Topflight field to battle in $428,000 Haughton Memorial

In assembling the greatest program of racing thus far in 2024, The Meadowlands plays host to the $428,000 William R. Haughton Memorial on Saturday (July 13) with a star-studded field of 11 expected to go behind the gate honoring one of the all-time great of harness racing.

Here’s a look at the field with post time expected at about 10:13 p.m.

POST POSITION 1…Allywag Hanover (Captaintreacherous)

Trainer-Brett Pelling…Driver-Todd McCarthy

This seven-year-old gelded war horse is the author of the second fastest mile in the history of harness racing, having conquered the great Bulldog Hanover at The Red Mile in the Allerage a couple of seasons back. Always facing the elite when going to the gate, he has won 28 of 74 career starts and $2,275,868 with his last “big” win in the $350,000 FanDuel Pace at The Meadowlands on a cold November night, pacing his final panel in :26 while hitting the wire in 1:49.1.

His winning stakes resume’ goes back an amazing five seasons and, over the years, includes this very event—The Haughton—in 2021. He’s gotten off to somewhat of a “slow” start rigs semester but has still proven he can pace final quarters in :26, as in his qualifier three weeks ago. In huis last start—the Brower Memorial==he finished a solid fourth over a sloppy racing oval. He’s yet to break through to the winner’s circle in 2024, but the rail should help his cause dramatically.

POST POSITION 2…Charlie May (McArdle)

Trainer-Steve Carter…Driver-Jason Bartlett

This six-year-old “tiger” of a racehorse has won $2,102,401 on the strength of 27 lifetime wins in 67 starts—many think it should be 28 with an unfortunate “DQ” in the Meadowlands Pace there years ago. Getting a “bit” of a late start this semester, Charlie May has yet to reach the winner’s circle in four starts but has knocked on the door in each of his trio of races since with his last race being a superb effort in the “slop” beginning from the nine post. Outside the last five-eighths, Charlie May kept grinding away to finish second in the winner’s 1:47.3 mile…with the judges granting a two second allowance. His toughness is exemplified by the fact that Charlie has missed only three checks in his racing career against the toughest horseflesh in training.

POST POSITION 3…Christchurch (Always B Miki)

Trainer-Todd Luther…Driver-James Macdonald

This lightly raced four-year-old horse had the unfortunate experience of drawing the outside post—10—in the Graduate last week but still paced his mile in 1:49 with a final quarter in :25.4. Unfortunately, the depth of the field prevented him from passing one single horse during his mile. That wasn’t the fastest final quarter that he has paced this year as he was flying in the Graduate at Woodbine-Mohawk and paced his final panel in :25.1…While he does show that potent closing kick, finishing second and needing one or two more strides to win! While he does possess a potent closing kick, Christchurch does have credentials winning one the front end, with his mark of 1:48.2 at The Meadowlands just one year and one week ago!

POST POSITION 4…Voukefalas (Lazarus N)

Trainer-MIchael Russo…Driver-Jordan Stratton

Lightly raced four-year-old pacer is in peak form going to the gate in the Haughton Memorial.

With only 28 career starts, Voukafalas has a 4-1-2 scorecard in nine starts this year, good for $161,760, including a new lifetime mark of 1:47.3 in his last start in the $230,000 Graduate Final at this same Big M. Banking $733,010 thus far in his career, he has acclimated himself to the Meadowlands with all of his lifetime wins—sans one—at this one mile oval, including the $240,000 NJSS Finals at age two and three. His win last week was impressive as he kept bringing away once they turned for home in a very impressive win.

VOUKEFALAS REPLAY

POST POSITION 5—Abuckabett Hanover (Betting Line)

Trainer-Andrew Harris…Driver-Dexter Dunn

This six-year-old son of Betting Line completed one of the most amazing miles on an off track in history as he enjoyed a picture-perfect journey to storm home in :26.1, completing his mile in 1:47.3. With the track labeled two seconds off, the mile left many wondering whether the sloppy track prevented a world record performance.

After a grueling mile in the FanDuel to wrap up his 2023 season after a third-place finish in the mile (for him a mile and more like a mile and 25 yards), Abuckabett took a few months off and, after a “tightener” in an Open event, has stamped himself as the prime factor coming into the Haughton. He’s banked $1,311,706. Seems he does a bit better off the pace as he got nailed at Woodbine-Mohawk in the Gold Cup going the front-end route. He does have five wins on the front end…but ALL IN QUALIFIIERS.

