With 13 horses entered
into both the trotting and pacing division of The Graduate for four year olds,
each event was split into two divisions, worth $56,250 each.
The big name on the
program was Father Patrick, last year's three year old trotter of the year with
career earnings of more than $2.5 Million. Installed as a 1/5 morning
line favorite, Father Patrick went off as the 1/9 choice. He was gathered
back off the gate as JL Cruze was intent on the lead through an opening quarter
of 26.4. As J L Cruze began to slow the pace down, Father Patrick
launched his move and grabbed the lead going past the half-mile in 56.1.
Father Patrick still led past three-quarters in 1:24.1 with JL Cruze in
close pursuit. As the field turned for home, JL Cruze ripped out of the
pocket and Yannick Gingras called to his champion. JL Cruze began to
drift out, but he was closing in on the favorite and despite drifting through
the stretch, JL Cruze was able to get up in the shadow of the wire over Father
Patrick in 1:51. Resolve was third.
Dave Miller spot to JL
Cruze's ability after the race. "John (Campbell) actually talked to
me the other day at Chesster (Philadelphia) and he told me I'd like him,"
said Miller. "He showed tonight he can go with the Free For All
trotters." JL Cruze has now won 12 of 14 starts this season and has
not lost a race since the second round of the Charles Singer Memorial in
February. He is trained by Eric Ell and owned by Kenneth Wood, Ditmar Jr.
and Iaquinta. The 1:51 clocking was a lifetime mark.
On the pacing side, the
first division featured a North America Cup winner in J K Endofanera and the
new kid on the block, the razor sharp Rockeyed Optimist. The betting
public settled on the North America Cup champion as the 4/5 favorite, with
Rockeyed Optimist close behind at 6/5.
The early lead would go
to Limelight Beach, last year's Little Brown Jug winner, who reached the
opening panel in a swift 25.4. At that point, JK Endofanera made his move
for the lead and he cleared the front with Gingras before the half-mile in
53.3. Rockeyed Optimist was shown racetrack at this point and he ranged
up alongside the leader and the two favorites hooked up past three-quarters in
1:21.2. The pair turned for home while racing on even terms, but Rockeyed
Optimist began to wear down JK Endofanera through the stretch and he would
reach the wire in 1:48 for Tim Tetrick, one of his four wins on the card.
The win was the ninth
from ten starts this year for Rockeyed Optimist and the seventh in a row for
the son of Rocknroll Hanover who surpassed $200,000 in career earnings with the
win. JK Endofanera held second with Limelight Beach third.
Rockeyed Optimist is
owned by Anthony Perrretti, Berkner, A & B Stable and Battaglia.
The Tim Tetrick/Steve
Elliot theme continued in the second division of The Graduate in the form of
Doo Wop Hanover who was released as the 2/5 favorite. He would not
disappoint, winning in 1:48. He would rally from off the pace which was
initially established by Rock Out through an opening quarter of 26.1. All
Bets Off launched a bid down the backstretch and grabbed the lead before the
half-mile of 54. Things tightened up moving towards the far turn and
Bushwacker, who was racing along the pylons got rank and went off-stride.
But, All Bets Off was clear of trouble, going past three-quarters in
1:21.3. At that time, Doo Wop Hanover was tracking the cover of Somewhere
In L A and he flipped three wide for the stretch drive and began to close into
the margin through the stretch. The two favorites paced down to the wire
together, with Doo Wop Hanover reaching the wire first in 1:48, All Bets Off
was second and Bushwacker overcame the miscue to finish third.
Doo Wop Hanover is owned
by Peter Blood and Rick Berks.
Both Rockeyed Optimist
and Doo Wop Hanover have scored in both the first and second legs of the
Graduate. The third leg takes place in two weeks on Friday, June 19th.
Back on the trotting
side, the first division pitted the mare and defending Trotter of the Year,
Shake It Cerry against the very fast Gural Hanover. Shake It Cerry was
sent off as the 1/2 favorite and lived up to the billing. She would track
the speed of Gural Hanover throughout the mile, through fractions of 26.4, 55.1
and 1:23.3, before pulling the pocket in the stretch and powerfully trotting
past Gural Hanover to win in a very sharp 1:51.4. The win was the 25th in
Shake It Cerry's career from just 33 starts and her earnings are now beyond
$2.1 Million. She is owned by Solveig's Racing Partners and was trained
and driven to victory by Jimmy Takter.
On the wagering front,
neither jackpot was hit in the super hi-5. The fifth race carryover grew to
$149,789 while the last race carryover now stands at $126,693.
Total handle for the
13-race Saturday program was $3,225,452 a 20-percent increase over Belmont Day
2014. The on-track handle was also up nearly 15-percent.
Racing returns on
Friday, with first post time at 7:15 P.M.
