by Ken Weingartner, Harness Racing Communications

Ken Weingartner

Freehold, NJ — Krispy Apple, coming off a half-length win over Myluvmylife in the Mistletoe Shalee prep race July 30 at Meadowlands Racetrack, will look to capture Saturday’s (August 6) $272,500 final from post No. 10. The 3-year-old filly, driven by Tim Tetrick and trained by Mark Kesmodel, has won eight of 10 starts this season and earned $316,605.

In fact, the daughter of Western Ideal-Apple Krisp is unbeaten in races not involving the sport’s No. 1-ranked horse, undefeated See You At Peelers. Krispy Apple finished second to See You At Peelers in the $613,020 Fan Hanover Stakes on June 18 at Mohawk Racetrack and was sixth in the $127,000 Tarport Hap on July 16 at the Meadowlands. In the Tarport Hap, Krispy Apple briefly took the lead from See You At Peelers before going wide coming off the final turn.

“She tried to run out the draw gate,” Tetrick said after the Mistletoe Shalee prep. “She’s never done that before. I think it was just that (See You At Peelers) had that force field around her; nobody could get by here.”

Lisa photo

Krispy Apple was a 1:50.3 winner in the $150,000 Miss New Jersey.

Krispy Apple rebounded from the Tarport Hap by winning a division of the New Jersey Sire Stakes on July 23 at the Meadowlands. Her other victories this season include the $150,000 Miss New Jersey. Last year, she raced only twice, winning the $147,600 Matron Stakes at Dover Downs after finishing second by a neck in her elimination.

“She’s a lot of fun for me,” Tetrick said. “She’s very fast. She had a little hiccup here (in the Tarport Hap), but she’s a nice filly. She’s going to get her due. She’s got high, high speed. She can cover a lot of ground really quick.”

In the Mistletoe Shalee prep, Krispy Apple raced on the outside behind Drop The Ball before taking over the lead in the stretch.

“It was a very good performance,” Tetrick said. “She did all I asked. I got a very good trip, second over behind Drop The Ball. I got to follow her halfway down the lane and she passed the horse late. She held off a couple horses that were charging on the outside. It worked out good that she got to follow a long ways. Hopefully she’ll be good for this week.”

Following is the field in post position order for the $272,500 Mistletoe Shalee, with listed drivers and trainers: 1. Drop The Ball, Yannick Gingras, Ross Croghan; 2. Idyllic, David Miller, Casie Coleman; 3. Strike An Attitude, Dave Palone, Robert McIntosh; 4. Swinging Beauty, Douglas McNair, Gregg McNair; 5. Rocklamation, Andy Miller, Mark Harder; 6. Native Daughter, Andy Miller, Mark Capone; 7. Pretty Katherine, Ron Pierce, Coleman; 8. Jamaica Hanover, George Brennan, Joe Seekman; 9. Myluvmylife, Brian Sears, Joseph King; 10. Krispy Apple, Tim Tetrick, Mark Kesmodel.