EAST
RUTHERFORD, N.J. _ Royalty For Life, Creatine and Spider Blue Chip won the
$70,000 elimination heats leading to the $1 million Hambletonian final on
Saturday afternoon at The Meadowlands Racetrack.
The
three heats trimmed the field of 23 down to 10 for the final, the richest event
in harness racing
Royalty
For Life starts from the rail. Spider Blue Chip starts along side in post 2.
Creatine has post 4.
The
top three finishers in each elimination advanced to the final, along with
Dontyouforgetit, the richest fourth-place finisher.
The
field in post order: Royalty For Life, Spider Blue Chip. Corky, Creatine,
Dontyouforgetit, High Bridge, Aperfectyankee, Lauderdale, Smilin Eli and
Wheeling N Dealin.
Royalty
For Life continued to peak at the right time. He won the first elimination heat
under wraps in 1:52.
The
colt, foaled in Massachusetts, extended his winning streak to three, including
The Meadowlands’ Stanley Dancer Memorial, after breaking stride in his first
three starts.
Brian
Sears put Royalty For Life on the lead approaching the opening quarter and they
remained solidly in charge the rest of the way.
“He’s
getting more starts in him and some more confidence,” Sears said. “He’s getting
to know what we’re trying to do out there. He’s a little more comfortable. I
look for him to be even better in the final.”
Royalty
For Life, trained by George Ducharme for Alfred Ross, Raymond Campbell, Jr. and
Paul Fontaine, beat Smilin Eli by 1 3-4 lengths with High Bridge third.
Creatine
was the well-rated winner of the second elimination heat in 1:52 4/5 for driver
Mike Lachance, trainer Bob Stewart and owners Diamond Creek Racing.
Taking
charge early from post 8, Creatine got his third win in seven starts.
“Just
to be in the Hambletonian is something very special,” said Lachance, a
four-time Hambletonian winner. “It’s a dream for a young driver. For an old
driver, it’s an even bigger dream.”
Wheeling
N Dealin, last season’s Dan Patch Award winner, finished two lengths behind the
winner with Aperfectyankee third.
Speed
held once again in the final heat as Spider Blue Chip took the third and final
elimination in 1:53 4/5. Ron Pierce drove for trainer Chuck Sylvester and
owners David Mc Duffee and Melvin
Hartman.
Corky
was second with Lauderdale third.
