By Carol Hodes for the SBOANJ
MANALAPAN, NJ – July 21, 2015
– Artspeak, the Dan Patch divisional champion at two, has been installed as the
8-5 morning line favorite in the $200,000 Anthony Abbatiello New Jersey Classic,
which will be contested as the 11th race on Saturday, July 25, 2015
at the Meadowlands.
The filly companion race, the
$100,000 Thomas D’Altrui Miss New Jersey, is slated as the seventh race.
Both the New Jersey Classic for colts and geldings and the Miss New Jersey for
fillies are restricted to New Jersey-sired three-year-old pacers. Both
events are sponsored by the Standardbred Breeders & Owners Association of
New Jersey.
Artspeak, a son of Western
Ideal, is on the cusp of crossing the $1 million mark in earnings with a total
of $997,320 thanks to 11 wins, two seconds and two thirds in 18 career
starts.
In 2014, he was voted
Two-Year-Old Pacing Colt of the Year after he won eight of 10 starts and never
finished worse than third for a bankroll of $742,185. His victories
included the Metro at Mohawk on August 30 and, in his season finale, the
Governor’s Cup on October 25 at Woodbine.
This year he has been first or
second in five of eight starts, including a lifetime best 1:48.4 mile on May 30
to win the New Jersey Sire Stakes Final at the Meadowlands. His only
off-the-board finishes were a fifth in the North America Cup on June 20 and
sixth in last week’s Meadowlands Pace.
The Tony Alagna trainee,
driven by Scott Zeron, is owned by his co-breeder, Brittany Farms of
Versailles, KY, along with Marvin Katz of Toronto, Ontario; Joe Sbrocco of
Brecksville, OH and In The Gym Partners [Showbiz Hall Partners, John Fodera
& Steven Wienick] of Staten Island, NY.
The field for the $100,000
Thomas D’Altrui Miss New Jersey [seventh race] with early driver assignments
plus trainers: 1-Lindys Old Lady, Jim Marohn Jr., Frank Antonacci; 2-Thirty X,
Vincent Ginsburg, Richard Silverman; 3-Stacia Hanover, Scott Zeron, Steve
Elliott; 4-Cheyenne Robin, John Campbell, Robert Siegelman; 5-Strut My Stuff,
John Campbell, Ross Croghan; 6-Happiness, TBA, Ron Burke; 7-The Show Returns,
John Campbell, Chris Ryder; 8-Crescent City, Steve Smith, Chris Ryder; 9-Ideal
Nuggets, TBA, Ed Lohmeyer, and 10-Wicked Little Minx, Brett Miller, Nancy
Johansson.
Stacia Hanover, Strut My Stuff and Ideal Nuggets are by Western Ideal; all
others by Rocknroll Hanover.
The field for the $200,000
Anthony Abbatiello New Jersey Classic [11th race] with early driver
assignments and early morning line, plus trainers: 1-Pierce Hanover, Douglas
McNair, Ken Sucee, 6-1; 2-Revenge Shark, Brett Miller Tony Alagna, 8-1; 3-Badix
Hanover, Ake Svanstedt, Ake Svanstedt, 20-1; 4-Dealt A Winner, John Campbell,
Mark Silva, 5-2; 5 Artspeak, Scott Zeron, Tony Alagna, 8-5; 6-Hurrikane Ali,
Yannick Gingras, John McDermott Jr., 10-1, and 10-Split The House, Tim Tetrick,
James Dean, 9-2.
Pierce Hanover, Revenge Shark and Dealt A Winner are by Cam’s Card Shark;
Badix Hanover and Artspeak are by Western Ideal; Hurrikane Ali and Split The
House are by Rocknroll Hanover.
