by Evan Pattak, for The Meadows

Meadow Lands, PA — Well Said polished his credentials as the leader of the 3-year-old colt class by capturing an elimination for the Delvin Miller Adios, in 1:49, an all-age track record, on Friday at The Meadows. Mr Wiggles and If I Can Dream also won eliminations, and will join Well Said in the $677,665 final on Saturday, Aug. 1, along with Ideal Danny, Chasin Racin, Keep It Real, Schoolkids, Vintage Master, and Straight Shooting.

Trainer Tracy Brainard reached the “Pace for the Orchids” final with three contenders (If I Can Dream, Schoolkids, Straight Shooting), while trainer George Teague, Jr. will send two (Mr Wiggles, Chasin Racin) to the final. An open draw for final post positions will be conducted on Tuesday, July 28, at 6 p.m., eastern, and will be shown live on the Meadows Racing Network.

Well Said entered the Adios off impressive wins in a pair of million-dollar races, the North America Cup Final and the Meadowlands Pace Final, dominance that was reflected in his 1-5 odds. Ron Pierce allowed the son of Western Hanover–Must See to get away fifth before sending him after the lead before the quarter.

“I was going to sit in a hole for awhile, but going into the first turn, there was somebody right on my right wheel, and I didn’t want to go in there and risk getting locked in,” Pierce said. “So I set him out in the middle of the track, and when Brian Sears cleared with Keep It Real, I let him pace on. He crossed over so easily.”

Without any urging, Well Said knocked three ticks off the track record, formerly held jointly by Timesareachanging, Santastic’s Pan, Georgia Pacific and Riyadh. Keep It Real was beaten a respectable two lengths, with Schoolkids third. But there’s bad news for them and the other finalists: Pierce thinks Well Said will go faster.

“He felt like if I was chasing him, if it was a horse race, if he had some competition in there, he could pace in 1:47,” Pierce said. “I’ve driven a whole lot of great horses, and this guy acts like he could go right by them. He’s scary fast.”

The victory kept Jeff Snyder, who owns Well Said with Lothlorien, on track for his fourth Adios win as an owner. He won previously with Cam’s Card Shark (1994), Million Dollar Cam (2002), and Village Jolt (2005). Steve Elliott trains Well Said, who pushed his career bankroll north of $1.8 million.

Mr Wiggles and Corey Callahan (foreground) were narrow winners in their elimination

Mr Wiggles sat tight while his stablemate, Bunkmeister, blazed the first quarter in :25.4 before tiring down the backside. Mr Wiggles and Corey Callahan grabbed the lead first-over but were unable to shake the persistent Vintage Master. After a spirited stretch duel, Mr Wiggles survived by a nose, in 1:49.1. Straight Shooting finished behind the battling leaders.

“Well Said‘s a great horse; he’ll put Mr Wiggles and a lot of others under the radar,” Teague said about his underrated son of Badlands Hanover–Wiggle Hanover, who extended his career bankroll to $573,371 for Elmer Fannin and George Teague, Jr., Inc. “But this guy always has been on my radar screen. He’s done what he had to do. If he’s been in the right spot, he’s won.”

Chris Gooden Photos

If I Can Dream drew off, despite being uncovered for much of the mile

If I Can Dream used an extended uncovered bid to vault to the lead before drawing off late. The son of Western Hanover–Arterra scored by 3-3/4 lengths over Ideal Danny, with Chasin Racin, who was parked in :25.4 through the opening panel, a gritty third.

“The race went 100 percent according to my plan,” winning driver George Brennan said. “I knew a number of them would leave and put me in a spot where I would need to come first-over. I was hoping the early speed would take a toll on the leaders, and that’s exactly what happened. He was a little tired at the end, but that wasn’t a surprise given the fractions.”

Bulletproof Enterprises owns If I Can Dream, who now has earned $627,6