by Ken Weingartner, Harness Racing Communications
Freehold, NJ — Ariana G starts Saturday’s $500,000 Earl Beal Jr. Memorial for 3-year-old trotters from an unfavorable spot, but trainer Jimmy Takter is confident the filly can step up and defeat eight male rivals in one of the season’s few remaining preps for August’s Hambletonian Stakes.
No female trotter has ever competed in the Beal Memorial final in its seven-year history. Ariana G, who received the 2016 Dan Patch and O’Brien awards for best 2-year-old female trotter in the U.S. and Canada, is this year’s fastest 3-year-old trotter, with a mark of 1:51.1. Takter has won the Beal three times.
Ariana G was among three elimination winners last weekend — along with Long Tom and Perfect Spirit — and begins Saturday’s final with driver Yannick Gingras from post No. 8. Horses win 5.8 percent of their starts from post eight at Pocono, which is second to only post nine’s 5 percent victory rate for the lowest at the five-eighths-mile oval.
“I really think she can win it anyway. I really do,” Takter said. “Of course she’s got to work a little harder to get out of there, but if Yannick wants to press it, he can. She could be as good as any horse I ever had.
“It looks like there could be a lot of horses leaving (quickly from the gate). The horse to beat is Long Tom; he’s the one that looked the best in the eliminations. But it is going to be a really interesting race.”
Ariana G and Long Tom both enter the Beal final undefeated in three races this season. Ariana G is the 5-2 morning line favorite while Long Tom, who starts from post one, is the 3-1 second choice. Both trotters are New Jersey Sire Stakes champions.
The Beal is one of four stakes finals Saturday at Pocono, with the $500,000 Ben Franklin Pace for older male pacers, $500,000 Max C. Hempt Memorial for 3-year-old male pacers and $300,000 James M. Lynch Memorial for 3-year-old female pacers.
North America Cup champion Fear The Dragon and stablemate Downbytheseaside are the top choices in the Hempt while the top four finishers in the Fan Hanover Stakes — Bettor’s Up, Agent Q, Tequila Monday and Idyllic Beach — are ready for a rematch in the Lynch. Elimination winners Mel Mara and Keystone Velocity lead the Franklin.
Ariana G, who has won 12 of 14 career races and earned $816,467 in purses, is owned by breeders Al Libfeld and Marvin Katz. She is a daughter of stallion Muscle Hill out of the mare Cantab It All and is a full sister to 2016 Hambletonian Oaks winner All The Time.
Last week, Ariana G won her Beal elimination in gate-to-wire fashion by 1-1/2 lengths over Bill’s Man in 1:53.4. She opened with a :27.3 first quarter-mile and closed with a :27.3 final quarter. The middle half was :58.3.
“She had a very nice elimination,” Takter said. “I was a little bit concerned bringing in a horse off a three-week layoff; I don’t train horses hard between races. I was very happy for her to get a nice mile; she raced for basically a half. She should be sharp. She came out of the race super and felt wonderful here jogging.
“She’s much more a horse this year,” he added. “Last year she was a little awkward looking. She just was fast. Now she is very solid. She grew a good inch and a half and she filled out. She probably weighs 150 pounds more than she did last year. She couldn’t be better. She’s gorgeous now.”
Takter is uncertain whether Ariana G will race against the fillies on Aug. 5 in the $500,000 Hambletonian Oaks at the Meadowlands or challenge the boys in the $1 million Hambletonian Stakes. And he is in no rush to make a decision.
“We’ll just take one step at a time with her,” Takter said.
Takter remains hopeful that colt Rubio can find consistent winning form in time for the Hambletonian. Rubio has won six of nine career races, with two of his losses — including a seventh-place finish in his Beal elim — coming in races in which he went off stride.
“I’m still very optimistic about Rubio,” Takter said. “I know (last week) he was over-trotting himself in the last turn, but Yannick said he had plenty of go. I know he can go with these horses. I don’t say he can go with (returning Dan Patch Award winner) Walner, but he’s a very good horse.
