by Ken Weingartner, Harness Racing Communications

Freehold, NJ — If John Celii ever suffered from triskaidekaphobia, it was overcome by Pleasant Thoughts.

Celii, the owner of stallion Badlands Hanover, two years ago was examining foals sired by his world champion pacer at the Standardbred Horse Sale in Harrisburg. Celii thought he had seen them all when he realized one more remained — a bay colt out of the mare Pleasant Thoughts. The horse’s name was Badlands Nitro, and he was the 13th, and final, Badlands Hanover foal Celii inspected.

“It was love at first sight,” said Celii, who previously owned Pleasant Thoughts, but sold her in 2004 while she was in foal with Badlands Nitro. “He was unquestionably the best-looking Badlands I’d seen to date. He reminded me of his dad; beautiful head and athletic body.”

Trainer George Teague, Jr. gave his approval and partnered with Celii on the $16,000 price. The investment has paid off handsomely as Badlands Nitro has won 10 of 12 lifetime races and earned $348,757. Last year, he won in 1:51.1 at Dover Downs, equaling the world record for 2-year-old pacers on a five-eighths-mile track, set in 1990 by Artsplace.

This year, the colt is four-for-four heading into Saturday’s C$1.5 million North America Cup at Mohawk Racetrack. He will start from post four with driver Brian Sears and is the 4-1 second choice.

The connections of Somebeachsomewhere, undefeated in eight career races and Canada’s co-Horse of the Year in 2007, selected post two. He is the 8-5 favorite after winning his elimination last week in 1:49, just one-fifth of a second from tying the track and Canadian records for 3-year-old pacers.

Racehorsephoto.com photo

Badlands Nitro was a 1:50 winner in the Max Hempt Memorial Final.

Badlands Nitro captured his elim last week in 1:50.1. He was coming off a two-week break following a victory in the $301,072 Max C. Hempt Memorial Final at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs on May 24.

“I was hoping we would make it to the final (this) week and I didn’t want to go bang, bang, bang with him,” Teague said, referring to the time off. “He’s the kind of horse you want to have because he’s smart and fast. He’s got all the ingredients to be a good horse.”

Teague, from Harrington, Del., won the North America Cup with Total Truth in 2006.

“I think if you bring the right horse to the show, you’ve got an equal chance,” Teague said. “I think Badlands Nitro is the right horse. He brings plenty to the table. Total Truth won his from off the pace and this horse has shown he can do it from in front or from behind. Being able to race either way is a great advantage.”

The remainder of the North America Cup field includes Santanna Blue Chip, Deuce Seelster, Sand Shooter, Mucho Sleazy, Art Official, Dali, Lennon Blue Chip and Keystone Horatio.

“The unknown factor with Badlands Nitro is how fast can he go? To date, he has not been truly tested,” Celii said. “He came back strong from his week off and raced very well winning his elimination. We have a very good horse, an excellent trainer and driver, and that’s about all you can ever want.”