Adios Final
Tomorrow afternoon the Meadows near Pittsburgh will host one of the sports premiere events for three-year-old colt pacers while the Meadowlands in New Jersey will host the eliminations for one of the sports top events for three-year-old trotting fillies.
Tomorrow afternoon the Meadows will host the $400,000 Adios final for three-year-old colt pacers. At one time the Adios was among a bevy of heat races for sophomore pacers, but the sport has traded durability and stamina for speed so the finalists arrive one week after their elims.
But the Meadows card begins with a Preferred for older pacers and the race features a pair of stars, one past and one present.
Mel Mara (Corey Callahan) has enjoyed a solid campaign, sporting a 4-3-1 slate from 14 stars this year including a 1:47.2 victory at the Meadowlands in which Always B Miki was second. Mel Mara has the outside post in the field of seven, but he rebounded from a fourth-place finish behind 'Miki' in the Ben Franklin final to trounce Open foes at Harrahs Philadelphia in 1:48.4.
Several spots to his inside is Foiled Again (Yannick Gingras), the sports all-time winningest pacer with a lofty bankroll of over $7.4 million on the strength of 88 wins from 260 career outings. Foiled Again may be past his prime, but he has won two straight and looms an upset possibility if Mel Mara is not on his game.
Several races later in the seventh, the first division of the Arden Downs for two-year-old colt pacers, Fear The Dragon is among the budding stars in the group. This Brian Brown trainee has won twice in three starts, including a 1:50.3 victory in his most recent outing.
Looking to upset the 'Dragon' is Donttellmeagain who has won all three of his starts this year for trainer Jo Ann Looney-King. Donttellmeagain steps up from The Stallion Series off a sharp 1:52.1 score over this strip and rates a serious upset threat.
One race later in another Arden Downs split, recent New Jersey Sire a Stakes hero Every Way Out (Tim Tetrick) arrives having won all three of his starts at the Meadowlands for trainer Dylan Davis. His main threat will be Normandy Beach, who has wo twice in three starts for trainer Ron Burke, including a 1:52.4 score in Pennsylvania Sire Stakes action.
Several races later on the card, another Brown trainer, Downbytheseaside, is clearly the one to beat having won twice in three starts including a 1:51 score over this oval.
Looking to play the spoiler role tomorrow, however, are Filibuster Hanover, Hulk Hanover and Bettor's Western, the latter pair fresh off good performances against Stallion Series foes 10 days ago.
Then one race later in the main event, the $400,000 Adios for three-year-old colt pacers, the likely top two finishers this weekend both exited the same elimination.
Racing Hill (Brett Miller) sports a 3-4-1 slate and $635,000 bankroll from eight starts this year, including a sharp, 1:49.1 score in his elim. Racing Hill had previously won the Max Hempt final at Pocono Downs after finishing second in the North America Cup behind Betting Line.
While Manhattan Beach won the other Adios elim in 1:50.2, the main threat to Racing Hill appears to be the same colt that finished second to him last week in their elim - Check Six.
Another talented Burke trainee, Check Six owns a 5-2-1 slate and $470,000 from 10 starts this year, although his second-place effort last week in first over fashion may have been his best performance of his career. He will need some early help to soften up Racing Hill, but Check Six does have several stablemates that could provide that assistance in the Adios.
Further east and several hours later the Meadowlands in New Jersey will shine the spotlight on the three-year- old trotters of both genders with the main event on tap for next weekend.
In the fifth, the Reynolds Stakes for three-year-old colt trotters, all eyes will be on Southwind Frank (Gingras) looms as the odds-on favorite despite starting from post 11 in the second tier. Last year's champion two-year-old colt trotter, Southwind Frank has won four of fives starts this year and 15 of 17 lifetime starts for trainer Ron Burke.
Regardless of how he fares in the Reynolds, Southwind Frank rates the future book favorite for next Saturday's Grade I, $1 million Hambletonian.
Then the next two races will be eliminations for the Hambletonian Oaks for three-year-old fillies. Both events appear to have plenty in common.
The first Oak elim features Flowers N Song and Woman's Will - one-two finishers in the Zweig - and Caprice Hill, recent Ontario Sire Stakes champion who makes her Big M debut this summer.
Then one race later the second Oaks elim appears to be a match race between Broadway Donna and All The Time, one-two finishers in the recent Stanley Dancer Memorial over this strip.
Broadway Donna has won two of three starts this year for trainer Jim Campbell and 11 of 13 career outings. All The Time has won three of five outings this year and 10 of 17 career tries for trainer Jimmy Takter. These two sophomore trotting fillies are going to get very well acquainted this summer and fall.
