Bettor's Wish has taken over the top spot in the Week 7
edition of Dave Little's "Road to the Crawford Farms Meadowlands
Pace" off a sharp score in his North America Cup Elimination, with the
other elim winner, Workin Ona Mystery, now in the second spot. Captain Crunch
dropped to No. 3 after a fifth-place finish in his elim, but his connections
remain confident about Saturday night's final. #PaceYourself19
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Rank
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Horse
(Earnings – Mark)
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Driver, Trainer
Owner(s)
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Dave Little’s Comments
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1
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Bettor’s Wish
($470,806 – 1:49.3)
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D. Dunn, C. Ryder
Chris Ryder, Bella Racing, Fair Island
Farm, Kenneth Solomon
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Rooney champion takes over the top spot
after a pocket-trip win in the stronger of the two North America Cup Elims in
1:49.3 to stay unbeaten in four starts in 2019. Opted for post 3 in the
final. Ryder: “He came out of the race great. Nothing worries me with this
horse because nothing worries him. If you look in the program, 5 and 6 are
the best posts, but we decided before the draw we’d take 3 or 4. If he wasn’t
so handy off the gate, I might have taken 5.”
Last Race: 6/8 – WMP – North America Cup Elimination – 1st
(1:49.3)
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2
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Workin Ona
Mystery
($177,567 – 1:49)
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T. Tetrick, B. Brown
Diamond Creek Racing, Stambaugh Leeman
Stable, Alan Keith, Wingfield Brothers
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Moved to the top at the quarter and
cruised home from there to take Elim 2 in 1:49 as the 4-5 favorite, upping
his seasonal stats to 3 wins in 3 starts and 8-for-9 lifetime. Connections
took post 4 for Saturday night. Brown: “The post was Timmy’s decision,
because he has a game plan in his head. I was amazed after the race. We
scoped Mystery and he had a lot of mucus, probably due to allergies. He’s
been in an oxygen chamber this week in an effort to clear it up. I like my
chances in the final.”
Last Race: 6/8 – WMP – North America Cup Elimination – 1st
(1:49)
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3
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Captain Crunch
($675,806 – 1:49.1)
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S. Zeron, N. Johansson
3 Brothers Stables, Christina Takter,
Rojan Stables, Caviart Farms
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Lost his stranglehold atop the poll
after avoiding some shadows and going off stride early in Elim 1 as the 1-2
favorite, then had to surge late to finish fifth and claim a spot in the
final. Johansson: “He raced a monstrous mile to catch the field. I think he
showed a lot of grit and determination.” So, Nancy, who’s the horse to beat
in the NA Cup? “Captain Crunch!”
Last Race: 6/8 – WMP – North America Cup Elimination – 5th
(1:50.1)
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4
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Hurrikane Emperor
($317,900 – 1:49.3)
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D. Dube, J. McDermott
Jonathan Klee Racing, Kuhen Racing,
Pegasis Investment Group, William Garofalo
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Led to the stretch before settling for
fourth to Bettor’s Wish, beaten 2¼ lengths in his elim. Has good early speed
and will need it, having drawn post 9 for the final. McDermott: “He was doing
something I didn’t like in the last turn, so I changed his rigging a little.
There is going to be a lot of action in the first eighth of a mile in the
final. I think we’ll be parked the mile, but it could work out as there will
be a good outer flow.”
Last Race: 6/8 – WMP – North America Cup Elimination – 4th
(1:50)
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5
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Best In Show
($88,663 – 1:50.3)
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B. McClure, L. Toscano
Richard P Young, Joanne Young,
Craig W Henderson
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Did good things in Elim 1, closing in
:26 to finish third to Bettor’s Wish, and has drawn post 7 for the final.
Toscano: “I was tickled with his effort. he’s gone from non-winners of 2 to
the North America Cup in a matter of 3 starts. He’s doing everything I could
ask of him. He’s still learning.”
Last Race: 6/8 – WMP – North America Cup Elimination – 3rd
(1:50)
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6
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De Los Cielos Deo
($210,258 – 1:48.4Q)
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D. Miller, R. Burke
Burke Racing Stable LLC,
Lawrence R Karr, J&T Silva-
Purnel & Libby, Weaver Bruscemi LLC
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Bursts onto the Road to the Crawford
Farms Meadowlands Pace scene by finishing second to Bettor’s Wish in Elim 1
after exploding home in :25, which came one week after a sparkling 1:48.4
qualifier at the Meadowlands. Will depart from post 2 in the final. Burke:
“Off the 48 qualifier, I figured he was probably pretty sharp. Nothing this
year had gone right for him until that qualifier. I always thought he would
be my best horse in a long time.”
Last Race: 6/8 – WMP – North America Cup Elimination – 2nd
(1:49.4)
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7
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Captain
Victorious
($160,271 – 1:51Q)
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Y. Gingras, R. Burke
The Captain V Stable
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Another who makes his RTTCFMP debut for
the Burke Brigade. Rallied for second in Elim 2 at odds of 60-1, beating Stag
Party to the wire while finishing just 1¼ lengths behind Workin Ona Mystery.
Has drawn post 5 for the final. Burke: “He’s super sharp. His stomach was
screwed up earlier this year. Then I started changing things up. From here on
out, we’ll see if my two colts fit with this group.”
Last Race: 6/8 – WMP – North America Cup Elimination – 2nd
(1:49.1)
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8
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Air Force Hanover
($202,888 – 1:50.1)
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Y. Gingras, B. Brown
Country Club Acres Inc.,
Joe Sbrocco, Richard M Lombardo,
W J Donovan
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Got nailed at the wire by Captain Crunch
in Elim 1 to just miss getting into the final. Will leave from the rail in
the NA Cup Consolation Saturday. Brown: “He didn’t scope well, either, but
did not have as much mucus as Workin Ona Mystery. We are treating him in Ohio
with a nebulizer.”
Last Race: 6/8 – WMP – North America Cup Elimination – 6th
(1:50.2)
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9
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Love Me Some Lou
($205,099 – 1:50.4)
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D. Miller, T. Cancelliere
J. Cancelliere
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Hasn’t been out since a second-place
finish at the hands of Workin Ona Mystery after leaving quickly from post 8
and going an inside trip the rest of the way at Pocono four weeks ago. He is
not in to go this week.
Last Race: 5/19 – PcD – Pennsylvania Sire Stakes – 2nd
(1:50.3)
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10
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Reigning Deo
($285,669 – 1:54.1Q)
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A. McCarthy, B. Pelling
Deo Volente Farms, Pelling Racing, Brian
Gordon
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Went a second-over trip on the way to a
third-place finish in the New York Sire Stakes at Buffalo in his last start.
He goes next in the NYSS at Tioga on Sunday. Pelling: “I think our path is
right. At Tioga, we get to stretch out. They get to go fast. We should know
where we are at after this. He is staked to everything.”
Last Race: 6/5 – BR – New York Sire Stakes – 3rd
(1:54.4)
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