by Anne Doolin, for the Meadows

Meadow Lands, PA — No matter how you scripted it, this one was almost impossible to see coming. Cactus Creek, a consistent performer in spite of his moderate credentials, jumped up and beat the heavy-hitters in the 40th edition of the Coors Delvin Miller Adios in a huge upset on Saturday (August 12) at the Meadows. It was the first win in the “Pace for the Orchids” for Chicago-based trainer Erv Miller, and the second for driver Mike Lachance.

USTA/Ed Keys Photo

Mike Lachance drove Cactus Creek to an upset win in the Delvin Miller Adios Final, stopping the timer in 1:50.2.

The son of Artsplace, owned by Brittany Farms, Val D’or Farms and Stanley Friedman, qualified for the final with a second place finish behind True North Hanover in the third elimination with John Campbell in the bike. When Campbell opted for New Jersey Classic winner Feelin Friskie in the final, Mike Lachance picked up the drive.

Lachance kept Cactus Creek well back and covered up on the rail during the early going, and steadily worked his way up, finding room to charge up the passing lane in the stretch. He won by a half length in 1:50.2 at odds of 20-1. He outfinished Western Ace and Brian Sears, who were mounting the same kind of move on the outside, while Total Truth, who sat second before claiming the lead in the stretch, held third. True North Hanover, who cut the mile, held on for fourth.

“Cactus Creek needs a good trip,” said Erv Miller by phone from Springfield, Illinois, where he raced 18 horses today. “He doesn’t take air very well. John gave him a good trip in the elim, and Mike gave him a perfect trip here. He gets brave that way.

“We’ve only had him in the barn a couple of months, but we’ve had time to figure him out pretty well,” he said. “He’s pretty much a small track horse.”

Lachance won his other Adios in 1996 with Electric Yankee. He was listed on only one other Adios horse today, Gimmebackmybullets, who failed to advance out of the third elim.

“I was sitting seventh on the rail,” said Lachance. “Then things started to open up on the inside. I had a ton of horse and I knew those on the front end had had enough. I never left the rail.”

Cactus Creek boosted his lifetime earnings to $221,139 with the Adios victory.

Meadows-based trainer Mickey Burke, this year’s leading trainer in North America by both wins and earnings, qualified three of his five entrants for the final. Those three — True North Hanover, Texas Shootout and Sandro Hanover — finished fourth, fifth and sixth, respectively.

George Teague, Jr., who shot to prominence with the exploits of 2004 Horse of the Year Rainbow Blue, saw both of his two advance to the big dance. Western Ace nailed down the place spot in the Adios Final, while millionaire Total Truth was third.

Erv Miller, who in 2005 was voted Trainer of the Year by the United States Harness Writers Association, said the Jug Preview at Scioto Downs and the Little Brown Jug were possibilities for Cactus Creek in upcoming weeks.