Tomorrow afternoon the Meadows will host the $400,000 Adios final for three-year-old colt pacers. At one time the Adios was among a bevy of heat races for sophomore pacers, but the sport has traded durability and stamina for speed so the finalists arrive one week after their elims.
But the Meadows card begins with a Preferred for older pacers and the race features a pair of stars, one past and one present.
Mel Mara (Corey Callahan) has enjoyed a solid campaign, sporting a 4-3-1 slate from 14 stars this year including a 1:47.2 victory at the Meadowlands in which Always B Miki was second. Mel Mara has the outside post in the field of seven, but he rebounded from a fourth-place finish behind 'Miki' in the Ben Franklin final to trounce Open foes at Harrahs Philadelphia in 1:48.4.
Several spots to his inside is Foiled Again (Yannick Gingras), the sports all-time winningest pacer with a lofty bankroll of over $7.4 million on the strength of 88 wins from 260 career outings. Foiled Again may be past his prime, but he has won two straight and looms an upset possibility if Mel Mara is not on his game.
Several races later in the seventh, the first division of the Arden Downs for two-year-old colt pacers, Fear The Dragon is among the budding stars in the group. This Brian Brown trainee has won twice in three starts, including a 1:50.3 victory in his most recent outing.
Looking to upset the 'Dragon' is Donttellmeagain who has won all three of his starts this year for trainer Jo Ann Looney-King. Donttellmeagain steps up from The Stallion Series off a sharp 1:52.1 score over this strip and rates a serious upset threat.
One race later in another Arden Downs split, recent New Jersey Sire a Stakes hero Every Way Out (Tim Tetrick) arrives having won all three of his starts at the Meadowlands for trainer Dylan Davis. His main threat will be Normandy Beach, who has wo twice in three starts for trainer Ron Burke, including a 1:52.4 score in Pennsylvania Sire Stakes action.
Several races later on the card, another Brown trainer, Downbytheseaside, is clearly the one to beat having won twice in three starts including a 1:51 score over this oval.
Looking to play the spoiler role tomorrow, however, are Filibuster Hanover, Hulk Hanover and Bettor's Western, the latter pair fresh off good performances against Stallion Series foes 10 days ago.
Then one race later in the main event, the $400,000 Adios for three-year-old colt pacers, the likely top two finishers this weekend both exited the same elimination.
Racing Hill (Brett Miller) sports a 3-4-1 slate and $635,000 bankroll from eight starts this year, including a sharp, 1:49.1 score in his elim. Racing Hill had previously won the Max Hempt final at Pocono Downs after finishing second in the North America Cup behind Betting Line.
While Manhattan Beach won the other Adios elim in 1:50.2, the main threat to Racing Hill appears to be the same colt that finished second to him last week in their elim - Check Six.
Another talented Burke trainee, Check Six owns a 5-2-1 slate and $470,000 from 10 starts this year, although his second-place effort last week in first over fashion may have been his best performance of his career. He will need some early help to soften up Racing Hill, but Check Six does have several stablemates that could provide that assistance in the Adios.
Further east and several hours later the Meadowlands in New Jersey will shine the spotlight on the three-year- old trotters of both genders with the main event on tap for next weekend.
In the fifth, the Reynolds Stakes for three-year-old colt trotters, all eyes will be on Southwind Frank (Gingras) looms as the odds-on favorite despite starting from post 11 in the second tier. Last year's champion two-year-old colt trotter, Southwind Frank has won four of fives starts this year and 15 of 17 lifetime starts for trainer Ron Burke.
Regardless of how he fares in the Reynolds, Southwind Frank rates the future book favorite for next Saturday's Grade I, $1 million Hambletonian.
Then the next two races will be eliminations for the Hambletonian Oaks for three-year-old fillies. Both events appear to have plenty in common.
The first Oak elim features Flowers N Song and Woman's Will - one-two finishers in the Zweig - and Caprice Hill, recent Ontario Sire Stakes champion who makes her Big M debut this summer.
Then one race later the second Oaks elim appears to be a match race between Broadway Donna and All The Time, one-two finishers in the recent Stanley Dancer Memorial over this strip.
Broadway Donna has won two of three starts this year for trainer Jim Campbell and 11 of 13 career outings. All The Time has won three of five outings this year and 10 of 17 career tries for trainer Jimmy Takter. These two sophomore trotting fillies are going to get very well acquainted this summer and fall.
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