by James Witherite
East Rutherford, NJ — Greenshoe ($2.60) looked every bit the part of
a fives-on favorite in the second Hambletonian elimination on Saturday (Aug. 3)
at The Meadowlands, seizing command from Marseille with three-eighths to go and
coasting to a handy 1:50.2 victory.
Greenshoe threw his head
briefly at the start, but Brian Sears held him together before floating him
into third behind Marseille (Åke Svanstedt) and Forbidden Trade (Bob McClure)
on the first turn. After clearing from post eight in a :27.3 first quarter,
Marseille rebuffed a pocket bid from Forbidden Trade en route to a :56 half
before facing the first-over onslaught of Greenshoe on approach to the far
turn.
With three-eighths to
go, the son of Father Patrick surged to the fore and edged away willingly in
the home straight to a wrapped-up two-length score, the seventh of his career.
Don't Let'em (Yannick
Gingras) chased well after losing cover to protect second from Forbidden Trade,
who switched three-wide from the pocket and accelerated in mid-stretch.
Marseille finished fourth, and Pilot Discretion (Andy McCarthy) finished fifth
to secure the final berth to the 94th Hambletonian, carded as race 12.
Marcus Melander, whose
Green Manalishi S took the first Hambletonian elimination, trains Greenshoe for
Courant Inc., Hans Backe, Lars Granqvist and Morten Langli.