“If Rubio is really good, then I’ll probably keep Ariana in the (Hambletonian Oaks). I’ve been in this game a long time, and you can look like you have five horses going into the Hambletonian and you have none. And it can look like you have no horses going to the Hambletonian and you have five. There is so much going on. It’s how these horses handle these tough races. The main thing is don’t get panicked. If you know you have a good horse, you can be a little more patient.”
Racing at Pocono begins at 6:30 p.m. Saturday. The night’s stakes finals are races nine through 12. Following is the field for the Earl Beal Jr. Memorial, which is race 12. For the complete card, click here.
PP-Horse-Driver-Trainer-Line
1-Long Tom-Tim Tetrick-Marcus Melander-3/1
2-Perfect Spirit-David Miller-Ake Svanstedt-6/1
3-Sortie-Andy McCarthy-Noel Daley-10/1
4-Moonshiner Hanover-Scott Zeron-Chris Beaver-12/1
5-Bill’s Man-Corey Callahan-John Butenschoen-4/1
6-Lucky Matter-Brian Sears-Chris Beaver-20/1
7-Devious Man-Andy Miller-Julie Miller-5/1
8-Ariana G-Yannick Gingras-Jimmy Takter-5/2
9-Dover Dan-Brett Miller-John Butenschoen-15/1
ROAD TO THE HAMBLETONIAN
A look at open stakes for 3-year-old male trotters
and state-restricted stakes featuring Hambletonian eligibles
Date – Track – Event – First – Second – Third
May 6 – Freehold – Dexter Cup – Lord Cromwell – Gustavo Fring – Southwind Cobra
May 19 – Meadowlands – NJSS – Long Tom – Yes Mickey – Deacon Tony
May 19 – Meadowlands – NJSS – What The Hill – Southwind Cobra – New Jersey Viking
May 20 – Meadows – PASS – Sortie – Giveitgasandgo – High Glider
May 20 – Meadows – PASS – Andy M – Gustavo Fring – Stealth Hanover
May 20 – Meadows – PASS – Common Parlance – Brown Bear – Brand New Key
May 29 – Vernon – NYSS – Stick With Me Kid – Bill’s Man – Top Flight Angel
May 29 – Vernon – NYSS – Devious Man – Lord Cromwell – Aces And Eights
May 29 – Vernon – NYSS – Enterprise – Swell Chap – Meetmeinthemiddle
June 2 – Meadowlands – NJSS Final – Long Tom – King On The Hill – What The Hill
June 3 – Meadows – Currier & Ives – Fraser Ridge – Meme Hanover – Muay Hanover
June 3 – Meadows – Currier & Ives – Moonshiner Hanover – Giveitgasandgo – Lars Perry
June 3 – Meadows – Currier & Ives – Sortie – Dover Dan – Always A Good Time
June 9 – Mohawk – Goodtimes Elim – International Moni – Guardian Angel As – Jake
June 9 – Mohawk – Goodtimes Elim – Enterprise – AWOL Hanover – Shake It Off Lindy
June 9 – Vernon – EBC Elim – Bill’s Man – Such An Angel – Stick With Me Kid
June 9 – Vernon – EBC Elim – Devious Man – Swell Chap – Lord Cromwell
June 10 – Pocono – PASS – Rubio – Muscles Jared – Di Oggi
June 10 – Pocono – PASS – Dover Dan – Moonshiner Hanover – Sir John F
June 10 – Pocono – PASS – Giveitgasandgo – President Lindy – Andy M
June 17 – Mohawk – Goodtimes – International Moni – Mass Production – Seven And Seven
June 18 – Vernon – Empire Breeders Classic – Devious Man – Bill’s Man – Stick With Me Kid
June 24 – Pocono – Beal Elimination – Long Tom – Sortie – Lucky Matter
June 24 – Pocono – Beal Elimination – Perfect Spirit – Devious Man – Dover Dan
June 24 – Pocono – Beal Elimination – Ariana G* – Bill’s Man – Moonshiner Hanover
July 1 – Pocono – Earl Beal Jr. Memorial –
July 9 – Pocono – PA All Stars –
July 15 – Meadowlands – Stanley Dancer Memorial –
July 22 – Meadowlands – Tompkins-Geers –
July 29 – Meadowlands – Reynolds –
Aug. 5 – Meadowlands – Hambletonian –
Hambletonian eligible in bold
*Filly; also eligible to Hambletonian Oaks
- Ariana G, Mel Mara, Downbytheseaside wow at Pocono (Saturday, June 24, 2017)
Ariana G, Mel Mara, and Downbytheseaside were impressive in victories in the Sun Super Stakes eliminations Saturday (June 24) at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono in a night with a healthy dose of favorites and a sprinkling of longshots as victors. Each of next week’s (July 1) championship events on the $2 million Sun Stakes Saturday card – the $500,000 Ben Franklin Free-For-All Pace, the $500,000 Earl Beal 3-Year-Old Trot, the $500,000 Max C. Hempt 3-Year-Old Colt Pace, and the $300,000 James Lynch 3-Year-Old Filly Pace – had enough entrants to necessitate three elimination divisions on this Saturday’s (June 24) card, with the top three finishers returning in seven days for their respective championship event.
