HP Paque, Windylane Hanover romp in Su Mac Lad divisions
March 21, 2004,from Meadowlands Publicity Department
East Rutherford, NJ – HP Paque [$4.80, $3.20, $2.80] rallied wide in the stretch and drew off to a 1:56.1 victory in the first of two $50,000 divisions of the Su Mac Lad Series on Sunday afternoon at the Meadowlands.
Driven and trained by Trond Smedshammer, HP Paque sat behind Golden Blend N as the latter commanded the front in a brisk 27.2 opening uarter then backed the pace down to a leisurely half in 59.4 seconds. HP Paque’s stablemate Elegant Man brushed to the lead past the half and began to edge away from the field before making a costly miscue in deep stretch. Smedshammer steered HP Paque around the tiring Golden Blend N and his stablemate and drew off to a three and a quarter length victory, flashing a final panel in 26.3 seconds, in the afternoon’s fifth race.
Diamond Goal [$3.80, $4.40] was second, while it was three and a half lengths back to Scully FBI [$4.80] in third.
Fool’s Goal, the 7-5 favorite, went off stride at the quarter and finished fifth, but was disqualified and placed eighth, then seventh for interference while on a break.
It was the first start of the season for the jet-setting HP Paque.
After a four-race campaign in Italy in November and early December, the trotter had a few months off and qualified back on March 12 at the Meadowlands, finishing second by a nose to Fool’s Goal. The son of Tabor Lobell, owned by Timo H. Yli Panula of Pompano Beach, Florida, has career earnings of $935,861.
“You don’t find many trotters who can go 27 [seconds] on both ends of a mile,” Smedshammer said. “He’s seven now, but he doesn’t have a lot of lifetime starts. When I came out, I knew he had them beat. He was full of trot.”
In the sixth race Su Mac Lad division, 2003 Older Trotting Mare of the Year Windylane Hanover [$2.80, $2.40, $2.10] and driver Ron Pierce tallied a three-quarter length win over Saint Johns Boy [$3.00, $2.20] in 1:57. Dream Lavec [$2.20] tired after a first-over bid and finished third.
Windylane Hanover is now a perfect two-for-two in 2004. The five-year-old Lindy Lane mare has career earnings of $765,848. She is trained by Brett Bittle and owned by Charles Keller III, Charles Keller IV and Dan Bittle of Frederick, Maryland.
“She’s as good now as she’s ever been,” said trainer Brett Bittle.
“Last year with the way some of the free-for-allers finished, we thought it would be a good idea to bring her back and race her this year. She’s very sharp right now. Since they added the Breeders Crown Mares Trot [July 31 at the Meadowlands] and the Armbro Flight [June 19 at Woodbine], that helped in making our decision. It seems like when trotters hit age five they seem to peak.”
WEDNESDAY NIGHT PICK 6 DEBUTS THIS WEEK
The new Wednesday Pick 6 wager, featuring a guaranteed $50,000 pool, debuts this week at the Meadowlands. Additionally, the Pick 4 on Wednesday nights will also offer a $50,000 guarantee starting this week.
The Pick 6, a $1 wager, will span races four through nine and offer an 18 percent takeout, the lowest for a Pick 6 in North America.
If there are no tickets with all six winners selected, 75 percent of the pool will be carried over to the following Wednesday and 25 percent distributed in consolation payouts.
The Meadowlands has lowered the takeout on the Wednesday night Pick 6 to only 18 percent, which means more of the wagered dollars are returned to the bettors.
As an added incentive, Big M Club members will receive double points for all wagers made on the Wednesday night Pick 6.
The Pick 4 at the Meadowlands covers races six through nine. It features a takeout of 15 percent, 10 percent less than traditional multi-race exotics.
The Daily Racing Form will offer the past performances for all of the Pick 6 races in its Wednesday national editions.
JERSEY GIRLS FINAL ON TAP FOR WEDNESDAY
Four Starzzzz Stables’ two-horse entry of Four Starzzzz Hope and Four Starzzzz Ittt headlines the field for the $67,8000 Jersey Girls Final, the second race, on Wednesday night at the Meadowlands.
Four Starzzzz Hope has finished first or second in six of seven starts this season and counts the $65,000 Night Styles among her victories.
She will start from post three with Mike Lachance in the sulky, while her stablemate drew post eight with driver George Brennan.
The entry is rated as the 8-5 morning line favorite. Both fillies are trained by Dave Sabatelli.
FIELD FOR THE $67,800 JERSEY GIRLS – RACE 2 – WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24
Hd # PP Horse Driver Trainer ML
1 3 Four Starzzzz Hope Mike Lachance Dave Sabatelli 8-5
1A 8 Four Starzzzz Ittt George Brennan Dave Sabatelli 8-5
2 1 Decent Lawyer Daniel Dube Ken Rucker 10-1
3 2 Maple Lady Brian Sears Bruce Saunders 5-1
4 4 Carson Jane David Miller Randy Giglio 15-1
5 5 Zintillating Jack Moiseyev Linda Toscano 6-1
6 6 Stormies Girl Ron Pierce Darby Miller 2-1
7 7 Sweet On Art Ray Schnittker Ray Schnittker 8-1
- Fool’s Goal leads Su Mac Lad Final (Saturday, April 03, 2004)
Two-time Breeders Crown champion Fool’s Goal will look for his first major stakes victory of the season in the $134,400 Su Mac LadFinal on Sunday afternoon at the Meadowlands.