Schnittker on Huntsville: ‘as good as he’s ever been’
July 20, 2017,by Evan Pattak, for The Meadows
Washington, PA — For the trainers of all Adios colts and geldings not named Huntsville, his conditioner, Ray Schnittker, offers a scary report on the status of his Dan Patch Award winner: “He’s probably as good as he’s ever been.”
Chris Gooden photo
Huntsville is the 7-5 morning-line favorite in Saturday’s first elimination for the $450,000 Delvin Miller Adios Pace for the Orchids at The Meadows.
Huntsville is the 7-5 morning-line favorite in Saturday’s first elimination (race nine) for the $450,000 Delvin Miller Adios Pace for the Orchids at The Meadows. Fear The Dragon, another superstar of the 3-year-old pacing division, is the 7-5 pick in the second elimination (race 10). First post is 1:05 p.m., with the elims scheduled to begin at approximately 3:45 p.m.
The July 29 Adios final anchors a blockbuster afternoon card that features six Grand Circuit stakes. First post that day is noon.
The schedule for elite 3-year-old pacers can be grueling. Those contesting the North America Cup, the Max Hempt, the Meadowlands Pace and the Adios can face up to eight tough races in as many weeks. Knowing that, Schnittker skipped the Hempt. The time off refreshed Huntsville, who returned to win his elimination and the final of the Meadowlands Pace and pushed his career bankroll over $1.3 million.
Thus, when Schnittker indicates Huntsville is as good as he’s ever been, he’s referring more to fitness and race-readiness than ability, which is prodigious enough.
Schnittker, who owns the son of Somebeachsomewhere-Wild West Show with Ted Gewertz and Steven Arnold, said he jogged the colt lightly this week.
“After those two miles at the Meadowlands, he doesn’t need much,” Schnittker said.
Tim Tetrick will pilot Huntsville from post seven, a starting slot that doesn’t concern Schnittker.
“With the slanted starting gate they have at The Meadows, post seven doesn’t bother me at all,” he said. “I’d like to leave and get a good two-hole trip. You don’t want to be on the front all the time — it wears your horse out.”
Following the Adios, Schnittker said he would point Huntsville to the Cane Pace.
The first four finishers in each Adios elimination, along with the fifth-place finisher with higher career earnings, return for the Adios final. The connections of the elim winners will choose their post positions for the final, with the other slots drawn randomly.
Following are the fields for the Adios eliminations, in post order with preliminary driving assignments, trainers and morning-line odds:
Adios Elimination 1, Race 9
1. Boogie Shuffle-Scott Zeron-Mark Harder-20/1
2. RJP-Yannick Gingras-Ron Burke-5/1
3. Highalator-Dave Palone-Jeffrey Long-10/1
4. Miso Fast-Matt Kakaley-Ron Burke-5/2
5. Blood Line-Mark MacDonald-Jimmy Takter-4/1
6. Southwind Yukon-Matt Kakaley-Ron Burke-20/1
7. Huntsville-Tim Tetrick-Ray Schnittker-7/5
Adios Elimination 2, Race 10
1. Western Hill-Doug McNair-Tony Alagna-5/1
2. Lawrencetown Beach-Yannick Gingras-Ron Burke-10/1
3. Fear The Dragon-David Miller-Brian Brown-7/5
4. Hurricane Beach-Daniel Dube-Luc Blais-20/1
5. Filibuster Hanover-Yannick Gingras-Ron Burke-5/2
6. Eddard Hanover-Matt Kakaley-Ron Burke-20/1
7. Independent One-Matt Kakaley-John Butenschoen-4/1
- Huntsville, Fear The Dragon head field of 14 Adios hopefuls (Tuesday, July 18, 2017)
Meadowlands Pace winner Huntsville and North America Cup champion Fear The Dragon head a field of 14 into the 51st edition of the $450,000 Delvin Miller Adios Pace for the Orchids at The Meadows. Eliminations for the Adios, each carrying a $25,000 purse, are set for Saturday (July 22); they’ll go as races nine and 10 with an approximate post time of 3:45 p.m. The $400,000 Adios final the following Saturday afternoon anchors a blockbuster card that features six Grand Circuit stakes.
- Huntsville, Fear The Dragon installed as 7-5 Adios elimination favorites (Wednesday, July 19, 2017)
Huntsville and Fear The Dragon have been installed as 7-5 morning-line favorites to win their respective divisions in Saturday’s eliminations for the $450,000 Delvin Miller Adios Pace for the Orchids at The Meadows.
- Saratoga’s Joe Gerrity Memorial tops Grand Circuit weekend (Wednesday, July 19, 2017)
Saratoga will host their marquee event, the $260,000 Joe Gerrity Memorial for older pacers, this Saturday night.
- Blais hopes for calmer ‘Hurricane’ in Adios elim (Wednesday, July 19, 2017)
Hurricane Beach’s career got off to a stormy start, but trainer Luc Blais’ forecast calls for better days ahead as the 3-year-old pacer continues to mature. A headstrong youngster, Hurricane Beach was gelded last year and has won three of six races this season. He heads to Saturday’s eliminations of the $450,000 Delvin Miller Adios Pace for the Orchids at The Meadows off a 9-1/4 length win in 1:51 at Harrah’s Philadelphia on July 9.
- Alagna seeking back-to-back Adios orchids (Friday, July 21, 2017)
In the first 50 years of the Delvin Miller Adios Pace for the Orchids, only four trainers have gone back to back. Stanley Dancer (1970-71) and Joe O’Brien (1975-76) won consecutive orchids. Brett Pelling did it twice (1995-96, 2004-05) while Billy Haughton won three straight (1967-69). Now, Tony Alagna can join them. The winner of last year’s Adios with Racing Hill, Alagna will send out Tom Hill’s homebred Western Hill in Saturday’s Adios eliminations at The Meadows.
- Huntsville, Fear The Dragon win Adios elims despite tough trips (Saturday, July 22, 2017)
Huntsville and Fear The Dragon had to work much harder in the slop than overwhelming favorites would like, yet each was game enough Saturday (July 22) to capture an elimination of the 51st edition of the Delvin Miller Adios Pace for the Orchids at The Meadows.