While there is a long history of brilliant mares defeating
the older horses at the Free For All trotting level in harness racing, it had
never happened in the Arthur J. Cutler Memorial. That all changed on a
rainy Saturday night at The Meadowlands.
Bee A Magician, the overwhelming 4/5 favorite did what had
yet to be done as she emerged victorious winning the Arthur J. Cutler Memorial
Final in 1:51.2. She became the first mare in the 17 year history of the
race to win the historic event.
Shortly after the start heading into the first turn, Market
Share and Master Of Law appeared to have contact and Market Share went
off-stride, just as he did in the Cutler last year. Bee A Magician
avoided the trouble and Brian Sears allowed his former Horse of the Year
to relax off the early speed, which was established by Wind Of The north who
reached the first quarter in a very strong 26.4. As the field
straightened up on the backstretch, Sears felt the time was right to move his
mare to the top and she responded with a strong brush, reaching the lead before
the half-mile in 55.2.
Wind Of The North yielded to the pocket
position. Moving into the far turn, DW’s NY Yank moved first over while
Melady’s Monet, who had been such a force this year at The Meadowlands fought
to catch his cover on the turn. Bee A Magician reached the three quarter
pole in 1:23.4 and turned for home with a comfortable lead. DW’s NY Yank
never got close to the mare and began to tire. Wind Of The North came out
of the pocket and tried to rally but never appeared a threat as Melady’s Monet
moved into third. Brian Sears never asked his mare through the stretch
and she coasted to an easy win in 1:51.2. Wind Of The North finished
second with Melady’s Monet third. It was the same result as the week
prior in the prep for the Cutler Final.
Brian Sears was very proud of Bee A Magician after the
race. “She’s just such a pleasure,” said Sears. “Last year was
tough for her, there was a lot of traveling and it was a long season. But
right now, she is just really fresh and really sharp. It is hard to keep
them this sharp all year long, but hopefully she keeps going forward.”
Bee A Magician won for the 34th time in 50
lifetime starts and her lifetime earnings surpassed $2.9 Million. With
the win, she became the third richest trotting mare in harness racing history,
trailing only the magnificent Peace Corps and the legendary Moni Maker.
She is trained by Nifty Norman for Mel Hartman, Herb Liverman and David Mc
Duffee.
While Bee A Magician was the best story of the night, the
race of the night went to the Free For All pacers in the first leg of the TVG
Free For All Pacing series for $50,000. A select field of six went to the
post with all the speed coming from the outside early as JK Endofanera blasted
to the front and reached the opening quarter in 27.3. Warrawee Needy
moved to the pocket early on with Dovuto Hanover securing the three hole early
on. But Brian Sears wasn’t content with his position and he moved Dovuto
Hanover to challenge for the lead down the backstretch. James MacDonald
had similar thoughts with Modern Legend and he launched his gelding three-wide
past the half mile in 54.4. Modern Legend cleared the top and opened up
nearly three lengths on the Dovuto Hanover, while JK Endofanera was shuffled
back as Modern Legend reached three quarters in 1:21.2 and turned for home in
command. At this point, Doo Wop Hanover was making a three-wide move from
the back of the pack as Modern Legend began to come back to the field. JK
Endofanera found room between horses and began to re-rally through the
stretch. As the wire neared, these three lined up together and they
finished three across the track in a thrilling photo finish in 1:48.4.
The win photograph revealed the nose of JK Endofanera reached the finish line
first, with Modern Legend second and Doo Wop Hanover third.
JK Endofanera earned over $1.1 Million last year which
included a win in the North America Cup. His lifetime earnings surpassed
$1.5 Million with the victory tonight for trainer Ron Burke and owners, the 3
Brothers Stables. Yannick Gingras was in the sulky for his fourth winner
of the night, he would also win the nightcap to make it five wins on the
program.
Artspeak’s road to the Meadowlands Pace began in impressive
fashion with a sharp 1:49 score in the first round of the New Jersey Sire
Stakes at The Meadowlands Saturday night.
