Dorsoduro Hanover Takes Over Top Spot In Little's Road to the Pace

Dorsoduro Hanover took the top spot back in Dave Little's Road to the Crawford Farms Meadowlands Pace off a win in one of three eliminations for the Hempt at Pocono Downs (the final is Saturday night). The next challenge for Dorsoduro and seven others: Defeating North America Cup champion Lather Up, whose connections are still kicking around the idea of supplementing to The Pace.

Rank	Horse	Driver, Trainer, Owner(s)	Dave Little’s Comments
1	Dorsoduro Hanover ($172,668 – 1:49.4)	M. Kakaley, R. Burke Burke Racing, Silva, Purnel & Libby, Weaver Bruscemi, Wingfield Five	Takes the top spot back off a lifetime-best win in his Hempt Elimination. The only blemish on his five-start 2018 resume is a tough-trip seventh in his NA Cup Elim. Burke: “He was good in his elimination but will need to step it up more in the final.” He’s drawn post 4 for the $500,000 Hempt Saturday night. Is there a way to beat 2-1 morning-line choice Lather Up (post 7)? Burke: “I haven’t figured that out yet.” Last Race: 6/23 – PcD – Hempt Elim – 1st (1:49.4)
2	Stay Hungry ($619,384 – 1:50)	D. McNair, T. Alagna B. Grant, I. Samelman	Finished a tough-trip third (missing a half-length) in his Hempt Elim and has drawn post 5 for the final. Alagna: “He raced terrific. A horse went off stride in front of him and he came to a halt. I thought it was one of his best races ever. He’s drawn a good post but beating Lather Up, that’s a tough assignment right now.” Last Race: 6/23 – PcD – Hempt Elim – 3rd (1:49.3)
3	Lost In Time ($718,723 – 1:50.1)	S. Zeron, J. Takter Diamond Creek Racing, J&T Silva, W. Rufenacht, Ric Flair Stable	Took the Hempt off to prepare for the Pace. Takter noted the grueling schedule for the 3-year-old pacing colts, where the NA Cup, Hempt and Meadowlands Pace require a horse to race for six straight weeks if they want to go in all three. “When you look at the schedule, it’s kind of insane. I don’t think this horse is suited for that. Horses are not machines. I think Lost In Time will be much better in the Pace than he was in the Cup.” Last Race: 6/16 – Wbsb – NA Cup Final – 3rd (1:48.4)
4	This Is The Plan ($243,372 – 1:50.2)	T. Tetrick, C. Ryder C. Ryder, R. Mondillo	Finished third in his Hempt elim after a four-week layoff but a luckless pill drop has left him with post 9 for the final. Ryder: “I’d have been happier had he finished second, but this week, we are adding Lasix after some minor bleeding. Some horses improve a lot on Lasix, some don’t at all.” Last Race: 6/23 – PcD – Hempt Elim – 3rd (1:49.4)
5	Thinkbig Dreambig ($38,500 – 1:49.2)	Y. Gingras, J. Takter Brixton Medical Inc., J. Fielding, G. Anderberg, G. Falk	Since taking the Escort at the Meadowlands, this son of Bettor’s Delight has won two in a row in Pennsylvania with ease. Takter: “I’m going to race him at Tioga Friday (race 8, post 7). I want him to go a really strong mile. He’s so professional. We are still strongly considering going to the Pace.” Last Race: 6/20 – Phl – NW3 – 1st (1:52.2)
6	Nutcracker Sweet ($196,832 – 1:50.2)	D. Miller, J. Takter H. Taylor, Order By Stable, R. Lombardo	Continues to prove he belongs with this division’s best while having yet to win this year. Finished second in his elim to Lather Up and has drawn post 1 for the final. Takter: “I thought he raced tremendous, Lather Up was just so freaking Good! Right now, he might be unbeatable.” Is Nutcracker sweet on The Pace? “Not sure if he’s going,” said Takter. “We still have a ton of races coming up.” Last Race: 6/23 – PcD – Hempt Elim – 2nd (1:49.2)
7	Babes Dig Me ($122,947 – 1:52.3Q)	B. Miller, T. Alagna B.J. Grant, J. Sbrocco, J. Leblanc, In The Gym Partners	Went a rail trip to grab a fifth-place check in his Hempt Elim. Alagna: “He was in the toughest division, but once he got loose, he had pace in the lane. I am going to give him this week off.” Last Race: 6/23 – PcD – Hempt Elim – 5th (1:50.1)
8	American History ($94,243 – 1:49.1)	Y. Gingras, T. Alagna Brittany Farms, M. Katz, American History Racing	Took the Hempt off after a 10th-place finish in the Cup. Will take on older foes Friday at the Meadowlands in a NW3. Alagna: “Coming off a bad start I thought I was better off giving him the week off to get ready for The Pace. He’s in Friday and trained great.” Last Race: 6/16 – Wbsb – NA Cup Final – 10th (1:50.3)
9	Captain Deo ($28,867 – 1:50.2)	D. McNair, T. Alagna Alagna Racing, J. Sbrocco, In The Gym Partners, Captain Deo Partners	Kicked home in :26.2 to grab a fifth-place check in the Cup Consolation before taking the Hempt off. Alagna: “He’s been very good but hasn’t had a lot of luck. He’s been too far back coming into fast fractions.” He’s in the same Meadowlands race as stablemate American History Friday night. Last Race: 6/16 – Wbsb – NA Cup Consolation – 5th (1:50.3)
10	Odds On Lauderdale ($51,059 – 1:49.1)	V. Ginsburg, T Alagna Odds On Racing	Breaks into the Top 10 after winning his second straight a week ago. The victory came from an impossible spot after being trapped until the final eighth of a mile. Is this a possible Pace upsetter? Alagna: “He’s a little bit of a sleeper. He showed a lot of ability last year. He wasn’t himself earlier in the year so we made some adjustments. As far as the Pace goes, we are on the bubble.” Last Race: 6/23 – M1 – NW2/3 – 1st (1:49.1)