- Posts drawn for Sun Stakes (Monday, June 26, 2017)
The post positions have been drawn for the Sun Stakes finals at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono. The Saturday (July 1) championship events on the $2 million Sun Stakes card are the $500,000 Ben Franklin Free-For-All Pace, the $500,000 Earl Beal 3-year-old trot, the $500,000 Max C. Hempt 3-year-old colt pace, and the $300,000 James Lynch 3-year-old filly pace.
- ‘King Kong’ hopes to topple Franklin foes (Tuesday, June 27, 2017)
He might not be the same beast he was in the past, but Mach It So still has a little King Kong in him. Mach It So, a 7-year-old gelding with 36 career wins and $1.81 million in earnings, faces eight foes in Saturday’s $500,000 Ben Franklin Stakes for older male pacers at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono. Trained by Jeff Bamond Jr. for owner Bamond Racing, Mach It So starts from post five with driver Tim Tetrick and is 12-1 on the morning line.
- Ariana G makes move in Poll; Fear The Dragon remains in top spot (Tuesday, June 27, 2017)
Three-year-old female trotter Ariana G beat the boys in her elimination for Saturday’s $500,000 Earl Beal Jr. Memorial at Pocono and moved up two spots in this week’s Hambletonian Society/Breeders Crown poll. Fear The Dragon, who finished second in his elimination for Saturday’s $500,000 Max C. Hempt Memorial for 3-year-old male pacers at Pocono for his first loss of the season, remained No. 1 in the rankings.
- Update on Sun Stakes Saturday finals (Tuesday, June 27, 2017)
The fields for the four rich championship races to be held during this weekend’s $2,169,500 Sun Stakes Saturday card at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono, have been updated with final driver assignments and morning line odds.
- Sun Stakes finals top Grand Circuit schedule (Wednesday, June 28, 2017)
The Grand Circuit spotlight will once again be on The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono this Saturday night (July 1) as the track will host four lucrative stakes finals in the $500,000 Ben Franklin for older pacers, the $500,000 Earl Beal Jr. Memorial for 3-year-old trotters, the $500,000 Max C. Hempt Memorial for 3-year-old male pacers and the $300,000 James M. Lynch Memorial for 3-year-old filly pacers.
- Brazuca wakes up for Cancelliere (Thursday, June 29, 2017)
Brazuca is a quiet filly around the stable, but she is capable of making noise on the racetrack. Unbeaten in three races this year, Brazuca heads to Saturday’s $300,000 James M. Lynch Memorial for 3-year-old female pacers at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono off a 1:52.3 win in her elimination last weekend. She starts the final from post No. 5 with Corey Callahan driving for trainer Tom Cancelliere and is 5-1 on the morning line.
- Hempt elimination victory not shocking to owners of Santafe’s Coach (Friday, June 30, 2017)
When Santafe’s Coach strode into the winner’s circle at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono on Saturday (June 24) after his triumph at odds of 21-1 in his $25,000 Max C. Hempt Memorial elimination, quite the contingent was there to greet him. Although the public did not appreciate the 3-year-old colt’s chances to have his picture taken, his connections were not surprised they were exactly in that very position and hope to repeat that experience on Saturday (July 1) after the $500,000 final.