from the Meadowlands Publicity Department
East Rutherford, NJ — With four wins in his last six starts, including two sub-1:50 efforts, it could be that Casimir Camotion has found a home in the open ranks at the Meadowlands.
The four-year-old Camluck gelding is installed as the 7-2 second choice in the morning line in a $40,000 open pace this Saturday night at the Meadowlands.
In winning last week’s open, Casimir Camotion snapped Landmark Hall’s winning streak at five and contributed one of four wins on the program for driver Patrick Lachance.
“He hasn’t been raced too tough this year,” said Lachance, who also trains the gelding for Cary Potkin and Bill Matz’s M&M Harness Racing LLC of Suffern, New York. “I’d like to think that by next year, he could possibly be a free for all type. I don’t see any reason why he can’t. He’s sharp right now. Last week wasn’t a fluke. He did get the best trip, but he needed a :254 final quarter to win. He’s a top horse. He’s still fresh. He’s versatile, too, and loves to close in. I don’t know if I can get the same trip this week, but he’ll be in there trying.”
Casimir Camotion has compiled a record of five wins, two seconds and four thirds from 14 starts for earnings of $117,720 this year. He posted his first sub-1:50 mile on May 22 with a 1:493 effort. Last week, he clipped a fifth of a second off for a win in 1:492.
Both were also 28-year-old Patrick Lachance’s first sub-1:50 credits as a driver.
“Billy (Matz) and Pat bought him at Harrisburg,” said co-owner Potkin. “I came along for the ride. He was a very lightly-raced, talented horse with major upside potential. He got sick when we first purchased him and was never really right through the winter series. Pat thought it was best we give him time off, which we did, and he has come back healthy. He is now the horse we thought he’d be. We hope he can continue to improve and race with the best next year. He is very versatile, which is a big plus. Last week he just worked out the perfect pocket-sitting trip and came home in :254 to set his life mark — and my personal best — of 1:492.
“To put him in the class of a Misfit or Master Barney, though, it’s much too early to tell,” said Potkin, who owned both of those free for all pacers. “I think he has the speed to be a top horse but whether he has the toughness to race week in and week out with the best, we hope to find out.”
Matz missed last week’s race as he was in Ontario to watch another of his horses, Saint John’s Boy, compete in the Classic Series Final. He finished fifth.
“I was thrilled by him winning the open,” said Matz of Casimir Camotion. “It’s always been a dream to win the open at the ‘Mecca’ of harness racing. We did right by him giving him the rest he needed after we purchased him at Harrisburg. As far as we are concerned he’s got unlimited potential. He was very lightly raced as a two and three-year-old so he’s fresh.”
Around The Meadowlands for June 11, 2004
Whosurboy, who makes his next start in Saturday night’s $40,000 open, is closing in on $700,000 in career earnings, including $130,702 in 2004.
“He and Blastaway Sahbra are so much alike,” said trainer Mark Ford. “They show up every week and churn out money, not spectacular, but very consistent. Both excel during the wintertime. They always give you 100 percent. If you look at Whosurboy’s lines, until his last few, he had like 20 straight checks. I don’t know if he can beat these kind Saturday night, but he’ll be in there giving 100 percent like he always does. He’s a wonderful horse to own and to race.”
Starting next week, baby races will be offered on Wednesday as well as Saturday mornings at the Meadowlands. A total of 17 races for the two-year-olds were carded for this Saturday. Post time is 10:00 a.m.
Entries for the Wednesday two-year-old races will be taken at 4:00 p.m. on Saturdays. Entries for Friday morning qualifiers and Saturday morning baby races will take place at 4:00 p.m. on Wednesdays.
Marchand is the 5-2 morning line favorite from the rail in Saturday night’s fifth race, a $25,000 three-year-old open.
“He’s not enough stock to go to the North America Cup,” said trainer Noel Daley. “I’ve had him about four months or so. He’s got real good gate speed, and from this spot that puts him right in the race early. He’s in a very good spot here; a field where he belongs.”
Two others in that race are Mark’s Secret Love and Real Rusty. David Miller will be in Ontario Saturday but he knows a thing or two about Mark’s Secret Love, whom he has driven in his last four starts.
“He’s got some ‘go’ to him,” Miller said. “Last week (when he was sixth), he was totally locked in, no place to go. He felt good, and I think he’ll be able to go with some of the best three-year-olds this year.”
Real Rusty has finished in the money in eight of 12 starts.
“The first Meadowlands Pace we ever raced in was with Park Place (1997),” said Jules Siegel, who shares ownership with his wife, Arlene. “We hope to go back with Real Rusty and Harry Hornet this year. This colt has done okay so far — a couple of thirds, one at Pocono and one at the Meadows. Last year, Whatanartist went 1:49 in the Pace elimination, and it was too much for him.”