KEY PREP RACES

MEADOWLANDS PACE ELIGIBLES IN CAPS – Supplements are permitted per the conditions of the race

Date	Stakes	Site	Winner	Trainer	Driver	2nd Horse	3rd Horse	Time
5/5	PA Sire Stakes	Mea	THIS IS THE PLAN	C. Ryder	D. Palone	BABES DIG ME	Record Machine	1:53
	PA Sire Stakes	Mea	DORSODURO HANOVER	R. Burke	J. Pantaleano	Wes Delight	CAPTAIN DEO	1:50.3
5/19	PA Sire Stakes	PcD	I’M A BIG DEAL	C. Ryder	G. Napolitano Jr.	GRAND TETON	Whos Better	1:50.2
	PA Sire Stakes	PcD	DORSODURO HANOVER	R. Burke	M. Kakaley	THIS IS THE PLAN	PRO BEACH	1:50.1
	PA Sire Stakes	PcD	Wes Delight	M. Harder	C. Callahan	LOST IN TIME	STAY HUNGRY	1:50.4
5/20	OnSS Gold	Flm	Backstreet Shadow	R. McNair	D. McNair	St Lads Neptune	Wind Blast	1:52.3
	OnSS Gold	Flm	Western Passage	C. Coleman	D. McNair	Levis Day	SHADOW MOON	1:53.4
5/26	Art Rooney Final	YR	Trump Nation	C. Oakes	J. Bartlett	Minnie Vinnie	BABES DIG ME	1:51.3
5/28	NYSS	VD 1	Courtly Choice	B. MacIntosh	D. Miller	Hitman Hill	Real Surreal	1:48.4
	NYSS	VD	AMERICAN HISTORY	T. Alagna	Y. Gingras	Rock Lights	Heavenly Sound	1:49.1
	NYSS	VD	My Delight	H. Hochstetler	M. Miller	Lyons Steel	Ostro Hanover	1:49.4
6/1	NJSS Final	M1	Melanie’s Fran	K. Mc Dermott	D. Miller	Hypnotico	-	1:56.3
6/2	Somebeachsmwhere	Moh	Burning Midnight	C. Giles	T. Henry	Simple Kinda Man	GRAND TETON	1:50.4
	Somebeachsmwhere	Moh	Lather Up	C. Francis	M. Teague	St Lads Neptune	Scouts Report	1:50.3
	Somebeachsmwhere	Moh	Jimmy Freight	R. Moreau	L. Roy	LOST IN TIME	When You Dance	1:50.2
6/9	NA Cup Elim	Moh	STAY HUNGRY	T. Alagna	D. McNair	Done Well	HAYDEN HANOVER	1:50
	NA Cup Elim	Moh	Wes Delight	M. Harder	C. Callahan	NUTCRACKER SWEET	AMERICAN HISTORY	1:50.2
	NA Cup Elim	Moh	Lather Up	C. Francis	M. Teague	St Lads Neptune	Hitman Hill	1:49.2
6/10	NYSS	Tioga	Springsteen	R. Allard	D. Miller	Real Surreal	I Soar Him First	1:51
	NYSS	Tioga	Heavenly Sound	B. Saunders	A. McCarthy	Ideal Feeling	Trump Nation	1:50.4
	NYSS	Tioga	Keystone Tenacious	P. Kelley	M. MacDonald	My Delight	TWIN B TUFFENUFF	1:52.1
6/16	NA Cup Final	Moh	Lather Up	C. Francis	M. Teague	Done Well	LOST IN TIME	1:48.1
6/18	NYSS	MR	TOPVILLE OLYMPIAN	D. Menary	J. Stratton	Mr Profeta	TWIN B TUFFENUFF	1:55
	NYSS	MR	Ghost Dance	E. Adams	S. Zeron	Rockapelo	Ostro Hanover	1:54.4
	NYSS	MR	Rootin Tootin	B. MacIntosh	M. MacDonald	Handsoffmychips	My Delight	1:53.4
6/23	OnSS Gold	Moh	Sharp Action Money	M. Brethour	S. Filion	Sports Legend	Taste Of History	1:50.4
	OnSS Gold	Moh	Jimmy Freight	R. Moreau	L. Roy	St Lads Neptune	Levis Day	1:49.2
6/23	Hempt Elim	PcD	DORSODURO HANOVER	R. Burke	M. Kakaley	Springsteen	THIS IS THE PLAN	1:49.4
	Hempt Elim	PcD	Hitman Hill	C. Oakes	B. Miller	Shnitzledosomethin	STAY HUNGRY	1:49.3
	Hempt Elim	PcD	Lather Up	C. Francis	M. Teague	NUTCRACKER SWEET	Wes Delight	1:49