by Evan Pattak, for The Meadows
Washington, PA — 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). All but Pelling are in the Hall of Fame.
“I wouldn’t mind being in that group,” allowed trainer Tony Alagna.
Now, Alagna can join them. The winner of last year’s Adios with Racing Hill, Alagna will send out Tom Hill’s homebred Western Hill (Western Ideal-Cosmo Blue Chip) in Saturday’s Adios eliminations at The Meadows. Hill, by the way, bred and owned Racing Hill, so he, too, is pursuing a rare repeat.
First post is 1:05 p.m. with the eliminations (races nine and 10) scheduled to begin at approximately 3:45 p.m. The $400,000 Adios final the following Saturday anchors an afternoon card that features six Grand Circuit stakes. Post time that day is 12 noon.
Because Western Hill was a June foal, Alagna brought him along slowly last year, keeping him in the Pennsylvania Stallion Series, the lower level of sires stakes in the Keystone State.
“We tried to race him in a little easier company, and he got better and better each week,” Alagna said. “He was good at The Meadows when he won a Stallion Series leg there.”
Western Hill captured the $40,000 Stallion Series championship, but the step up in class this year has brought mixed results. He was a good second to Downbytheseaside in a North America Cup elimination before finishing fifth in the final at 102-1. He drew poorly in a Meadowlands Pace elimination, finishing ninth at 61-1.
Western Hill leaves from the rail in the second elimination with Dave Palone, another Hall of Famer, aboard.
“I’m tickled to death to have Dave driving him,” Alagna said. “Nobody knows that piece of earth better than he does.”
Alagna envisions several race scenarios that could produce a win, or at least a berth in the final, for Western Hill.
“If he gets away third or fourth from the rail and the right horse is in front of him, he can follow that one. Or he can sit in and try his luck getting out late. He’s very good with a target. He’s medium sized — that works to his advantage as far as his handiness.”
The first four finishers in each 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 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-David Miller-Ron Burke-20/1
7. Huntsville-Tim Tetrick-Ray Schnittker-7/5
Adios Elimination 2, Race 10
1. Western Hill-Dave Palone-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-Matt Kakaley-Ron Burke-5/2
6. Eddard Hanover-Tim Tetrick-Ron Burke-20/1
7. Independent One-Marcus Miller-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.
- 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.
- Schnittker on Huntsville: ‘as good as he’s ever been’ (Thursday, July 20, 2017)
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.”
- 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.