Former Maine
champion tackles TVG Free For All trotters Friday (June 26) at the Meadowlands
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ (June
24, 2015) – It is a long way from the
fairs of Maine to the big leagues at the Meadowlands, but it is a trip that
Obrigado is making. Now, his trainer Paul Kelley expects him to make noise
against the sport’s top trotters.
Obrigado, a five-year-old
gelding by leading Maine stallion Boy Band, faces five others in the $50,000
TVG Free For All on Friday (June 26) at the Meadowlands.
“He is a tremendous looking
individual,” said trainer Paul Kelley. “He is everything you would want a
trotter to look like. He gets over the ground really well and likes to race.
He’s just a class animal and is easy to manage around the barn.”
At two and three, Obrigado
won 21 straight races in Maine when trained by Ivan Davies and owned by
longtime top Maine breeder Mike Andrew. After earning more than $168,000 and
back-to-back Maine-bred championships, Obrigado was entered in the 2013
Harrisburg Mixed Sale. Kelley jumped in to purchase Obrigado for $53,000.
“Mike and I have been friends
for a long time and he’s a really sharp guy,” said Kelley. “When I bought him,
I thought he might develop into a nice open level trotter at Saratoga, but
nobody thought we were buying this type of horse. He has been a very pleasant
surprise.”
Kelley owns Obrigado with
partners Linwood Higgins, Bill Weaver, and Stable 45.
Last year, Obrigado finished
first or second in 16 of 21 starts, all at the Open level at Saratoga, Tioga
Downs, and Yonkers, while earning more than $173,000. By the end of the season,
he had earned a spot in the prestigious International Trot Invitational at
Yonkers and finished a fast-closing fourth behind Natural Herbie, Commander
Crowe, and Bee A Magician.
With that performance, Kelley
was convinced he had a potentially top class horse.
“As the competition got
tougher, he kept showing up and showing that he fit with them,” said Kelley.
“The plan is to show up at these big races and if all goes well, which I think
it will, then we’ll keep competing at the top level.”
Obrigado made his first
career start on a one-mile track last week at the Meadowlands. He finished
second behind fellow TVG rival DW’s NY Yank after being locked in on the pylons
throughout the stretch. Mark MacDonald will take his usual seat behind Obrigado
on Friday.
Kelley credits Jenna
Calagaris, Obrigado’s groom, for constantly handling every little detail to
keep the horse at peak performance and his second trainer and blacksmith, Kevin
Constantine.
Obrigado is the 2-1 morning
line favorite in Friday’s race. His rivals include Canadian invader Flanagan
Memory, the former European star Mr. Picolit, who is making his North American
debut for Ake Svanstedt, and locally-based contenders DW’s NY Yank, Melady’s
Monet, and Master of Law.
The TVG Free For All goes as
race six on the twelve-race card that also includes carryovers of $165,662 and
$144,277 in the Jackpot Super High 5 wagers in races five and twelve. Post time
is 7:15 p.m.
Meadowlands Pace Hashtag
Unveiled
The Meadowlands has unveiled
the official hashtag for the track’s signature race, the Crawford Farms
Meadowlands Pace. Fans can join the conversation and follow along on the road
to the Pace by using #Pace15 on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Eliminations
for the Crawford Farms Meadowlands Pace are July 11 with the $750,000(est)
Final set for July 18.
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