Doo Wop Hanover made it a series sweep, winning the
$250,000 Graduate Final in 1:48, but he had to work very hard to get to the
winner’s circle on Friday night at The Meadowlands.
The pace was frantic and frenzied early in the mile as
Lyonssomewhere and Andy Miller were intent on the lead, parking out Bushwacker
around the first turn. That speed duel resulted in a wild 25.2 first
quarter. There was a chasm of nearly six lengths back to Rockeyed
Optimist in fourth, who then had to make up that ground and commit first over,
which enabled Doo Wop Hanover to track his cover from the half-mile pole
onward. Lyonssomewhere led the field past three quarters in 1:21, with
Rockeyed Optimist stalled first over and Doo Wop Hanover forced to fan
three-wide at the three quarter pole. In the meantime, Limelight Beach
was lurking in the pocket as the field turned for home. Lyonssomewhere
refused to yield ground as he continued to lead through the stretch, John
Campbell got to work on Doo Wop Hanover and he was gathering momentum down the
center of the track, but Lyonssomewhere just wasn’t giving up. Finally,
in the shadow of the wire, Doo Wop Hanover was able to reel in the pace-setter
and score the series sweep getting up by a head over Lyonssomewhere who was
very game in defeat to finish second, with All Bets Off a rallying third.
Doo Wop Hanover is trained by Steve Elliot and owned by
Peter Blood and Rick Berks. Blood confirmed that Doo Wop Hanover will
make his next start in the William Haughton Memorial, with eliminations (if
necessary) to be held on Saturday, July 11th and the Final on
Meadowlands Pace Night, Saturday, July 18th.
The victory was the twelfth in the career of Doo Wop
Hanover, who now has earnings beyond $566,000.
New Jersey Sire Stakes action kicked off the Friday program
with a $25,000 division for the two year old filly pacers and the first
division featured plenty of action. In fact, there were no less than five
lead changes throughout the mile.
The first to the lead was Show Time Hill, as she flashed
the most speed off the gate, but Sonoma Valley paced on through the first
quarter and she cleared the lead past the opening quarter in 28.2.
That
lead was short-lived, as Show Time Hill pulled the pocket as soon as the
fillies straightened up on the backstretch and would lead again between calls
because the 9/5 favorite Blue Moon Stride launched a backside brush to the lead
and would clear that lead before the half-mile in 57.4. The race favorite
then faced immediate pressure from Rock My Girl, who surged past the favorite
as the field moved into the far turn and she glided past three-quarters in
1:26.2. before turning for home in full command. Blue Moon Stride briefly
pulled from the pocket with hopes of catching Rock My Girl, but all she could
do is chase that filly home as Rock My Girl powered home in 27.1 to win in
style in 1:53.3.
Rock My Girl, a $20,000 Lexington-Select yearling, is a
daughter of Rocknroll Hanover and is the first foal out of the dam My Girl’s A
Star (Art Major). She is owned by West Wins Stable, Adriano Sorella and
Ron Broadstone and trained by Casie Coleman. John Campbell guided the
filly to victory.
In the first $20,000 Two Year Old Colt Trot, Southwind
Frank was bet down like an international good thing and the punters were right,
although they had to survive a real scare. Released as the 1/2
prohibitive choice, Southwind Frank went right to the lead and was able to roll
through tepid fractions of 30, 1:00.3 and 1:30 with Brooklyn Hill, a $390,000
Harrisburg yearling on his back throughout the mile. While Southwind
Frank seemed to be rolling right a long, Dave Miller pulled the pocket midway
on the far turn with Brooklyn Hill and from there the race was on as the pair
of freshman trotters kicked away from the field and stormed through a 26.3
final quarter with only a neck separating the two on the wire, with Southwind
Frank holding on. Both trotters showed an amazing turn of foot and the
future for both looks bright.
Southwind Frank was a $100,000 yearling purchase at the
Lexington-Select Sale. He is a son of Muscle Hill out of Flawless Lindy
(Cantab Hall). This is that mares first foal. He is owned by Burke
Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi, Our Hrs Cents Stables and J & T Silva
Stables and trained by Ron Burke. The winner driver was Yannick Gingras.
