hanover (Andrew McCarthy) then rushed up from the backfield to put the leader under siege to the half in :52.4.

Ruthless Hanover fought back and dispatched Abuckabett Hanover entering the far turn with Charlie May still locked in the three-hole behind Abuckabett Hanover. The latter shifted out to attack the leader, handing Charlie May the inside racetrack, and Bythemissal (Yannick Gingras) and Tattoo Artist (Dexter Dunn) joined them in a four-horse cavalry charge behind Ruthless Hanover. Tattoo Artist ignited first and struck the front, but Charlie May found room at the pylons and also surged. Those two battled to the line, but Charlie May had the best late pace and got up to take the Haughton Memorial in 1:47.1.

Tattoo Artist was a game second, and Ruthless Hanover gutted it out to hold third.

CHARLIE MAY REPLAY

Charlie May’s career record is now 25-for-55 with $1,858,797 in earnings. Steven Carter trains the five-year-old for owner/breeder Don Tiger of Canonsburg. The gelding was previously winless in five outings this year but placed four times, including in the Battle of Lake Erie.

by Nicholas Barnsdale, for Harnesslink

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Winner’s Bet takes Dancer Memorial to remain perfect

Dexter Dunn and the Domenico Cecere trained Winner’s Bet (Walner) remained unbeaten on the year when sprinting best to win the second division of the Stanley Dancer Memorial on Meadowlands Pace night.

It was a classic stalk and dive steer from the champion Kiwi reinsman who was content to sit three deep along the pylons while front runners Tactical Approach and Kilmister slugged it out from the top.

Brian Sears had Kilmester away best from post position eight to set the tone early with a 27.9 first quarter. However it wasn’t long before Scott Zeron and race favourite Tactical Approach zipped round to dictate terms with a half mile left to run, the first half mile being run in 56.2.

Entering the stretch it was clear those in behind were struggling to make ground on the lead trio, with Dunn extracting Winner’s Bet to the centre of the track while Brian Sears went back down the inside as they set about chasing down the Nancy Takter trained son of Tactical Landing.

Winner’s Bet mustered an impressive late rally with a closing quarter of 26.9 to win going away in a 1:51 mile rate which is sure to put the Lindy Farms bred and owned colt deep into Hambletonian consideration a fortnight out from the million dollar feature.

“He has come back really well, the team have done a great job bringing him back. He is super relaxed, he is trotting great and has really filled out,” said Dunn post-race.

“He had a good draw to use tonight and we got a great trip, but I was really impressed with his turn of foot. Last year he had that kind of speed, but he found it hard to put his legs in the right place at times. He is putting his best foot forward,” he said.

Kilmister was solid in second, rallying along the inside to be half a alength from the winner at the post, with tactical Approach getting weary after working mid race to finish one and a quarter lengths back in third.

WINNER’S BET REPLAY

It was Dunn’s second win on the card having scored earlier in the night on Shesasharpshooter.

by Brad Reid, for Harnesslink

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by Harnesslink Media