Dave Little's Road to the Pace Week 2

Meadowlands Media Relations

 

East Rutherford, NJ - As trainers continue to scramble to get their horses raced (or qualified), there were no changes in Week 2 of Dave Little's Road to the Meadowlands Pace. For Pace info visit MeadowlandsPace.com

 

Rank	Horse (Earnings - Mark)	Driver, Trainer, Owner	Dave Little’s Comments
1	Tall Dark Stranger ($717,514 – 1:49.1)	Y. Gingras, N. Takter Crawford Farms Racing,  Marvin Katz, Caviart Farms,  Howard Taylor	Finished third in a Meadowlands qualifier on Friday. Kicked home in :25.4 to complete his mile in 1:51. Takter: “He was very good in his qualifier. He did everything we asked of him. We were just going around the track. Yannick never really asked him. We’ll qualify him again Saturday and stretch him out a bit more. The issue is anybody who has a horse with a lot of wins and earnings doesn’t have a lot of opportunity to get raced. The upper classes aren’t filling.” LAST RACE: 6/12 – M1 – Qualifier – 3rd (1:51)
2	Papi Rob Hanover ($754,774 – 1:50)	D. Miller, B. Pelling David McDuffee	Paced his final quarter in :25.3 to get second in his Q. Pelling: “I thought he was just awesome in his qualifier. He doesn’t fit non-winners of 4 like some of these other horses. I am presuming they will have a 3-year-old Open on July 3. He’s not qualifying this week, maybe next week. Qualifiers are qualifiers. They are not a race.” Last Race: 6/12 – M1 – Qualifier – 2nd (1:51)
3	Capt Midnight ($299,038 – 1:49.4)	A. McCarthy, T. Alagna Marvin Katz, Ken Jacobs, Brad Grant, Capt Midnight Racing	Monday marked his first appearance of the season, a 1:51.2 Q at Gaitway. Alagna: “It was good to get that first one under his belt. It was a big mile given the conditions. It was a little windy. He’s been in training for a few months, so a lot of horses are in the same boat trying to get raced. We’ll go back and qualify at Gaitway Monday. We’ll get a race in him somewhere.” Last Race: 6/15 – Gaitway – Qualifier – 1st (1:51.2)
4	Cattlewash ($311,791 – 1:50.3)	Y. Gingras, R. Burke W J Donovan	Not much doing during the week for the third-leading earner in the Top 10 from a year ago. That’s about to change. Burke: “He’s in Saturday in the Poconos (with Marcus Miller driving). He drew the nine hole. He’ll be handled somewhat aggressively but the nine hole at Pocono is tough. I wish he was a little bit sharper, but I’m not worried about it. It’s gonna take him a week or two. Smaller horses get ready quicker. Cattlewash is a big horse.” Last Race: 6/8 – Gty – Qualifier – 3rd (1:53.3)
5	Catch The Fire ($258,547 – 1:49.4)	M. Wilder, J. Ackley CT Stables	Will go in the 20th Qualifier at The Meadows [Thursday, June 18] after taking a three-week break. Ackley: “We are getting ready to qualify at The Meadows later [Thursday]. I hope to go around [1:]52. A week ago Monday we trained him real good. After [Thursday], the plan is to come out east [to The Meadowlands].” Last Race: 5/17 – ScD – Qualifier – 1st (1:56.2)
6	Father Nuno ($205,472 – 1:52.4)	B. Sears, T. Canciellere John Canciellere	In early July, won his highlight-reel race of 2019 at the Meadows in 1:52.4 in a division of the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes. Thus far this year, has a pair of qualifiers under his belt. Tom Canciellere: “We will qualify him one more time. we are happy with the way he’s coming back.” Last Race: 6/9 – Chfld – Qualifier – 4th (1:54.4)
7	Captain Barbossa  ($127,488 – 1:51.2)	A. McCarthy, T. Alagna Robert Leblanc,  David Anderson, Alagnafrankinthegym Stable	Finished second in a Big M Qualifier. Everything looks good. Alagna: “We’re very happy with how he’s come back. He’s in a NW4 (Race 4) and has the rail Saturday. [With less wins and money earnings] It gives us more options as far as getting into a race.” Last Race: 6/12 – M1 – Qualifier – 2nd (1:50.4)
8	Manticore ($176,585 – 1:52.2)	D. Miller, B. Saunders M and L of Delaware, M & M Harness Racing	The only horse in the Top 10 to participate in a pari-mutuel race last week did well, finishing superbly to get third after kicking home in :26. Saunders: “We were happy with him. He did have good pace coming home. Nothing happened to discourage us. I gave him this week off. Hoping that Pennsylvania will schedule a Sire Stakes event that we can go in later this month.” Last Race: 6/13 – M1 – Non-Winners of 4 – 3rd (1:51.3)
9	Roll With Jr ($166,516 – 1:50.4)	T. Tetrick, J. Cullipher Pollack Racing, Jeff Cullipher	Cullipher: “He really didn’t do much last week. I was sending him to Tioga, but found out it was just a prep race, so he’ll race in Indiana next week [in a modest 3-year-old event]. We may stay out there and then come to New Jersey for the Meadowlands Pace Eliminations.” Last Race: 6/9 – HoP – Qualifier – 2nd (1:53.2)
10	Major Betts ($134,274 – 1:49.1)	D. Dunn, M. Harder Joseph Jannuzzelli,  Mark Harder, Deena Rachel Frost	Tied for fastest lifetime-best among the Top 10 with a 1:49.1 mark taken a year ago. Not in to go this week. Harder: “I can’t get him in. I tried at the Meadowlands and at Chester to get raced. By that time, the Meadowlands qualifiers were already drawn. He’s rarin’ to go. He’s fit and sharp. We will race at Tioga in sire stakes next weekend. For a horse I have high hopes for, it’s been a little difficult. But that’s what we are all up against.”  Last Race: 6/8 – Gty – Qualifier – 4th (1:54.1)