by Ellen Harvey, HRC, a division of the USTA

(Watch a Video Replay of the race)

Corleone Kosmos trotted away from the field to win the $250,000 Classic Series final for older trotters in a world record of 1:58.3 by 1-1/4 lengths on Saturday night at the Meadowlands Racetrack.

Corleone Kosmos and driver John Campbell split horses from post five to get in behind Enough Talk, who led to the quarter mile mark in :26.4. Campbell soon had the son of SJ’s Photo out and moving down the back-stretch and took the lead by the half in :56. He was tracked around the turn by Enough Talk and driver Ron Pierce, who tipped out coming off the turn, but thought better of it and ducked back in along the rail as the field straightened for home.

Arch Madness (Brian Sears) was on the move after the leader, but he’d not be caught and was putting space between him and the field down the stretch. Arch Madness closed stoutly but could not catch Corleone Kosmos. Enough Talk was third and Before He Cheats (Tim Tetrick) was a fast closing fourth.

“That breather during middle part of the race [a 29.1 second quarter] certainly helped him,” said Campbell. We tried him off the pace last week and he didn’t win, so we tried something different. I guess his horse [Enough Talk and Ron Pierce] felt good, but my horse was still trucking at the time and I felt pretty strong in the stretch. He sure had his game tonight and he was very aggressive during the half, but the breather in the middle was key.”

Speaking of the value of the Classic Series, Campbell said, “It’s certainly kept horses on the track and been a big boon for mares. There are a lot of mares racing that, if it wasn’t for this series, would be in the broodmare band.”