Hightstown, NJ – When it comes to buying racehorses, Tom Pollack doesn’t often swing for the fences, generally opting to purchase established performers rather than yearlings, but that approach can still result in knocking one out of the park.
A prime example would be recent Breeders Crown Open Pace champion Ervin Hanover, a 5-year-old who was purchased by Pollack following the horse’s 3-year-old season. Ervin Hanover has won 18 races and more than $950,000 since then.
On Thursday, two newer additions to Pollack’s stable that follow a similar approach will be in action in $35,000 Progress Pace eliminations, for 3-year-old male pacers, at Bally’s Dover. Sugar Man is the 9-2 third choice in the first elim, behind 5-2 favorite Dandy Ideal and 7-2 Fallout, while Waffle Blue Chip is 10-1 in the second division. The top four finishers from each elim advance to the $250,000 Progress Pace final on Wednesday, Nov. 26.
Pollack bought both 3-year-olds privately, acquiring Waffle Blue Chip in October and Sugar Man earlier this month. Both were trained previously by Brett Pelling and now are conditioned by Jeff Cullipher.
“They’re two pretty nice horses,” Pollack said. “They might be a notch below the top group, but I think both are sharp right now, so they should be competitive.
“With both of them, since I don’t really have partners, I’ve kind of adapted the model of buying some higher-end horses from owners who really only want to have 2- and 3-year-old stakes horses. We’ve bought horses at the end of their 3-year-old seasons, and if they can go on and be stakes horses, that’s a home run. More often than not, they go on and are just solid overnight racehorses.
“But that’s been our business model just because the yearling game is risky and I’m not really able to spread the risk without a big partnership group. This versus buying a yearling, you have a little bit of an advantage because you’ve seen what they can do already.”
Waffle Blue Chip, a son of Sweet Lou-Vicinity, has finished first or second in 11 of 17 races this season and earned $114,578, with his most recent four starts coming for Pollack and trainer David Menary in Canada. The colt was eighth in his debut for Pollack, which came in a Breeders Crown elimination at Woodbine Mohawk Park. He rebounded with a second in a 3-year-old Open followed by back-to-back wins in conditioned races, also at Mohawk.
His seven-horse Progress elimination features Prince Hal Hanover, the 5-2 morning-line favorite, as well as Captain Optimistic (7-2), Fusion (9-2) and Madden Oaks (6-1). Jason Bartlett will drive Waffle Blue Chip, leaving from post five.
“We got him right before the Breeders Crown,” Pollack said. “He drew (post) eight in the elimination with Louprint and Dandy’s Ideal, horses that were just better than him, so that was tough. He’s raced against horses he could be more competitive with in his next three starts, and he’s been lights out.
“I like the fact that he’s versatile and he likes to be involved. Hopefully, we can get him in play, get a trip, and make the final. It’s a tough bunch, so it’s a step up for him. But I think he can handle it because he is sharp right now.”
Sugar Man, a son of Papi Rob Hanover-Sweet As Sugar, will be making his first start for Pollack. The colt has hit the board in 10 of 16 races this season, winning five and earning $112,299. He won his two most recent starts, the consolation division of the Monument Circle and a division of the Circle City Stakes, both at Harrah’s Hoosier Park.
Sugar Man will leave from post three with driver Todd McCarthy in his seven-horse Progress elim.
“We’ve liked him training here for the past week or so,” Pollack said. “We’re excited to see him race. We don’t really know much about him yet, but I know Hoosier is not the easiest place to win and he’s raced well out there. So, I think that’s a positive sign.”
Pollack ranks fifth in purse earnings among all owners in harness racing this year, his fifth consecutive year in the top five. The past three years, only Burke Racing Stable and Weaver Bruscemi LLC have finished ahead of Pollack.
“It’s a testament to a great team and buying quality horses,” Pollack said. “I have a good team around me – trainers, drivers, (agent) Marc Reynolds. It’s a really good group, which makes it fun. We’re kind of all in it together, trying to win as many races as we can.
“I’m excited about these two new ones. I love the action, so it’s great to be able to buy horses and drop them in box shortly thereafter and have them race. We’ll see what happens.”
Racing begins at 4:30 p.m. (EST) at Bally’s Dover. The Progress Pace eliminations are races 12 and 14 on the 15-race card.