By RUS MidAtlantic
(East Rutherford, NJ) – Continuing where he left off at
Ocean Downs, Hyway Marcus went wire to wire to win Saturday (September 9)
night’s $5,000 Bill Weaver Memorial Trot, the second leg of the RUS MidAtlantic
Monte Trotting Series at the Meadowlands Racetrack. Trained and piloted
by Sasha Moczulski, Hyway Marcus tripped the teletimer in 1:59.4, an 8 ½ length
victory for owner Keith Pippa of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
The race was closer than the result indicated as Pine Tab
(Helene Gregory) was tracking the leader the entire mile to close within a
quarter length of the winner in the stretch before he went off-stride, losing
all chance. One True Friend (Hillary Hartnett) finished second while Pine
Tab finished third but disqualified and placed sixth for the untimely
miscue. Mr Protab (Emma Wahlberg) finished fourth but was elevated
to the show spot.
Until the miscue, it was a two-horse race as Hyway Marcus
and Pine Tab raced as a team to the quarter pole, hitting the first station in
:28.2. As they continued down the backstretch, Pine Tab decided to track
the eventual victor, sitting a little more than three lengths behind the leader
with The Franchise (Michelle Crawford) two lengths further back in third.
The half was reached in a brisk :58.
Continuing around the final turn, The Franchise broke stride
as Pine Tab made up some ground to be within two lengths of the eventual winner
who reached the third station in 1:28.2. One True Friend took over the
third position vacated by The Franchise. Hyway Marcus continued to race
strong despite the late onslaught by Pine Tab, determined not to be
denied.
With his victory, the six year old altered son of Gut
Instinct is 2 for 2 this season with earnings of $4,600. Lifetime, Hyway
Marcus has compiled a 7-5-1-0 record with lifetime RUS earnings of
$10,825. Despite earning over $182,000 and a 1:53.3 race mark ‘in
sulky’, it is clear racing under saddle is his specialty.
With only nine horses competing in the series, all of
Saturday night’s starters are eligible to compete in the RUS MidAtlantic series
finale on October 8 at Rosecroft Raceway. Most of Saturday night’s
starters are expected to return.
