By Dave Little, Meadowlands Media Relations
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – Trainer Brett
Pelling has a strong pair of 2-year-olds heading into next week’s Kindergarten
Classic Series Finals, as his Treacherous Dragon and Hammering Hank recorded
easy victories Saturday night during the series fifth and final leg at The
Meadowlands.
In a split for filly pacers,
Treacherous Dragon, one week removed from a third-place finish in the Breeders
Crown Final taken by division standout Niki Hill, was away from the gate in
anything but a hurry, as driver Tim Tetrick opted to sit fourth while Find
Happiness led at the quarter (:27.2) before 3-1 second choice Always Gonna B
You took over at the half (:55.3).
Ever patient, Tetrick waited until
just after the five-eighths-mile mark to move the daughter of
Captaintreacherous-My Little Dragon off the rail. Treacherous Dragon then
picked up cover from the pocket-popping Find Happiness on the far turn before
tipping wide as they straightened up before cruising to a safe head win in
1:52. Find Happiness was second with Counterparty Risk third.
“I was pretty aggressive with her
last week and wanted to come off a helmet this time,” said Tetrick. “She
finished up well. I thought that [Find Happiness] might pull in front of me.”
What about the finish, when Find
Happiness was closing in nearing the wire?
“My mare waits on them,” said
Tetrick. “She was just messing around.”
Treacherous Dragon returned $2.40 to
win as the heavy 1-5 public choice in raising her record to four wins from
eight lifetime starts.
Hammering Hank, fourth in the Crown a
week ago to Monte Miki, was handled with care by Dexter Dunn, who had the
gelded son of Captaintreacherous-History Repeats sitting fourth early in a dash
for male pacers.
Dunn then had ‘Hank’ in a live flow
third-over to the head of the stretch before sailing by his foes while pacing a
final quarter in 27.1 to record a lifetime-best 1:51.2 mile. He’s won seven
times in his career, with his only two losses coming to Monte Miki. He finished
three-quarters-of-a-length in front of Captain Cowboy with Mac’s Marvel
grabbing the show dough.
“He has extremely high speed,” said
Dunn. “His run in the Breeders Crown last week was awesome, and tonight, he was
doing it pretty easy in the stretch.”
Hammering Hank returned $2.60 to his
backers as the 1-5 favorite as his record remained unblemished in three
Kindergarten starts.
Pelling is feeling good about his
chances in next week’s Kindergarten Finals, which will offer four dashes for
freshmen of each sex and gait, which, depending on if the consolations fill,
could go for purses totaling $1 million.
“Treacherous Dragon has always been
very, very good,” said Pelling. “She knows what she’s doing and is a very smart
girl. Hammering Hank? We actually haven’t seen his speed yet. He’s pretty cool.
“I would never have raced either
horse this week [since they raced a week ago in the Breeders Crown]. But the
point leaders in the Kindergarten automatically draw well [posts 1 through 5]
so I decided to race both so that next week, they come back with inside posts.”
For the final Kindergarten point
standings, go to http://www.meadowlandsracetrack.com/generic.aspx?id=22267
A LITTLE MORE: McKee Memorial winner Catch The Fire
($3.40 as the public choice) won a cutthroat stretch duel with Let It Ride N to
take the $36,000 Winners Over $50,000 Lifetime pace in 1:50. … Dunn drove five
winners on the card, matching Todd McCarthy’s Friday feat. McCarthy nipped Dunn
after taking the Saturday finale, winning seven races during the weekend to
Dunn’s six. … With a sixth-race total pool of $382,199 serving as the catalyst,
all-source wagering totaled $2,867,925 to push total action for the weekend
past the $5-million mark. … Racing resumes Friday at 6:20 p.m.