The second division for the two year old trotting colts
featured another short-priced favorite for Ron Burke in Southwind Flash.
But he would have his hands full with Jack Vernon, a well-bred colt for Randy
Beeckman.
It would be Jack Vernon who dictated the terms. In
fact, he led at every point of call into the stretch, wheeling off fractions of
28.4, 1:00 and 1:30.1, before facing the challenge of Southwind Flash who
pulled the pocket as the field approached the top of the stretch. But,
Jack Vernon had plenty left in the tank and trotted home in 27.1. while fending
off the favorite to win in 1:57.2. Not to be out-done, Dominion Beach,
the son of Hambletonian Oaks winner Windylane Hanover, who watched all the
action early, trotted home quite well, showing rapid acceleration and rallied
past Southwind Flash late to steal second money.
Jack Vernon is by Muscle Hill out of Vernon Blue Chip (Sir
Taurus). The win was the second in Sire Stakes action for John
Campbell. Jack Vernon is a kin to New Jersey Sire Stakes Champion, Blue
Mac Lad, trained by Randy Beeckman for Miller’s Stable who purchased the
talented colt at the Lexington-Select sale for $50,000.
The two year old colt pace drew 10 freshman pacers in one
division for $25,000. Ideal Rocky was sent off as the 4/5 favorite, but
she was green behind the gate, which cost her ground early on. There was
not much early speed off the gate, which enabled longshot Rock N Roll Style to
take the field to the opening quarter from the pole in 28.3. Rock Power
was moved early to secure position and led between calls as Boston Red Rocks
powered up and took the lead before the half-mile in 57.3 and would never look
back, leading the field past three-quarters in 1:26.2 before pulling away in
the stretch to win impressively in 1:53.2. The win was the third on the
card for John Campbell, all in Sire Stakes action.
Boston Red Rocks is by Rocknroll Hanover out of McGibson
(McArdle). He is trained by none other than Steve Elliot, who is having a
sensational season and ownerd by Richard Berks, who purchased the colt at
Harrisburg last year for $50,000.
The two year old filly trotters were split into two $20,000
divisions. All The Time was released as the 3/5 favorite in the first
split, but she was never in contention for the win, but the opposite was the
case for her stablemate, Hollywood Hill. That filly was allowed to coast
along first over while Silvia reach the opening quarter in 29.1, but Hollywood
Hill quickly took over as the field reached the backstretch. From there,
trainer and driver Jimmy Takter put the whip on his filly’s tale and she responded
past the half-mile in 59 seconds. The leading margin only expanded from
there as Hollywood Hill found herself four lengths clear as she trotted past
three-quarters in 1:27.4. Her lead proved to be insurmountable as she
coasted through the stretch to win emphatically in 1:56.2. Southwind
Adele rallied to finish second as Silvia faded to third.
Hollywood Hill is by Muscle Hill, out of the marvelous
mare, Lantern Kronos (Viking Kronos), making her a half-sister the Hambletonian
contender The Bank. She is owned by Goran Falk and was trained and driven
by Jimmy Takter.
The second division saw speed from the far outside as Dream
Child made the lead from post 10 and was able to do so through moderate
fractions. The Muscle Hill filly spun through fractions of 28.3, 59.1 and
1:29.2, while going unchallenged. Race favorite Gifted Lady was allowed to
settle just off the pace in third and Takter bided his time with his filly,
before pulling her as the field circled the far turn. He steadily gained
on the leader and was able to edge away late for a popular victory as the 6/5
choice in 1:57.4.
Gifted Lady is by Muscle Hill out of Alix Hall (Conway
Hall). She is a half-sister to Flex The Muscle and was driven by her
trainer Jimmy Takter for owner and breeders Silver Linden Farms.
Both Jackpots in the Super Hi-5 went unclaimed, with the
fifth race carryover now standing at $173,354 and the last race carryover
growing to $157,586.
Total handle for the Friday program yielded a 16-percent
increase over 2014, with on-track handle up a staggering 46-percent. The
large crowd remained after the races for a Fourth of July Fireworks Spectacular.
Post time for the 13-race Saturday program is 7:15 P.M.0
