from the Meadowlands Publicity Department
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – January 17, 2004 – Gallo Blue Chip, the defending series champion, and Camcracker each won $50,000 divisions of the Presidential Series for free for all pacers on Saturday night at the Meadowlands.
Both winners and eight others will advance to the $114,600 Presidential Final on January 24 at the Meadowlands.
Lisa photo
Gallo Blue Chip is now a perfect three-for-three in 2004.
Gallo Blue Chip [$4.20, $2.80, $2.20], the 2000 Horse of the Year and the richest pacer of all time with $4.2 million in earnings, posted his fourth consecutive victory and is now a perfect three-for-three in 2004.
The seven-year-old son of Magical Mike, driven by Daniel Dube and trained by Mark Ford, won the tenth race, a second round division of the Presidential, with a mile in 1:50.2.
E Dee’s Cam seemed to have the race wrapped up but Gallo Blue Chip dug in and rallied in the stretch for the neck victory over Life Source [$5.20, $3.00]. E Dee’s Cam [$3.20] finished third by half-length.
“I wanted to race with cover, but I had to come first up,” said Dube. “When he is this good it doesn’t matter.”
“I just don’t know,” said Ford, who trains Gallo for Martin Scharf of Lawrence, New York. “Since we brought him and Whosurboy back to the Meadowlands they have both stepped up. I really don’t know why. I just hope things go right in the final and he gets a good draw.”
Camcracker [$7.80, $4.20, $2.60] exploded off cover in the stretch and rallied for a length and a quarter victory over Royal Mattjesty [$3.60, $3.40] in the fifth race, the first of the two divisions. Cheyenne Rei [$2.60] finished third by two lengths.
Camcracker, an eight-year-old son of Cambest, trained by Mark Harder, paced the mile in 1:50.4.
“Last week he got a rough trip,” said winning driver George Brennan. “Tonight we were really lucky to get a second over trip like that. A horse like Camcracker will reward you with a trip like that. That is just what he did.”
Camcracker, who races for Aubrey Friedman of Burlington, Ontario and Brian Nixon of Centerport, New York, pushed his career bankroll to $815,858.
- Cheyenne Rei & Gallo Blue Chip win Presidential Divisions (Saturday, January 10, 2004)
Despite the cold, Cheyenne Rei and Gallo Blue Chip were the hot pacers, each winning a $50,000 first round division of the Presidential Series on Saturday night at the Meadowlands.
- Second Presidential title in sight for Gallo Blue Chip (Friday, January 23, 2004)
Fancy pedigrees will not explain Gallo Blue Chip, the morning line favorite to win the $114,600 Presidential Final.