The season’s
dominant older pacer led from gate to wire to win the $431,400 William R.
Haughton Memorial, the headliner on the final program of the Championship
Meet. Driven by Andy Miller, Golden Receiver ticked off fractions of
25.4; 54 and 1:21.2 en route to a final 1:48.2 clocking. We Will See
finished second, while Aracahce Hanover
“He is an
iron-tough horse,” Miller said. “He’s so good off the gate. As soon
as I put everybody in a hole I showed him the whip a little bit and he
responded, but he was able to relax again.”
Golden
Receiver began the 2012 harness meet with a sweep of the Presidential Series,
including the $110,500 final on January 28. He is one of only three
horses in Meadowlands history to win both the Presidential and Haughton in the
same season, joining Red Bow Tie (1999) and Alexie Mattosie (2011). The
Mark Harder trainee also captured the $180,000 Graduate on May 12 and $242,500
US Pacing Championship on August 4.
His Haughton
win boosted Golden Receiver’s record to 12 wins in 19 starts this season and
lifted his 2012 bankroll to a career-high $744,925. Lifetime, the
7-year-old son of Village Jove has earnings of $1.39 million for Stable 45, Richard
Taylor, Stephen Springer and Nina Simmonds.
On
the rich undercard, Rebeka Bayama pulled an upset in the $218,550 Golden Girls
for pacing mares. Driven by Sylvain Filion and trained by Pat Lachance,
Rebeka Bayama rallied off cover to stop Drop The Ball by a half-length in
1:49. Ginger And Fred was a length and three-quarters back in
third. Put On A Show, the 8-5 favorite and Lady Liberty winner, broke
stride at the start and finished last.
Maven
rebounded from a miscue in the Hambletonian Oaks to coast to a three and a
half-length victory over Valdonna in the $191,500 Moni Maker for three-year-old
trotting fillies. The Jonas Czernyson trainee, driven by Yannick Gingras,
trotted the mile in 1:52.3.
Cedar Dove
took command at the half and edged away to a one and three-quarter-length
victory over Action-Broadway in the $40,000 Miss Versatility for trotting
mares. The 4-year-old daughter of Andover Hall, driven by Ron Pierce and
trained by Noel Daley, equaled her career mark with a 1:52.3 score.
The
card also featured a quartet of $150,000 New Jersey Sire Championships for
two-year-old horses. Johny Rock extended his winning streak to three with
a career best 1:51.1 mile in the final for pacing colts and geldings.
With Tim Tetrick driving, Johny Rock paced a career best 1:51.1. The John
Butenschoen trainee has never been worse than second in six career starts.
Corky
coasted to a three-length victory over King Muscles in 1:57.3 to win the final
for trotting colts and geldings. The 1-5 favorite, driven by David Miller
and trained by Jimmy Takter, picked up his third win in seven starts.
Southwind
Cocoa, driven by Tim Tetrick, rallied from the far outside to nip Time To Kill
by a nose and Shared Past by a neck in a three-horse photo finish in the final
for trotting fillies. The Linda Toscano trainee covered the mile in
1:55.3, equaling the stakes record set by Act Of Grace on July 18, 1995.
Even-money
favorite Authorize swept past Jerseylicious, tossing in a final quarter of
25.4, to win the final for pacing fillies by half a length in
1:52.3. Driven by Brian Sears and trained by Tony Alagna, Authorize
extended her winning streak to four.
In
the $5,500 Racing Under Saddle exhibition race, Tina Duer rode Chinese Cuisine
to a five and three-quarter length victory over Helene Gregory aboard Armbro
Doyle in 2:00.2. Chinese Cuisine, trained by John Duer, is a
four-year-old gelding son of Revenue owned and bred by Peninsula Farm of
Lexington, KY.
Driver
Yannick Gingras and trainer Ron Burke were presented with their first
Meadowlands meet titles. Burke Racing also won the owner’s race.
Dave Palone
earned a $10,000 check as the points leader in the first round of the Vernon Downs/Meadowlands
Drivers’ Championship. He holds the advantage heading into round two at
Vernon Downs on Sunday, August 26.
