by Anne Doolin, for the Meadows

Meadow Lands, PA — “We’re going to need some luck from out there, that’s for sure,” says trainer Joe Holloway of Modern Art’s post position for Saturday’s $500,500 Coors Delvin Miller Adios at The Meadows. “The eight hole is a tough spot at The Meadows.”

Modern Art is listed at 12-1 on the morning line in the third of three $50,050 eliminations for the 38th edition of the Coors Delvin Miller Adios on Saturday, August 14. The Adios, with a record 27 sophomore pacing colts and geldings entered, also sports a record total purse of $500,500.

First race post time on Adios Day is 12:40 p.m. The eliminations are carded as races nine, 10 and 11, with the final going as race 14 -– at 5:45 p.m. -– on the 15 race card.

Modern Art, whom Holloway trains for Val D’Or Farms of Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey, Martha and Milton Frank of Fair Lawn, New Jersey, and Ted Gewertz, of New York, New York, is the lone millionaire in this year’s Adios. He banked $719,041 as a freshman, and counts among his six wins the Woodrow Wilson. This year, he’s won three of eight starts with earnings of $300,778.

“He’s sharp right now, but he sure hasn’t been drawing good,” said Holloway. “I think you can count on seeing some wicked speed in this elim. He’s in the toughest elimination, no doubt. You have to hope for some luck.”

Luck has been on Holloway’s side lately, however. He made a quick trip to the emergency room two weeks ago with what he thought was a heart attack.

“It turns out my heart was out of rhythm,” he said. “They rushed me right to the back, and I hadn’t been there long before they realized it was Lyme Disease. My heart was beating 40 beats a minute and it wasn’t moving any blood.

“They think I’d contracted Lyme two to four weeks ago,” he said. “I’m still on IV antibiotics for a month, but I’m better now. I felt rotten for eight or nine days, but started feeling good again Monday. I can’t golf because of the IV line, but other than that, it’s not so bad.”

Adios facts and figures

The 27 colts and geldings are a record for the Adios, breaking the previous record of 24 entrants from 2002.

The final purse of $500,500 is also a record. Previous high was an even $500,000 in both 1998 and 2002.

John Campbell, who leads all drivers with eight Adios Final wins to his credit, drives Art Director for trainer Linda Toscano in the 10th race elimination, and Metropolitan for trainer Chris Ryder in the 11th race elimination. Campbell’s eight Adios winners are: Andrel (1984), Run the Table (1987), Direct Flight (1992), Miles McCool (1993), Cam’s Card Shark (1994), David’s Pass (1995), Million Dollar Cam (2002) and Armbro Animate (2003). Both Run The Table and Armbro Animate were trained by his brother, Jim Campbell, who sends out Harry Hornet this year (11th race, with David Miller driving).

Greensburg OTB now open for business

The Meadows’ newest off-track facility, located at 207 Hudson Avenue (formerly Bobby Dales Restaurant) in Greensburg, opened for business today at 1:00 p.m. It is the fifth facility operated by The Meadows to open.

A Grand Opening is slated for Friday, August 20, with Announcer Roger Huston calling The Meadows’ races, and Jeff Zidek providing commentary from the site.

Also planned for the August 20 Grand Opening is a hot and cold appetizer buffet, a limited number of free Adios caps, Adios and Roger Huston bobbleheads, and a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 3:00 p.m.

An Adios win by Peyote would make Davis “crazy”

Judith Davis of Blairsville, Pennsylvania, who is represented by Peyote in Saturday’s ninth race elimination for the 38th edition of the Coors Delvin Miller Adios, has been a Standardbred owner for 28 years. And there’s nothing she would love more than to win the big race right in her own backyard.

Davis became interested in racing through her parents, Adrian and Helen Davis, who always had a stable of horses. Some of her top horses include Ishmael (6, 1:59³f, $84,118) and Keystone Mia (p, 3, 1:54⁴f, $149,460), a winner of 20 of 44 races lifetime, including a $77,400 Keystone Classic event as a two-year-old.

Keystone Mia also happens to be the dam of Peyote. Davis sent Keystone Mia to the court of Cambest after visiting him at Walnut Hall Limited in Lexington, Kentucky.

“I loved that horse,” Davis recalls.

Davis named Peyote as a tribute to her great-grandfather, who was of American Indian heritage. Peyote is a tobacco product created by American Indians that is known to cause hallucinations. Davis thought the name fit the colt perfectly because of his temperament.

“This horse is crazy. He used to run out of the building on to a plateau, and he’d just rear straight in the air and buck and kick,” she said.

Peyote was foaled in Kentucky, but just a year later Keystone Mia foaled another Cambest, a filly, in York, Pennsylvania.

Keystone Mia changed location because her veterinarian, Dr. Suzanne Gates, moved to York. Dr. Gates always foals Keystone Mia because of the excellent care Davis feels her mare gets under her watch.

“She knows how much the mare means to me,” said Davis.

Peyote’s full sister, Sister J, won her Arden Downs two-year-old filly pace division earlier this week in 1:56¹ with Dave Palone in the bike.

When asked what winning the Adios would mean to Davis, she said, “Other than having my children, there’s nothing I could love better. Nothing. It would just be the biggest thing in my life.”

— Kate Miller also contributed to this report