from the Meadowlands Publicity Department

East Rutherford, NJ — Always A Virgin and Takeshigemichi pulled off upsets in their eliminations on Saturday night (Nov. 25) and earned the right to pick their post positions for the $450,000 Governor’s Cup Final on December 2 at the Meadowlands.

With the first choice, Takeshigemichi’s connections opted for post two while Always A Virgin will leave from post three next Saturday.

Always A Virgin ($27.40, $5.80, $2.40) found room up the pylons and nipped 3-5 Sutter Hanover ($2.60, $2.10) to win the second race, the first of the two $20,000 Governor’s Cup eliminations, by a neck. It was 1-3/4 lengths back to Hagi ($2.10) in third. Jim’s Guy and Digital Z Tam also advanced to the final.

Always A Virgin, driven by Andy Miller and trained by Josh Green, is a homebred son of Western Ideal, racing for Joseph A. Hurley’s Roll The Dice Stable of Wilmington, Delaware. The colt now has three wins and two seconds in nine starts for $44,636 in earnings. He paced the mile in a lifetime best of 1:52.1.

“He got a good trip and raced real well,” said Green. “Andy (Miller) gave him a great drive. He is a big colt. It took him a while to come into his body. We took it slow with him. We will shut him down after this (Governor’s Cup Final).”

Takeshigemichi ($20.20, $6.20, $2.60) was not happy sitting in the two hole, but once driver Daniel Dube released him off the pylons with a sixteenth to go, he flew to the lead and held off the challenge of 3-5 favorite Artzina ($2.60, $2.10) to win the second elimination, the third race, by a half-length in 1:53 flat. Ghee’s House ($2.60) was third by 1-1/4 lengths. Honky Tonk Hanover and Pandoras Sox also made the cut.

Trained by Anthony Mannino, Takeshigemichi improved his record to four wins, one second and two thirds from 11 starts, earning $53,212. An $80,000 Lexington Select Sale purchase, he races for Glenn K. Berger’s Lightning Stable of Millstone, New Jersey.

The 2-year-old son of The Panderosa, out of the Matt’s Scooter mare Bet Me Hanover, sold with the name Best Bet Hanover.

The top five from each elimination advanced to the $450,000 Governor’s Cup Final for pacing colts and geldings, which along with the $439,000 Three Diamonds for pacing fillies, $410,000 Goldsmith Maid for trotting fillies and $432,700 Valley Victory for trotting colts and geldings make up the $1.7 million Fall Final Four for 2-year-olds on December 2 at the Meadowlands.