ABUCKABETT HANOVER REPLAY

POST POSITION 6—El Rey (Captaintreacherous)

Trainer-Andrew Harris…Driver-Yannick Gingras

The four-year-old horse El Rey has become well known for his ability to rattle some cages once they straighten away for the drive home. Though his only winning mile was in 1:51.1 at Oak Grove Raceway over their five-eighths mile oval, he was just a neck shy of a new lifetime mark in 1:48 in his last start against his nemesis Admiral Hill down in Kentucky.

With $634,350 in career earnings, He has shown ability of a closing kick under :26 seconds with some as quick as :25.2. on the largest tracks and 25;3 on slightly smaller ovals, as in his Breeders Crown win last season. He’s got some gate speed, too, as shown in Kentucky winning in 1:49.4—:53.2—:26.2.

POST POSITION 7—It’s My Show (Sweet Lou)

Trainer-Linda Toscano…Driver Scott Zeron

Last year’s Little Brown Jug champion was nine for 16 last season with over $1,073,334 in bounty on the year and completed his Jug victory in rare circumstances over the Delaware, Ohio half-miler with a stretch about a third of the length of the Meadowlands. His 1:46.4 mark at Lexington’s Red Mile was off the pace, as well, but showed tenacity in winning the North America Cup at Woodbine-Mohawk on the front end in 1:47.4.

It’s been somewhat of a slow start for It’s My Show this semester, but the four-year-old gelding is giving strong hints of returning to form with strong efforts in his last two starts. He just did miss in a 1:47.3 mile in the Graduate and tried cutting the mustard in his last while finishing third.

POST POSITION 8—Taurasi (Racing Hill)

Trainer-Tony Alagna…Driver—Bob McClure

Back in the USA after spending much of the season in Canada. A $545,643 career winner, Taurasi has been a fan favorite…and rightfully so, winning 21 of 44 career starts. The now five-year-year-old, had but one qualifying start as age two, won his first race as a three-year old in a NWT event at Oak Grove three years and one day ago and his career blossomed into stardom by winning his next start in 1:50. Taurasi began his 2024 season at Woodbine Mohawk Park, fashioning a seven-race win skein.  An unlucky draw (post 10) prevents any progress in the Brower Memorial and Taurasi will look for quick fractions and live cover flow in the Haughton.

POST POSITION 9—Why Not Now (Always A Virgin)

Trainer-Todd Luther…Driver—Andrew McCarthy

Why Not Now is looking to regain his three-year-old form of last year where he had great success in Indiana and won the Hoosier Cup, as well. Earning $617,165 on the strength of a 9-7-2 scorecard in 19 starts, it was actually at Dover Downs where he took his mark of 1:48.2 over their slick five-eighths mile oval. After taking that mark in the $260,000 Progress Pace at Dover, he earned a well-deserved six month vacation, had an incident at Northfield about.a month ago and had a sharp tightener at Hoosier Park in their Open pace, flashing home in :26.3 Tough post to overcome against this company.

POST POSITION 10—Ruthless Hanover (Somebeachsomewhere)

Trainer-Thomas Cancelliere…Driver-Andy Miller

This seven-year-old gelding is one of the fastest pacers in our sport’s history—1:46.3—and the fastest one this season—2024—with winning mile in 1:47.1. The speedster tried his usual front-end tactics on the track labeled “sloppy” and his splits of :26.3, :53.4 and 1:21 caught up with him turning for home.

With 24 career wins in 57 lifetime starts, Ruthless Hanover has banked $640,648. The vast majority of his wins have been on the engine with only two being from off the pace—very early in his career four years ago. Others have been on the choo-choo, so expect him to push the wings of the gate away.

RUTHLESS HANOVER REPLAY

POST POSITION 11—Musketeer Hanover ((Sweet Lou)

Trainer-Michael Oke…Driver-Marvin Luna

Musketeer Hanover is quietly becoming a force in harness racing, as is his driver, Marvin Luna. Spending much of the season in Kentucky at Oak Grove Racing and Gaming, the four-year-old gelding is enjoying his best season to date, banking $148,835, vaulting his career bankroll to $242,403. He recently took his mark of 1:49.3 at Oak Grove. Hasn’t faved this company before but second tier post behind a leaver and could really make the ticket. Marvin Luna is VERY talented. About Marvin Luna, this season, he already has 118 wins and $1.56 million in purses. Like his style!

For a free race program, click here.

by John Berry, for Harnesslink