Fourth Dimension aims for ‘Victory’
November 22, 2017,by Ken Weingartner, Harness Racing Communications
Ken Weingartner
Freehold, NJ — After rebounding from a disappointing outcome in the Breeders Crown with a win in last week’s Valley Victory Stakes elimination, 2-year-old trotter Fourth Dimension will try to wrap up his season with one more victory in Saturday’s (Nov. 25) $464,650 final at the Meadowlands Racetrack.
The Valley Victory is one of the “Fall Final Four” stakes for 2-year-old trotters and pacers Saturday at the Big M. The Valley Victory, for male trotters, is joined by the $420,750 Goldsmith Maid for female trotters, $411,700 Governor’s Cup for male pacers, and $381,200 Three Diamonds for female pacers.
In addition, the card includes TVG Series championships for trotters and pacers.
Fourth Dimension, trained by Marcus Melander, starts the Valley Victory final from post five after beating Kinda Lucky Lindy by 2-1/2 lengths in 1:55 last weekend. Brian Sears will drive the colt, who has won seven of 10 races and earned $176,700 for owner Courant Inc.
Lisa photo
Fourth Dimension beat Kinda Lucky Lindy by 2-1/2 lengths in 1:55 in the Valley Victory elimination.
In his start prior to the Valley Victory elimination, Fourth Dimension finished fifth in the Breeders Crown on Oct. 28 at Hoosier Park. He was the 1-2 favorite after winning his Breeders Crown elimination in a track-record 1:54, but was unable to find his footing in the final.
“We were disappointed after the Breeders Crown,” Melander said. “He had a lot of problems with the surface that day. It was the same for everyone, but my horse just had a lot of problems with it. He’s a horse that really needs some grip and it was just slippery for him. It was too bad it was that day, but there is nothing we can do about it now.
“(Last week) I was very happy with how he looked and how he trotted. He trained good after the Breeders Crown, otherwise I wouldn’t have put him in there. He came out of the race good and I’m going to train him (Wednesday) a little bit. He seems very good.”
Fourth Dimension has won three of his past four starts, including a 1:52.4 victory in a division of the International Stallion Stakes at Lexington’s Red Mile. That time is tied for the fastest race mile of the season by a 2-year-old trotter. In addition, the colt set or equaled track records four times this year.
In the Valley Victory, Fourth Dimension’s foes include Samo Different Day, who in October won a division of the Madison County at Hoosier Park in a then-track-record 1:54.4. Samo Different Day, who finished second in the Peter Haughton Memorial and Matron Stakes and was third in the Breeders Crown, received a bye to the final.
Also in the field are Matron Stakes winner Wolfgang, Pennsylvania Sire Stakes champion Fashionwoodchopper, Kentucky Sire Stakes winner Hat Trick Habit, and Kindergarten Series winner Tito.
“I’m looking forward to Saturday,” Melander said. “He’s beaten these horses before. It’s a nice group of colts, but I know my horse is one of the best out there. He’s showed a lot. He’s a very nice colt.”
The Goldsmith Maid features elimination winner Plunge Blue Chip, who has won eight of nine races for trainer-driver Ake Svanstedt. Plunge Blue Chip’s victories this season also include the Matron Stakes for 2-year-old female trotters. Among the horses joining her in the Goldsmith Maid are stakes-winners Hey Blondie, who received a bye to the final, and Seviyorum, who finished second in the Breeders Crown.
Breeders Crown champion Stay Hungry, who received a bye, leads the group for the Governor’s Cup, which also includes elimination winner Springsteen as well as stakes-winners Lost In Time, Closing Statement, and Nutcracker Sweet.
The Three Diamonds features a field that includes Breeders Crown winner Youaremycandygirl and fellow stakes-winners Kissin In The Sand, Rainbow Room, Majorsspeciallady, Strong Opinion, and Reign On Me. Youaremycandygirl, Rainbow Room and Majorsspeciallady received byes. Kissin In The Sand was the elimination winner.
For Saturday’s complete Meadowlands entries, click here.
- Downbytheseaside and Fear The Dragon to duel in Progress Pace elimination (Tuesday, November 21, 2017)
Three-year-old male pacers Downbytheseaside and Fear The Dragon are neck and neck in this week’s Hambletonian Society/Breeders Crown poll, with a meeting in Wednesday’s elimination of the Hap Hansen Progress Pace at Dover Downs — and another potential meeting in the Nov. 30 final — on the horizon.
- Fall Four and TVG finals lead Grand Circuit action this week (Wednesday, November 22, 2017)
On Saturday night (Nov. 25) Meadowlands Racetrack will host finals in each of the Fall Four events for freshman pacers and trotters and the TVG series for open pacers and trotters.
- What The Hill set for TVG try (Thursday, November 23, 2017)
Ron Burke will send What The Hill to face older foes in Saturday’s $350,000 TVG Series championship for male trotters at the Meadowlands Racetrack and the trainer is interested to see how the colt responds. What The Hill received an invitation to the TVG finale because of his win in October’s Breeders Crown for 3-year-old male trotters at Hoosier Park. He is the third consecutive Breeders Crown 3-year-old champion to try the TVG, following Bar Hopping and The Bank.
- Millions on the line Saturday at The Meadowlands (Wednesday, November 22, 2017)
Saturday night (Nov. 25) at The Meadowlands is the penultimate stop on the 2017 Grand Circuit with more than $2.6 million in purses distributed over the finals of the TVG Series for older horses and the Freshman Fall Final Four. The stars of the season will align over the eight races to make their case for divisional honors.
- Fourth Dimension dominant in Valley Victory (Saturday, November 25, 2017)
Fourth Dimension stamped himself as the early favorite for next year’s Hambletonian with an easy 1-1/4 length win in the $464,650 Valley Victory for 2-year-old colt and gelding trotters on Fall Final 4/TVG finals night at the Meadowlands Saturday (Nov. 25). Youaremycandygirl took the $381,200 Three Diamonds, while Plunge Blue Chip and Lost In Time won the $420,750 Goldsmith Maid and $411,700 Governor’s Cup respectively.
- Burke doubles up in TVG finals (Sunday, November 26, 2017)
For Ron Burke, nights like these are special. And they tend to happen all the time.This year will mark his ninth consecutive national training title, and on the last big stakes night of racing at the Meadowlands in 2017, Burke took two of the four TVG finals with What The Hill and Hannelore Hanover before adding another winner in a Fall Final 4 event with Youaremycandygirl on Saturday night (Nov. 25).