By Dave Little, Meadowlands Media Relations
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – Ambassador
Hanover and Really Fast won their respective $48,250 divisions of the
Tompkins-Geers for 3-year-old colts and geldings on the trot Saturday night at
The Meadowlands, setting them up well for next week’s Hambletonian
Eliminations.
Ambassador Hanover, off a dominant
victory in New York Sire Stakes action at Yonkers July 13, left hard from post
six in his split and was on the point at the quarter in a quick :26.4 as 3-5
public choice – and winterbook Hambletonian favorite – Venerate, who broke in
two of his last three starts, was handled with caution by driver Andy Miller
and sat in the three-hole behind the pocket-sitting On A Streak.
A slow second fraction of :29.4 left
plenty in the tank for the ‘Ambassador’, who had no problem shrugging off a
challenge from Venerate on the far turn before going on to a safe half-length
score in a lifetime-best 1:52.3 to lift his lifetime record to seven wins from
13 starts. On A Streak was second with Venerate third.
A son of Chapter Seven-Angel Eyes
Hanover, Ambassador Hanover, who is trained and driven by Ake Svanstedt,
returned $7.40 as the second choice in the betting.
Really Fast came through for the
chalk players, scoring in the second T-G division for males as the 1-2 public
choice in a lifetime-best-equaling 1:51.2, a mark he set in a qualifier seven
days ago.
Calle Palema left quickly from post
one and stretched out Really Fast as that one did not clear the lead until just
after the half in :55.3. From there, the son of Muscle Hill-Stubborn Belle had
no trouble, hitting the wire 5¼ lengths in front of a fast-closing Spy Booth to
complete a 1-2 finish for the Nancy Takter barn. Calle Palema held third.
Unraced at 2, Really Fast, who was
driven by Dexter Dunn, has now won four of seven lifetime outings. He returned
$3.00 to win.
The 31-year-old Dunn, fresh off a
Friday night that saw him guide seven to victory lane, also piloted the winners
of both $46,450 Tompkins-Geers divisions for sophomore trotting fillies.
Adirondack (Father Patrick-Mission
Brief) did not go the best of trips but reigned supreme nonetheless in her
split, vacating the three-hole just past the half before grinding away at
leader Hot As Hill on the way to a determined half-length score in 1:52.2 after
poking her head in front with an eighth of a mile to go. Miss Vet Hanover and
Awesome Trix were second and third, respectively.
“She’s really developing into a nice
racehorse,” said winning trainer Takter. “She was very wound up as a
2-year-old. I think she’s going to have a really nice fall.”
As the 8-5 favorite, Adirondack returned
$5.40 after winning for the third time from 10 lifetime starts.
Eazy Pass (Muscle
Hill-Livininthefastlane) pulled off a big upset at 18-1 in the second division
for trainer Nifty Norman, returning $38.40 to win after scoring in a
lifetime-best 1:53.3.
All eyes were on 2-5 public choice
Piper Hanover, who was seeking her fifth win in a row, but she faltered after
cutting out rated fractions of :28.1, :57.3 and 1:26.1 on the front end.
When Piper Hanover weakened in
mid-stretch, the pocket-sitting Dutiful – who was 49-1 – appeared to be going
on to victory, but Eazy Pass, who sat a three-hole trip, caught that one
nearing the wire to win by a half-length. Piper Hanover finished third.
A LITTLE MORE: Dunn led the driver colony with three
winners on the card, giving him 10 for the weekend. The Big M’s leading driver
now has 116 victories on the year. … There were no winning tickets sold in the
20-cent Pick-6, creating a carryover of $10,855.23 for the next race card.
Those with five correct collected $248.50. … All-source handle totaled
$2,617,831. … Racing resumes Friday at 6:20 p.m.