Competing in the first of two $20,000 divisions, Artspeak
had been the subject of some attention given his performances in the mornings
at The Meadowlands as he geared up for his three year old campaign. It
had been documented that Artspeak made a break in a training mile at the end of
April at the East Rutherford oval and he also went off-stride in his subsequent
qualifier. Last week, Artspeak went around the track while remaining
flat, but was beaten nearly nine lengths by Lyons Levi Lewis. All that
did was produce a better than expected 3/2 final price and Artspeak simply
dominated.
Allowed to settle off the speed early in the mile, Artspeak
sat fourth through a 27.3 opening quarter established by Gokudo Hanover.
Scott Zeron did not waste any time, sending his champion to the lead down the
backstretch and Artspeak would reach the half-mile in 1:55 and three quarters
in a sharp 1:22.1 before turning for home and turning it on. Gokudo
Hanover sat the pocket behind
Artspeak throughout the mile, but was never a
threat to the favorite and all he could do was chase him through the stretch as
Artspeak hit the wire in 1:49, a lifetime best effort. Dealt A Winner was
well-back in third.
Artspeak was voted the two year old pacing champion last
year, winning eight times from ten starts with earnings of nearly
$750,000. He is trained by Tony Alagna for Brittany Farms, Katz, Sbrocco
and In The Gym Partners.
The other $20,000 Sire Stakes division featured a field of
seven who all were exiting first or second place finishes. The bettors
settled on Hurrikane Ali as their favorite and they were right as he scored a
decisive 1:50 score for Yannick Gingras.
Sent off at 3/5, Hurrikane Ali cleared the lead just before
the half-mile pole and streaked through fractions of 55.3 and 1:23.2 before
facing a challenge from Rock N’ Roll Word who appeared to be full of pace in
the pocket, but Hurrikane Ali was never letting that foe by and he rolled to a
very impressive victory.
Hurrikane Ali is now two for two on the season with
earnings over $55,000 in his career. The 1:50 clocking was a lifetime
best effort for trainer John McDermott Jr. The winner is owned by Kuhen
Racing, Jonathan Klee Racing, Rucker and Pucila.
The fillies also went to the track in sire stakes action
and Lindys Old Lady is a filly whose star is on the rise at The
Meadowlands. The homebred daughter of Rocknroll Hanover has begun her
career a perfect two for two after Saturday night’s win in New Jersey Sire
Stakes action.
The Lindy homebred showed good speed to reach the pocket
behind the early pacesetter, Crescent City. Tim Tetrick quickly guided
his filly out of the pocket after an opening quarter in 27.2 and cleared the
lead down the backstretch. From there, Lindys Old Lady soared through a
56.1 half-mile
before reaching three quarters in 1:23.3 with no pressure
whatsoever.
Turning for home, Tetrick called on his filly for speed and
she responded, accelerating away from the field to win going away in an
impressive 1:51, lowering her lifetime mark from her first lifetime start.
Cheyenne Robin rallied to be second with Wicked Little Minx showing good late
speed to finish third.
The winner is owned by the breeder, Lindy Farms of
Connecticut and is trained by Frank Antonacci.
The second $20,000 sire stakes division for three year old
filly pacers saw a prohibitive 1/5 favorite in the form of Happiness and the
chalk did not disappoint.
Leaving from post position four, Happiness was sent right
to the lead by Yannick Gingras and she would never relinquish that lead.
The three year old daughter of Rocknroll Hanover rolled through fractions of
27.4, 56.1 and 1:23.4 before turning for home with an expanding lead.
Hollyrocker, who sat the pocket throughut the mile could not kick home with the
winner and faded to third in the stretch. Meanwhile, Stacia Hanover, who
was last until the top of the stretch uncorked a tremendous late rally to
finish a very good second, validating her form. But, she was left with
too much to do to get to the winner.
Happiness has now won five times from nine starts for Ron
Burke who trains and co-owns the filly with Weaver Bruscemi L.L.C. Happiness’
earnings grew to over $67,000 with the victory.
On the wagering front, total handle for the Saturday
program was $3,099,409.
Both Jackpot Super Hi-5 carryovers continued to grow after
the conclusion of the Saturday program.
The fifth race carryover now
stands at $124,509, while the last race jackpot grew to $96,746.
Racing resumes on Friday night with first post time at 7:15
P.M.
